VBdenny Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 I will be going up to Syracuse, NY next week for Christmas. My brother told me they are salting the crap out of the roads and I am trying to decide if I should just rent a car to drive up. My car has hardly ever been in any salt and I was wondering if some of you way up North people can tell me if you feel it really damages your car. Has anyone had any rust on an LS? My car is cleaned, waxed an in the garage. I rarely even drive it in the rain as I usually drive my truck when it rains. What do you think? Money isn't an issue, I just have grown rather fond of my car and don't want to get it all nasty. I've seen how it gets all in the engine and all.
mejojo Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Salt is, of course, water soluble so an extended squirting underneath when you get home should be all that's needed. Just don't leave it caked on the undercarriage for a long time and you'll be fine. Salt-rusted cars come from people who drive on salted roads year in and year out and don't have the interest to get the underside cleaned up when the weather gets better. Joe
VBdenny Posted December 17, 2003 Author Posted December 17, 2003 I don't know Joe. When I was younger I lived in Syracuse and every car I had had rust all over everything. It gets in the brakes, ruins the exhuast, and seems really bad for cars. Besides, my engine is spotlessly clean and I don't want hours and hours of cleaning. They mix the salt with sand which gets stuck everywhere. I've never seen a Lexus with rust and doubt it would be a problem a few times but the cleaning you have to do if very time consuming.
Meist21 Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Well being from Chicago I know about salt. Unfortunately when we are this far into winter the IDOT people start throwing salt down at any hint of snow. They need to get through the amount they ordered this year so next year they get their budget. Anyway just keep the salt washed off the bottom and in the wells. If it is going to stay cold the salt will not hurt your car. If it gets warm then cold, warm then cold, etc. just keep the undercarriage sprayed off. Personally I hate the stuff...............
90LS400Lexus Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 I HATE to drive any of my cars in the snow, but luckily, we do not normally have a whole lot of snow. Being from Tennessee- we do not see a lot of snow- certainally not as much as the northern part of our country. Some winters we barely get 3 or 4 inches of snow, which has been the case over the past few years, but I have seen about three years with 30 inches annually (for a entire winter) during a few years in the 1990s- such as the blizzard of 1993, 1996 and again in 1998. The normal annual average snow for us is 21.0 inches (which we rarely get for the entire winter season), but I live in the northeastern part of the state, which is higher terrain (1100-2000 ft. in elevation in my area) and typically one of the cooler parts of the state- with the exception of the central Tennessee plateau and extreme eastern mts. Areas just to our east and northeast usually get a lot more snow. Enough about the weather. Anyway- when we do have snow and I have to drive on salty roads, when we do have snow- I ALWAYS wash the car very well after the roads dry and spray under the car very well. Since we have not had any snow this year, I have not driven my Lexus in the snow and even if it snows, I can drive my other cars. I also have never seen a Lexus with rust, but I have seen Acuras with plenty of rust from up north. Rust is rare on cars here. The cars here that have rust is where northern cars made their way down here, or they have rust from our typically year-round high humidity. I had a 1994 Lumina that was originally from Ohio. There was a lot of underbody rust scale on this car, due to all of the snow and salt in northern Ohio. I have a 1992 Buick Park Avenue, that is 100% rust free, (typical of a southern car) but I have seen several 91-95 Park Avenues from northern states- such as Michigan, Ohio, New York, etc., that have a lot of rocker panel rust. My Lexus has also been in very little if no salt as well. It was originally from Florida, but the owners have a second home in Kentucky. I noticed that according to the service records that they did travel in the northern USA, as some of the service was completed at northern Lexus dealerships. If money is no object- I would just rent a car. This will save you from having to wash the car and will keep the miles down on your car. Just like everyone said- if you do take your car- just remember to wash it very well when you return to southeastern Virginia. Clean in the wheel wells and undercarraige very well.
