Send it or Save it: iX winter driving, ‘21-‘22 edition.

[BreadMan]

With winter approaching so does the annual struggle: Send it or Save it!

Will you be driving your iX on snowy and salty roads this winter? I think we can all agree that they’re made for it — and also that they aren’t made anymore.

I’m torn, this year as I am every year.

Let’s hear it, IX people!

[roguetoaster]

If you have a sedan, send it.

If you have a spare ix, send it.

For all other occasions, get a RWD E30 and send it sideways, everywhere.

[AWD_E30]

I'd say get it undercoated and send it. If I ever got a clean iX that's what I'd do. The only other time you'll enjoy the AWD system fully s in the mud and dirt. We used my car at the winter rally race in Michigan to drive the race before and through the woods to spectate. Probably the most fun I've had in the car next to Rallycross racing.

[E30andy]

I feel your pain but SEND IT! These cars are made for winter. Nothing better than sliding an ix around on snow and ice.
Yes, it will rust, even with undercoating. I get 3-4 years out of mine before they start to get ugly here in Vermont under some of the worst conditions an old car can see.
It is painful to submit a nice ix to these harsh conditions, but why own one if you arent going to use it on slippery surfaces? A RWD e30 is a better car to drive (and cheaper/easier to maintain) in all other conditions and I would own one over the ix if I lived in a non snowy climate.

[gr8skyr]

I've struggled with this question. I got an IX to drive in the snow/ ice on the less deep snow days ( my car is lowered). But also have a Silverado 4x4 as daily snow driver. For the first few years, I put studded tires on the IX and had a blast. But now they are salting the highways at this part of the state and my IX has zero rust, so as much as it was born to run on the snow, I might be inclinded now to preserve a rust-free example. Well after getting new battery, cap and rotor, timing belt, water pump, serpentine belts, cv axle boot replaced, I mounted up a set of Nokian studded tires and finally got it back on the snow.

[moatilliatta]

Become a politician, get into your state / Local government and lobby your business for non corrosive snow treatment...

If you must, at least fluid film or use similar product on your chassis. If you know the car will be come disposable and want to enjoy it daily, do it. If you want to preserve it and drive it for great weather, do it.

[packratbimmer]

An often understated point is to thoroughly clean the car after winter is over. Rust never sleeps (even in the summer). I just got a power washer so I can wash my wheel wells after getting home during the winter.

[roguetoaster]

An often understated point is to thoroughly clean the car after winter is over. Rust never sleeps (even in the summer). I just got a power washer so I can wash my wheel wells after getting home during the winter.

You really should at the very least rinse the underside of the car as often as possible when salt is lurking. A pump sprayer or a Stream Machine type of water gun plus a bucket gets the job done when the hose is shut down for the winter.

[rturbo 930]

I feel your pain but SEND IT! These cars are made for winter. Nothing better than sliding an ix around on snow and ice.
Yes, it will rust, even with undercoating. I get 3-4 years out of mine before they start to get ugly here in Vermont under some of the worst conditions an old car can see.
It is painful to submit a nice ix to these harsh conditions, but why own one if you arent going to use it on slippery surfaces? A RWD e30 is a better car to drive (and cheaper/easier to maintain) in all other conditions and I would own one over the ix if I lived in a non snowy climate.

You bought a classic E30 to drive into the ground in the span of 3 or 4 years? What is the point of buying what is now a classic car just to have it disintegrate in a few years? It would be one thing if you took the risk of driving in the salt, but also did everything possible to prevent corrosion, like undercoating, coating all the cavities in wax, and I've even seen people put things like ATF in the doors so that the bottoms of the doors won't rust out, so that rust is kept at bay as best as possible, and also repairing rust as soon as it starts such that the car doesn't rot into the ground, but simply driving the car and letting it rot away in a few years makes no sense to me whatsoever, especially when the car is a somewhat rare submodel of a rising classic. It's really just a waste of a good car.

[E30andy]

You bought a classic E30 to drive into the ground in the span of 3 or 4 years? What is the point of buying what is now a classic car just to have it disintegrate in a few years? It would be one thing if you took the risk of driving in the salt, but also did everything possible to prevent corrosion, like undercoating, coating all the cavities in wax, and I've even seen people put things like ATF in the doors so that the bottoms of the doors won't rust out, so that rust is kept at bay as best as possible, and also repairing rust as soon as it starts such that the car doesn't rot into the ground, but simply driving the car and letting it rot away in a few years makes no sense to me whatsoever, especially when the car is a somewhat rare submodel of a rising classic. It's really just a waste of a good car.

I do everything I can to minimize the rust as I said I undercoat every year and treat the rust as it develops but it is inevitable at least where I live. My last ix cost me $3000 so not a big deal to me if I only get 4 years out of it before it become a parts car. My current ix is MUCH nicer and cost me $11k so I do struggle with it but in the end I am using it as intended and will deal with the rust.
To each his own....

[Toon]

Just SEND IT!!