992 & The Snowy Alpes? - Page 2 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Hi All I’m toying with the idea of driving my 992 Turbo to the Alpes. It’s just my daughter and I, and will seasucker a snowboard to the roof. Has anyone done it / any thoughts on how good the 4 WD is on a Turbo etc…? Any considerations? I think the tyres are Goodyear Supersports. Just wondering. Thanks!

French alps? Winter Tyres, or chains, or snow socks are a mandatory requirement now, something to watch for. (Not sure where you’d fit chains into the boot along with your other stuff…..)

Car will be fine but it is only about the tyres. You have to have winters and will be useless in any case without.

All wheel drive is never a bad thing, but in cold weather the main factor with any car is tyres. So it depends where you are going, and how snowy it's going to be. If up to a resort, or any altitude, summer tyres would be stupid. The various Police forces used to stop cars on any roads climbing up to check you have suitable tyres or to make you fit snow-chains. The actual car is irrelevant. Though of course ground clearance is important if they don't keep the roads clear.

I’ve driven to the Alps a lot both in hire cars picked up from Airports locally and in our Cayenne from the UK. Without snow tyres at a minimum I would strongly advise against it. Even at what you might think is low altitude you can get a lot of snow (I learnt this the hard way driving my E46 M3 out the the Alps at Easter in 2003) at this time of the year…you might get lucky but you might not with fresh snow, which is when the chains come out. The trouble you will really have with a car like a 992 Turbo is the width of the tyres….if you have to brake downhill on fresh snow there is every chance the wheels will lock up (monster brakes are not your friend) and you wont stop until you hit something or you reach level ground. Hill descent control on a 4X4 is amazing tech even with winter tyres. Locals with 4x4’s and snow tyres will often struggle when there is fresh snow. Also in some countries snow tyres are a legal requirement (some countries it is carrying chains). If you block a road in Switzerland because you haven’t got the right tyres it’s a big fine. I’ve seen more than one English registered 4x4 on all season/summer tryres stuck. Oh and most resorts don’t use grit/salt as it doesn’t work much below zero. Main roads will be cleared but side roads can be compacted snow. Love a road trip especially with the kids, would be great fun but get yourself some winter wheels and tyres at a minimum, even then I wouldn’t drive it on fresh snow.

Excellent car for an excellent trip You will need just four things: Winter Tyres Winter Tyres Winter Tyres and Winter Tyres I hate to sound boring.. But without Winter tyres you will most probably yourself in a load of trouble with police and insurance should anything happen.! Ive lived int the Alps and now Scandinavia. Ive seen it all before, Boy Scout, Be Prepared And enjoy!

I love this forum. Thanks guys - I’m hearing winter tyres loud and clear. I have sodding centre locks (wish I didn’t, but hey ho), so tyre changing is a bit of a mission. Fly and hire it is then. Thx!

I drive a GT3 Touring and live in the Alps. Winter tyres are mandatory in CH,A and I and in D you have to use them if the weather dictates that. If you plan your trip to have a bit of flexibility around travel days you will be fine. Avoid days were snow is forecast as even main roads will only be cleared after the snowfall has passed - not whilst it snows unless main roads. Snow chains are almost impossible to find for such big rear wheels and the wheel arch doesn’t have enough clearance, so I would recommend against it. Clearance in general is an issue but again if the roads are free of snow you will have no problem. Common sense prevails and obviously 4x4 with more clearance are better when it snows and off the beaten track but I see plenty of sports cars with winter tyres moving around.

As others have said winter tyres are a legal requirement in many Alpine areas, also in France across the Jura if you are heading that way. On hard compacted snow the Turbo S is fine. Where it is less satisfactory in on deep heavy falling snow before the ploughs have cleared it. The tyres are too wide and will wash out down any crossfall or camber. Descending steep mountain roads in such conditions can be a tense affair and not something I am anxious to repeat any time soon.

