Hey community members, I am a new RX8 R3 owner.
Unfortunately I do not have the funds to buy a winter beater that I like, and wish to drive my baby during the winter. It's something I actually want to do.

I just have some few questions for experiences owners on preparing the car for winter.
I am a noob when it comes to cars which is why i have some questions

Would 17" steelies @ canadian tire fit the car?
Cause I know offset matters

Would a leather bra be suffice for the front from damages due to snow and ice?

How would I go about protecting the side skirts and paint from salt and harsh weather?
- I was thinking duck taping all around the edges or something =S

And undercoating is definitely a must.
Is there something I can put all around the car like a clear plastic of some sort to protect the car all around

Finally I was thinking of purchasing a season pass car wash in which i can drive through the car wash everyday.

Are there anything else that I should consider for preparing my sweet baby through the winter?
Like extra assessories or jobs to make the car last?

Thanks

ps: I live in canada so we do get a decent amount of snow, and I am running out of time. Dont have 5000-6000 for a winter beater plus insurance and some maintenance. I figure 1000-2000 to prepare the car for winter. let me know thanks!!!!!!!!

 

17 inch rims with proper winter tires are a must. Search the stickies in the Wheel, tire, suspension forum for answers for best sizes.

Undercoating is also a must.

As far as protecting the rest of the body from rust- Sorry. Ain't gonna happen. If you can't hand wash your car frequently, with good products, a drive thru one will work, but only so much, imo.

Clear bras and the such can only do so much, as well. Unless you get the whole car covered...

 

I see, hmm so basically clear bra the skirts?
and peel it off in the summer? hahaha

 

no, because it's not cheap to do.
Just wash regularly, and you should be alright. Make sure to get the wheel wells and underneath as well!

 

last time i checked, canadian tire doesn't carry anything for 8.
the car is too good for the store.
17" alloy with snow tires shipped from US still costs less than just 4 tires (no wheels) at any shops in canada.

 

with all that money you spend on your car, you might as well buy a POS beater so your car will stay nice and rust free. not saying idiots fail to stop smash into your car.

 

For the price of all that stuff you could buy a cheap beater to run the winter. Jeep Cherokees are a dime a dozen

 

But what's the point of owning the car if you don't drive it? It's just a car. I've driven my R3 for two winters, it's definitely not the cleanest example anymore, but I've had plenty of fun with it every day.

To the OP, don't wash it every day, especially if it's not a touchless car wash, you'll scratch the paint horribly. Give it a good 2 coats of wax before the winter and take it to a touchless place once a week. It's not going to be spotless, but it will help reduce the accumulation of grime and dirt.

 

be aware that shampoos used at many touchless carwashes will remove wax from the car.

 

hmmmm many points raised!
but its true at first i was thinking of getting a winter beater...but then whats the point of spending 44k on a car in which i dont drive all the time.

i was thinking of getting a season pass touchless car wash in which i can drive through it everyday either before or after work.

i thought touchless carwash sprays a coat of wax too?

 

I'm in NYC, so generally we don't get a ton of snow. But lots of ice, salt and freezing cold pavement.

So yes, obviously winter tires. That's the single most important thing by far. And yeah, 17" wheels are better than 18 or 19.

I wax the car before snow season. Once winter starts, I take the car to a hand car wash (where they don't use machines) weekly. If that's not possible I'll go to a regular car wash, preferably with the "under car spray" option to help remove salt.

I see few cars with leather bras anymore. I'm sure they help protect the hood from the salt, small pebbles and cinders some places use on icy roads, but you have to make sure the hood under the bra is scrupulously clean to prevent scratches. I would get something like 3M Clear Bra instead, or not use anything.

I always hear undercoating is a waste of money. Maybe it's improved over the last few years, but I'm skeptical. Best to just wash the car a lot. Top, bottom and inside wheel wells.

Good luck!

 

44k?

 

thats canada for you lol
anyways...

what about the offset of the rims?
im not too familiar with that however i was told offset matters.

i got 17s with 5x114

but not sure if the offset matches.

 

welcome to canada....

 

Where in Canada? I'm in Calgary so our winters are fairly dry.

I've driven a 2004 RX-8 GT every winter and it's still in mint condition (50k) without any bras, etc. A proper wax job in the summer/fall can help a lot for the winter, but I've slacked off the last few years without major problems. The simple answer is to keep it clean -- wash it at least once a week (with a wand car wash to control exactly what you're doing to it).

For wheels/tires do a search. Offset calculations always give me a headache; even with the online calculators. But I have Core Racing 216 wheels at 7" 38mm offsets if that helps. 225-50-17 Toyo Garit.