Well folks it's that time of year again. The current forecast is hinting at snow all the way down to NC next week and with snow comes salt, chips, and mud.

for those humble few who don't have the luxury to simply have their MC as a summer play car. How do you prepare for winter and keeping your car clean, rust free and alive to play another year?

I'll start by offering my preps, while I have not been through a winter with my MCS yet, I will offer what I have done with my other cars

- Snow tires with steel rims with the narrowest profile possible...studs if legal.

- Rennline skidplate...lots of ice chunks and nastys on the road. Would assume the plate also prevents a low pressure point from forming under the engine and sucking salt mist up over the engine and into the PS pump

- Shock tower Defenders...to guard against the inevitable potholes, frost bumps and cracked pavement

-3m mask to guard against sand and chips

-Magnetic chip guards before rear wheel

- Mud flaps on the front, back if you want.

-AMSoil or Fluidfilm heavily coating every underside part you can reach including under the hood, behind the lights, in the doors...EVERYWHERE.

-Deep freeze washer fluid

-new wipers

-A damn good coat of wax

-May add a stick-on oil pan heater as well next year.

So....what else am I missing?. What do you folks do?

 

May sound stupid...bet you may have already had it load tested...but check the battery if it an unknown one...like a used car.....many r53, due to the battery location, can have very long battery life....but when they go....car is sometimes not jumperable...
Frankly, once the snow tires are on...not lots to do...I often do an oil chang and/or inspection 1/2 early...so I will not have to deal with a cold garage floor, and melting snow/ice dripping on me as I work.
Sump/oil own heater is not likely to work (honeycombed castings), and syenthic oil is great st low temps....a block heater might be a nice plus...had one on a non-mini...had it on a timer...so it turned on a couple hours before I left...then had instant heat. Mini Of Canada has/had gen1 compatible units....

 

That's a good list, +1 on checking the battery and I would inspect the terminals just since you are there.

Might be good to check the starter ground and terminals , I know after a while the salt can really corrode the ground from the starter to the solenoid.

Checking the P/S pump fan and making sure it spins freely and no junk has built up on it.

Check your rear brake calipers and the slider pins. So the salt does not seizes them up. I would also inspect the rear emergency brake lines , as they can cause some rear brake sticking problem that get worse when the salt water gets into the cables.

- Magnetic chip guards before rear wheel - good idea just make sure the paint is super clean and when you pull them off don't try to slide them, side to side, as anything near and under it might scratch the paint.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/82110304813/



ZippyNH -

I believe the Canadian Gen 1 MINI engine block heater is NLA.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/12810306612/


That's some things is can think of.

 

Good point on the mag guards. Thinking on putting some 3m shield there as well to prevent the problem.

Back when I used to fly, one thing I did in the winter was actually let a light bulb hang out under the cowling. The residual heat kept the engine quite toasty.

 

Forgot one thing....yellow fog light film or bulbs.

 

Thanks.

Yea, that's a good one too.

 

i hit like every single bolt under my car with this wax stuff i got from a friend (not a mini):




'13 minis have it on certain locations from the factory:




would also consider hitting suspension bits etc with this stuff. read the reviews. good stuff. used it on my suspension on my other cars, will use it on the mini before the winter begins

 

That is good stuff. I have used it in the past. The price is my limiting factor. The AMS stuff is $8 and does the same thing. On the rusted bits I am hitting with Fluidfilm to creep into the corrosion.

 

You guys should offer a winter prep kit that includes all this stuff with the option of different tiers ranging from base to complete

 

ditto on the 3m/clear bra (i got xpel ultimate on my car, 10yr parts and labor warranty)

 

Thanks for the idea, we have though about this in the past.

MINI Snow And Ice Remover 33" Long , Great for keeping the snow and ice off.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/82110398139/



Maybe add a tool kit , oil bag , or the warning triangle: Gen 1 MINIs R50 / R53




http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/71606782323/ES2515380/



And the mounts:

Bracket For Hazard Warning Triangle - Right

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/51467059722/

&

Bracket For Hazard Warning Triangle - Left


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/51467059723/

Plus the screws: X 4


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/64111386955/ES2675614/



Tool kit bag:


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/71116762181/




And Oil storage Bag:


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/83292158849/ES2159795/






MINI even has the Rud Matic Tire chains for serious snow conditions. Made for slow speeds in heavy snow.



http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/36110140042/



Also , check you oil , oil bag comes in handy to hold that extra quart of oil.

