Shane D

I was just wondering how the 996's are holding up for the folks that drive them in the winter? Any salt damage yet? Do you undercoat them?
I was pestering Adrian Streather on when his 996 book might be available, and he mentioned that the 996's are more vulnerable to salt damage because there is no lower motor cover (I think I quoted him correctly).
So, for those of you who are cruising around in the snow, how is the car holding up? Do you spray the underside for salt?

My never ending search keeps thinking about a C4S/Turbo for a year round D/D.

JBRipps

I'm hearing they are fine.....I just picked up a c4s, and have winter wheels and blizzaks all ready to go...DD all the way.

J

Patrick

This subject has been discussed. Use the search feature. Not chastising you, just suggesting you will get a lot of value out of the result.

IMHO:
Salt does damage to almost any machine, no matter what it is made of. Porsches do hold up well. Keep it clean, and dry. Salt does its damage with moisture. If you want to drive your car on salted roads, do so and enjoy it. I think it will hurt the car, but then again I track mine and I believe that hurts it worse than salt. Salt is not for me, I have other cars that take that abuse. Let no one tell you it doesn't hurt the car.

bronston

One thing might help. I believe some automatic carwashes do the undercarriage. A trip through after the salt washes away from the roads might be useful.

Patrick

I won't even bother to scream "no automatic washes" for these cars. There are others here who will handle that. I always believed that a "touchless" automatic wash would be OK. That was before my car was assaulted by one. It carved up the right rear quarter pretty bad. The laser sensors were not set low enough to detect the rear quarter panel. It shot the rear quarter glass and came in about 8 inches early. The car is still seeing a therapist.

Paul Marangoni

Yes!!! Go to Krown! http://www.krownhalifax.com/

Riad

996 in the winter - Salt?

I never salt my 996. I don't have any issues, but I try to wash any off... just make sure if you're using a self service pressure washer you gentle was the salt away otherwise it will scratch the paint.

Rob

Shane D

I figured there would be a price to pay. I was just wondering how it is working out for someone that has been doing it for maybe five years.

Shane D

Has your car been a year round driver since birth? If so, do you undercoat? How has it held up?

Riad

Yes, picked it up in Jan. 2004 and drove it home from Boston to NY.... been driving it every winter since. With snow tires it's as good as anything else on the road.

I didn't do anything special to the undercoat except get that crap at the carwash.

bet

DD drove my 996 for 3 years. Used Blizzak LM-25's in the winter and never undercoated. Salt is used heavily in my area. No problems what so ever. No noticeable damage to the under body or paint (except arguably more rock chips on the front from the sand used with the salt). I do use the touchless car washes that offered under body spray/washin frequently in the winter. Drive and enjoy.

MUSSBERGER

For what its worth most car washes use filtered recycled water for their rinse cycle. In the winter your car is getting a nice diluted saline under-body rinse. I park the 987 after the first salt and don't bring it out until we get a nice rain storm to wash all that crap off the road. Titan and Wrangler in the winter!

Riad

The car wash I go to uses natural imported spring water which is cleansed via a reverse osmosis system to purify the water before it goes through a UV filter and finally a triple filtration containment system.

Patrick

Do they add vitamins and natural flavorings as well?

Riad

Yes, but it's extra. I never flavor my car, but if I did it would be cherry.