Punko

I am currently in the market to for a 2002 to 2004 Carrera S or 4S.

Our winters have become very mild, typically only fighting ice and slush. We get deep snow maybe 2 or 3 times a season.

Do I need a 4S or would just a 2S be sufficient?

Once I have the car I plan on buying a set of snow tires and rims.

What do you guys do to protect your car from sand and stones, any rally style mud flaps available?

Thanks

ivangene

C2 with snows

tooloud10

I recently trudged my C4 on snows through some 12-16" drifts. It was a little touch-and-go in a few places but I can't believe you wouldn't be fine with a C2 on snows in lesser depths of snow.

Pac996

C4 is radical in the snow and ice.
C2 is sufficient but nothing near the C4 point and shoot ability.

Clear bras for some. I don't know about mud flaps.

Barn996

This is my 4th winter on snows with a C2 and it's a blast.

steepsnow

I live in the foothiils above Denver, Colorado I use my '99 C4 to rally up to the mountains to go snowboarding. It is the most fun car I have ever driven in the snow (I have driven a many...).

The car is amazing and fun with good snow/ice tires in the snow. At slow-medium speeds, (in an open parking lot for instance) the car is nimble and fluid with precise and controlled drifting, almost like driving a snowmobile or jet-ski (PSM=off). At higher speeds or on very slick ice, set your speed properly before a turn. A throttle lift in a slick turn in a 911 can easily spin it. With a C4, it is easier to save such a spin with reapplication of the throttle(vs C2).

Unless I am specifically having fun in a semi-controlled environment, I leave the PSM turned on. I try to drive at a slip angle just below the threshold of the PSM. In my car, there is a decent amount of drift before it will kick in. Thus, plenty of fun with the PSM to save you if you push a little too hard. If you enter a corner a little too fast, there is NO need to lift with the PSM and AWD in a C4(S), just steady throttle with good RPM torque and the car will go where you point it (within reason).

I have both a clear bra and full bra. Presently, I am running with just the hood-cap portion of the bra. I just noticed a fingernail sized tear from a rock when washing it (driving a 911 in winter = lots of car washing). I'll go back to the full bra after the next wax for the rest of the season. While some people might have a hard time seeing a bra on a 996, they are probably also the same people who might freak out even worse to see it just before I wash it after a good storm.

There is a limit where the SUV's or trucks are simply required! DEEP (>10-12") snow and especially deep unplowed, slushy or frozen, rutted snow. While those conditions are rare, you can easily lose little pieces of plastic from under the car, like brake ducts. Powder snow(>12") will start to come up over the top of the car making it very hard to see. In addition, depending on the snow density, the body can become high-centered. Once again, common sense required...

Sneaky Pete

Great tips!^^^^ With PSS10, what is your ride height? Do you raise for the winter?

Mawgie

I live in Upstate NY, and just bought a 2002 C2 Carrera with new PZeros. The remainder of my fleet is: 1) 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, Hemi; 2) 2008 Audi A6 quattro, with "all season Sport tires"; 3) 2006 Acura MDX, with Michelin Cross Terrain tires (wife's DD). Of the three, the MDX is the best in snow, followed by the Ram. The Cross Terrains are spendy and wear rapidly, but are excellent winter rubber. The Ram came new with 20" Sport Truck tires, which suck, but will have to be run to ruin before I get something better, or trade on a CPO Cayenne !! The Audi is easily the best balanced, but is severely compromised by 18" summer meats masquerading as "all season" tires. If I bought proper winter rims and tires, the Audi would be outstanding in the snow. However, when it is crappy, I just take the Ram.

I got the Carrera all but stuck on a tiny snow hump at the end of the driveway when I drove it home from the dealer. PZeros are lousy snow tires!! If you drive one of these in the winter:

1) proper snow tires are essential;
2) no matter what tires, if the snow is really deep, you may be stopped.

