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Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:42 am

I did a search and read through many topics on road salt and rust. But the one question that never seemed to be addressed specifically is this:

Is it safe to take your VW out for a spin on a totally dry day once the roads have been salted? Again, totally dry-no puddles-no slush-just bone dry roads on a sunny day.

I hate to see my Super parked in the garage...it seems so bored!

Thanks!

Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:55 am

wet or dry, salt still attacks. even if the road is dry, there will be enough salt that gets all over the car that will promote rust issues. moisture in the air, even on a clear dry sunny day, can expidiate the process.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:56 am

Wash off the salt dust. The moisture in the air will be enough to react with the salt.
I would not drive it in salt, wet or dry.
Edit: 67jason beat me to it!!

Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:33 am

Another thing to avoid is plant fertilizer! I had to park my acvw in the yard for a few months while i was finishing off my basement. My wife fertilizer the lawn with a distributor. That stuff eats chrome, painted metal Anything metal!

Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:16 am

I live in Arizona and really don't deal with salt and corrosion. My question is:
How is it still acceptable for the highways to be salted? Hasn't anyone come up with something better that won't ruin cars? I would think with the cost of cars now that something would be done. I have a 72 with virtually no rust at all. I really feel for people that put all that time and energy into fixing up their cars just to be eaten away by salt.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:22 am

If there's salt on the roads I'll wait until after a decent rainfall before taking the Beetle out, in the hopes that the rain will wash most of the salt away. If I can't drive it I'll at least start it once every couple of weeks and let it run for 15 minutes.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:48 am

"AzDivr" Actually what is used now is sodium chloride compound which melts ice at 26 dergrees, better for clearing roads, but still corrosive. They even spread that crap on dirt roads in the summer because it melts and holds down the dust around houses.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:47 am

Also, the manufacturing process for modern cars allows for vastly superior corrosion protection. If I'm not mistaken, the corrosion warranty on my '04 Jetta is 12 years and unlimited mileage!

Thanks for the advice everyone-it was what I was afraid of. I HATE leaving the car sit, but it's a smarter thing to do. I thoroughly washed and dried it the last day I had it out, so it is safe and sound in my garage until spring.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:04 am

My '02 Chevy Van already has rust holes in the rocker panels. My old VWs are off the road by 1st snowfall and not back out until the 3rd or 4th good rain in the spring.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:51 pm

I've been driving my cars in the winter for the past 7yrs or so, when the roads are white with salt, BUT totally bone dry. It does NOTHING, as long as it's not wet roads. Last year when i had my 69 charger i drove it 10000mi in the winter on salt covered dry roads. Before that i did undercoat the entire car with fully rubberized undercoating, and you could wipe your finger on the inner fender and it's totally clean. I never wash my cars anymore, i think that does even more damage, when you wash your classic car and put it into the garage. Ever notice 2 days later you roll down the window and it's still wet?? That's what happens all over the car, the water just pools in all the cracks/seams and sits there, and doesn't evaporate as it would if it were left outside. I use a California duster, and then i use a bucket of clean warm water and a good quality shammy and just wipe down the car, i haven't washed this car in 6yrs:

The only time i actually wash my car with soap and water is if i got caught in the rain, and there's mud on the paint, otherwise i just wipe the car down. Last week before the snow storm hit up here in Toronto, Canada, i took my beetle out for a good 100mi+ cruise, and a few days before that i was driving my new (to me) 1969 charger r/t, here's a pic:

Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:25 pm

anecdotal. Salt eats cars.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:46 pm

gfw1985 wrote: "AzDivr" Actually what is used now is sodium chloride compound which melts ice at 26 dergrees, better for clearing roads, but still corrosive. They even spread that crap on dirt roads in the summer because it melts and holds down the dust around houses.
Sodium chloride is salt.
And, I think what they put on dirt roads is calcium chloride.

74bug,
To say dry salt on a car does nothing is an irresponsible statement. In order for it to be true, it would have to be inert. At the very least, it will absorb some moisture from the atmosphere. Then, the destruction begins.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:26 pm

Not washing a car in the winter around here just isn't an option. They put down so much salt, a bucket of water the size of manhattan isn't enough to get through it. I have black cars. By the time I got home last week, my car looked like a refrigerator. You couldn't have convinced me it was black. I jusr power wash the hell out of the undercarriage.

Our problem is we get ICE, not snow so there really isn't too much of an alternative to some form of ice melt. There's way too many cars and traffic for sand and way too much environmental downside of large scale abrasive use. We have way too many brainless idiot drivers and ambulance chasing lawyers representing them around here to not salt the roads. Good side of that is they are so good at controllling ice and snow accumulation , the main roads rarely ever come close to even getting covered, even with 6-8 inches of heavy wet east coast snow.