99lsguy Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Denny, I know how you feel about the salt My 99 was a Texas car till now and we've had a 4" snow and 8" snow already. My poor LS has just tasted its first snow/salt bath and its not pretty. I'm gonna (at least) spray under the wheels & body tommorrow. I thinks its a good idea just to rent a car unless the forecast is VERY REASSURING during your stay. You'll have more peace of mind, less worry, and even more APPRECIATION for your LS once you get back. Merry Christmas :D
VMF Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 i cant drive in the snow and i dont like to even start my car when its cold outside. unofortunately i have to since i have to work night shifts at work now but its temporary. during last snow storm i got stuck 4 times and i dont want this to happen again so i use acura which handles better on the snow and lexus is in the worm garage sleeping:)
SW03ES Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 To be honest, I would rent something just because its bound to be better in the snow than the LS. Have you driven it in the snow? It doesnt like to be driven in the snow... As for salt like others have said its not that big a deal as long as you do a real thorough cleaning when you get back. The Collinite wax is excellent at resisting the salt. Its nasty as hell here today and I sprayed my car off real well at a self serve spray booth just tonight.
VBdenny Posted December 17, 2003 Author Posted December 17, 2003 Well it looks as if my idea to rent a car wasn't as dumb as my wife thought. I did have to Lexus is regular (southern) snow a few times. Here is the south they don't do much plowing or salting. The car goes fine but with the positraction differential, it gets a little squirrly when you get on it. In fact my daughter got it a little sidewards in the rain up in Blacksburg VA when she was going around a corner and hitting the gas a little. Luckily, I had taught her how to square it back up, which she did. Not that I mind driving in snow, I just don't want to get all that sand and salt all in my car. I think I'll leave the LS in the garage all waxed and clean.
lexo Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Utah...The best snow on earth <_< ( well now ) I think they should change or plates to say The most rock chips , salt damaged, sand in all the parts under the car, to the side of the car and in ( if on your feet ) the car. Good hell Utah knows the salt! The budjet is true, dont use it they loose it for next year. People here in Utah can't slow down.... It could be a blizard out and they still fly around 80 on the freeway? So UDOT puts it on thick..... The stupid part is in spring or if the weather has been good, they never clean the crap up. The big trucks chip the hell out of the front end. I sweap endless hours in front of my home all the gravel the spread with it. I have enough of the to start my own UDOT spreading co! I should sell it back to them..... Man I'm happy to have purchased a Ford to drive in the snow! ( my baby can stay home where it's warm and clean........The F150 can run in the salt.......... :)
VBdenny Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 Thanks 90, 99, lexo, swo, brooklyn, mejojo, and meist. It's not that I haven't driven in snow. I grew up in Syracuse and went to college in Oswego. I know all about snow, I just don't like it anymore (except when I am skiing). What I might do is drive the Lexus to NJ and then take my Caprice to Syracuse. The Lexus will be indoors then. Ah who knows, I like deciding stuff at the last minutes,,,,,,, Thanks you all. denny
90LS400Lexus Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 No problem. Good luck and have a good trip.
VBdenny Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 Anytime I am driving, I am happy. Have a great Christmas 90. Denny
99lsguy Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 I like being called 99 :D reminds me of an old detective/comedy.. some guy talked in his shoe telephone?.....
VBdenny Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 well, that means it's time to go to bed. VBdenny checking out 12:08P.M. EST
SW03ES Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 I like being called 99 :D reminds me of an old detective/comedy.. some guy talked in his shoe telephone?..... Get Smart starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon (she played agent 99) Great show lol, produced and created by Mel Brooks.
