It's a car - built in Germany - where the winter's can be every bit as harsh as yours. Yes. Drive that beast whenever the weather allows. Get some super quality tires like Nokian or something designed for snow and ice.

 

For me generally no. The low clearance, potholes, salt, grit, and other drivers who have no idea how to drive in weather all make winter driving a no for me.

 

[QUOTE=vangulik42;4143960

Use of winter tires keeps miles off my OE high performance Pirelli summer tires mounted on 20" S wheels. In addition to their poor snow performance, the summer tires become rock hard with poor dry road performance at low winter temperatures. GM recently sent a warning to their dealers that even very limited driving below 20 degrees F could damage high performance summer tires and lead to later catastrophic failure.
.[/QUOTE]

I would say anything below 40 degrees F and the summer tires become rock hard. It is like driving a Big Wheel with plastic tires. You can do it just be aware that stopping distances are longer until they warm up a little.

Marc

 

Ummmmm.. No.. Obviously you can ride a bike too, but why would you if you had a choice?

That's why the boys in Stuttgart designed the Cayenne.

 

I visited the Austrian Alps in 2003 and was surprised by the number of winter shod 911's w/ ski racks. I couldn't get it off my mind, though I had a BMW x5 and and Audi allroad at the time. The new pcar got a set of new Cayman 18" wheels and snows and both of my 911's have seen serious snow. In the middle of the winter I pull the wheels and thoroughly wash the undercarrriage of Salt AND Sand. The joy of pushing a sportscar to 4 seasons is superb. I can even slip my 200cm SuperG skis into the car for a really joyous speed day; trying to go faster on the snow and ice with slim wood and plaster in lieu of rubber and 1.5 tons of engineering.

 

I would never consider driving my 991 in the snow! But, it's a C2S Cabriolet, so it's probably the least suited to do so.. Maybe if I had a targa or a coupe I would consider driving in rougher conditions, but for now light rain is the furthest I'll go in it. I don't want the salt or sand on the road in the winter eating at the paint or the car.. It's basically car abuse to drive it in the winter in my opinion. That's why I drive my new Touareg TDI Executive in the winter.

 

Here in lies the split . . . now a pcar isn't supposed to get even wet !

HiA Do you also pull for meat apart rather than dulling your Wusthofsteak knives ?

 

Two PA winters down, and two more to go. Then the 2013 991 gets traded-in during the fall of 2016 before the factory warranty expires. No visible damage from salt or sand yet. Don't expect any two years from now.






Except, perhaps, for vintage collectibles, cars are to be enjoyed through use.

 

You'll have no problem driving throughout the winter with proper snow tires. I drove mine through last winter on a set of Carrera S rims and Michelin PA4s. The car was extremely competent in the snow. Toward the end of the winter I did get myself a Wrangler because ground clearance will be an issue, as were the potholes around NYC. And, as competent as the car is, there are so many lunatics who don't know how to drive in the snow that I got nervous taking the 911 out in really bad weather.

 

This may sound silly, but anyone has tried using the 911 in winter with its original Pirelli summer tires? I live in Glasgow UK and most drivers here don't use winter tires. I understand the problem of bigger wheels and low profile, but what about just take it easy at corners and roundabouts and watch brake distance?

Another issue: no one mentioned any special precaution for the radiators. They are low and has no grills-any special care please?

 

Summer tires are low grip below 40F, dangerous below 30F. And you won't even get out of your parking spot if there is slow.

Marc

 

My wife had Merc SLK and Audi TT here for the last 7 years with no issue in winter (both cars have Pirelli summer tires) So why the 911 would be different. Yes, it has more horse power, but take it easy.

 

Wouldn't be comfortable driving in snow considering how low car is and how poorly others drive. I prefer to drive my Tacoma 4x4 in snow with BF Goodrich all terrains- hell, that's part of the fun to winter driving.

 

I have driven all of my 911s in the winter. I could not imagine doing otherwise.

 

I don't know what temperatures you get in the winter where you are but in many places in the states we get temperatures well below zero degrees fahrenheit in the winter. As Marc stated, summer performance tires such as the ones that come with the 911 are worthless in the winters here even if you drive like grandma.