I put mine away every year when the town starts salting and sanding the roads do to snow or ice .First salt attack happened last night due to freezing wet roads GARAGE TIME FOR MINE!
Road "salt"
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,020
Likes: 3,427
From: Plymouth Massachusetts
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 723
Likes: 3
From: pittsburgh pa
MSRP on a Cadillac Escalade is $63K++
You'd drive the Escalade all through the winter and through all sorts of conditions and just wash it and go on.... what the hell is the big deal with driving a Corvette and just washing it and going on?
Been driving Corvettes almost 22 years (Many members have been driving them a LOT longer) and have almost 600,000 miles in C4s, C5s, and C6s.
If you have to worry about owning and driving your car perhaps you need something else....
Being 70 is so liberating. I think I'll go drive mine in the rain today....
You'd drive the Escalade all through the winter and through all sorts of conditions and just wash it and go on.... what the hell is the big deal with driving a Corvette and just washing it and going on?
Been driving Corvettes almost 22 years (Many members have been driving them a LOT longer) and have almost 600,000 miles in C4s, C5s, and C6s.
If you have to worry about owning and driving your car perhaps you need something else....
Being 70 is so liberating. I think I'll go drive mine in the rain today....
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,822
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I don't drive mine when the roads are wet but I do drive it when the roads are covered with salt residue. It does turn the car white but I only wash it off the top. Never bothered to wash it off the bottom of the car. Since I drive a lot in the rain during the summer the stuff eventually washes off so I don't worry about it. Owned both of my C5s for 6 years each and never saw a corrosion problem on the bottom of either of them. Haven't seen any corrosion issues on the 08Z in the 2+ years I have owned it.
Don't get too concerned. I daily drove my 69 and 71 Vettes through salt, sand, slush and never really had any issues with them either.
Bill
Don't get too concerned. I daily drove my 69 and 71 Vettes through salt, sand, slush and never really had any issues with them either.
Bill
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 58
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 736
Likes: 7
From: Chesapeake,VA
Under carriage wash down with Salt Away. Sold in boating stores or marina stores or can be purchased online.
I've used it for years and it works well.
http://www.saltawayproducts.com/Formula.htm
I've used it for years and it works well.
http://www.saltawayproducts.com/Formula.htm
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 10,548
Likes: 176
From: Upstate NY
I did something similar several weeks ago. After an early snow had come and gone and really had no effect on "city" roads I took a ride on a nice, clear sunny day. I made the mistake of heading up into the hills on one of my favorite twisties without thinking that the roads conditions might be different. Yikes! WTF did I get myself into? I was committed. No turnaround. Road had no snow but lots of WET salt and sand. GAWD!! What a friggin mess! Sorry, no pix, I wasn't going to leave that crap on my car any longer than absolutely necessary.
Anyway, may car didn't die and yours will be ok too. Just get down and hose it the best you can.
Yikes! WTF did I get myself into? I was committed. No turnaround. Road had no snow but lots of WET salt and sand. GAWD!! What a friggin mess! Sorry, no pix, I wasn't going to leave that crap on my car any longer than absolutely necessary.Anyway, may car didn't die and yours will be ok too. Just get down and hose it the best you can.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
You might luck out and have a few mild rainy days. If so after a good rain which could rinse most of the salt off the road, I try to take my vehicles for a good ride and hit every puddle possible. Even if there may be some salt still there it will not be as concentrated. Otherwise you really can't wash it all away, too many nooks and cranies.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,485
Likes: 3
From: Central NJ
... I know this won't help bc I used to be just like you, but here goes anyway:
don't obsess over it! it's a car! the salt will never be of any real problem, and in the end it will outlast you! Life is so short to spend any time worrying about such trivial things is insane. Ttrust me, it doesn't matter, it's all in your head, your car will be fine
don't obsess over it! it's a car! the salt will never be of any real problem, and in the end it will outlast you! Life is so short to spend any time worrying about such trivial things is insane. Ttrust me, it doesn't matter, it's all in your head, your car will be fine
Race Director
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,742
Likes: 629
From: Manheim Pennsylvania
You will never get rid of all of it. Winter salt is the fastest way to take the newness out of a car. That said, the only way to get the scum off is hand washing the under carriage. Fortunately the center of the car should be relatively free of the crud. Take each wheel well and remove the wheel crawl in there with a wash mitt, and have at it. Let air dry inspect for scum, wash again. Some where in this cycle you will determine what is satisfactory and move on to the next wheel well. There will always be areas that you are not able to access, unless you disassemble components. I feel for you!!!!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 8,244
Likes: 850
From: Hamilton Square NJ, Ocean City N. J. Key Biscayne Fla.
The only way to keep a Vette "showroom new" is not to drive it. 
IMO, a fool's mission. 
Drive the Car, be careful where you drive, clean it on a regular basis. I think the noobs/first time owners obsess way too much. Enjoy your Car.
IMO, a fool's mission. Drive the Car, be careful where you drive, clean it on a regular basis. I think the noobs/first time owners obsess way too much. Enjoy your Car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 3
From: Arlington VA
Some people feel keeping their car at its best is enjoying it. Stop trying to preach to them, they are not trying to change your mind about anything so leave it be.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Salem NH
Somewhere between Garage Queen and It's Only a Car is the Land of Common Sense. When I was looking for my C6 up here in New England I was amazed at the the corrosion that I found on cars even 3 years old. This went beyond cosmetics to where brake lines, etc. appeared compromised. They use some powerful chemicals up here.
So, I changed my search to Florida and the choices of "clean cars' expanded exponentially. So, yes I drive the car and do the undercarriage if needed but it gets put away before the big sanders and chemical trucks hit the streets in earnest.
Looking forward to April,
So, I changed my search to Florida and the choices of "clean cars' expanded exponentially. So, yes I drive the car and do the undercarriage if needed but it gets put away before the big sanders and chemical trucks hit the streets in earnest.
Looking forward to April,
Race Director
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,742
Likes: 629
From: Manheim Pennsylvania
I use my car and enjoy it. I try to keep it nice, it has been driven in the rain which doesn't scum the undercharge or detract from the over all condition of the vehicle, easily removable. Road salt is corrosive, scums the car and is difficult to remove. The chemicals that are added to prevent the salt from clumping cause breathing/congestion in many people (they think they have an allergy) and is kept quiet by the government. Salt laden roads spoil the winter experience and harms the environment.
"I hate road salt".
"I hate road salt".
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 65
From: Tree City
In Florida, during high winds or hurricanes, it rains salt water because of it being near the ocean. That's why you would always see so many cars with rusted chrome bumpers and rusted chrome on the rest of the car. Plus Florida has an extremely high level of Mercury in the rain. So, you don't want to go too far south.
Last edited by Jimmy W1; Dec 20, 2011 at 02:05 PM.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 679
Likes: 4
From: TremontonUT UT
I don't drive mine when the roads are wet but I do drive it when the roads are covered with salt residue. It does turn the car white but I only wash it off the top. Never bothered to wash it off the bottom of the car. Since I drive a lot in the rain during the summer the stuff eventually washes off so I don't worry about it. Owned both of my C5s for 6 years each and never saw a corrosion problem on the bottom of either of them. Haven't seen any corrosion issues on the 08Z in the 2+ years I have owned it.
Don't get too concerned. I daily drove my 69 and 71 Vettes through salt, sand, slush and never really had any issues with them either.
Bill
Don't get too concerned. I daily drove my 69 and 71 Vettes through salt, sand, slush and never really had any issues with them either.
Bill