After Ottawa’s first big snowfall of the season came earlier than last year, the city’s sports car owners are concerned about keeping their fancy vehicles on the Canadian winter roads.
Angela Dawn Bercier didn’t originally consider winter a limiting factor for her 2024 Chevy Camaro RS, the kind of car she has been dreaming about owning “since childhood.” But with the first snowfall, her excitement was quickly clouded by climate reality.
“Sports cars don’t really scream ‘winter driving’,” she says. “You feel everything. Every piece of ice, every bump, every slide. It’s stressful when you’ve spent so much money on a car like that.”
Bercier purchased winter tires immediately. In Quebec, where she lived for a year before moving back to Ottawa, winter tires are legally required from Dec. 1 to March 15, a change Bercier accepts. But winter tires are far from the only wintertime concern for sports car owners.
I love my car. But I also know I need to respect the weather. … I’m always on guard. It’s not relaxing behind the wheel.
Angela Dawn Bercier, sports car owner
Lower ground clearance
Elie Matta has worked on performance vehicles, including sports cars, since 2005 as the owner of Elie Auto Body. He says all cars are drivable during winter, but sports cars face more challenges because most are rear-wheel drive, meaning they have less traction.
German brands like BMW and Audi are also more prone to oil leaks and under-body rust, Matta says, adding that “because they’re so low, the suspension takes more beating.”
“The road salt in Ottawa eats away at everything,” he says. “Lots of people don’t drive their expensive cars in the winter because they don’t want them to rust.”
Ground clearance can be an issue too. Matta says sports cars usually sit low, making it easier for snow piles, ice chunks and other frozen debris to damage bumpers, undercarriages or exhaust systems. He says those repairs can cost into the thousands.
Then there’s the price of installing winter tires.
“Putting snow tires on a sports car is a lot more expensive than on a regular car,” Matta says. “For some people, it’s not worth the price.”
Winter tire sites list more expensive prices for “premium” tires typically sized for performance cars. Canada Custom Auto Works says standard winter tires can cost between $500 and $1,200 before installation. Premium tires usually cost 20 to 50 per cent more according to FutureTire.ca.
He also warns drivers to expect they will use more fuel because of the cold air, which can be an expensive downside for sports-car owners.
At the end of the day, Matta says safe winter driving mainly comes down to maintenance.
“If you have good tires, your battery is good, your oil is good and you’re cautious, you should be okay,” he says. “If not? Don’t be stupid.”
Different drivers, different concerns
Despite the risks, some sports car owners do not see themselves swapping their car for financially friendlier options for the winter.
Bercier says practicality doesn’t always win. While she acknowledges maintaining her Camaro gets more expensive, she says the car is a part of her identity.
“You get attached,” she says. “When you spend that much money and you love the car, you don’t want to leave it sitting for months.”
For other drivers, sports cars are seen more like collectibles. Adam Vastis Osman, who owns a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, says he keeps his car stored away during the winter. He recently purchased a new vehicle in preparation for the snowy season.
“I spent like my life savings on my car, so I just flinch at the idea that something might happen to it,” Osman says. “It’s like a fresh pair of sneakers. You don’t want to ruin it, so you don’t wear it in the snow.”
Bercier says she does not regret buying her Camaro, but adds that winter has forced her to be realistic. The Camaro is “fine” in light snow but becomes more stressful to drive when temperatures drop rapidly.
“I love my car. But I also know I need to respect the weather,” she says, “I’m always on guard. It’s not relaxing behind the wheel… The car can only do so much. The rest is on me to take care of.”
To make sure a car is well maintained during the winter, Transport Canada recommends checking coolant levels, replacing wipers that leave streaks, topping up on washer fluid and inflating all tires to the right pressure.
