Winter driving tips

[jtr1800]

So this is my first year driving my 85 cutlass since I bought her. I live in Rochester NY and I get alot of snow and sadly I have to drive her through the winter. I'm in need of some advice to keep her in one piece, I'm used to driving a Subaru. Thanks in advance for any tips

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

The best advice is simply not to drive it at all in the winter as the road salt will quickly eat the car away, or move south where it is too warm for road salt. To starve the salf monster off as best as possible I suggest washing the undercarriage out with mild acid, then rinse with water every spring. Use Eastwood internal frame coating in your frame. Maybe use Eastwood rust encapsulating undercoating. Spary the undercarriage with oil, and install mudflaps.

 

[a.graham52]

mainer here. i have an 85 cutlass im using this winter. SNOW TIRES SNOW TIRES SNOW TIRES!!. i also put 150lbs of sand in the back of the car. bought 3 50lb bags from home depot and totes

 

[Blake442]

Snow tires on the rear and two 60 lb. bags of sand in the trunk are all I ever did to prepare.
Drive carefully and make sure that you keep the cowl area where the wipers park as clear of snow/ice as you can.
Other than that, just try and keep it clean and between the ditches!

 

[jtr1800]

I have a pair of studded snows for the back and steelies to put them on and if it wasn't so dire I wouldn't drive it at all. I have undercoated most of it and i have a cover I put over the glass and cowl when it sits.
Dose a trunk full of tools count for weight?

 

[Jeff L]

Snow tires, bags of sand and a shovel in the trunk, and some spare tire chains if you can get them in case you get caught up in some bad conditions. You might never use them, but good to have just in case.

I always kept some blankets, flares, granola bars in the trunk for emergency breakdowns. This was before cell phones, but you never know?

 

[pontiacgp]

4 snow tires and 75lbs of sand over each back wheel. Most guys my age have driven rwd cars in the winters and survived. I had a posi in the last G body I drove in the winter and guys with fwd could not drive through what I made it through. Plus a rwd is a blast to drive in the winter if you know what you are doing....

 

[Longroof79]

Yeah, they don't spare the salt up in that neck of the woods.. I remember going to a wedding in the Webster area....this was back in the '70's. I couldn't believe some of the "nice" cars that I've seen half eaten by road salt.

 

[pontiacgp]

snow on the ground isn't a drawback, snow adds tons of hp to any car you drive.....

 

[454GrandPrix]

I have a pair of studded snows for the back

Do not stop there. You should have dedicated snow tires at all four corners of the car. Snow tires on the rear only will help you get moving on slick surfaces, but that is their only benefit. Snow tires front and rear will decrease your braking distance on slick surfaces, and improve your turning traction also.