Back on the road?
#1
03-09-2011 | 06:26 PM
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Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 5
From: South Eastern Massachusetts
Back on the road?
I'm curious when others decide to put their cars back on the road for the season. My 996 Cab is currently stored in a garage, battery hooked up to a maintainer, and it'll need servicing, so I'm not going to take it out just for a casual ride and then back in the garage.
I guess I'm going to wait for a good storm to clean up the salt on the roads a bit, then consistent temperatures in the low 50s perhaps. What do the rest of you do?
I'm in New England, so year round driving is challenging to say the least.
I guess I'm going to wait for a good storm to clean up the salt on the roads a bit, then consistent temperatures in the low 50s perhaps. What do the rest of you do?
I'm in New England, so year round driving is challenging to say the least.
#2
03-09-2011 | 09:47 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 936
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I guess it depends on where you live.
I live in central North Carolina, and while we have some bad weather there is no month when there aren't a few good days: I took the Ferrari or the Aston to work on clear days in Dec and Jan and now, in March, probably three days a week one or the other.
In Mass.? I don't know the state well, but the thing is, they are all just cars: Porsche, Aston, Ferrari - not one of them is special enough that it won't end up in a recylcing center eventually, so just drive them every chance you get. Sure, they'll rust, but you can always buy another, and you bought them to enjoy, right? So enjoy!!!
Thus, I'd never put it up for the winter. On days when the roads are clear (there must be a few in Feb and March) drive it if you can. You might get a little salt on it but geez - you aren't getting any pleasure out of it stuck in the garage with the battery tender keeping it in suspended animation.
I live in central North Carolina, and while we have some bad weather there is no month when there aren't a few good days: I took the Ferrari or the Aston to work on clear days in Dec and Jan and now, in March, probably three days a week one or the other.
In Mass.? I don't know the state well, but the thing is, they are all just cars: Porsche, Aston, Ferrari - not one of them is special enough that it won't end up in a recylcing center eventually, so just drive them every chance you get. Sure, they'll rust, but you can always buy another, and you bought them to enjoy, right? So enjoy!!!
Thus, I'd never put it up for the winter. On days when the roads are clear (there must be a few in Feb and March) drive it if you can. You might get a little salt on it but geez - you aren't getting any pleasure out of it stuck in the garage with the battery tender keeping it in suspended animation.
#3
03-09-2011 | 10:24 PM
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Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 5
From: South Eastern Massachusetts
Hey Lee,
Hah, you're right. They are just cars and the point is well taken. Though, North Carolina is a far cry from the type of weather we get up here in Mass. This past winter was especially bad and we basically had snow storm after snow storm with temperatures hovering around the "freezing cold, stay indoors," mark.
I suppose it comes down to personal preference. I don't get as much enjoyment driving the car in freezing cold weather with piles of snow at each corner. I enjoy cleaning it thoroughly, wiping it down, putting the top down, and cruising. Not really fun things to do when it's 10F outside. The salt/tire adhesion in cold temperatures/rust is pretty much secondary.
Next year, I'll be wintering in Florida with my wife, so it wouldn't be an issue. Speaking of which, anyone have any recommendations as far as shipping companies?
Hah, you're right. They are just cars and the point is well taken. Though, North Carolina is a far cry from the type of weather we get up here in Mass. This past winter was especially bad and we basically had snow storm after snow storm with temperatures hovering around the "freezing cold, stay indoors," mark.
I suppose it comes down to personal preference. I don't get as much enjoyment driving the car in freezing cold weather with piles of snow at each corner. I enjoy cleaning it thoroughly, wiping it down, putting the top down, and cruising. Not really fun things to do when it's 10F outside. The salt/tire adhesion in cold temperatures/rust is pretty much secondary.
Next year, I'll be wintering in Florida with my wife, so it wouldn't be an issue. Speaking of which, anyone have any recommendations as far as shipping companies?
Last edited by brianveg; 03-10-2011 at 10:12 AM.
#4
03-10-2011 | 09:35 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 936
From:
At first, i was reluctant to even start the Ferrari on really cold mornings, but, its just a car. The one morning, about 5 AM (I head to work early) it was 25 degrees out, but the sky was clear and there was a full moon. Who wouldn't want to bundle up and burble off to work with the windows down? The Ferrari positively loves the cold. Its idle, which is rough when first starting, smooths out quicker, etc., in cold weather, although it takes forever for the oil to warm up (I never take it over 4000 RPM until the oil is at least into the normal zone so on cold mornings I drive almost all the way to work with only about 250 HP).
The Aston doesn't like the cold. It balks a bit for the first couple minutes, but luckily the automatic has a lot of slush to it so the car is still remarkably smooth. It isn't really fast, just incredibly smooth, and after about three minutes, acts normally, but for those first few moments, it acts like it is just a microsecond away from stalling, but never does.
The Aston doesn't like the cold. It balks a bit for the first couple minutes, but luckily the automatic has a lot of slush to it so the car is still remarkably smooth. It isn't really fast, just incredibly smooth, and after about three minutes, acts normally, but for those first few moments, it acts like it is just a microsecond away from stalling, but never does.
#5
03-11-2011 | 07:52 AM
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7
In Montreal, I always put the car away in an inside garage for the winter..
Horrific amount of salt (and grit) on the roads in the winter which will result in lots of nicks and chips in the front paint, also dont want some dork sliding into the back of me. Of course the salt mist will get into every miniscule crevice it can to start its nefarious rusting. Sure it might take a few years, but its too nice a car too allow that. Also cant imagine the salty mist is good for the cloth top and corrosion of the mags is another concern
Another thing to really consider is that Montreal (and Quebec) has the worst streets and roads you can imagine! Potholes that will break your suspension if you fail to swerve in time. This is due to decades of corruption, and the eternal "separatist' issue which diverts funds from infrastructure to political battles.. sigh
I wait for nice weather, then drive over into Ontario for nice roads
Horrific amount of salt (and grit) on the roads in the winter which will result in lots of nicks and chips in the front paint, also dont want some dork sliding into the back of me. Of course the salt mist will get into every miniscule crevice it can to start its nefarious rusting. Sure it might take a few years, but its too nice a car too allow that. Also cant imagine the salty mist is good for the cloth top and corrosion of the mags is another concern
Another thing to really consider is that Montreal (and Quebec) has the worst streets and roads you can imagine! Potholes that will break your suspension if you fail to swerve in time. This is due to decades of corruption, and the eternal "separatist' issue which diverts funds from infrastructure to political battles.. sigh
I wait for nice weather, then drive over into Ontario for nice roads
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