Check you washer fluid and keep it in stock, sometimes a couple bottle. I know the Gen 1 MINIs seem to go through it, also if headlight washers you are filling two tanks.

And last but not least you should have cover or blanket , just in case.


Storage bags are great for storing and moving ( they have handles ) your summer wheels and then you can do the same with your winter wheels in the spring:

MINI Wheel Storage Bag - Pair So the same part number x 2 for 4.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/36110411720/






Thanks and great ideas MINI owners.

 

Exactly, one thing I like about WMW is that they have packages for performance and such. It makes it simple. Had I had one place that sold a one shot deal for winter motoring I would have been thrilled. Even a blog talking about motoring in winter with a list of recommended products and misconceptions about how all seasons suck at real snow driving and how going 60 on fresh snow is actually kind do dumb...ever seen i95 in VA during a dusting of snow

 

great list! I didnt know about Fluidfilm and will research on it. also, could you supply a link to that Amsoil product? Too bad I dont think I have time to apply. Maybe next year.

not sure if applicable to 05s, but I would add sealing up the hood scoop with painters tape or something. I do it on my 2013.

 

Naw....on gen1 cars, the hood scoop is 100% functional and needed for operation!!
There are various products that dry to a waxy, anti corrosion, slightly lubing film...another one is LPS-3 (LAWSON PROTECTIVE SPRAY #3)....THEIR #2 is like a wd-40, and #1 basiclt a solvent cleaner...kinds like contact cleaner.

 

Great stuff for winter running.

The only thing I would skip is the studs in the snows and just buy a high quality snow tire. The studs give up too much traction in the dry and the wet which we have a lot of. Also, my favorite are the run flats. Yes, run flats - I never want to change a tire at 10pm at night, in a blizzard at 10 deg.

One last thing...rubber floor mats...

 

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produc...tal-protector/

And

http://www.fluid-film.com

Some will bill Fluidfilm as all you need.....but it will not last all winter as it is non-hardening. I have tried the Boashield with some success. I have been also looking at the corrosion X products.

 

Interesting... I may have to give Amsoil's version a shot.. If anyone cares, I get it for $6.30 invoice price, but you still have to pay shipping and tax which is where amsoil usually gets you

 

Yeah, used to be an AMSoil Preferred something. Dropped the membership for just that reason. Was not buying enough to make the membership worth it. Figure I spend the same.

 

gotcha. let me know if u want it nonetheless, u dont need preferred membership i can order it for u lol. i grabbed 2. i think im gonna try doing like the front half of the car with boeshield, the second half with amsoil's.

 

Thanks man, but I buy so little the 5-6 buck savings per year would not be worth the headache.

 

lol i don't charge anyone for it.

anyway, should be here soon i'm looking forward to trying it out! I'm still gonna hit the bolts themselves with wax before coating the underbody.

ditto on rubber mats, i love mine. my car has to sit outside, which i'm not thrilled about, but I do have a car cover - $45 bucks shipped, which isn't bad. totally waterproof as well

 

Me too, outside......but it is a blessing if you think about it. Salt only attacks when it is in a moist brine. That brine is there between about 25 and up, warmer the more brine. If you park outside in the teens and low twenties the salt stays frozen and not corroding the metal. The problem with a garage for a DD in the winter is that it is getting attacked 24/7 because the garage is warmer.

I had thought about the car cover, but it does move in the wind and any salt/grime. Would damage the paint. A clean car....another story.

 

+1
Can vouch for that...both in cars and in aviation (also an atp rated pilot).
One thing....in much of NH/MA, road crews have switched to magnesium chloride and other liquid deicers....much worse, especially on any wires than the old rock salt.....

 

good point.

i was worried about the car cover potentially damaging the paint or w/e (car is BRAND new, picked up 10/28 and has 450miles now), but I don't think the car cover is going to damage it

 

Hey me too...well just a TW rated private pilot but I do know about the havoc corrosion can do with airframes. I did some research on MAG and bad stuff, sad they mix it with cane sugar so it just creates a car eating mess.