Snow
 

So I have to go up to PA for Thanksgiving and they expect snow.
My GT3 has Pirelli's.
How do these babies do in snow?
Mr. B

Snow w/o Snow Tires
 

Any summer tire will have be a disadvantage due to a) how the rubber reacts w/ cold (summers get real stiff), and b) the tread depth on your tires. Add to the hazard if you have little experience with the car in snow (new to you GT3 ?) and it gets worst if you have little experience of driving in the snow.

That said the storm will probably be more hype then real accumulation.

In early snow season I try and find a smooth parking lot w/ at least a 1/2" of snow atop to practice the push and slide (as well as spin) technique; but my ride has great snows, all wheel drive and I tend to put 8,000 miles in the bad weather (3 different vehicles). Practice will help.

Great Holiday weekend to you and enjoy the Snow !

I have pirelli P zeros to they don't work very well on snow ....

Drive something else and if it's your only car rent one.

3 issues I see.

Cold = very hard tire compound. Scary on any surface.

Ground clearance = snow plow effect.

RWD with rear engine = extreme rear bias.

Should make for an entertaining drive.

+1. Unless you install winter tires you are a Kamikaze Pilot if you run into accumulating snow.

Thanks everybody.

Here's what the National Weather Service says:
"Thanksgiving Day: A chance of freezing rain and sleet before noon, then rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Thursday Night: Rain likely before 2am, then rain and snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 38. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible."

It's true that the GT3 is new to me, but I have over 1,000 hours at the skid pad and I do a lot of instructing there and on the track.

The GT3 isn't my only car, it's just that it's SOOO much fun to drive!!

Further thoughts??
TIA,
Mr. B

How good are the other drivers you are going to encounter in the sleet and snow? A rental car with coverage or the DD would be a lot less stress.

Sleet and slush are worse than packed snow. I encountered about 3 inches of the stuff a few weeks ago going across Rabbit Ears pass and it was one of the scariest - trickiest crossings I have ever made. This was on RE-11's and an awd 911 turbo. When they say, "not intended for freezing temps, ice and snow, they are not BS'ing! Summer tires suck in those situations. Just my 2 cents. Have a great Thanksgving. May it be an uneventful one!

Hmmm
 

Hmmm, maybe we'll take the wife's 328xi.
Mr. B

If there is just snow, go for it. If there is anything else on the road, don't go for it.

Oppty
 

Well, I do look for every opportunity to drive this thing, but if the weather is going to make it risky, I'll take the wife's AWD BMW.
Mr. B

Intercity Lines.
Florida.

T'Giving & Snow
 

Your skill can offset a small snow squall, so I'd say 'go for it and enjoy'. But the tire hardness issue has to be respected. Give yourself some distance, because it's the braking that'll kill, and just pull over if it gets deeper then 'a bit'.

I know people that just love to throw the rear wheel cars around in the snow. There a lot less tire wear . . .

I'm head'in north with mine in an hour; I'll definitively see snow.

I'm the biggest proponent of driving a 911 in the snow.... WITH snow tires.

Short of that, any chance of freezing precip? Don't do it. Really.

Other drivers?..... Imagine that we were breaking up. It's not you, it's me!

Rental.

I will go so far as to say that summer tires in snow or icy conditions can be dangerous. You might think that it could be entertaining, but not when you have to make an emergency stop and all you are doing is sliding with no control. I once got caught in snow with summer tires (not on my GT3, thankfully). I couldn't even make it up a slight grade and I eventually slid off the road. I had to be towed out.

Much appreciated!
 

All the comments and advice from all you guys is much appreciated!!
Mr. B

Mr B,
I am siding with those that have said find an alternative vehicle for this trip. Two weeks ago I nearly wadded my RS into the concrete wall on a bridge 1/2 mile from my house! November, upstate NY, 45 degrees and cold Pirellis :eek: are not a good combo. I was accelerating in a straight line on dry pavement when I suddenly was using the drivers side window as the front windshield. Thank god for the PASM. Happy Thanksgiving.

