Getting your WRX ready for winter

**verbal** · 10-30-2002 10:56 AM

What do you guys do to get your WRX ready for winter? Anything special?

I wish I could just park my WRX for the winter, but I have to drive it. Any recommendations on what to do for winter? Polish and/or wax?

I'd like to put a good coat of wax on it before it gets any colder and snows here in Michigan. But it's already cold out and I'm sure we won't have anymore days above 55. Can I still wax it at this cold of a temperature? Any wax recommendations?

**GV27** · 10-30-2002 11:00 AM

Screw parking it - it's just about the best car on the road in the snow! It's such a new car, you shouldn't have to worry about the coolant. A coat of wax is definitely a good idea. You can still wax @ 55 deg. Search in exterior and appearance for waxes. In Michigan take it to a car wash with underbody spray as often as possible to rinse off all the salt they use up there.

**dark_rex** · 10-30-2002 11:03 AM

yeah, it get's too cold to hand wash or self wash up here in Boston. it's a spicy 40 degrees today!

so i admit i do occasionally take it to the machine wash so i can clean the salt and sand off the undercarriage.

as for a wax, i'll probably get one more hand wash done at the self wash, then use my mom's garage for a good seasonal wax. i'm a little late this year though.

otherwise, i just had a 30K service done (not at the ripoff dealer though) which included a coolant system flush, and a bunch of other stuff. see the thread "30K service WTF" in this forum.

dR

**verbal** · 10-30-2002 11:06 AM

55 is a good day. Lately it's been 40 - 50 I think. I need a good wax recommendation. Caranuba would be hard to spread and rub off in this cold, wouldn't it?

**hobbzz** · 10-30-2002 11:11 AM

IIRC Meguiars makes the caranuba wax in a liquid form also. Probably the consistency of shampoo, I would think.

**MainFrame** · 10-30-2002 03:39 PM

I washed and waxed my car yesterday.. I used NuFinish, it's not exactly wax I don't think, but it's easy to apply and buff off.. I've heard it's good, but I don't really know.. it did seem to leave some slight swirl looking patterns in the paint, nothing bad, and it'll probably be gone after I wash it again.

**smorris** · 10-30-2002 04:06 PM

Originally posted by verbal
What do you guys do to get your WRX ready for winter?

Take out summer floor mats. put in winter floor mats. Check coolant temp rating.

Winter driving is fun!

**verbal** · 10-30-2002 07:34 PM

Winter floor mats?

Would mud flaps be a good investment?

**tjsupe** · 10-30-2002 08:31 PM

This year I used Turtle wax for my winter wax. Consumer reports rated it the hardest longest lasting wax. I am hoping it will get me through a few months of winter. I also got the rubber winter mats, a must if you get snow.

**smorris** · 10-30-2002 09:33 PM

Originally posted by verbal
Winter floor mats?

Would mud flaps be a good investment?

I think you can see part of the winter mats in my car in the link below. They are subaru brand winter mats for the WRX (and probably all Impreza.) Heavy rubber with deep grooves. They cover the whole footwell and hold about a quart of melted snow. Highly recommended. Or get the WeatherTech ones. We've used them for years in many previous cars and trucks. however, I've read the WRX WeatherTech mats need trimmed to fit. This has not been needed on any of my other cars.

Don't know about mudflaps. I'v eread the rears from a Outback fit, nut the fronts need cut to fit? Maybe it wasn't an Outback. Someone else chime in here...

**GV27** · 10-31-2002 07:24 AM

If your car is black, be very careful with the wax or you'll get swirls. DO NOT use turtle wax on black. WAY to abrasive.

**tan** · 10-31-2002 07:32 AM

clean your rims and wax them to protect them for salt and brake dust, and makes them easier to clean.

Keep some Drygas handy (I normally use with every tank)

Keep the tank at least half tank (avoids condensation, at least what I heard)....

**verbal** · 10-31-2002 03:27 PM

Smorris, where can I get those mats? Expensive?

I searched the forums for mud flaps and found a site that sells flaps that don't require any modding. Just bolt in and go. I might get them for winter.

**smorris** · 10-31-2002 03:59 PM

Originally posted by verbal
Smorris, where can I get those mats? Expensive?

What, the Subaru ones? From the Subaru dealer, or subaruparts.com or some place like that.

For the weathertech mats, try www.weathertech.com

**snowcat** · 11-01-2002 09:47 PM

Umm... What is your definition of winter?

What would one need to do for -30F temperatures and snow measured in feet not inches?

(It was -5F this morning when I drove to work - car did not want to warm up!)

For some reason, the WRX seems "humid." Every day when I drive it now, all the interior windows have ice on the inside of the window - anyone know how to fix that?

-snowcat

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