Getting ready for winter

[nates 87 325is]

So this is the first year I'm going to be driving my e30 in the snow, and I'm trying to get a list of things I should do before the snow hits.

Snow tires

An LSD. Or should I stick with the open I have in now?

A good waxing, and keeping it clean through the winter

Really that's all I can think of. If I'm missing something that will get me through the snow better, and keep my car from rusting i would be glad to hear it.

[TurboJake]

From a fellow wisconsinite who has weathered winters in his E30, both as an auto and a manual. And I'll speak for my woman who also owns a manual E30 with no power steering.

Tires are WAY more important than a LSD. I love my set of blizzacks. Make the 14-30" snowstorms WAY more fun, and much less hairy. I have yet to get stuck with my blizzacks, Open OR with LSD. The LSD helped. But not nearly as much as the rubber. If you can do both. Awesome. If it's one or the other. Tires, hands freakin' down.

Down by you the snow usually isn't nearly as bad. But I'm sure you get the 18quadrillion pounds of salt per square foot too. Frequent washes, and make sure the underside is nice and coated with rubberized undercoat, or a nice fresh spray of ATF.

Bout it really. The E30 is very snow capable, and fun as freakin' hell during storms. Blasting right through and around fucking everything.

Other mentionables.
Make sure battery is kosher.
Make sure coolant is kosher.
And, In case you do get stuck. Nice carpeted floormats to help get you unstuck.


Sigh.... My car is rusty..... Was when I bought it.... Need a shell....

[GunMetalGrey]

Not gonna lie, I kind of look forward to winter in the e30 :) should be fun! But yes, tires make or break it as far as winter goes. Never thought about floor mats to get unstuck....

[GunMetalGrey]

Jake, what do you mean by atf? Auto tranny fluid? lol

[dude8383]

Jake, what do you mean by atf? Auto tranny fluid? lol

yes, it prevents rust :)

[nomansland92]

Ya i usually undercoat my car before winter with some old oil or ATF and always keep it washed.

I can't wait for winter last year the ix held up and did outstanding in the snow and now that i actually got it running right this year the winter should be even more fun :D

[TurboJake]

Yup, Automatic transmission fluid.

Oil barrier. Water and salt can't penetrate it. Think of like trying to wash your hands that are covered in vegatable oil, using only water and salt.

[MikeDE]

^ I second the above, spend money on good tires. Then, frequenting the wash booth after rainy/snowy weather.

[GunMetalGrey]

s'pose the oil barrier makes sense

[nates 87 325is]

Thanks guys. This is going to be the first year without my a4 quattro , so its going to be quite the difference. But I'm looking forward to the rwd in the corners and parking lots.

And thanks for the tip on the ATF, never even thought of that before.