Is winterization right for my situation
 

Basically I have 2 cars this winter (the other is a Mazda 3 w snow tires for the season). I'm wanting to continue to drive my 2009 r3 (currently at 25k) through the winter though. Can I drive the r3 on days where there is limited snow and weather without putting on winter tires? (I know the idea of driving an rx in the winter w/out winter tires is nuts).

My other concern is that the r3 is a car I wish to keep indefinitely. It has too much personality for me to be attracted to anything else, so the rust and wear + tear w the winter to the underside is what i've been told is a concern unless I plan to get rid of the car in a few years or something (Been told this by my neighbor who babies his 1995 Eclipse and winter stores it). When I purchased this car from a Mazda dealer i signed up for the rust proofing, which occurs at regular intervals and when I got it in May.

I would just store it if I were you. I think your neighbor is right and the less snow your rx8 sees the better off it will be. Storing it will make that first drive in the spring/summer that much better.

its not worth it imo. The rx8 does not handle any level of ice/snow at all - I found out the hard way and broke off my sideskirt last year when I neglected to put on my snow tires but I still feel the snow tires still wouldn't have saved me....

depends. on good days where the road is dry and sun is out, I take my car out for a spin.

Store it. I know I do for months Between late Nov-March.

boy would i die to be in your situation. Wish i could store my 8. You have one hell of a winter beater lol.

It's not the snow that is hard on a car its the road salt.

Completely untrue the RX8 is as good in the winter as any other car or better of similar type.
As you stated the fault was the neglect of correctly preparing your car for winter. The lack of winter tires or even good all season tires does not make the RX8 a poor winter vehicle. If you put summer tires on any vehicle (non all wheel drive) your just asking for trouble in winter conditions.
Winter tires make all the difference.

I'm not understanding why you even bothered to post this thread, you clearly know what you want to do and the answer.
Sounds more to me like you're bragging about having two cars.

Store the 8 drive the 3 ... wait till those cold February days when the roads are clear of ice/snow and salt and go for a spin.
But remember your summer tires will not like the cold. Be careful and prepared for a lot of tire spin.
Believe me I know ... lol I should put up a shot of my Toyo Proxy's I burned off.

Yea but snow and salt is one in the same. If you live in an area that has snow bad enough to consider garaging the 8 then you will also live in an area that salts roads or puts some type of chemical down.

Agree with wcs...

I don't care where you live, any road surface which has salt used on it (or chemicals) is bad for any car...

I look at it as being no different to driving a car on the beach and on beach sand and then through a few inches of sea water, it might be "fun" to some, but you are asking for trouble with corrosion/rust on any metal/alloy surfaces.

Here in Australia many guys drive on beaches just a few metres from the sea (particularly summer time) and wonder why their cars are rusting through.

IF you have done the above, before the sun sets use fresh water hose and flush/clean every panel inside and out and every crack and corner removing salt and sand and dirt.

Frankly most rust proofing won't work if sand or salt is left to sit and left to harden inside panel area's or joins you don't see.

Salt and chemicals are extremely harsh as the above posters have mentioned out. Not only they will rust some body panels, rods etc but they will increase wear on any moving part if they're given the chance.
Here the price for winter driven cars in lower for this reason. Would you do that to your rx8? :)

I drove my 8 for a couple winters. I am not now because I live in the salt capitol and I finally got around to buying a beater. It's good it is oil sprayed. Snow is not the same as salt. Fresh snow falls were my favorite in the 8 (I have quality snow tires/ no dsc), it's no different than driving in the rain for rust reasons as long as the road is not preset with chemicals or salt. If you do take it out and the roads are treated wash it down after. My car has no rust on it and I drove daily on salt encrusted roads. Just take care of it, and dont take winter driving advice from drivers that don't get winter.
Just remember the temps are hard to keep up, I covered my oil coolers to reach a comfortable operating temperature. Summer tires will get hard, slippery and squared out btw.

You never know where people have lived though. I have not seen snow for almost 3 years now, but before that I lived for 2+ years in wisconsin and prior to that all my life in colorado both of which can have some pretty heavy snow.

I didn't mean you personally xexok, there are many threads out there with much mal info from southerners. I loved the 8 in the winter, and if I didn't invest so much time and money in my 8 I'd still drive it everyday in the snow.

Thanks for the advice, seems best I put it away. My only question then is future winters, I may not have the luxury of an alternate car being available starting next year. Considering getting another car in the future winters, but then there's an issue w the fact that I only have 2 driveway spots. Is it practical in the future to find a place that stores cars through the winter? Otherwise I might was well drive my 8 through this winter, and possibly do as instructed above on Those occasional days.

I didn't take it as a personal attack or anything, no worries.

Diomedes if it comes down to it and the 8 is your only car then its not going to kill it to drive it as long as you have the proper tires and what not. The better option would be to purchase a winter beater though. You can buy a car at the start of the winter for $2k or less and then sell it at the end of winter for the same price, then repeat the next year or keep it year round.

Yeah, that was my plan, so getting a winter beater works, good. What about payed storage for the 8 in future years. I was told it's not always legit or trustworthy.

So my tank is currently below half full, and it has started to snow and the roads are not really drivable what with all the salt and all.

I have fuel stabilizer, according to the instructions i need to add about 80ml to my tank and let it run for 10 min.

After i shut it down, i should later remove the battery. Is a battery tender necessary, or can i just store it inside?

Otherwise through the rest of winter, i keep an eye on the tire pressure, right?

Snow should be gone in about 3 months time, based on the mixed advice i found on the forum (some people in my area say stabilizer is not even necessary if its stored indoors). Feedback please? First time doing this.

thanks

I've never used fuel stabilizer.

There will be a few days of clear road conditions during the winter ... take it out for a spin.

I've never used a battery tender, never had too. Wouldn't hurt, but why remove the battery. Just leave it in the car. If you feel you need to remove the battery you surely do not need to tend to it.

I get this is your first time doing this but you're being to nervous.

I am like wcs, although I got a solar panel charger for the battery and it works great. (I have a tiny motorcycle batt. so it drains much quicker than oem)
I run it on the weekend, I put it on jack stands and let it run in first for a little bit.

Just re reading the thread now, its true, no one here recommends stabilizer or even any mucking around w the battery. Why is that, cause when i search winterization or anything else related in this forum, i come across threads that recommend it frequently. Same w the battery.

Anyway, good to know i don't actually need to do anything with it, which is nice. So take it out once in a while for a drive with clear roads. I can live with that.

When I dont drive it for a few weeks or even a couple at a time, I leave it in neutral right? I remember reading that somewhere.

Interesting.
You got me on that one, I dunno.

Just chalk your tires. Don't leave the e-brake on. I have mine on stands mostly b/c I am working on my suspension set-up.

I suggest park it in gear and do not apply the parking brake.

chock the wheels, no handbrake, in neutral.