My car was going to be year round transportation even during winter for work purposes only (1.5 miles from work).

However, things have changed recently. Transferred my college credits to my local college and will be finishing my degree on campus. Now I have to drive 10 miles each way. Sometimes roads are not plowed right away and this worries me about my ground clearance. Also worried about wind, ice, and one nasty short but steep hill with a stop light on top. That means lots of hill starts with an automatic.

My car does not have a locking rear end, but can get winter tires, and have lots of winter driving experience. During our winter months they are usually more icey than snowy but can vary greatly. Wind storms gust between 40-80+ mph and can last for days.

So now that I have explained this, does anyone have experience with winter driving in 3rd gens?

One other tidbit - My buddy wants to trade his 1987 K5 Blazer for my car, or his spare 4x4, a KIA Sportage. Although, I am much more interested in his K5.

Any insight would be great. I love my car but also know when it may be time to let go. Perhaps once I graduate and making real money I can purchase a low millage collector :-)

 

Though the winters were not nearly as blustery, I drove a 92 camaro in southwest Michigan for two winters (I moved back home to Georgia later). I drove 30+ miles each way. It got interesting, but if you are careful, drifting is FUN! If you are too worried, grab some concrete or sand bags and throw them in the trunk well. That will weigh the rear down and help provide traction. Buy snow tires and chains. Go slow, watch for snow drifts. Crest the hill at idle speed and try not to touch the brakes. You should be fine.

 

Any car can be used in snow, but you're picking the absolute worst snow car on the planet. Even worse than a 2wd pickup since it has no clearance.
No Vermonter would even consider using one in the winter. But I'm sure many flat landers who drove there third gen in a couple of inches of snow will chime in about how it's fine.
So you can listen to them, who have no real idea what your doing, or listen to me and others who actually drive in serious winter conditions regularly: get the blazer!
Winter driving in a third gen means you don't know anything about winter driving.

 

Last time I checked, sw mi gets feet, yes, feet of snow, and you can't tell where the road ends and the 6 foot ditch begins, And unless you have mountains, or really hilly terrain, you should be fine. Any idiot knows a 4wd k5 is obviously the best option, and that thirdgens are awful in the winter. You can mitigate some of the winter weather problems with a little forethought.

I speak from actual experience. I have driven a semi for the last 13 years and drive in ALL conditions on a regular basis. I've owned thirdgens for 15 years and have had them as my primary mode of transportation.

The poster was asking us for actual thoughts based on our experience, not some halfway masked insult on everyone who isn't a "vermonter" or has only driven in a "couple inches".
What douchebaggery. Duh, if the actual road has several inches of snow. You are not going anywhere. Duh, thirdgens are awful in winter. Duh, tall heavy 4wd vehicles are better. All I was saying driving a thirdgen in winter CAN be done. You can be proactive to make it easier.
He obviously does not want to sell it, and is wondering if it is possible to keep it. Not what you would do or not do. This is his mode of transportation. He loves his third, and would rather keep it. I'm saying it is possible if he is careful. I never said it would be simple or easy. Not only that, but it can, sometimes be fun to play in the snow with these cars.

Is it the safest option, no. Smartest, no. But it is a very ignorant statement to day you know nothing of winter driving if you drive a thirdgen in the winter. (*****)

Tell you what. You drive a semi truck down Donner Pass out side of Truckee CA, in a snowstorm, with no chains, after the dot closed the road behind you and come out the other side unscathed and you then can speak on winter driving. If you can't do that, shut your hole. Just because you can't handle it does not make other people have a lack of skill.

And remember, I did not say it was smart or advisable. I said it can be done and he SHOULD be fine.

 

 

I drove mine in rural WV for years in the winter. Open diff, my driveway(if you call it that) was 300' with a good 25* incline at the end and was never plowed. Plenty of hills, narrow roads rarely salted or plowed. Got pretty hairy at times. It's definitely possible. I would suggest you get a posi though. I always put about 200# of sand bags in the rear cargo area to help with traction, and if you get stuck you can spread it under the rear wheels. All this being said, I never wrecked, but my wife rolled her SC after losing traction and sliding back at the end of our driveway.

 

The driving a thirdgen in the snow part can be done. Its the turning, accelerating, and stopping that is the problem. I had the joy of taking my Camaro from Florida to New Jersey, in the winter, twice.

Simple fact is, these cars suck in the snow, even if your careful. It only takes one time to ruin your day, and the car. The obvious answer is get the K5.

Simple, and to the point. Thats what the OP wanted, not a pissing match.

And no, it didnt have the turbo on it.

 

I drove my 84 in the snow for a month or two and it was a terrible. Even moving it from one side of the street to the other so I didn't get a ticket was a huge pain. I used to daily drive a rwd s10 which was awful in the winter, but the trans am was even worse because of the ground clearance.

 

I drove my 88' Formula in the snow this past winter which was pretty bad. I mounted a set of all season tires on 15x7 rims, but never got around to putting weight in the trunk. I had minimal problems driving 10 miles and back everyday. I also don't drive like a idiot like most do when it snows so that helps. I only got stuck once in my driveway but that was because the snow was that deep. I found it was most easiest to take turns rolling a bit instead of being on the brake since these cars dont have traction control and abs. Other than that it did awesome and of course if no one was around I hammered it and got it sideways.

