Baby It’s Cold Outside

Hopefully you are reading this on a beach sipping something tropical. But that might just be my inner desire as I wash salt off my car in a balmy 35-degree Northeast day in February. Despite the cold during the wash, it made me jubilant as I remembered the fun that put all of the salt and dirt on the car so far this winter.

               As a car enthusiast you tend to love your car or at least I hope I am not alone here. Sometimes it goes to the extreme of only taking the car out on nice days and never letting it get caught in the rain. I commend that mentality and the dedication it takes to avoid exposing a vehicle to well…the world and its elements. However, at least for me, I don’t get the most joy looking at my vehicle hibernating in the garage until spring. But at the same time, I do have the inner love and cherishing nature for my vehicle. So, how does one enjoy their car during winter stress free? The answer to that starts prior to the onslaught of the winter months.

Preparation:

               The first step I take happens before a flake falls or before the temp sinks below freezing. I make sure to thoroughly wash my car and apply at minimum a wax or a coating that will make future washes easier. The last thing that I want is to have a drawn-out wash when the temp is near freezing. Some sort of coating or wax will make cleaning the salt from your vehicle easier when the time comes.

               Now time for the most important step the rubber. Snow rubber that is. I prefer to have a winter set of wheels with snow tires/winter capable tires fitted. An all-weather tire is also a great option for those with only one set of wheels. If you are going to do one thing to enjoy your car in the winter, I would wish it to be winter tires. Winter tires will give you more control and safety while battling the elements on your daily commute. It will not just make you and your car safer but it will make it safer for your fellow motorists commuting. If you don’t want to drive in summer without summer tires or on track without track tires, why would you drive a lot in winter without winter tires.

               Finally we have to deal with what we can’t see until it is too late….rust. One of my greatest envies is how beautifully preserved cars are in dryer climates that do not live their lives in the dreaded rust belt. There are several products out there that can help preserve your vehicle despite it being exposed to the prolific amount of salt dumped onto roadways during winter. There are service centers such as Krown Rust Protection or Honey Seal dedicated to providing a product to protect your vehicle from corrosion. If interested for more information on these services check out these great YouTuber reviews.

If you are more of the DIY person many products can be purchased in aerosol form and applied at home. The big names are Fluid Film, Woolwax, and Blaster Ultra Shield.

               As a car enthusiast you should not relegate yourself to enjoying your car in the summer months. There is much fun to be had winter driving your vehicle given the proper care. We hope you can continue to enjoy your GRs conscious clear in the winter months.

PS: Dashing through the snow in a GR Corolla with snow tires might just be some of the best winter driving out there.