Moving North - Cold Weather Driving

[Jimbo]

I've lived south of the Mason-Dixon my entire life but will be moving to Watertown, NY (north of Syracuse) in August. I'll be there for about 3 years and wanted to get some advice on winter equipment for my cars. I have a 2005 OBXT LTD and a 2002 Hyundai Accent. My first question is about winter tires, do I need them? I figured the Hyundai for sure, was planning on the OB as well (good excuse to buy 18s with performance tires for the summer). I also noticed that Subaru sells a battery warmer and engine block heater for the OB. Will I want these up there? Should I find similar items for the Accent as well? At home both cars will be garaged, but work is open parking with some outlets availible. Anything I'm missing (chains, kitty litter, etc.)? Thanks.

[PhilT]

Winter tyres are not a neccessity if you stick to main roads and highways, nor are block heaters or battery warmers, they are nice to have if you can afford them though.

 

What I do consider an absolute must have though, is a remote starter. If you park outside at work like I do, then having the car warmed through and defrosted when you get in it is a huge bonus. Do US Spec cars have heated seats as standard too ?

 

Since moving to Canada, I've always had Subies, and never had any real problems with them.

[melayout]

For engine oil, snatch up some German Castrol Syntec 0-W30(Should say "Made in Germany" on the back) from your local Autozone.

 

That oil does wonders and here is an oil analysis from an XT to prove it.

 

I think since you are going north and the GC is on the thicker side of 30 weight oils, you will probably be better with Mobil 1 0W-30 which is thinner.

 

Check out Bob Is The Oil Guy forums for all your lubrication needs.

 

I recommend you post what conditions your car will likely see in a new thread at BITOG for more informed/knowledgable advice.

 

Btw, I'm switching from Mobil 1 10W-30 EP to GC 0W-30, to see it will curb the oil consumption since the Mobil 1 is on the thin side of 30 weights compared to GC which is on the thicker side.

[Deer Killer]

Undercoating if you like your car, other than that, your wits.

[PGT]

competent tires, judicious use of throttle and brake and you are in pretty good shape. The most dangerous thing about winter driving is not under you control - it's watching out for the Yahoo's on the road doing the speedlimit while yakking on their cellphones in the middle of a blizzard. I learned how to drive in the snow near Buffalo, NY - it amazes me how people in the DC area get freaked out by 2 inches while others pretend like it's a dry road. Hopefully, NY drivers are better.

[SVXWRX]

The most dangerous thing about winter driving is not under you control - it's watching out for the Yahoo's on the road doing the speedlimit while yakking on their cellphones in the middle of a blizzard.

 

ding ding ding ding! we have a winner!

 

snow tires aren't a neccessity, but they do make a big difference.

i'm anxious to try out my "wiper defrosters" and heated seats this winter.

 

why Subaru no rear wiper USDM?

[TSiWRX]

Like our fellow Northern brothers have cited, in winter, just remember to go slower than what you "think" is slow enough.

 

Your AWD will get you going just fine, and even your front-driver shouldn't be much of a problem short of deep-pile snow (and we're -NOT- talking of just two inches, here!), but remember that ABS (which can actually be detrimental to snowy/icy stopping distances under certain circumstances) or no, your stopping distances will be much greater. Same goes for overall handling, which, with the slush, will get more sluggish/unpredictable. Play it safe, and you'll be happy and definitely, watch out for the yahoos!

 

Winter tires would be nice, but honestly, you should truly be just fine with your stockers. Certainly, I won't deny that proper winter tires will net you much better driveability, though.

 

Specialized "winter wiper blades" can be a good investment, and they're relatively cheap to boot. Don't forget to switch to antifreeze - both in your radiator and for your windshield washer solution (not "antifreeze," per se, for your windshield/rear-spray, but the non-freezing type of stuff, with ethylene glycol). If you're expecting pile snow while you're parking the car outside, remembering to leave your windshield wipers "up" can facilitate windshield cleaning when you first get out to the car.

 

Also, when you first start up the car after a long cold-parking stop, be sure to run your windshield de-fog/frost AS SOON AS YOU START UP THE CAR. This will allow the wind blowing out of the vent to warm up gradually, which will translate to a gradual warming of your windshield glass - thus hopefully minimizing any large temperature change and subsequent risk of cracking the windshield.

