Winter car care (Chicago: ski resort, apartments, how much)

[itsh11]

I just moved to the Chicago area from Florida. And today I came to know how much pain it is clean the car in the morning. Can you offer me some tips as to how to make this hassle free? My apartments dont have a garage. Does a car cover work to keep the frost and snow away? Or will it be even more painful ? I really appreciate the help. Thanks a ton.

[gardener34]

Get a good scraper and snow brush. There is this stuff that you put in your windshield wiper tank that actually melts ice on the windshield. You can get it at an auto parts store. That helps. If you know you are going to be driving on treacherous or backroads often. Get a travel shovel and a bag of salt in your car in case you go off the road. Keep your cell phone charged in case you need it in an emergency or to let people know you are stuck in the horrendous traffic that a snowstorm at rush hour makes. And keep your car's gas tank filled. If you let it go really low you could get gasline freeze.
Personally I park outside and just brush it off or scrape it in the a.m. I do have a windshield cover that I use when I think of it so I won't have to brush off the windshield anyway. If it is real cold, It helps if you go out and start your car a few minutes before you get in it. And if you have ice on the windshield, this also melts the windshield ice for you.
If you use your car door locks, keep a lock de-icer in your purse. Put de-icer in your locks after you go through a car wash in the winter too.
Good luck, winter doesn't last too long usually.

[allydriver]

To me, removing and putting away a car cover would be a bigger pain than scraping windows. You can go the lazy(not to mention uneconomical) route and get remote start for your car. Although it may not work if your apartment unit is too far away from where the car is parked.

p.s. since you are from Florida, get your cars anti-freeze protection level checked. It may not be mixed strong enough to provide adequate protection for Illinois winter temps.

[Steve-o]

Get a simple ice scraper and a good pair of gloves, thats all thats needed. Start your car in the morning and put the front defroster and rear defroster on. You can go back inside to finish getting ready for a few minutes (dont let the car idle too long). By the time you come out, most of the snow will be melted and can be pushed off the car with a few easy strokes of your magical, mystical snow brush. Get one with an extending handle and cushiony grips, it helps a lot.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Get a simple ice scraper and a good pair of gloves, thats all thats needed. Start your car in the morning and put the front defroster and rear defroster on. You can go back inside to finish getting ready for a few minutes (dont let the car idle too long). By the time you come out, most of the snow will be melted and can be pushed off the car with a few easy strokes of your magical, mystical snow brush. Get one with an extending handle and cushiony grips, it helps a lot.

Perfect advice. I could not have said it better myself.

Also: If you like a hot beverage bring one with you when you get into the car to drive to your destination.

[JustJulia]

My car doors frequently freeze shut. Drives me nuts! I have to scrape the ice out of the seams with the edge of the scraper and pry the door open.

The only thing I can think to add to the good advice you've received so far is 1) keep some emergency supplies in your car, and 2) don't leave the scraper/brush in the care when it's snowing. If you work outside your home, bring the scraper inside with you. It's not going to do you much good if you come out at 5 p.m. to a car covered in snow and the scraper is locked inside.

I made a little kit of emergecy supplies for my car. I lived in Colorado for a few years and am not scared to drive in the snow, but I think we get heavier snow here than in Colorado Springs, believe it or not. I figured it was better to be safe than sorry, you know?

In my trunk, I have a box with:
- jumper cables
- flares
- gas tank de-icer
- tire gauge
- first aid kit
- paper towels
- small tool kit
- trail mix, beef jerky, and hard candy
- a folding camp shovel (I might go get one of those small snow shovels, though)

I also have a couple of heavy blankets, a jug of windshield de-icer (you'll be surprised at how quickly your resevoir will empty), a big towel (in case I have to kneel on the ground), and a bag of sand.

I have a can of lock de-icer in my purse, and I carry the scraper with me if it's snowing heavily.

In my car, I have a pair of boots I never wear because they're ugly, two pairs of heavy socks, and a pair of those heavy mittens with the fingerless gloves inside. I figure that if I skid on ice and end up in a ditch, or I break down or whatever, I don't want to get OUT of the car to go get my gloves and boots. My husband and I carpool to work, so I want enough stuff to keep us warm and dry if we get stuck somewhere. We usually wear gloves anyway, but those will get soaking wet if one of us has to fiddle with the car or try to dig out a tire. Better to have extras.

[chet everett]

If your car doors frequently freeze shut you might have a problem with the weather seals. To remedy this you want to start by getting a very thorough professional car wash. Have them wipe off all the door sills and seals. Once that is done get a proper silicone spray and lightly put that on a cloth to leave just a thin film or the protection on all the seal. That should do the trick.

As to scraping ice, I think Steve-O's suggestion is a good one, if not the most green. You can also keep a spray bottle of undiluted old fashioned windsheild de-icer in the house / office -- when you come out a few pumps of that warm (room temperature /70 degrees is double the freezing point) non-freezing solution makes quick work of all but the thickest ice layer.

btw -- I think it is mistake to have SALT in the trunk as someone suggested -- it can attract moisture, spill and leave a messy corrosive slop in your trunk that will hasten its rotting out. I feel the same way about sand, though it is less corrosive it can still hold moisture and hasten rust formation. If you encounter some think that you can't drive through just leave the car parked. If you get some how stuck that you (and maybe some burly passers-by) can't shove you out, call a tow truck, or a budy with a 4 wheel drive truck/Jeep and "pull strap".

I also never drive anyplace that is more than about 5 minutes from a WhiteHen (ok they made the signs say 7-11, but Chicagoians know that if they have coffee and make sandwichs they're WH, if they have creepy looking chili dogs they're the other place...) or a McDonalds so trail mix and beef jerky aren't really on my list of winter necessities. (plus I'd just eat em and get fatter )

[JustJulia]

Originally Posted by chet everett

If your car doors frequently freeze shut you might have a problem with the weather seals. To remedy this you want to start by getting a very thorough professional car wash. Have them wipe off all the door sills and seals. Once that is done get a proper silicone spray and lightly put that on a cloth to leave just a thin film or the protection on all the seal. That should do the trick.

Thanks for the advice--I'll try that.

[itsh11]

Thanks a lot for all the wonderful advice I got. Does anyone of you have any kind of experience using a car cover? Thanks

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by itsh11

Thanks a lot for all the wonderful advice I got. Does anyone of you have any kind of experience using a car cover? Thanks

Yes. I have a moderately collectible vehicle. I generally keep it covered when not driven for extended periods. I thought, once upon a time, that a car cover would be a good way to temporarily cover car outside. BIG MISTAKE. Even the super non-absorbent material was a pain to deal with when covered with frozen rain /snow. Weighs a ton. It does not soak in like a towel, but it is not just like shaking off a crumb filled tablecloth. Even a small cover can be just about impossible to stuff in the trunk of car. And you inevitably get snow / ice in with it. Big mess. Never again.

I suppose if you are at a Utah ski resort and you get fluffy powder it'd be one thing, but in the slop that we get ? Ugh!!