 

mine sticks really well.and I drive mine right up until the salt flys.after that its parked till spring. I drive my 68 dodge A-100 in the nasty stuff

 

My son drove his '87 three winters here in Montana and we get lots of snow and ice. Never had any problems, used common sense, got good snow tire and put some weight in the back. Imagine, just like we did in the "old days" ! Hankook snow tires are awesome , he can drive up a glass wall with them!

BTW there is a forum member here in Norway, posted pictures of his 3rd gen out in the snow. He drives it in the snow and they know what snow is about!

 

I live in Colorado and we certainly get snow here. You can pretty much get snowed on someplace in Colorado year round. My 87 was my DD for a long time. BUT, you do have to know how to drive it, and if the snow gets over about 5", you have a snow PLOW and not a car. Put good snow tires on it, on all 4 wheels (and i mean SNOW TIRES, not all seasons!) and go easy, and you'll be able to drive it. however, my solution was to buy a 4x4 as a 2nd car and drive IT when the weather got bad. But in Colorado, it can snow at anytime, and I got caught in snow when I didn't mean too. Hence, i carried a set of cable chains in my trunk, and I did use them occasionally when I got caught out. They work.

 

I drove my 84 this last year in Utah for the winter and I have some gnarly hills to go up. I also have posi and that doesn't help any. As long as the road was plowed, it wasn't a problem but the two times i had to get to work before the plows, I almost didn't make it. Was spinning the tires and fishtailing all over the place. Also had to take the one big hill doing almost 50. by the time I hit the top I was doing 5 and hoping I didn't stop rolling. Luckly, the light changed.

it's not wise, nor smart, but it can be done if you must.

 

easier with a stick shift, way back when I had a job far away, I had a set of Dunlop all weather sport tires and it was no trouble in even deep snow. Keep gas tank full and put weight in the rear.

Though every winter im tempted to put some tall skinny tires on the front and get some off road like ballon ATV tires for the rear and go race snowmobiles....

 

Thanks for responding guys.

My buddy grew up with through the 80's and early 90's in a K5 - so his means something to him, and is having a hard time letting go. Initially when he came to visit a couple months ago I was jokingly offering to trade him (we joke around allot). However, last week he called me and asked if I was willing to trade. He further explained that he feels it is time for something new and more fun.

Therefor, I think we are going to trade since I need something safer for driving in Alaskan winters. Would rather not trade, but cannot afford a 3rd vehicle nor a place to store my summer car.

Forgot to mention how deep the ruts are in heavy winters on roadways since most people have trucks for harsh weather. My wife's minivan barely clears them, and my car is lower.

Unless some money falls into my lap

 

The salts on the roads are almost a death sentance in terms of rust. I'd feel safer in a minivan. I got stuck on the highway in 96 in my 84 camaro when a blizzard hit. Never again.

 

Sorry bro There ain't no snow here in Southern California Warm Sunny weather 95% of the time 11 months out of the year... The last month we reserve for some RAIN... Everything is dry here, especially the pavement! Ha-Hah!


But yeah what the others said... Do not drive a 3rd gen in snow. Their horrible easy to break traction problems and fishtailing we find fun on dry roads turns into a nightmare when wet and when there's snow and the dreaded Black Ice... Which we do get but that's about 70 miles inland in to the valley closer to the desert away from the BIG population, 70 miles driving inland away from the beach... Like the Palmdale and Lancaster area. You can look them up on Google map. Temperature does drop there closer to the 10s and 20s in winter and they can see snow. And hot as hell in Summer. But unless we're in Big Bear mountain, about 90 miles northeast from L.A. we don't see snow here. Not high enough elevation in the city. Our sales pitch is that we get Sun and when we want snow, we go to the snow to ski and all that in Big Bear.

 

I drove my F-bodies year round (including my BBC '74), along with my Mustang GT... drove RWD sports cars year round in NY for 10 years in fact... Throw 150-200 lbs of sand bags in the back and get some good studded tires on all 4 corners and I think you'll find it is not that bad. Tires are most important before any other consideration. I had nearly bald all seasons on my Subie when I bought it last winter and I started to wish I was back in one of my previous rides... did not matter at all that it was full time AWD. Took a good set of snows to really wake it up.

In my experience, ground clearance is only a problem if the street is completely un-plowed and I know that even at stock or slightly lower height in an F-body, with proper weighting and tires you can still handle up to about 4 inches of snow on the ground.

Drive with common sense and make sure you clean off any salt that might be on the roads on a regular basis!

 

I drive my 3rd gen year round here in rainy Oregon, however, the few snow days or when there's black ice, forget it!!!! no traction, unsafe, & worst of all, is the other jokers who drive while stupid. But there is some good advice on the replies: if you're gonna have to drive it, get good tires, the sand bags, etc, I miss my so cal days as we only had to worry about the few rainy days, LOL, just be careful!!!!