 

A blanket and a few chocolate bars, and some water, are always good things to have for foul-weather - as is a tow strap (either for you or for fellow drivers). You really shouldn't need a block heater or battery warmer, provided that the battery is in good condition (which you should find out BEFORE the winter season starts). A pair of mittens, a warm jacket (w/hood or a cap), and warm boots should be stashed if you're an office-worker who usually commutes in office-dress.

 

Get an extendable snow brush/ice-scraper, it'll both make your ice-scraping job on your windshield/other glass areas easier as well as be a good thing for your fellow on-road drivers, too, since you WILL remember to brush off the excess snow on the top of your vehicle and not have it fall off on to them while you're on the road. I also like to keep a smaller, compact ice-scraper around, too - so that a passenger can help you clear the glass when it's REALLY cold out.

 

I tend to switch down to Mobil1 5W30 for winter, and use 10W30 for summer. Some prefer a 0W30/5W30 seasonal switch, and that's definitely good-to-go in my books, too - it just depends on your driving conditions.

 

Enjoy the snow!

 

Oh, and whatever you do, don't pour boiling water over your windshield in an attempt to melt snow/ice - it'll just freeze right up, if not crack your windshield! Can you tell that my family is first-generation immigrant from a near tropical climate?

 

-A

 

PS: SVXWRX I totally agree with your sentiment regarding the USDM sedan and its lack of rear wiper. As a compromise, I use RainX on the rear window.

[PGT]

Back in '03, we got enough snow in NOVA to 'hi-side' my Jeep (27 inches). It got about 10 feet down the road before snow packed up underneath and lifted weight off the wheels. This, with the off-road pkg and 30" tires. With my fiance driving in 4Low and me rocking it from behind, it was stuck. Advice - pack a collapsible shovel and some traction rails...they are invaluable should you bury the car in a drift (really you shouldn't attempt driving if there is more than about a foot of snow on the ground and the roads haven't been cleared yet, but snow does tend to drift more upstate NY as it's colder).

[mikeh19372]

I definitely vote for the winter tires. Although a good set of all weathers will do, dedicated winters will provide that extra added edge that might prove to be important at crunch time (figuratively speaking). Plus, there's the extra added bonus, that dedicated winter tires usually means you also have dedicated summer tires, which will likely perform better than all season treads.

 

Question is, do you want to spend the long term cash on another set of rims (better way to go than continually swapping), and the short term on dedicated snows? And don't forget the storage space. I don't consider it long term money on the snows, since you're not driving more miles on the tires, only splitting up the mileage between the two sets, so they should last that much longer than if you were only using a single set of all seasons.

[NorthernVTGT]

Some advice from an owner who has had his Legacy GT Ltd Wagon through one very cold winter. I live in north-central Vermont. Last year, particularly late-January and early February we hit -28, -29F a few nights. Without a block heater, the Subie really protested at being started in the morning, with nasty metal-on-metal sounds for several seconds after startup and an engine running so rich it looked like my 67 MGB before I rebuilt the carbs. I just found your post because I am definitely looking for a block heater for the coming winter and thought I would get on it now. We had high 30s overnight here this week, so it's turned our thoughts towards the coming season (pre-season ski passes have gone on sale too!).

 

I bought a set of winter tires which were very much worthwhile, and not really an extra cost in the long-run as having two sets (summer/all-season and winter) prolongs the life of each set. You just take the cashflow hit up-front. Heated seats were a blessing, and I used them every day. Stones in the windshield were another unfortunate reality from the sanding trucks, although I was doing a longer commute last winter and the extra mileage certainly added to my windshield woes. On another note, I have always preferred a manual trans for winter driving, as I let the "computer upstairs" decide how much torque I want to put to the wheels; in that regard I'm happy I bought an '05 wagon when the option was still available.

 

Question for the crowd: Are the block heater / battery warmer available in the standard US Domestic parts catalog for our vehicle, or must I contend with searching Canadian inventory or a third-party source and have to instruct my local dealer?

 

Thanks...

[TSiWRX]

Battery warmer, yes, definitely available in USDM catalog for our LGTs.

 

I don't know about the block-heater, though.

[legacy2005]

the block heater is available. they show it on the subby site for $30. im sure you could get it for a better price at dealer if you are a good customer.

[outahere]

.........Question for the crowd: Are the block heater / battery warmer available in the standard US Domestic parts catalog for our vehicle, or must I contend with searching Canadian inventory or a third-party source and have to instruct my local dealer?

 

Thanks...

