Winter Prepping

[turbo2086]

Hey guys, this is going to be my first winter in Wisconsin. Since it's just about fall, I know winter will shortly be here. I'll be driving her all year long, she is my daily driver. I'm not stupid, so I'm not going to be hitting boost, and will be very cautions on Driving conditions. Also I know you need to warm the car up for like 10 min before you start driving, and when you start driving, need to start off slow so everything warms up and gets lubed.

I was planning on buying a car cover to cover her up every night, so I don't have to scratch the paint while brushing and scraping off ice in the morning.

I would like to know if you guys have any other tips and suggestions?

Thanks

 

[spyderturbo007]

I have never subjected my cover to snow, but I can tell you a little about it

It is a factory mitsubishi cover and I must say, it kicks a**. Finally, Mitsu got something right.

It fits like a glove and prevents the cover from moving once it is on the car (keeps the cover from rubbing all over the paint when the wind blows. It also comes with a lock and a woven steel cable to keep someone from stealing it and a nice bag for storage of the cover. It is breathable and seems to be pretty moisture resistent. Like I said, mine is stored all winter long under a carport. But from time to time some snow or water blow on the cover. When I pulled the cover in the spring the car looked the same as it did when I put the cover on.....clean and dry. No scratches, dust, bugs, etc.

So, although our situations differ somewhat, at least you have some idea of how a cover will perform. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

[talonTSIDriver]

good to see a fellow Wisconsin dsm'er. I am from the central Wisconsin area. To tell ya the truth, i have had about 5 dsm's and I have never had a problem starting it or anything in the winter and thats with leaving the car outside of course. I don't even put a car cover on top of her. Few suggestions, just scrape the snow/ice off the windows, and if there is a lot of snow, just brush a little bit off the hood and top of car. Also let the car warm of course for at least a minute or two and drive it nice. No need for high boost or anything. Also after driving, let the turbo cool down, with it being hot and then getting cold much faster than in summer, it does a number on the turbo.

PS. what brought you to Eau Claire? School?

 

[darkness_fallz]

Being from Michigan and knowing what it can be like in similar circumstances- I invested in a decent remote start system. Getting out of the car at the end of the night and kickin the heat on full blast, it makes for a wonderful thing to come out to when you just stand at your window in yer boxers and a beater and watch your beast rumble to life and have it all warm and toasty waiting for ya-

also, makes for getting all that damned snow off your windows that much easier

oh- and P.S.... my Remote start was only 175 installed from Best Buy... *nods*

 

[larsenracing]

what i did last winter when it got below 0 i had ran to the farm store and baught a little heater with a magnet on the bottom and then stuck it underneath the car onto the oil pan to keep the oil worm becasue my gs-t spyder had a tendancy to once in a while flud itself out when below 0deg. but i will be however driving a different car now in the winter. but this may be somthing to think about.

 

[housegsx]

If it's a daily driver, you'll probably be putting it away wet under a watertight cover. That seems like a good invitation for rust. If you were just covering it and leaving it sit all winter, that would be fine. I suggest that when you park, leave the wipers halfway up the windshield and put a big piece of cardboard under the wipers across the windshield. This will prevent you from scraping all the ice off the windshield and having to wait for it to defrost. And since the car will be uncovered it will get a chance to dry with the wind blowing and the occasional sunshine.

 

[spyderturbo007]

If it's a daily driver, you'll probably be putting it away wet under a watertight cover.

You very well may be correct, that's why I prefaced my post with the disclaimer.

According to mitsu, the cover is breathable and isn't supposed to damage the paint even if it gets wet.

But, then again, I don't know about it getting wet and then freezing into a solid block of ice....that might not be the greatest idea.

 

[Goodguy162000]

You poor guys... I'm in Utah and everybody is always "Wah Wah! It's winter and so bad here." Yeah right, my winter prep consists of switching to short ram intake so I don't suck up water. Good luck.

 

[gsx951]

Hey guys, this is going to be my first winter in Wisconsin. Since it's just about fall, I know winter will shortly be here. I'll be driving her all year long, she is my daily driver. I'm not stupid, so I'm not going to be hitting boost, and will be very cautions on Driving conditions. Also I know you need to warm the car up for like 10 min before you start driving, and when you start driving, need to start off slow so everything warms up and gets lubed.

I was planning on buying a car cover to cover her up every night, so I don't have to scratch the paint while brushing and scraping off ice in the morning.

I would like to know if you guys have any other tips and suggestions?

Thanks

Don't warm up for 10 minutes, the motor don't like it.
Try scrounging junk yards for 15" Chrysler steel wheels and mount some snow tires on them. Performance tires suck in the snow so bad you wouldn't believe it. M+S All Season tires suck all the time. Nokian and Bridgestone make excellent snows. We run Hakkapelliita 1 on the GSX and WS-50 on the WRX and pretend they're WRC cars.
The initial expense is a hit but the peace of mind that comes with being able to safely drive in any weather that hits is almost priceless.

 

[turbo2086]

Thanks for the responses.

One. I don't think I could do remote starting, because it is a stick shift. I know that I can have it in neutral, and use the parking brake. However, I hear that people say your parking brake gets frozen stuck.

Two. Why not let it warm up for 10 min? Shouldn't it be at operating temp before driving it in winter?

Three, yeah they have all season tires on them. I'll probably look at getting snow tires... The rims are staying on, cause these are already in poor condition.

 

[darkness_fallz]

I never had a problem with my e-break freezing up.. it's never once happened to me... and considering I did this when I had my car up at Northern Michigan University (U.P. of Michigan, where I was staying was right on the lake) and we had some NASTY winters...

Try walking to class in 32in of snow with a 55mph icy wind in -12 weather... that was effin fun....

 

[spyderturbo007]

Try walking to class in 32in of snow with a 55mph icy wind in -12 weather... that was effin fun....

I had problems showing up when it was sunny and 80 degrees.

Someone always seemed to show up with a keg right before I left for class.