Discussions

Just wondering if anyone has a sporty car like a Camaro that they drive in the winter? I've had my bumblebee Camaro going on 2 years (it's my only vehicle) and I had no need to drive in the winter last yr due to covid. It's my first sporty car I've ever owned and I'll be starting work come January, so I'm wondering if I should throw some winter tires on and drive it this winter or?? Also, I live in rural Mb, not in town so there would be a lot of highway driving. Not sure if I should be practical and trade in for a truck, because I cannot afford and have no need for 2 vehicles. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!!

Put some good winter tires on, and use some good old fashion common sense when driving you will be fine!!!!

I'm assuming it's a rear wheel drive car, so some decent winter tires all around and some weight in the trunk (think like a filled sandbag or some softener salt bags), along with taking it easy when you're accelerating and you'll get where you want to go just fine. The tires and the added weight above the drive wheels will help a lot with traction.

We put ours in storage every winter. We could probably put winter tires on but our main concern is the lack of clearance. Ours is an SS2 convertible with the front dam so there's just no room...  
 
Just something else to consider before you decide to keep it on the road.  
 
Edited by Arax, 2021-09-05 15:02:54

I would think this would be your main concern! I live on a farm and in winter our roads do not get cleared right away. And when they do it is not always down to the gravel/pavement. And if we get a winter with a lot of wind then you will be contending with a lot of snowdrifts. The plows do not come out for us for just a few drifts. I would have some cat litter and a good shovel along if you are going to drive a sports car in winter in the country. Just my two cents…

I don`t weigh in on discussions, but I do have allot of experience with your dilemma. If you really like the car and how it makes you feel when you drive it, then you should look into what we used to call a "winter beater". Just a cheap expendable vehicle and park the Chev for the winter. If the Camaro is simply transportation, by all means trade it off and get something that will clear the ruts and get you to at least a mile road. Even the V6 Camaros have 300hp and No weight for traction in a Manitoba winter. And if it is a standard, an icey red light can become the devil ! There`s a reason you don`t see "muscle cars" in Febuary, they are not made for it, and it sucks when a Corolla can make you look sooo slow.

He has a sports car with the fancy low profile 20" rims and low clearance to the ground. He drives highway all winter to get to brandon and back home fine with winter tires on his car. He didn't get studded or anything crazy like that. He has more trouble with clearance driving on soft gravel roads then in winter. We have relatives that their kid drives their camero all winter too.

Thanks so much for your insights. I should have mentioned it is a 6 speed standard and #34 highway by Austin is a bit more rough in the winter, I like the idea of a beater (that I can afford) so I'll probably go that route just so I don't turn mine into one! If I lived closer to hiway 1 it would probably be fine, but these rural 'hiways' are rough enough in the summer!

My old beater spare car still costs over 1k a year for mpi and that is with my max discount.