Introduction and Salt Air/Car Cover question?
 

Hello All,

I took the plunge and finally bought my first P car last week, 2001 TT with turbo and exhaust upgrades. I drove it home 800 miles to San Francisco - likely the longest single day journey of its life. Also, 12 hours of the most anxiety ridden ride of my life. As I had immediately loved the car, and also immediately bought bad 91 octane gas in Elko Nevada. After curing the Nevada freak out upon regaining cell service and sanity I had a smile on my face for the rest of the journey. Brought it home, second drive, broke down in downtown San Francisco when an idler pulley smoked out and threw the belt. I think I am almost fully initiated... do I see a speeding ticket in my near future?

In any event, as I reorganize my garage to appropriately accommodate the car I need to have the car outside in my drive - 2 blocks from the ocean and each AM there is likely to be salty dew left from the fog. Any advice on a car cover suitable for the outdoors now but won't unnecessarily smother it when I move it indoors? Or any other tips for that matter? I also intend on frequent hand washes with undercarriage washing.

Any other near Pacific Ocean owners want to give me some advice on long term ownership advice on the salt air? My answer would me to move for the sake of the car, but that't not a popular reason on the home front.

Don't cover it...any particulates trapped in the cover will then be ground against the paint as the cover moves in the wind/rain/sun...

Protect the paint with wax/sealant and then wash it regularly...

Thanks
 

Alright, saving me money on my first post. Thanks!

K

Just keep the car clean and waxed. These cars have tough finishes.

BTW, I just returned from a nearly 5K mile road trip. While you were heading to SF on probably I-80 I was heading home mainly on I-40.

A familiar sight on my drive:

http://i39.tinypic.com/e87dol.jpg

Sincerely,

Macster.

I agree. As long as the exposure is short term and you plan to move it indoors in the next few weeks it will be fine.

If you aren't going to drive it daily, you might consider a dehumidifier in your garage. I have a weekend house on the water in Galveston, and I keep the garage and storage areas dehumidified. It makes a big difference in how long stuff lasts in salty humid air.

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/...g/6c7592c6.jpg

2 days worth of salt lol. Just wash it weekly.

Yeah, the upside-down filler nozzle?:thumbsup:

Why?

Easier to fill it up all the way... Common trick.

I've never had an issue filling up my Turbo with the gas nozzle inserted in the normal fashion.

Easier to fill it up all the way... Common trick.

I just figured this out 2 weeks ago. Maybe not so common, sure works better.

Must be a model year issue, because I have never had a single problem filling up my '02 Turbo with the gas nozzle inserted just like in the picture I posted of my car above. I engage the handle retainer (to allow constant flow without having to hold the handle), step aside and wait for the auto shutoff, then squeeze an additional short shot of gas into the filler neck, and have gas at the very top of the neck, right at overflowing. It's always been just that easy.

All of our gas nozzles in the South are unobstructed pipes. They don't have the black rubber gas fume catching cover over the nozzle like California (and maybe other states) has. Maybe that's the difference.

We have the rubber gas fume thing in Houston. Its required in all EPA non-attainment areas I've never had a problem though. It fills right up with no problem.

I find it odd that you guys photograph your cars while getting gas though.

I was taking a picture of the gas prices.

Gas nozzle in Georgia...

http://i41.tinypic.com/ngnk8.jpg