Just sit in the car in the driveway making engine sounds and pretend driving like a little kid :lol:

Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:42 pm

HeidelbergJohn4.0 wrote: Just sit in the car in the driveway making engine sounds and pretend driving like a little kid :lol:

LOL-Did that for a bit today! I let the Beetle run for a bit actually, so no engine sounds from me were needed!

BTW HeidelbergJohn4.0-I am in Hanover PA, so I am right there with you-we get ice, not snow.

With the salt from last week's snow and ice, there are still people driving their nice aircooled Beetles in Hanover. There is a woman with a fully restored '74 Super and a man with really nice '70 Vert. Both of them drive them year round-amazing. I just cringe when I see them whiz by in traffic in the snow!

As for washing the car, I've only done it twice in the 8 months that I've owned the car, and both times, I drove it at a steady 50mph for 30 minutes or so and then left everythng open to air dry.

Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:22 pm

AzDivr wrote: I live in Arizona and really don't deal with salt and corrosion. My question is:
How is it still acceptable for the highways to be salted? Hasn't anyone come up with something better that won't ruin cars? I would think with the cost of cars now that something would be done. I have a 72 with virtually no rust at all. I really feel for people that put all that time and energy into fixing up their cars just to be eaten away by salt.

1. Road deicers are purchased by government bid with tax dollars. Salt tends to be the cheapest deicer, and so it's the most commonly used. That and blends of sodum chloride and calcium or magnesium chloride.

2. If you live in a major metro area that gets a lot of snow and ice, you understand the importance of deicing. It's a matter of getting where you need to go. You can't shut down all the roads and the commerce because of snow and ice. Even in the biggest snowstorms in the Twin Cities, the roads are rarely really bad for more than a day or two.

Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:07 am

Quote: 74bug,
To say dry salt on a car does nothing is an irresponsible statement. In order for it to be true, it would have to be inert. At the very least, it will absorb some moisture from the atmosphere. Then, the destruction begins.

It's not irresponsible to make a statement that i have first hand experience with. I've been driving my cars thru the winter on salt covered DRY roads for years, and anyone is welcome to come look at the bottom of my car that hasn't ever been washed in 6+years, and it's clean as a whistle. Actually it got more dirty from getting caught in the rain than it ever has driving on dry salt covered roads.

I guess it's preference, and i would agree that driving on salt covered wet roads is suicide, but dry; totally different story.

I honestly think that washing your classic ride every week/month whatever with running water/soap does more damage than driving my car for years on salt covered DRY roads. Water seeps into all the little cracks and crevices and SITS there. Ever seen someone that parks their car year round in the garage, and they wonder why their car is rusting worse than the guy across the street that leaves his car outside, and never washes it??? If you daily drive a car, your better off leaving it outside, there is nothing worse for your car than to put it in your garage WET.

The original question was is it ok to drive a classic on salt covered DRY roads, and my answer is YES. I can say that because I've been doing it for so long, and i have 0 rust from it. My beetle has been a daily driver in the summer, on nice days (no rain) for 3 solid years, and after that a weekend/weekday cruiser, that is heavily cruised.

Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:23 am

74bug,
I want to retract the "irresponsible" part of my partially irresponsible post. :oops: Your car must be protected more than most.

Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:43 am

I have a 65 baja That I got from Montana I Drove it one winter up here and now its rusting pretty good,There's a Salt mine under Detroit and I heard Ford owns most of the stock, :shock: I park my VW's from now on,Madmike

Thu Dec 20, 2007 2:58 pm

madmike wrote: I have a 65 baja That I got from Montana I Drove it one winter up here and now its rusting pretty good,There's a Salt mine under Detroit and I heard Ford owns most of the stock, :shock: I park my VW's from now on,Madmike

There is a salt mine under Detroit, and one under Cleveland as well. I can say with certainty, as I'm in the business, that they are not owned by any car companies.

Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:44 am

*rant*

I live in Buffalo NY. I drive my bug daily. I figure its worthless sitting around not being enjoyed. Salt has yet to reduce the car to a pile of rust in 35 years. When it starts to get bad, I will cut, weld, and paint it up, and run it daily again. It is just a car. A thing. It can be fixed, and it should be enjoyed. I'll never understand people who rush their cars into garages for most of the year for fear of water and salt and rust. If you're that concerned with your precious toys deteriorating, then I suggest an indoor hobby. Like knitting.

My car shows signs of its age. There are some rust spots, and I'm going to have to cut out and replace the metal around the crescent vents this summer. Does the rust make it less enjoyable? No. Does the rust keep people from stopping and talking, or pointing and smiling at my car? No. Would I get any joy from the car if I stored it in a garage, only taking it out on the nicest of summer weekends? No.

Now if you will excuse me, I am going to drive 100 miles to visit my parents on salt and snow covered roads, without concern, and with a smile on my face.