 

Yes, they are both shown in the USA Accessories Brochure

[Rory]

Back in '03, we got enough snow in NOVA to 'hi-side' my Jeep (27 inches). It got about 10 feet down the road before snow packed up underneath and lifted weight off the wheels. This, with the off-road pkg and 30" tires. With my fiance driving in 4Low and me rocking it from behind, it was stuck. Advice - pack a collapsible shovel and some traction rails...they are invaluable should you bury the car in a drift (really you shouldn't attempt driving if there is more than about a foot of snow on the ground and the roads haven't been cleared yet, but snow does tend to drift more upstate NY as it's colder).

 

Amen to all that. I'm in the snow belt in Ontario southwest. Use 5w/30 Castrol GTX, have car undersprayed using Krown Rust prevention. Wind chill here in winter about -30 C. Heated seats, mirrors, wipers a bonus. Shovel and emergeny road kit a must. Cell phone and road side assistance nice to have. Skid plate under engine will lift you car if snow is 10 inches. Kitty litter for ice but if tire treads are good and using low gear ice not generally a problem.

 

Watch out for the other guy and drive defence. Newbies in winter are dangerous but the experienced know it all with the lead foot is worse. Cell phone in one hand, pen in the other, radio blasting and oblivious to his/her surroundings.

[Jimbo]

Alright, snow tires, battery warmer, and block heater are ordered. Garage won't be finished until Jan 1st, so I'm being extra precautious. Will a remote starter void the warranty? What about undercoating? In the south we always called that a gimmick the dealer tried to sell you. Is it legit? Thanks for everyone's help.

[PGT]

Subaru's come undercoated from the factory. My Jeep didn't.....I spent the money to have it done, since I new there would be rock chips, etc.

[iyalla]

Its legit in the rust belt subarus may have it from factory. Wait till you see your first winter I mean we throw down some serious amount of salt/grit on the roads here, so much that after a winter storm the roads are actually white! As everyone knows salt and water don't treat metal too kindly. Most people take their cars to the car wash a few days after a storm or rinse the car down with a hose if its not to cold these are habits you should familairize yourself with As said above the real danger is inexperienced drivers and the idiot who thinks that because he's driving a cherokee with quadra drive that makes him superman against the snow. Its those stupid commercials, nobody reads the fine print on the screen "professsional driver on a closed course" with about 30 takes of film and one damaged stunt car Another danger you will get familiar with is wet leaves! in fall. At night you don't realize that your favorite tree has dumped a bunch of leaves on your favorite bend in the road and if it has rained its like a sheet of ice. It could be 60 degrees outside and you'll end-up in the trees (or worse) all wheel drive and all.

[outahere]

Like our fellow Northern brothers have cited, in winter, just remember to go slower than what you "think" is slow enough.

 

Your AWD will get you going just fine, and even your front-driver shouldn't be much of a problem short of deep-pile snow (and we're -NOT- talking of just two inches, here!), but remember that ABS (which can actually be detrimental to snowy/icy stopping distances under certain circumstances) or no, your stopping distances will be much greater. Same goes for overall handling, which, with the slush, will get more sluggish/unpredictable. Play it safe, and you'll be happy and definitely, watch out for the yahoos!

 

Winter tires would be nice, but honestly, you should truly be just fine with your stockers. Certainly, I won't deny that proper winter tires will net you much better driveability, though.

 

Specialized "winter wiper blades" can be a good investment, and they're relatively cheap to boot. Don't forget to switch to antifreeze - both in your radiator and for your windshield washer solution (not "antifreeze," per se, for your windshield/rear-spray, but the non-freezing type of stuff, with ethylene glycol). If you're expecting pile snow while you're parking the car outside, remembering to leave your windshield wipers "up" can facilitate windshield cleaning when you first get out to the car.

 

Also, when you first start up the car after a long cold-parking stop, be sure to run your windshield de-fog/frost AS SOON AS YOU START UP THE CAR. This will allow the wind blowing out of the vent to warm up gradually, which will translate to a gradual warming of your windshield glass - thus hopefully minimizing any large temperature change and subsequent risk of cracking the windshield.

 

A blanket and a few chocolate bars, and some water, are always good things to have for foul-weather - as is a tow strap (either for you or for fellow drivers). You really shouldn't need a block heater or battery warmer, provided that the battery is in good condition (which you should find out BEFORE the winter season starts). A pair of mittens, a warm jacket (w/hood or a cap), and warm boots should be stashed if you're an office-worker who usually commutes in office-dress.

