Winter is coming...

[ayau]

i will be storing mine for the winter, and this is what i've found after doing some research.

fill the gas to the top and add stabil. this will minimize moisture from getting into the tank, etc. stabil will slow down the fuel from corroding.

fill tires to 45-50psi to prevent flat spots. roll the wheels once a month if you have to.

clean the interior to prevent rodents from getting in and eating your interior.

remove the battery and plug it into a battery tender device to keep it at the proper charge percentage, increasing the battery life.

clean exterior/wheels.

depending on if you trust your storage area, you may want to open your windows a little so that the rubber seals aren't compressed for months. this also reduces the chance for moisture.

plug the exhaust port to prevent rodents from getting in.

[Iixii]

Just drive the car! You'll have so much fun with rear wheel drive on snow! Trust me! Oh, with traction totally off!

[gily25]

Originally Posted by HunterGreene

Not flaming, but I have to jump on this:

Salt is corrosive at all temperatures, otherwise you could just wash off the underbody of your car before the temperatures got too warm in the spring and you would be just fine.

I wonder if he was referring to the calcium citrate which is non-soluble in cold water (i.e. snow, slush). This is usually put down in liquid form vs. the red sand salt crystal mixture it replaces. I figure any deposits on the clear coat are going to leave a mark/blemish in time so best to put on a nice coat of wax during the last few warm days of fall and keep it washed during the winter. There are various petroleum based (think KY for your car) products for covering suspension bolts and frame components.

Even if no one has thought of it as a good reason to change your wheels for winter...if you slide into a curb or rash the wheel on the curb, it'll be easier to find a match to a WRX wheel or something older than the BRZ or FR-s wheels.

Take advantage of these fall track days to learn to drive the car competitvely. When downshifting and controlling a skid become automatic, driving in the winter will be a blast. I also recommend spotting a good parking lot and go there during the first snow to practice your winter driving.

Lastly...you can be the best driver in the world...it's other people you have to worry about...:happy0180:

[RossGA]

I have a Nissan Xterra that will be my primary winter transportation.

But I would still fire up the BRZ and drive it once or twice per week on dry road days. It's just a good thing to do. Cars don't age well as they sit. Rubber and plastic gaskets/containers harden and crack due to the liquids they are holding going stale; oil, fuel and coolant chemistry starts to separate and go funny without being remixed frequently, tires get flat spots, weight holding bearings get rust/corrosion spots, brake discs deep rust which rips the pads apart when you start driving again, solenoids can stick, electric motors and mechanical assemblies often stiffen up (think windows), fuel can varnish in the injectors causing them to stick or fail prematurely, ect, ect.....

It's just easier to leave the thing on the ground, throw a cover over it, and take it out a couple times per month when the roads are dry. Cars that sit never age well; and frequently have a bunch of annoying issues due to the above mentioned stuff.....

[mact]

I'm going to run the motor for a couple of minutes maybe once a week, and take it for a spin if it's clear outside. I have also heard of people removing all 4 wheels and placing the car on jack stands.

I have a 4Runner to get me through the snow.

[ayau]

Originally Posted by mact

I'm going to run the motor for a couple of minutes maybe once a week, and take it for a spin if it's clear outside. I have also heard of people removing all 4 wheels and placing the car on jack stands.

I have a 4Runner to get me through the snow.

i would not suggest those two things. see below.

Some people start the car every once in a while to “keep the fluids moving,” but I would advise against this, as the fluids are turning to water as condensation builds up. If you do start it, you must keep it at operating temperature for a while to boil off the water, and in the interim, they aren’t doing much protecting. More on this later.

Whatever you do, do NOT leave the car on jackstands. This will save your tires, at the expense of suspension bushings and the like that should not be stored with the suspension hanging.

Instead, you should pump your tires to 45-50 PSI. This will help with tires getting flat spots, but it won't guarantee it. Ideally, you should swap in cheap tires and store the 'nice' tires in a climate controlled environment.

source:
http://www.miata.net/garage/winterprep.html

[brzninja]

Originally Posted by Iixii

Just drive the car! You'll have so much fun with rear wheel drive on snow! Trust me! Oh, with traction totally off!

I live in PA. I'm driving it all winter long. DD FTW!!!!!