I used to drive my 993 Turbo up to my local ski station every weekend with my board jammed down the side of the passenger seat (on Pzeros). This was before it was mandatory to have winter tyres. I never had any issues , as the main road wasn’t too steep. Having said that you really want winter tyres as it’s no fun coming down the mountain with the engine in the wrong place and those massive rear tyres. With winter’s on it will be zero problem imo, and quite good fun. I did a couple of seasons in Verbier also and used to watch the parade of 911s come up the mountain every weekend and they never had issues. The traction control on 992 compared to those days is miles ahead now as well. Edited by bosshog on Sunday 29th December 21:39 Edited by bosshog on Monday 30th December 08:43

bosshog said: I used to drive my 993 Turbo up to my local ski station every weekend with my board jammed down the side of the passenger seat (on Pzeros). This was before it was mandatory to have winter tyres. I never had any issues , as the main road wasn’t too steep. Having said that you really want winter tyres as it’s no fun coming down the mountain with the engine in the wrong place and those massive rear tyres. With winter’s on it will be zero problem imo, and quite good fun. I did a couple of seasons in Verbier also and used to watch the parade of 911s come up the mountain every weekend and they never had issues. The traction control on 992 compared to those days is miles ahead now as well. Edited by bosshog on Sunday 29th December 21:39 Edited by bosshog on Monday 30th December 08:43 Yes police check and always stop UK cars to check for winter tyres , knowing the mad Englishman mentality . Took my 64 RS on worn old style Cup2's up to Klosters and over the pass to St Moritz in February once was interesting to say the least .

as an aside, I assume you would loose your insurance cover if you drive on summers (somewhere where winters are a legal requirement) - if you have an accident that could be a rather costly mistake. as above the requirement depends on which country you are going to.

I’d assume so as most insurance policies have a clause that the car has to be road legal.

It’s a legal requirement in 48 French cantons since 2021. However that’s only if you DO NOT have chains or tyre snow socks (which can be had for £40).

Nice to know the French have caught up ! It used to be that if you rented a car from the French side of Geneva airport the car came on summer tyres with no snow chains. Found that out the hard way trying to drive back to the airport from Verbier which had a few inches of fresh snow when we tried to leave ! Didn’t even think to check having hired plenty of cars from the Swiss side before….

I took a Carrera 4S up to Val D'Isere about ten years ago. All wintered up it behaved impeccably on treated roads. Unfortunately we had some heavy snow that got ahead of the local ploughs etc and it turned into a bit of a nightmare. The front is a very handy snow scoop after heavy falls....

popeyewhite said: I took a Carrera 4S up to Val D'Isere about ten years ago. All wintered up it behaved impeccably on treated roads. Unfortunately we had some heavy snow that got ahead of the local ploughs etc and it turned into a bit of a nightmare. The front is a very handy snow scoop after heavy falls.... yes, I play snowplough in the FF sometimes - it is fun (most of the time....)

hunter 66 said: bosshog said: I used to drive my 993 Turbo up to my local ski station every weekend with my board jammed down the side of the passenger seat (on Pzeros). This was before it was mandatory to have winter tyres. I never had any issues , as the main road wasn’t too steep. Having said that you really want winter tyres as it’s no fun coming down the mountain with the engine in the wrong place and those massive rear tyres. With winter’s on it will be zero problem imo, and quite good fun. I did a couple of seasons in Verbier also and used to watch the parade of 911s come up the mountain every weekend and they never had issues. The traction control on 992 compared to those days is miles ahead now as well. Edited by bosshog on Sunday 29th December 21:39 Edited by bosshog on Monday 30th December 08:43 Yes police check and always stop UK cars to check for winter tyres , knowing the mad Englishman mentality . Took my 64 RS on worn old style Cup2's up to Klosters and over the pass to St Moritz in February once was interesting to say the least . At the risk of sounding like - you think you had it bad….. I’ve driven from London to Val D’Isere maybe 25 times and my most memorable brain strain drives were in a 16v Integrale but on Yokohama A008 tyres (imagine the turn in on snow) and a mapped 535 Touring on regular tyres With the BMW the road was black on my way up but serious snow on the way down I had 1 pair of snowsocks so I put them on the front thinking that I’d prioritise steering and braking coming. down But the slightest slightest whiff of throttle on the flat was like have 5000 bhp Also if you take chains you really have to practice putting them on Just having them is one thing that can keep the Police happy but if you’ve driven all the way there and it’s dark and you do end up being made to put them on and it’s -10 etc AND the wheel arch clearance on something like a 992 Turbo, I’d hate to have to get in there A 94 on worn cups….. you definitely win (-:

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