I'm approaching my first winter in a C6. I am considering buying Pirelli snow tires (same size as stock) with rims to match from the Tire Rack.

Does anyone have the experience of driving a C6 or C5 with snow tires in icy/snowy/sleety conditions. I live in Pennsylvania where usually snow falls at night and the roads are fairly clear by mid-morning. But it could happen that snow will fall during the day and I will have to drive home with an inch or two of uncleared snow on the highway.

Would snow tires help - or will nothing help? Should I consider narrower snows than the stock size?

 

"Same size as stock?" NO. Snow tires? Yes

First point: "snow tires" have aggressive, open tread blocks for traction in snow, and a tread compund optimized for traction in snow.

But the main thing that hurts traction in snow or slush is tire width, thus if your statement "same size as stock" meant you were going to put snow tires on your car that are the same diameter and width as stock, you would get very little gain in driveability. For example, on my Porsche, tire widths for non-winter conditions are 235/295, but for winter, 205/255. (I don't have #s for my vette because it does not move if it has snowed.

So I would recommend narrower tires. Call someplace like the tirerack.com and talk to one of their folks about an appropriate set of tires and wheels. They know the size/width/tire combinations that work.

Oh, and the best snow advice? Buy a beater and drive it on snowy days.

 

I also live in Pa. and have sometimes, in the past, driven sports cars in the snow (ie. camaros, mustangs ect...) Without question tire width is as important if not more than tire tread. It sounds like you are considering tires and wheels so unless you are getting a great deal for just a little more you could probably get a "winter car" and save your Vette the wear and tear of pennsylvania potholes and the salted road conditions of a typical winter here. That being said a mild winter has been predicted for the entire northeastern US.

 

Thanks, to both of you.

The answer was what I expected: Get a beater. Even if I drive carefully, someone else is going to T-bone me or otherwise mess up my new C6.