So I decided to take the GTO out in the light snow, and...

[Northstar]

Yeah, I know what you're thinking, the C&G curse decided to come along for the ride...

But it didn't. To my surprise, even though I drove cautiously, the traction control only came on twice in about 30 mins. One time was because I was in the parking lot and felt like fishtailing slightly. Now, granted, there was next to nothing on the main roads, and maybe 1/4 of an inch on non-main roads, but I thought it would be much worse than it was to drive it in the snow. I still wouldn't want to try to drive it in more than two inches or so, but I'd be pretty confident driving it in an inch or an inch in a half, I think.

Anyone else driven a hi-power RWD car in the snow and not had a hard time at all? I thought the traction control would frequently come on, but I guess it's all about driving cautiously in poor weather.

[76ChevyTrucker]

It'd be all in how you drive it.

[XP715]

It'd be all in how you drive it.

Absolutely true. Living in New England all my life, I can second that through personal experience. Personally I think people that buy front wheel drive vehicles sometimes get fooled into a false sense of security because they think they can do 60 on a sheet of ice and then wonder why the steering wheel turns but the car goes straight whereas rear wheel drive on snow and ice keeps a person on their toes more. My father's driven rear wheel drive cars and 2WD pickup trucks through the New England winters for thirty years. And as for driving "high power" RWD cars in snow, it can be done with ease. There's a guy that comes to work all the time that owns the 13th GTO off the line in the new production run like yours that drives his every day, year-round, as well as a few other GTOs like yours in the area that do the same. There's also a kid at school that drives his '02 Corvette year-round with ease; it makes me smile to see the thing all caked with salt and $h! while there are other people out there that think precipitation = death and can't handle so much as a Corolla on the snow. Just be cautious of those around you, keep safe distances, and be a little bit ginger with the gas pedal and you should be fine. A good set of snow tires will do a world of good as well.

[Intrepidation]

I love driving through the snow

[76ChevyTrucker]

I will admit that down here its not like we get a foot of snow or more a year, but still its the same with rain. Its all slick and it all reduces traction, so if you drive accordlingly, it doesn't matter what you're in, you'll get from point A to point B without any additional dents, dings, or scratches.

[capriceman]

its driver common sense, skill, and control. not the car.

As for the question YES!! Drove many RWD cars pushing 300 to 700 hp nothing to complicated.

[Cory Wolfe]

Snow driving is fun, but not with bald tires. I've only slid once, but I just expected to have alot more problems and am always anticipating it. It's really not that bad, though. Seriously.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Meh, that's not driving in the snow. Try driving a 1969 Pontiac Custom-S RWD V8 in the snow with no, power steering, no power brakes, no rear window defroster, and traction control, what's that? :AH-HA_wink: Talk about fishtailing, on I-95 in the snow, I look like a salmon swiming up stream. Now that's driving in the snow!

[capriceman]

Meh, that's not driving in the snow. Try driving a 1969 Pontiac Custom-S RWD V8 in the snow with no, power steering, no power brakes, no rear window defroster, and traction control, what's that? :AH-HA_wink: Talk about fishtailing, on I-95 in the snow, I look like a salmon swimming up stream. Now that's driving in the snow!

I remember those good ol cars!Like my 69 Satellite with a sticky gas pedal. Power Steering and Power Brakes are godsends. I'm not a fan of computers telling me i cant do 95 on a icy curvy road whats the fun in that?

[knightfan26917]

It'd be all in how you drive it.

*nods*

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!

The drive home from work on Friday took me just about an hour and 15 minutes (normally 45 minutes) because of the snow and icy/click conditions. BUT, I had NO problem in my RWD '87 MC LS. Yeah, the car slid a bit at times, but I was able to keep it under control and had no problems.

Oddly, a FWD Ford Taurus sliding off into a ditch caused a major backup.....

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Come pick me up" ... Ben Folds ... 'Landed'

[ocnblu]

I've been happy with my Sierra this winter. Between the Fortera tires and G80 locker, it's been fine. Yes, I have to be judicious with the gas pedal, but I am grateful for the fact I can steer with it. With FWD, I would lose steering control much sooner, a safety hazard, imo.

Just continue to be careful and anticipatory, and you should be fine. Enjoy that GTO.

[ToniCipriani]

Not just high power RWD cars, ANY car can give you a hard time if you drive like an idiot in winter.

[Camino LS6]

Of course you can! You just have to be cautious about how and how much of that power you use.

My '70 454 SS El camino never got stuck or slid into anything in snow. I would put some weight in the back and go.

[AM6_Cutlass]

Personally I think people that buy front wheel drive vehicles sometimes get fooled into a false sense of security because they think they can do 60 on a sheet of ice

Seems to be a problem with 4x4/AWD SUV owners. People don't understand that better traction may help you go, but nothing will help you stop/steer on ice. Seriously, as big of a FWD fan as I am, I have had some fun driving RWD in the snow. I used to have a '91 GMC Jimmy (ok, it was actually my dad's, but my friends thought it was mine :AH-HA_wink: ). I wasn't afraid to take that thing anywhere, but in the back of my head I knew if I got stuck there was 4wd to help me get free... although I never needed it. Edited March 4, 2007 by AM6_Cutlass

[daves87rs]

Sometimes you can have fun on ice and snow..in a empty parking lot.

[Northstar]

Sometimes you can have fun on ice and snow..in a empty parking lot.

You can have fun without ice and snow in an empty parking lot up you push the TC button :AH-HA_wink:

[K.C.]

Yup, just flip off the TCS and let the tires melt. When I was younger I did that alot. I wish I had the balls to do that now that I have the money to afford the new tires. Oh to be young again!!!!

[NOS2006]

You can have fun without ice and snow in an empty parking lot up you push the TC button :AH-HA_wink:

But you don't waste as much (or any) tire on the snow/ice.

[Northstar]

But you don't waste as much (or any) tire on the snow/ice.

Very true. I'm going to try to buy some studded snow tires (like 15 inchers) that have tons of rubber on them for cheap so they'll last for a long, long time.

[loki]

i got you all beat, the 83 regal wagon, talk about HIPO!!!!! it must've had near 110ohp.....

it's a decently long time ago... once, just in rain, fishtailed 3 times in a row after making a right hand turn....the 2nd and third were less on purpose than the first

[capriceman]

Smoking the tires will never get old. I just love to pull up to punk kids at a light and start smoking the tires then beat them in a race. Because Little jimmy doesn't want to red line shift his dads Mustang/Camaro.

Sigh... I want a car that can do the 1/4 in 13 seconds. But usually once a car is that fast its not streetable. I Want a Lotus Elise! Its a perfect exotic.

[Ravenfreak13]

Well, the electra was sliding on the ice while I was going up the driveway...but thats because I started on the ice...but it was fun to rev the engine and then the car catching the pavement and rushing up the driveway.

[Turbojett]

Damn.. Northie, You almost gave me a heart attack. When the page started loading, the next thing I expected to see was a huge DENT.