# For those who drive their GTO in the winter



## Ejjw18 (Sep 3, 2009)

Just how bad is it? I live in Chicago and we all know how bad our winters are. What do you guys do to prepare for it? I'd just like to know before I go and get mine on saturday.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

It can be done. I drive my 04 M6 all year. Tires are everything. I have Potenza 960AS and also have Conti DWS. Both work great for all season and have excellent tread life.

Also our gas tank is above the rear wheels. Keep it full and the added weight will probally help.

I've honestly only been stuck once and it was on ice, no car would even make it up a wet iced hill.

Depending on how bad the weather is maybe looking some Blizzacks.


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## Ejjw18 (Sep 3, 2009)

Ok so just get some good snow tires? And I was thinking maybe throw some sandbags in the trunk for extra weight.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

I never needed snow tires or sand bags. I just run my All-Seasons and have been fine. Extra weight probally wouldn't hurt though.

I've heard great things about Blizzacks as snow tires but never had the personal need to get them.

Of course I haven't been out in a blizzard or anything, but 2-3 inches of snow wasn't too much trouble.


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## MiloGTO (Mar 10, 2009)

*Chicago Snow*

I live in the suburbs. I bought my GTO in march and sure enough we got 4+ inches a couple weeks later and I was visiting my friends in Lincoln Park. The roads weren't cleared. It was snowing like hell on top of the 4 inches already down. And I was about as hungover as one could be. 
I slid a few different times but nothing major. I had trouble getting speed at intersections when the lights turned green. So the car seems fine during light snow but I'm getting Blizzacks, sand/gravel bags for the trunk, and keeping a full tank this winter for the bigger storms. I checked out the Blizzacks not too long ago and they don't appear to be too expensive.


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

There is a $50 promotion here:

Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

The salt will make it rust...

But if you must, starting out in 2nd works well when its slick, assuming you're an M6.

I'm putting mine in storage for winter.


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## Gotagoat (Jan 6, 2006)

Be careful when roads are wet too. I rarely drive mine in the rain so I was very surprised several months ago when I shifted into fourth at about 3000 rpm, gave it some throttle, and the rear end started to come around. I got off it and straightened up but 400 hp can screw you in so many ways.


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## Ejjw18 (Sep 3, 2009)

MiloGTO said:


> I live in the suburbs. I bought my GTO in march and sure enough we got 4+ inches a couple weeks later and I was visiting my friends in Lincoln Park. The roads weren't cleared. It was snowing like hell on top of the 4 inches already down. And I was about as hungover as one could be.
> I slid a few different times but nothing major. I had trouble getting speed at intersections when the lights turned green. So the car seems fine during light snow but I'm getting Blizzacks, sand/gravel bags for the trunk, and keeping a full tank this winter for the bigger storms. I checked out the Blizzacks not too long ago and they don't appear to be too expensive.



Ok cool. My brother is giving me **** for getting this. He's like "you're not gonna be able to drive that car when it snows. I work at a dealer I know what i'm talking about. I could barely pull one of my lot before. You're gonna need to buy a beater for winter." But i figure as long as i put some good tires on, weigh the trunk down, and don't drive stupid then i should be fine.

Poncho Dan, none of my other cars have ever rusted in the winter before. I keep them clean to get the salt off.


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## bolo1968 (Apr 24, 2009)

*Rocky Mtns*

Denver gets its fair amount of snow every year. I"ve been running siped BF Goodrich KWDS. Put her in 2nd, does a little wiggle somtimes, but no real problems, never been stuck. Considering traffic is moving at 20 miles an hour, its cool. Really cool passing up trucks and SUV's sliding and stuck LOL. Probably helps I grew up in upstate NY back in the day when almost everything was rear wheel drive with snow tires.


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## FastFrank (Jun 12, 2009)

bolo1968 said:


> Probably helps I grew up in upstate NY back in the day when almost everything was rear wheel drive with snow tires.


^^X2...plus, cars back then didn't have traction control, and most didn't have any kind of limited slip diff's either. Two things you can do to keep the goat between the ditches is to slow down, and get good snow tires. All season tires are ok, but snow tires have been engineered to work in the cold and low traction conditions that winter brings. Even the best all season tire can't compete with even mediocre snow tires.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Ejjw18 said:


> Poncho Dan, none of my other cars have ever rusted in the winter before. I keep them clean to get the salt off.


Subframe connectors, swing arms, stabilizers, and even the springs are going to rust no matter what, most especially around the bushings. The underside of the car will go to hell faster than what you can see from the outside. It's not so much the salt spray from the roads when they're wet, but the salt dust when its dry, that really permeates every nook and cranny... unless you're washing it almost daily. Just my $.02.


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## FastFrank (Jun 12, 2009)

I'm so glad the state of washington does not use salt any more. Cars aren't rusting out like they used to here.


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

Poncho Dan said:


> The salt will make it rust...
> 
> But if you must, starting out in 2nd works well when its slick, assuming you're an M6.
> 
> I'm putting mine in storage for winter.


California don't use salt.

We use gravel and require chains in bad conditions........


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Get a beater car for the winter. You may know how to drive when it is slick doesnt mean that the other person does. 

I driven my GTO in the snow one time and it was interesting. With traction control on and my stock BFG's on starting out in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th I still will spin the tires. ABS freeked me out but it worked well too, never had a car with ABS till the GTO. If you stick with the GTO get tires like has been stated. Just like some of you I started out driving in the snow with a 84 TA without all those electronic nannies and did pretty well.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

:lol: the rear wheels of my Parisiennes would spin, just stopped at a light, unless you applied a lot of brake pedal pressure. Automagics, obviously.

I've never had a better winter combo than a front drive 4 cylinder/5 speed on a full set of Blizzaks.


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## rextheracer (Jul 3, 2008)

Ejjw18 said:


> Ok cool. My brother is giving me **** for getting this. He's like "you're not gonna be able to drive that car when it snows. I work at a dealer I know what i'm talking about. I could barely pull one of my lot before. You're gonna need to buy a beater for winter." But i figure as long as i put some good tires on, weigh the trunk down, and don't drive stupid then i should be fine.
> 
> Poncho Dan, none of my other cars have ever rusted in the winter before. I keep them clean to get the salt off.


thats for sure, i usually try not to drive mine int the rain, but it happens sometimes. i never keep t/c on, cause i like the challenge. of course, i was goin around a corner and rev matched a little too much and turned 180 degrees on a 1 lane road and bumped the front tire on the curb in doing so. alignments off now...but, i now keep t/c on...only in the rain though


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## MorpheusRS (Mar 5, 2009)

drove the goat last nite in the rain, t/c off, guy cuts me off, and i brake hard, abs kicks in and i miss the guys ass by a few inches.. he speeds up, and i'm a bit pissed, try to speed up, and spin the tires in first, second and third.. be carefull and dont get pissed and step on it. it will slide out.


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## UdnUdnGTO (Jan 30, 2006)

Being from Wyoming and now living in Kansas, i have found the GTO to be a great winter car. With Blizzaks all around, it was quite satisfactory in geting around and making trips on snowy roads. Tires are everything though. The GTO is a fairly stable front/rear ratio.


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## GTO_Z71 (Oct 4, 2009)

thats good to hear these cars can handle some snow because I will be driving in the winter..but for the really snowy days I have the Z71


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Snow is coming soon here, which means I'll be putting mine in storage for the next 5-6 months.


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