although its probably a curse to mention but we have 15C temps today with little snow left.

With a fully charged battery, the car cover removed and a quick check of all fluids the GTS fired up like she was just running yesterday.

now to go for an install lap; tally ho, vroom

 

Have fun! We had those temps last week, sadly my car wasn't ready to go.

 

I drove the Cayenne to the GTS storage location and brought the car home (~20kms)........the car is just sublime

 

I did the same last week Malcolm. Car out of storage garage and into main one. Just keep to the highways. Although not much gravel in the city, still too much for my liking. Rural roads pretty good.

 

-30 here in Winterpeg, although the sun is getting stronger. Plugged the truck in tonight.

Started thinking about preseason chores so that they have minimal impact on driving season. So I guess that counts as spring.

 

Lucky me.....i get to drive it year round

 

Malcolm,

Sounds like a Chinook! On the other hand we have day time temps of about 23C at the moment- the other day was perfect- nice sea breeze as well- enjoy from your igloos!

Regards

Fred

 

I've never stored a vehicle due to cold temperatures. What I do care about is the layers and layers of salt covering the roads and thick piles of it at every intersection.
It could be 80º today and one drive down the street and back would result in the entire underbody being covered in a thin powder like layer of salt.
Takes at least 3 heavy rain storms before I consider the roads safe.

 

George,

Winnipeg, or WinterPeg as it is fondly know, may not have invented winter but it has certainly perfected it. It stays cold enough that the snow that falls in November is still around in March. Generally too cold for salt so sand is spread on the packed down snow on residential streets to provide traction, plowing only occurs when the roads are no longer passable. If the snow falls in small amounts over a long period there can be a real ice build up, I've seen 4" of compacted snow/ice on my front street, builds like a glacier. Because the base is often rutted ground clearance is always an issue, and at the extreme colds Urethane explodes on contact. No shortage of people driving around with the bottom of their front valances damaged.

The aforementioned sand is really tough on the aluminum wheels as well.

Driving is not at all enjoyable, OK occasionally busting drifts in 4WD is but that's different. The family puts 5 cars away every fall.

What can I say it's home.

 

Spring temps here too for a week or so anyway, but there's still a telltale hint of de-icer in the pavement. Plus plenty of leftover cinders in non-arterial roads. The environmentally-sensitive folks here have decided that "salt" will not be used, so they pre-coat the roads with a magnesium chloride solution before major snowfalls to help with ice formation. Somehow they've concluded that the mag chloride isn't salt so it's OK. (??!!) Between the corrosive non-salt and the cinders on the warm roads, the car will be safe and warm in the garage for a bit longer. Until the cinders are swept up and a couple rains wash the non-salt away for sure.

 

I've driven my 928 a couple of times this month as well. We just got some snow yesterday, but before that we hadn't had any precipitation for close to a month. Green grass and clear roads. Best February weather I can remember.

 

It was a balmy 18C here on Monday...made for a great Stat holiday and excellent excuse to take the S4 out for a spin along the water. White Rock was down right crazy...everyone was out for the sun!!

 

I wish they'd use sand and cinders in my area. It's difficult to get 5 years out of a car without the underbody turning to pure rot.

About 5 or 6 years ago they started with a liquid salt/brine solution that they spray on the roads before a big storm. That's the stuff really killing vehicles and I've even seen it eat up the clear coat on bumpers and hoods. Our company Ford trucks and vans would easily go 10 years and still look nice, now they rust as quick as a Vega. Last year we started getting them rust proofed and undercoated.

Then there's the politics. There can be a minuscule flurry that melts as soon as it hits the ground, but the plows are out scraping concrete and throwing sparks, especially during nights, weekends and holidays.

What to do with the regular salt? They must need to get rid of one way or another. Last snow fall was several days ago which amounted to maybe an 1/8" dusting; I doubt we've had more than 1" total accumulation this year.
After my post this morning, I was thinking about it during work and snapped this photo. There is no snow, that's all salt. The white fog is literally blowing salt...it's like driving down a gravel country road during a drought.

Then we wonder why the roads need to be repaved every year.

 

We do get salt in the shoulder seasons.

Our winter cars are all 10+ years and 200,000 + km. Minimal rust, even the frames on my 2001 excursion are in good shape.

They all get sprayed with fluid film in the fall and this

http://titanindustrialchemicals.com/...SaltBGone.html

in the spring.

Neat stuff.

 

I was in Rouyn-Noranda (700 km north of Montreal) last week-end and it was -39 celsius .....