 

Get an extendable snow brush/ice-scraper, it'll both make your ice-scraping job on your windshield/other glass areas easier as well as be a good thing for your fellow on-road drivers, too, since you WILL remember to brush off the excess snow on the top of your vehicle and not have it fall off on to them while you're on the road. I also like to keep a smaller, compact ice-scraper around, too - so that a passenger can help you clear the glass when it's REALLY cold out.

 

I tend to switch down to Mobil1 5W30 for winter, and use 10W30 for summer. Some prefer a 0W30/5W30 seasonal switch, and that's definitely good-to-go in my books, too - it just depends on your driving conditions.

 

Enjoy the snow!

 

Oh, and whatever you do, don't pour boiling water over your windshield in an attempt to melt snow/ice - it'll just freeze right up, if not crack your windshield! Can you tell that my family is first-generation immigrant from a near tropical climate?

 

-A

 

PS: SVXWRX I totally agree with your sentiment regarding the USDM sedan and its lack of rear wiper. As a compromise, I use RainX on the rear window.

 

This is my first winter in a snowy/icy climate, and your advice is appreciated. I have adapted well to driving on ice and snow, heeding the advice to slow down and don't make abrubt movements. I have new Blizzak LM25s on my wagons, and they do well in the snow, but are not impressive on ice.

 

What I am finding to be much more hazardous than winter driving is walking through the icy and slushy parking lot at the supermarket and Home Depot! I need some shoes with Blizzak WS50 soles!!!!

[PGT]

What I am finding to be much more hazardous than winter driving is walking through the icy and slushy parking lot at the supermarket and Home Depot! I need some shoes with Blizzak WS50 soles!!!!

 

Spend $20 on Yaktrax for t3h w1n:

 

http://store1.yimg.com/I/herrington-catalog_1871_30815380

http://store1.yimg.com/I/herrington-catalog_1873_14642990

[TSiWRX]

^ +1 !!!!

 

And definitely, if either the wifey or myself either drove more aggressively or had a longer commute in the snow/slush/ice, we'd switch to dedicated winters - but as it stands now, she's more than happy with her stock setup on the Rex, and while I felt that the RE92s were sufficient for my pussyfooting, I'm also definitely not regreting the switch to the Falkens (still a very limited set of all-seasons, but nonetheless, superior to the RE92s in the snow/slush).

 

Heck, maybe when the baby comes around, we'll again feel different about our "safety margin" and switch to dedicated winters - but for the time being, we're both very happy.

 

Take care out there, outahere - I'm sure that as with the vast majority of us here on this Forum, you're a very careful driver by-nature as well, but watch out for the other guys and gals out there! We're just now getting our first few snowfalls of the season here in Cleveland, and it's like people here have never driven in the snow before! It always takes a few snowfalls for drivers to "re-acclimate" to the perils of winter driving, so take extra care and watch out for those numbnuts!

[Edvig]

Jimbo...here are some good winter driving tips.

 

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=703406&page=1&pp=25

[outahere]

Spend $20 on Yaktrax for t3h w1n:

 

http://store1.yimg.com/I/herrington-catalog_1871_30815380

http://store1.yimg.com/I/herrington-catalog_1873_14642990

 

I've ordered a pair, direct from YakTrax. Should save my butt! Love the snow, hate the ice!

[outahere]

........Take care out there, outahere - I'm sure that as with the vast majority of us here on this Forum, you're a very careful driver by-nature as well, but watch out for the other guys and gals out there! We're just now getting our first few snowfalls of the season here in Cleveland, and it's like people here have never driven in the snow before! It always takes a few snowfalls for drivers to "re-acclimate" to the perils of winter driving, so take extra care and watch out for those numbnuts!

 

After an initial flurry of some 600+ collisions and slide-offs in eastern Washington and north Idaho during the past week (including a Schwabs tire truck carrying 1000 winter and AS tires), most everybody seems to have to have come to their senses and are driving with due caution.

[Garandman]

What I am finding to be much more hazardous than winter driving is walking through the icy and slushy parking lot at the supermarket and Home Depot! I need some shoes with Blizzak WS50 soles!!!!

 

Soon, you will discover Sorels......

 

Jimbo, don't spread the word you have AWD and snow sneakers, otherwise you'll have no excuses when you're late for PT.

 

Garryowen

[TSiWRX]

After an initial flurry of some 600+ collisions and slide-offs in eastern Washington and north Idaho during the past week (including a Schwabs tire truck carrying 1000 winter and AS tires).....

 

Define "irony."