[StarsGarrador]

TN is notorious for overstating roads in winter even if it's just flurries. I have my BRZ and a bike. So if we randomly have a snow day, it's going to be a cold ride to work on my GSXF

[Jayde]

Yeah, looks like I might be driving mine in the winter too. Finances won't allow a second car + insurance + some place to keep the BRZ and the other car stored year round at the moment.

I'm going to start looking for a good set of winter tires (anyone have any suggestions) as well as steelies in 16in. Chances are I'll order the set from Tirerack along with TPMS. I'd rather not have that light on for months. Can Tirerack install the TPMS before they ship it or is that something I'll have to do at the dealer?

I'm also looking at Rally Armor mud flaps to keep the sides/under carriage as clean as possilbe and I may invent in a clear bra. Do they help protecting the front of the car?

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by WRXGuy1

While I will avoid driving in the snow whenever possible, 90% of the time the roads are clear in the winter, usually within a few hours of a storm ending. I'll just be sure to get a car wash frequently.

true! just get the salt off every week,and especially pay attention to the undercarriage.i "use 'touch free" with the under body spray! gets up into all the cavities and flushes the salt away! the roads are usually cleared within 24 hours here, so it's not a problem for me,and not having to work helps too!

Originally Posted by Jayde

Thanks for the tip! I'll go check and see what I can find.



Funny thing is, I was thinking of this same exact picture when I made this thread.





I was talking to a coworker today suggests against that. Then again, he was talking about starting it for like 5mins then shutting off, which could lead to condensation in the oil. I'm looking to park it and not touch it till spring.



Pretty much the same here. My commute is on a busy road, and is cleared usually right away, with the cars moving the salt off it quickly. I'm just concerned that when it's snowing/right after. Guess I could just call in sick that day.

That's what I plan on doing too, if I drive it in the winter, to get it washed at least once a week, if not more, depending on the roads. Touchless wash with undercarriage rinse by my house too. I'll even try to get a hand wash in once a week or so. Another concern would be removing the snow on the car when it does snow without scratching the clear coat and removing the ice on the windows. Then again, my old car took years to warm up in the cold, thus making me have to scrape the ice off the windows manually to get anywhere.

[Bristecom]

I used to think having a rear wheel drive car was a bad idea to have here because of the winter. But the reality is that this area doesn't get that much snow and most days are dry and the roads are clear. But to make matters worse, most RWD cars come with summer tires which get hard and loose grip in the cold. So if you don't have another car, I would just recommend getting winter tires and being careful when it snows. But if you do have another car, just use that when you need to.

As for me, I will be keeping my all wheel drive Eclipse GSX with snow tires on it. I have to say, I always get a kick out of pulling away from stop lights in my little red sports car like, "Snow? What snow?" It's also a lot of fun drifting around in it. But you do have to watch out for ice.

[Deslock]

Originally Posted by ayau

http://www.miata.net/garage/winterprep.html

The tips at that link ought to have you covered for the most part, but using dryer sheets as a critters deterrent didn't work for me... the mice just moved the sheets out of the way and built a nest in the middle of them.

I've had success with leaving a little cup of D-Con in or near my vehicles and setting my vents to recirculate before I park (I drive my vehicles through the winter, but if they sit for a few days, sometimes the mice will have their way with them).

Originally Posted by Jayde

I'm going to start looking for a good set of winter tires (anyone have any suggestions) as well as steelies in 16in. Chances are I'll order the set from Tirerack along with TPMS. I'd rather not have that light on for months. Can Tirerack install the TPMS before they ship it or is that something I'll have to do at the dealer?

My setup. Tirerack will install TPMS sensors. You'll need a tool to program the car, or get your dealership to do it.

[dori.]

I'm going to be fixing my Civic hatch this weekend (needs a new alternator) and I'm going to drive that this winter instead of the BRZ.

I'll probably take the car out for a spin once in a while to keep everything fresh (and the days I don't just start it up)

[Jayde]

Originally Posted by dori.

I'm going to be fixing my Civic hatch this weekend (needs a new alternator) and I'm going to drive that this winter instead of the BRZ.

I'll probably take the car out for a spin once in a while to keep everything fresh (and the days I don't just start it up)

Just wait for that end of season meet in Oct. My car will likely be in snow mode! 16"in steelies and 55 width snow tires with mud flaps!