i know, i know, driving a camaro in snow is not the greatest idea, but it's my only car, and i need it to get to school. i won't be driving it a very long distance, only two or three miles, but i want to be safe doing it. so i'm wondering, what are your reccomendations for winter proofing my car? i've already put about 150 pounds of sand in my trunk, and i've packed a shovel, supplies, etc. i'm wondering more about anything i can do that will help my car perform better. any help is greatly appreciated. thanks.

 

snow tires might help and remember to take it easy on the gas pedal

 

The best rated all season or snow tires you can afford.

Good brake pads, i.e. Hawk HPS for instance, good quality blanks (rotors).

Get some weather floor mats while you're at it... Wash the car regularly to keep the salt from rusting everything fast. Add some seat heaters -- very nice in the cold...

Good quality windshield wipers -- I just tried the Peak Optix wipers -- way better than the old Bosch ones I had. Kind of big connection contraption, though. They also don't quite fit the existing wiper rubber bump stops, so I may end up swapping them for a similar design, different brand... These are the curved ones.

 

My old boss had a mercedes that he would just lower the tire pressure and put sand in the trunk and he would get up the hill to work when noone else could.

 

I just made a close to 100 mile round trip today and it was snowing most of the time. Most of the roads were clear but not all. There's nothing wrong with driving a Camaro in the winter you just need be smart and use common sense and you'll be fine. Back in the day all cars were RWD most could handle them then. Once you get acquainted with how a RWD vehicles handle in the snow, it will make you an all around better driver in any vehicle.

 

Yep, I drove rwd cars in the winter "back in the day", good winter tires are key. Rwd is all there was, that or 4wd trucks, but everybody was in the same boat, so to speak. Modern cars with ABS, traction control, and even front wheel or all wheel drive has all but eliminated what was necessary to drive a car well in bad conditions....skill. You're on the right path with putting the sand weight in the trunk, to help the tires dig. Plus the sand could come in handy if you're stuck on some slick stuff. Don't forget, you need to adjust your driving habits because you're on the same road with other cars that have better traction than yours. Also, you need to "play" the stop lights, if you're approaching a snowy hill. Lay back and leave plenty of space in front of you, with the hopes that traffic will start moving again while you still have some forward momentum. Other survival items to carry in the winter are jumper cables, a good brush/scraper, flashlight, a basic tool kit, winter boots (should you get stuck or want to help someone else), and a blanket.

 

Just a word of warning, Sand is a good option for weight, you want a weak bags. Just remember anything you put in your car becomes a projectile if you run into tree or something. Camaros have that nice hole in the back that is perfect for sand bag or two. We had one customer that had concrete bags in the trunk(none Camaro). He hit a tree. The one bag stayed put the other one rips right thru the back seat hit the passengers bucket seat bent the whole seat in half and ended up inside where the glove box should have been. Good thing no one was sitting there. The tree damage was repairable but when combined with all the interior work the car was not worth fixing.

If you can swing it 4 steel rims and 4 studded snow tires (2 on the back is better then none). This was pretty common practice back in the day in the Snow Belt for those of us that did not have 4wd. Also first snow find a empty parking lot and learn how the car will react, IMO most of the “snow” wrecks happen because people do not know how their car will react and they panic the second it does something they are not expecting. Looking back during snow storms we use to meet up at the local strip mall and race in circles in the parking lots with our “winter beaters”. Stupid, illegal, irresponsible but it made us better snow driver

 

I thought about mentioning that as well. Just be selective on what parking lots you choose. Some people get really ticked off...

 

Tires make all the difference. Also, driving in third or second gear isn't a bad idea. Just take it easy with throttle and drive slower than you normally would. And although we have ABS and all that good stuff, pumping the brakes slowly helps in slowing down and in most cases stops the tires from sliding. This is my first winter with my Camaro but not with a RWD, and as long as you take your time and go slow, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

thanks guys, i really appreciate the advice. i have been taking it easy with the speed, and i did go screw around in a parking lot already. i've already gotten alot better driving in snow. right now, my tires are pretty new, and the breaks are less than one month old. another question i had: what are your views on tire chains? i don't really have the extra space to store tires, or the extra cash. but i would probably be able to get a set of chains.