Good advice.
I will take it.
Mr. B

key note: AWD

OP, get snows or dont drive that car, in fact why drive a gt3 in the snow at all? without proper tire set up its a recipe for disaster, my e46 m3 got me back from canada to ny with stock 18's and blizzack in a legit blizzard, every other car on the road (jeeps and SUV's) were in ditches because they lost it, its all about proper tire and throttle modulation.


good luck

Here's the latest Nat'l Weather Service report for my trip:
"Thanksgiving Day: A chance of snow and sleet before noon, then rain and sleet likely between noon and 1pm, then rain likely after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Thursday Night: Rain. Low around 37. South wind between 6 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday: Rain showers before 9am, then rain and snow showers between 9am and noon, then a chance of snow showers after noon. High near 39. South wind 8 to 15 mph becoming west. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible."
As to temperatures, www.weather.com says: Thursday will have a low of 33 and a high of 34 and Friday will have a low of 22 and a high of 40.
We will be driving up to PA Thursday morning and returning Friday early afternoon. The situation is what I would call borderline, but I'm pretty sure we'll leave the GT3 home.
Mr. B

Got caught in sleet in the mountains last spring in my RS on Cups. 40 miles of sheer terror. Never again will I let that happen. RS+summer performance tires+ icy/sleety weather= death wish.

RS on dedicated snows = most fun snowplow ever.

Tire selection is everything and no joke.

Here in Quebec where we have a sh$tload of snow each year, winter tires are mandatory for the winter season. Summer tire and all-weather tires are strictly forbidden from decembre 15 to march (or april?) 15 and there's a reason for that.

Snow + cold don't mix well with regulat tires, -> no traction. I have all-weather tires on my car right now and it was slippery as hell this week when we got a couple inches of snow mix with icy rain. And don't forget there are other people on the road who can lose it. If you have traction, you can get out of the way and avoid impact.

You said you also have an AWD car. Traction might be better, but braking will be the same as your porsche, meaning you can still slip and hit something/someone.

So just be really carefull and enjoy your trip in safety.

::: as a general advice for others, and i'm sure people living in "snow" country can join me, winter tires are like railroads tracks for a train compare to regular tires when temp goes under 5°C. So buy yourselfs 4 good winter tires and 4 "cheap" wheel to go with them and make the switch for the winter. That might save you a totaled car and some people health.

No matter how good of a driver you are, summer tires on black ice isnt predictable.

Since your wife's car is AWD, there's no question to take that car!

Many thanks!
 

Thanks everyone.
We'll definitely take the AWD 328xi.
Mr. B

I know a thing or two about snow ( check my location)

Don't be stupid... Pzeros + snow = death

Knowingly driving summer only tires in the snow is dangerous and irresponsible.

Don't do it. Period.

Ok
 

OK, so I took everyone's advice and we took the AWD 328xi and we're very glad we did. On the Interstate the roads were quite slippery and there was one bad accident.

All that great advice is MUCH appreciated!!
Mr. B

I'm looking for snow tires (inexpensive) any suggetions?

I like "generaltire GT" and "toyo" brands for winter tires.

You can do a research on their website for tires that fit your car.

ATTN: Forum Moderator

I recommend this comment for it's own sticky for 911 IN THE SNOW.

just put on a set of pirellie scottozero series 2 for winter. i did not want to invest in a set of 18 inch wheels since i lease. the 19s run perfect. all set now for snow.

My recommendation is to lower your collision deductible to $100 and to raise your liability coverage as high as you can. You will need it when you cause a wreck.

My car is not my DD and can pick and choose when I drive, so I don't change out the tires. I don't put it away because there are plenty of beautiful winter days to drive. Just take the turns easy :D

Anyway, a few years ago I brought the car in to have some work done and it took longer than I thought. On the way home got stuck in some freezing snow/rain and it was brutal. I remember I was STOPPED at a red light and the car started moving sideways while I was stopped :eek: Not fun at all.

Like stated earlier, KNOWINGLY driving these cars in the snow with summer tires is insane.

Message rec'd
 

We took everyone's advice and drove the AWD car, and we're glad we did,
We saw a bad wreck on I-81 north of Harrisburg and the slushy roads were partially to blame.
Mr. B

Glad to hear you had a safe trip. Welcome back.

Thx
 

Thanks!
Mr. B

Late to post...
I had to drive my 6GT3 about 10 miles in the snow to get it loaded on a transport to go south for a track event. It was horrifying...no traction at all with the PS2's. I got stuck trying to go over a small 3" hump of snow left by a plow on our subdivision road and had to flag down a couple of guys to help push....here it is at the shop it was a relief to arrive safely!

Ok
 

Then it's a good thing that I have a 328xi and a 4x4 Tahoe.
BUT, how do these vehicles do in rain???
Mr. B

pcar and rain (or snow)