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Preping my car for winter.

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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:10 PM
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AWDPowah's Avatar
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Preping my car for winter.

I'm up in the northeast, where they salt the roads like a ****. Is there anything i should do to prep my Evo for the winter? Is there anything i should know about driving the car in the winter?
This probably sounds like a stupid question, but i just was wondering if there's anything i should keep a look out for.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:24 PM
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I also am doing this - for the first time - in any car actually (i'm 17).

My advice:
First snow of the season, take it to an empty lot and learn your limits where you are safe, instead of on the roads.

Someone told me to get it undercoated again. Probably not needed as it is still kinda new. However, a couple years from now, it couldn't hurt.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:26 PM
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I will be in the same situation im thinking about getting rally mud flaps
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:27 PM
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Yeah, this will be my first winter with awd turbo. I heard that if you get on it in a corner, and hit boost you can swing out of control pretty easily. This will be the only winter i will be driving it, as i am on a tight budget and a winter beater is not an option.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:29 PM
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my 1G GSX was UNBELIEVEABLE in the snow, i never lost control no matter how hard i tried lol, this will be my first winter w/my evo i hope it has the same results!
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:35 PM
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Gets some mudflaps. It will stop the salt, rocks, etc.. from scatching and dinging up the sides of your car.
I am about to put mine on also
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:42 PM
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Snow tires... makes a world of difference, AWD or not.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:45 PM
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Get dedicated snow tires or all-seasons for winter. Mudflaps are a good idea and make sure to warm the car up to operating temps. or else shifting will be horrible. Yes, you can make the evo slide out but you gotta remember, you can regain control of your car unless its ice.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:55 PM
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I just got ContiExtremeContact tires. Good so far.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 05:59 PM
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My first winter as well. I'm very excited. Owned a rwd mustang and it sucked in the snow. Looking for an improvment!
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 06:01 PM
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AWDpowah,


I would make emphasis in a few things:

1) Proper shyntetic oil with its correct density and weight
2) It is paramount that you are 100% in control of the boost, cold nights or even early mornings could trigger a huge amount of boost spike and you have no control over that unless you stabilize your boost via MBC or similar. Remember my words, it can cost you an engine
3) Strong battery

Carlos

Last edited by fromWRXtoEVO; Oct 17, 2006 at 06:05 PM.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 06:08 PM
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Wink

This will be my 3rd winter with the evo. Some suggestions:

1. Snow tires are a must. I have a set of Dunlop Graspics, but next time I'm going to go with Dunlop sport M3's or something similar. I live in upstate NY and the roads are dry over 80% of the time. The Graspics are like marshmallows in the dry, but great in the snow.

Snow tires will turn your evo into a snowmobile... unplowed parking lots will be your new favorite playground. Watch for curbs because wheelbearings are about $300 with labor per corner, ask me how I know.

2. Mudflaps will keep most of the sand and rocks off the paint. I have a set of RallyArmors that I've been happy with that were about $100.

3. You may see some underbody rust around the bumper mounts, unibody seams, suspension mounts, subframe etc after the first winter. This is mostly cosmetic, but addressing it early won't hurt.

I recently painted over some minor surface rust with POR-15 paint. www.por15.com With a little prep this stuff stops rust cold. Stay away from the rubber undercoating junk, moisture can get under that and cause rust.

4. Hard shifting takes on new meaning in single digits temps. The best bang for the buck mod is aluminum shifter bushings from Buschur, best $30 I've spent on the car. Less than a tank of gas!! These plus fresh tranny fluid made a huge improvement in cold shifting.

I love driving in really cold weather, you'll be amazed how much harder the evo pulls when its below zero

Good Luck!!
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 06:10 PM
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From: Tucson
Originally Posted by AWDPowah
Yeah, this will be my first winter with awd turbo. I heard that if you get on it in a corner, and hit boost you can swing out of control pretty easily. This will be the only winter i will be driving it, as i am on a tight budget and a winter beater is not an option.
I have done that under specific circumstances, right gear, right rpm,right torque band,right degree of tun and your car goes ballistic and out of control. I have done that in dry and wet. Never overstimate your driving just because you have a AWD.

I owned 8 AWD cars(last 7 in a row) and you think that you are safe but you arent ..

Carlos
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 10:18 PM
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This will be my 4th winter driving the Evo. (bought it mid 2003)
Make sure you have some winter wipers and lots of winter windshield washer fluids.
I just ordered some high performance winter tire. Hankook Icebear W300 at discounttiredirect.com (good deal there)

Also the rear bumper loves to collect snow back there. You might want to check the rear bumper after driving thru snow. It'll turn to packed snow/ice and may be a little difficult removing it.
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Old Oct 17, 2006 | 10:24 PM
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From: Pennsylvania
Originally Posted by BretTheJet26
my 1G GSX was UNBELIEVEABLE in the snow, i never lost control no matter how hard i tried lol, this will be my first winter w/my evo i hope it has the same results!

im sorry but wtf is up with the avatar? you guys are really on fire there
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