There is no prevention. Only sorrow.

 

In all seriousness...its just like any other car. If the condition of the underbody of the car isn't a concern, then protection with wax, washing, washing the engine bay often, etc is probably enough.

My S2000 has never even heard of road salt. I care very much that when I look underneath it, it looks brand new. I can work on it without getting dirty.

For my daily driver (TSX), After prepping with degreaser and my pressure washer, I used an epoxy layer as well as an under coating for the chassis and fender lips. I clear coated all the nuts and bolts under the car. I also wash it very often, including the engine bay and under body. I own a pressure washer and also live near a car wash with a heated water pressure washer. Its a LOT of work to keep that car clean, but so far...its been fairly-effective. Its WAAAAY cleaner than about 99.99% of daily driven midwest cars of similar (or newer) ages.

I usually end up with DD's from Cali, or the South, where they take their super clean chassis' for granted. So...I always feel its a shame to see them covered in ultra corrosive salt. They're liberal with their salt use in the Chicago burbs.


Again...tons of work. Accepting the rust and weeping while alone at night is an easier option.

Or buying a 2nd car that you don't care about. I can't bring myself to buy a beater. But for $4k-7k or so...you can find a decent, semi-modern car.

 

Rust Check and Krown are both effective at preventing rust. They do seem to cause rubber seals etc. to deform if too much gets on these areas. We have been using Corrosion Free at our shop and find it every bit as good or better at rust prevention as the two mentioned, without the issues with the rubber bits.

 

I've driven my S through 10 new england winters. There is no way to protect from salt. You will get surface rust all over eventually. It is fact. If you plan to keep the car forever in tip top shape, do not drive it through the winter.

 

Yea, don't drive it in the winter. If your car is over 10 years old and doesn't have rust, then keep it that way.

I've driven mine in snow and ice a few times, and this car is not good for any of that...at all.

Your skill is one thing...the others on the road have no skill. One day I was on the interstate and could hit only 45mph...otherwise the car would start to yaw as it hit slippery spots. Many of the other cars on the road were going full speed, with the ersatz confidence AWD brings in ice/snow (and probably coudn't stop if they wanted). Mine still looks new underneath, and I plan to keep it that way. Mine is effectively put away for winter. It's my weekend car now, so I only bring it out on sunny days.

Seriously, buy a beater.

 

Having lived in the northeast all my life, I can tell you that if you drive your S during the winter as your daily, it will eventually rust. All the products in the world can only slow it down for the moment. If you can afford it, a beater is the way to go.

Stanw

 

+1 on winter beater. Audi's get cheap as they get miles. A lot of awd car for the $. If you can do most of your own maintenance. Very $$$ to maintain.

But, S is great in the snow, with the right tires. Summer tires, no way.

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When I was living in Indiana, I just used to store my s in the garage for winter months.

 

I live in northern illinois; near chicago. Honestly just wash your car often. After a large snowfall there will be a day or two immediatwly after where its not snowing and the roads are already plowed and salted. Do it then. I take my S to a self service car wash and thoroughly wash it. I make sure to get the underbody as well. Thats a priority. I use the spray on wax and leave it at that after I go through the normal procedure. Let it dry naturally and it will be all good. Use it under the car too.

 

Well, often for days after a salt event, the roads stay wet. Melting snow, etc. That water still has salt or whatever chemicals that area uses on the road. That means each time you drive, that stuff is recoating under your car. So you could be having to wash it every couple days for weeks on end.

It gets dark at like 4pm. And it starts getting real cold, real fast. So trying to wash after, or even before work, could be a brutal, near zero or subzero event. Won't be much fun getting hands and knees and spraying water all around in that weather. And you won't just get wet, you'll get all that chemical splashed back on you. Then you gotta get back in and drive, and transfer that stuff to your interior.

Can you really get to most of the underbody with the car wash spray wand? Especially with a low sportscar?

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