So you bought the car of your dreams and can’t stop looking at it, let alone coming up with excuses to drive it for any reason you can think of. Now that there’s cooler weather on the horizon, though, and the high likelihood of snowy winter weather, you might be thinking twice about taking your Porsche out in the snow.
Regardless of what Porsche model you own, there’s no reason to avoid driving it in the winter when there’s snow on the ground. At least not as long as you’re prepared with proper snow tires.
Many Porsche owners, especially 911 and Cayman or Boxster owners, will park their cars in the garage for the winter. Drivers of Macan, Cayenne, and Panamera models are more likely to take their vehicles out in the snow, but winter tires are still the only safe way to do it right if average winter temperatures are in the low 40s or colder where you live.
Porsche 911 owners will often put their car away for most of the winter, only bringing it out on the rare day when the sun is shining, the roads are clear, and the temperatures jump up into the 50s or higher. The same can be said for most sports car owners, but if you own a Porsche 911, Cayman, or Boxster and have not experienced it in the snow, you’re missing out on some genuinely fun driving.
Can you drive a Porsche in the winter?
The only reason you wouldn’t want to drive your Porsche in real winter weather is if it’s only equipped with summer or all-season tires. The Cayenne, Macan, and AWD versions of the Panamera are fantastic winter drivers when equipped with snow tires, and the same can be said for all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive Panameras, 911s, and Caymans.
The fact is, even a rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911 or Cayman is a great car in the snow. It’s only limitation may be ride height if there are several inches of fresh snow on the ground, but with typical snowy weather, either car can be a real winter warrior and a ton of fun.
The weight balance of a Porsche Cayman, which makes it a famously neutral and predictable sports car on dry pavement translates well to winter weather. With the well-balanced mid-engine layout and slight rearward weight bias, it’s a predictable and fun-to-drive car in any weather, including snow—with winter tires, of course.
The non-all-wheel-drive 911 models might be even more enjoyable and can be truly incredible cars in the snow. With the engine in the rear, right over the wheels that receive power, it becomes a surprisingly good vehicle for getting around in the snow. Again, that’s only if you have proper Porsche winter tires mounted.
The Porsche Carrera 4 and 4S, as well as the Turbo, also have extremely capable all-wheel-drive systems that make them ideal for year-round performance. As far as sports cars go, it would be hard to find a better winter vehicle than a Porsche Carrera 4, 4S or Turbo.
We’ve heard from many Porsche owners who are worried that the high power of their vehicles will make them too much of a handful in the winter. However, with or without snow on the ground, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Whether you have rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, all that horsepower combined with advanced traction-control electronics, and snow tires put your Porsche in a league of its own in the winter. Porsches of any model deliver impeccable handling that translates well into foul-weather driving conditions. In the winter, the traction control system in your Porsche makes your otherwise fast-and-fun vehicle a slower-but-safe commuter in the winter.
And if you have any doubts on whether your Porsche can be driven in the winter, Porsche themselves offer their Tequipment line of winter wheel and tire packages. Yes, they even offer Porsche 911 winter tires and wheels or wheels and snow tires for Porsche Cayman. Their packages include a wide variety of factory wheel choices, ranging from 18” to 21” depending on the vehicle model. You can get the wheels equipped with varying brand choices for snow tires, though choices are limited in the larger sizes.
For many Porsche owners, the factory-based choices may seem like the easiest choice, but they come at a cost. Depending on your wheel size and tire choice, those factory fitments can range anywhere from just over $3,000 a set to nearly $9,000. Needless to say, they’re guaranteed to fit, but going with aftermarket wheels, or just changing tires only, can save you a lot of money.
How much does the average snow tire cost?
When shopping for snow tires for your Porsche, the price will obviously be a consideration, but keep in mind that you also want to shop based on your driving conditions. If you live in a city where roads are cleared quickly and you’ll rarely drive through much accumulated snow or ice, you might shop for different performance parameters than if you live in an area where roads are untreated and snow remains for days at a time.
Of course, based on Porsche’s large wheel sizes and staggered fitments (smaller width in the front compared to the rear), your choices may be limited. Regardless, the average cost of Porsche snow tires will vary greatly by brand, performance level, and size. Expect to pay anywhere from the mid-$200 range for the smallest 18” Cayman snow tire offered to the upper-$500 range for the wider 21” and 22” winter tires that might be fitted to a Cayenne or Panamera.
If you’re going to mount snow tires to the factory wheels already on your Porsche, your size choices will obviously be limited. On the other hand, if you plan to buy a second set of wheels for your snow tires, note that smaller diameters not only save money on tire costs, they’re usually a better choice for winter use as well. If you’re not sure what the best winter tires for your Porsche are, contact us and will be happy to go over options for Porsche snow tires.
Where to get snow tires for Porsche
As mentioned above, you always have the option of going through your Porsche dealership for wheels and snow tires, however, there are much more cost-effective options for the wheels and a much more affordable and convenient source of winter tires for your Porsche, Zohr.
Just because you enjoy driving your Porsche at every opportunity you can find doesn’t mean you want to drive it to a dealership or tire shop just to sit around and wait when you could be doing something more productive or enjoyable. Mobile tire replacement and installation is your solution!
Whether you want new Porsche tires mounted to your current wheels for winter or if you have a separate set of wheels in need of Porsche snow tires, Zohr will come to you and handle your tire replacement while you work at your office, spend time with your family, or sit on the couch and watch TV in the comfort of your own home.
If you need help deciding on the right winter tires for your Porsche wheels, a better size alternative for winter driving, or if you’re ready to set an appointment to have us come out to mount and balance the best winter tires for your Porsche, contact “Zohr - tires delivered & installed” online or call/text 816-800-9175 and our mobile tire installation professionals will be happy to help.
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