Drive the Camaro tomorrow or not? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

E.T. · 02-20-2012, 05:21 PM

I've got to go to the other side of town for work tomorrow (mostly highway driving) and I'm wondering if I should take the Camaro. The issue is that I've got the P-zeros on it, and temps are supposed to be in the mid-40s with rain. If it was going to be dry, I'd definitely take it, but with cooler temps AND wet roads...?

trganey · 02-20-2012, 05:28 PM

Can you behave? There's your answer.

1CamaroSS · 02-20-2012, 05:28 PM

I have drove in temps in the single digits with dry roads and no problems....just go easy on the throttle. Never had any issues with wet roads but I have only driven 2 times in the rain and no lower than 60 deg. .... These tires are slick in colder temps, go easy and be careful if you choose to drive it.

JamesNoBrakes · 02-20-2012, 05:28 PM

Ok, I've been driving all winter with P-zeros, well, mostly, a few weeks back I got a nail in the front and replaced fronts with some proxes, but the point is that it's not a big deal. In the mornings here it gets down to the teens with a cold front, most mornings are in the upper 20s till it warms up, I went to Colorado last month and it was -3 or something when I got up and started up to get to the ski hill. Yes, I've been driving it in rain as well. Keep in mind it's below freezing EVERY MORNING I go to work.

It's not that big of a deal. Yes, they won't have the traction that they'd have when it's warm, but people are seriously wierd about this subject. ANY high performance car is going to have this limitation, and while you can't drive like a complete jackass, it's still going to understeer first, and if you hit a patch of ice (know how to detect/predict black ice) it's over anyway, whether your tires were "approved" for cold weather or not. If you drive for the conditions, it's no problem. If you feel you have "no traction" and it's "scary" for you to drive your camaro when it's cold or a little wet, you really have no business driving, even when it's dry.

Lots of people liked to remark about how my WRX was "so great" for the wet and snow, and yes with the right tires it was ok, but if you didn't know how to handle the turbo spool (very fast rise in power) and drove like a jackass, it wasn't all that great. Improper driving could make it real bad.

jshaf · 02-20-2012, 05:30 PM

mid 40's, no problem even with rain IMO, to be honest when the origional models came out back in 09 journalists test drove them early that year on testing ground in mid 30's and had little or know problem. get below 32 and you might have an issue but you should be fine!

gelboy1015 · 02-20-2012, 05:34 PM

Just don't gun it or do anything stupid and you should be fine. I just drove from Oklahoma to Kansas last weekend on Nitto NT05's and it was 17 degrees out. I also drove from Oklahoma to Texas over 500 miles in the rain in 40 degree weather with no problem. Like everyone else says, you should be fine.

CarolinaChick · 02-20-2012, 05:47 PM

Drive carefully - you'll be just fine.

CamaroJim56 · 02-20-2012, 05:51 PM

Drive mine everyday unless it snows. Teens, 20's etc., even in the rain. I think if you accelerate modestly, brake the same, you will be fine. Only issues I have ever had is breaking them loose pulling out too quickly.

E.T. · 02-20-2012, 06:35 PM

Awesome. Sounds like it's a go

I was just a little cautious because I never really drove much on the P-zeros on my old car. I sold them right away and bought all seasons.

Jason@JacFab · 02-20-2012, 06:57 PM

I drive mine in the rain, and in the 30s all the time. Still rockin the OE P-Zero's @ 16k miles, starting to get bald in the rear...

mikeSS · 02-20-2012, 07:10 PM

cold and rain is fine. just not ice and snow. but for me i wouldn't take it far away in winter months. just in case it snows.

bluexlr · 02-20-2012, 07:28 PM

In cold weather my p-zero's are bumpy at first but ok quickly thereafter.

EMB135Driver · 02-20-2012, 07:56 PM

I've driven my Camaro in weather as cold as -21F on the P-zeros without problems....as long as you realize the tires are much harder and wont grip nearly as well as when its warm out, I can't see a reason not to drive it.

happycamper · 02-20-2012, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeSS

cold and rain is fine. just not ice and snow. but for me i wouldn't take it far away in winter months. just in case it snows.

ditto.
These tires are absolutely worthless on snow & ice, but cold is OK. I drive to work with temps in the teens and they're OK for that.