99lsguy Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 OH YEAH - GETSMART! I've always enjoyed MEL BROOKS COMEDY :D
90LS400Lexus Posted December 21, 2003 Posted December 21, 2003 Talk about salt! We had our first measurable snow of the season. Although not much on the ground- they did salt (or put that salt water solution) on the roads last night and early this morning, as the roads were turning to black ice. I drove my Lexus early yesterday, but I think they salted earlier, as they knew the temperature was supposed to drop. I am going tomorrow to wash my Lexus very well. I did not want to drive it in the salt, but I would rather drive it than any of my other cars. :D My Buick is covered with dry salt residue as well- as well as all of the other cars here in the area, so I am sure everyone will be washing their cars tomorrow- as temperatures rise to about 50 degrees, then 55 on Monday and 60 degrees on Tuesday. I may wait until Tuesday before I wash the Buick. We typically do not even see snow until January, but this has been an unusual year for weather. We are currently 25.00 inches of rain above normal for the year and have broken two record monthly rainfall levels this year. * Also- I will never take it through the automatic car wash again. I took it through there last week and it tore off two of my pin stripes.
acf Posted December 23, 2003 Posted December 23, 2003 * Also- I will never take it through the automatic car wash again. I took it through there last week and it tore off two of my pin stripes. Good Lord, man, you went through an auto wash AND it wasn't touchless?? :chairshot: :P
VBdenny Posted December 23, 2003 Author Posted December 23, 2003 well troops, this morning I pulled my perfectly clean, totally Collinited, LS out of the garage and drove up to New Jersey (which is where I am now). Perfect weather, no wet roads, nothing but sunshine. When we arrived in Jersey, the car was still spotless. Tomorrow after my wife gets out of work we will be cruising up to Syracuse. I looked at the weather and it should be fine. They are forcasting rain tomorrow evening then turning to snow but luckily, my mother has a two car gagage and only one car. You know where mine goes. There is still some snow on the ground here (nasty looking stuff), but none anywhere else. I very much enjoyed the drive up. Say what you will about the Jersey Turnpike, but that is one of my favorite go-fast roads. As most of you are aware (or should be) the LS 400 is a great go-fast car. Hopefully the return trip won't be too bad, but there are a lot of dirty looking cars around here. I'll take Virginia Beach's weather anyday.
90LS400Lexus Posted December 23, 2003 Posted December 23, 2003 * Also- I will never take it through the automatic car wash again. I took it through there last week and it tore off two of my pin stripes. Good Lord, man, you went through an auto wash AND it wasn't touchless?? :chairshot: :P Was supposed to be. The good thing is that they were still on there, but were loose. I was able to stick them back on, with a little time. They still had enough "sticky" on them to stick. They may fall off again soon. I guess it is possible that they have been recently replaced due to peeling and may not have been installed properly. I did take the car to the car wash yesterday and washed it MYSELF and they stayed on- even the ones that came loose in the autowash. I am going to take it again this week and give it another good washing. The car wash I normally go to- was packed last evening. I took my other car today on my lunch hour and it was packed again. A lot of folks was anxious to get the salt sprays off of their cars. I was going to take the Buick through the autowash- like I usually do and it does not hurt it- the pinstrips seem to be on very well, as they do not peel at all- even in the autowash. It was lined alll the way around though, so I washed it myself. That same autowash did however rip off a door moulding off of my old 1995 Chrysler Concorde. Luckily- ALL of the snow has melted- which is normal, as snow rarely stays on the ground here for more than 3 days or so. Does anyone know if most of the automatic car washes wash underneath the car? It seems impossible to spray good under the car at the car wash, if you are washing it yourself. I try to spray under there the best I can.
VBdenny Posted December 24, 2003 Author Posted December 24, 2003 Good News everyone. Got up to Syracuse last night and not even one wet road. My car is still shiny and clean. As I was driving up I-81 I couldn't believe how absolutely nasty looking most of the cars were. My heart goes out to you car lovers who live in the snow belt! Merry Christmas! Denny
acf Posted December 24, 2003 Posted December 24, 2003 * Also- I will never take it through the automatic car wash again. I took it through there last week and it tore off two of my pin stripes. Good Lord, man, you went through an auto wash AND it wasn't touchless?? :chairshot: :P Does anyone know if most of the automatic car washes wash underneath the car? It seems impossible to spray good under the car at the car wash, if you are washing it yourself. I try to spray under there the best I can. Most auto-washes have a "rocker panel wash" function but it won't get UNDER the car very well at all. Best done by hand.
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