Finally, it gets *** cold where I live, and people here track mud and snow and slush and ice and crud wherever they go all winter. You might consider a hopped up Audi A4 or a simple winter rat for the worst of the weather. Having said that, I admire you for driving your rig in the winter. To some extent, I wish I had the stones to drive mine....

Sneaky Pete

They are lousy in the Summer too.....can get loud. Fast forward to the Summer, when you go through them think about the Sumi's. Sorry to hijack.

Van

LOL

Snow tires are key. My C4 is unstoppable as long as the snow isn't deeper than 6". Last winter, on a snowy road, I had to slow way down, because I realized the cop I was approaching in front probably wouldn't be pleased if I passed him - while still going under the speed limit - when he wasn't comfortable going over 30 MPH.

Dennis C

+1

I run Blizzaks on dedicated winter wheels on my C4S, and it does great. I tend to park it when the snow is at 4 inches rather than 6 - I take the Cayenne on those days.

racer

Snow tires are key. Beyond that, it comes down to ground clearance. Once you get hung up, 2 or 4 doesn't matter as much if they can't touch the ground.

i don't know that mudflaps are in fashion anymore given so many "vinyl" products that can be applied to protect painted surfaces.

jordanturbo

I am on my Third season with my Porsche C4S winter driving and I don't believe I have driven a more capable winter vehicle. I have owned a Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan, Dodge 3500 4x4, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Subaru STI, R32 Skyline GTR, GSX Eclipse, BMW M3, and BMW X5 and a handful of others. Except for ground clearance it has been my favorite winter vehicle.

As said by others though, the proper tire selection is key. My family owns a few tire shops so I rotate through tires fairly regularly I have run A Bridgestone Blizzack in a 265 width, a Pirelli Sottozero in a 265 and 295 width, a Dunlop Wintersport 3D in a 265 and 295, and lastly Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 in a 265 width. Out of all of these I prefer the Dunlop Wintersport 3D's in the 285 with.

It gives the most consistent wear since they are closest to a proper width, and like in my home town, our winters are not as severe anymore, we only get a few heavy snows a year, streets are usually plowed pretty quickly etc. The wintersport 3D compromises performance the least out of any tire while still providing decent winter traction. My next selection would be the Blizzaks but they were a little to soft for my even as a 265 stretched but provided the greatest winter traction. IMO Pirelli winters are absolute garbage and will not put another set on any vehicle. I like the Michelin X Ice, but they are not in my size, the Pilot Alpin is not bad, offers performance similar to the Dunlop but not as good winter traction.

I have probably been through 15-16 sets of winter tires in the 9 years I have been driving. When I first started driving and our winters were a little harsher I preferred a mushier tire like the Nokian RSI's or their studded tires, or the Blizzacks. But as winters have become more mild and I have been getting more high performance cars, I have been preferring the feel of performance winter tires.




On a side note I recommend having an emergency kit in your car for winter. I have a 200 piece tool kit with socket set, screw drivers, allen keys, wrenches, and a hammer. I also have a blow torch (I once had my wheels frozen stuck when brake heat melted the snow in the wheels, then froze them stuck) 20ft 10,000lb tow rope,80ft of 5,000lb tie down strap (so I can winch it out if necessary) heavy duty booster cables, first aide kit, flares, food and water supply and a collapsible shovel.

I got this shovel for christmas and it fits perfectly in the 996 trunk.

Ray S

I've done several Chicago winters with my C2 on snows and the car has been unstoppable (even depths of 12" - 14").

My biggest problem is that deep snow pulls the plastic splitter off of the GT3 front spoiler (this has happend twice). Fortunately both times I heard it pop off and picked it up to re-attach during a thaw.

StephenB

plastic undertrays and brake cooling ducts can take a beating as well...

I ran Pirelli for a few years and switched to Blizzak. IMHO, the Blizzaks were a much better snow tire and were superior to Pirelli in icy conditions.

If they use sand on the roads where you live, you may want to source some rally style splash guards or something a bit tamer. I used a set of splash guards that Tweeks sold that were held on with removable spring clips. The worked great and were easily removed in the Spring. I'll post a pic if I can find them