02-20-2012, 05:21 PM	#1
E.T. Drives: 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,267	Drive the Camaro tomorrow or not? I've got to go to the other side of town for work tomorrow (mostly highway driving) and I'm wondering if I should take the Camaro. The issue is that I've got the P-zeros on it, and temps are supposed to be in the mid-40s with rain. If it was going to be dry, I'd definitely take it, but with cooler temps AND wet roads...? __________________

02-20-2012, 05:28 PM	#3
1CamaroSS Drives: 2011 Camaro 1SS Inferno Orange Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Brandon, SD Posts: 323	I have drove in temps in the single digits with dry roads and no problems....just go easy on the throttle. Never had any issues with wet roads but I have only driven 2 times in the rain and no lower than 60 deg. .... These tires are slick in colder temps, go easy and be careful if you choose to drive it. __________________ 2011 IOM 1SS, M6, Hurst Short throw, Volant CAI, Rally Strips, Gills, Custom Engine cover, tint

02-20-2012, 05:30 PM	#5
jshaf Montani Semper Liberi Drives: 2011 Black 2SS/RS w/ IOM stripes Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Masontown, WV Posts: 4,841	mid 40's, no problem even with rain IMO, to be honest when the origional models came out back in 09 journalists test drove them early that year on testing ground in mid 30's and had little or know problem. get below 32 and you might have an issue but you should be fine! __________________ Stainless Works 1 7/8 Long Tude Headers, Stainless Works High Flow Cats, Stainless Works Retro Chambered Catback, Z/28 Air Intake, RDP Tuned, FR41 Chrome Rims, 1100W stereo, 35% Tint

02-20-2012, 06:35 PM	#9
E.T. Drives: 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,267	Awesome. Sounds like it's a go I was just a little cautious because I never really drove much on the P-zeros on my old car. I sold them right away and bought all seasons. __________________

02-20-2012, 07:56 PM	#13
EMB135Driver Jedi Master Drives: Boeing 757/767+2010 IBM 2SS Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangor, ME and Palm Coast, FL Posts: 1,121	I've driven my Camaro in weather as cold as -21F on the P-zeros without problems....as long as you realize the tires are much harder and wont grip nearly as well as when its warm out, I can't see a reason not to drive it. __________________

02-20-2012, 05:28 PM	#2
trganey Drives: 1979 Z28-Retired, 2012 RS Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 102	Can you behave? There's your answer.

02-20-2012, 05:28 PM	#4
JamesNoBrakes Drives: 2SS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: AK Posts: 2,301	Ok, I've been driving all winter with P-zeros, well, mostly, a few weeks back I got a nail in the front and replaced fronts with some proxes, but the point is that it's not a big deal. In the mornings here it gets down to the teens with a cold front, most mornings are in the upper 20s till it warms up, I went to Colorado last month and it was -3 or something when I got up and started up to get to the ski hill. Yes, I've been driving it in rain as well. Keep in mind it's below freezing EVERY MORNING I go to work. It's not that big of a deal. Yes, they won't have the traction that they'd have when it's warm, but people are seriously wierd about this subject. ANY high performance car is going to have this limitation, and while you can't drive like a complete jackass, it's still going to understeer first, and if you hit a patch of ice (know how to detect/predict black ice) it's over anyway, whether your tires were "approved" for cold weather or not. If you drive for the conditions, it's no problem. If you feel you have "no traction" and it's "scary" for you to drive your camaro when it's cold or a little wet, you really have no business driving, even when it's dry. Lots of people liked to remark about how my WRX was "so great" for the wet and snow, and yes with the right tires it was ok, but if you didn't know how to handle the turbo spool (very fast rise in power) and drove like a jackass, it wasn't all that great. Improper driving could make it real bad.

02-20-2012, 05:34 PM	#6
gelboy1015 Drives: '10 2SS/RS, MKIII Supras Join Date: May 2010 Location: Houston/Tulsa Posts: 1,009	Just don't gun it or do anything stupid and you should be fine. I just drove from Oklahoma to Kansas last weekend on Nitto NT05's and it was 17 degrees out. I also drove from Oklahoma to Texas over 500 miles in the rain in 40 degree weather with no problem. Like everyone else says, you should be fine.

02-20-2012, 05:47 PM	#7
CarolinaChick Drives: 2010 Rally Yellow 2LT/RS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 857	Drive carefully - you'll be just fine.

02-20-2012, 05:51 PM	#8
CamaroJim56 Obsessed Drives: 2016 Hyper Blue 2SS RS Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Riverview, FL Posts: 2,603	Drive mine everyday unless it snows. Teens, 20's etc., even in the rain. I think if you accelerate modestly, brake the same, you will be fine. Only issues I have ever had is breaking them loose pulling out too quickly.

02-20-2012, 06:57 PM	#10
Jason@JacFab Drives: 2016 1LT RS Camaro; 72 Chevelle Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Point, OR Posts: 5,688 View My Garage	I drive mine in the rain, and in the 30s all the time. Still rockin the OE P-Zero's @ 16k miles, starting to get bald in the rear...

02-20-2012, 07:10 PM	#11
mikeSS Drives: 2015 c7 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: MI Posts: 7,462	cold and rain is fine. just not ice and snow. but for me i wouldn't take it far away in winter months. just in case it snows.

02-20-2012, 07:28 PM	#12
bluexlr Drives: 2017 rs coupe V6 auto B&W int h.blu Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: dover de. Posts: 88	In cold weather my p-zero's are bumpy at first but ok quickly thereafter.

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