[SwingLo]

Took my car out of storage yesterday and I'm driving today!

Just went and got some lunch and cruising around blasting some Ghost B.C.

Man, it feels good!

Went to my local coffee place and parks two spots down from a red 430 Spyder.

Happy days!

 

[gwkoch]

Congrats! Spring just cannot get here soon enough!

 

[Me!]

Still too much salt up here... I will be surprised if I can get it out in April!

I figure it will take another 4+ weeks to clear the salt, as we will definitely have a few more snow storms (or threats of snow - they do preemptive salting here :facepalm ) that will allow the snow plow guys to coat the roads with more salt, then we will need a few good rains to clear the salt for good... Sigh...

 

[Me!]

...Yeah I'm jealous...

 

[JWA]

You Chicago guys getting salt-free roads weeks before we do the last few years are giving new meaning to the FIB acronym .

I'm crazy jealous - have fun!

 

[SwingLo]

Why is Chicago called the Windy City?

Cuz Wisconsin sucks and Indiana blows...

Just sayin...

 

[derrek1280]

Yeah... I could get mine out. Roads are clear of snow, but I still kind of want at least 1 rainshower to come along and rinse off the roads before I take her out!

 

[Me!]

You Chicago guys getting salt-free roads weeks before we do the last few years are giving new meaning to the FIB acronym .

I'm crazy jealous - have fun!

I think Northern Ontario gets more salt free weeks than we do in Milwaukee! The city goes, "Hmmm its cold... better throw some more salt down!"! I don't know if it is a safety thing, the local governments attempt to not lay off plow drivers, or if they are trying to just support the automobile / autobody industries... :shrug:

 

[Ironmatt]

I'm taking mine out tomorrow, weather permitting... looks like the melt-off has erased most of Wednesday's blizzard and its going into the 40s! And as for salt, I get it... we all 'enjoy' these cars differently, but its not made of candied sugar and untreated iron pipes. I like to drive mine whenever I can.

When you're done, you can get some Salt-Away stuff from Amazon, and then just hose down the car before you put it back in the garage at the end of the day. Do the neighbors look at you screwy, "washing" your car in the driveway in 35 degree weather? Yes. Yes they do... But do you really care? You just spent [1-10] hours driving a fantastic car again...

Again, not knocking anyone who chooses to keep their car as a show-piece, but man I want to drive this thing. I just rinse it when I'm done.

-M

 

[Me!]

I'm taking mine out tomorrow, weather permitting... looks like the melt-off has erased most of Wednesday's blizzard and its going into the 40s! And as for salt, I get it... we all 'enjoy' these cars differently, but its not made of candied sugar and untreated iron pipes. I like to drive mine whenever I can.

When you're done, you can get some Salt-Away stuff from Amazon, and then just hose down the car before you put it back in the garage at the end of the day. Do the neighbors look at you screwy, "washing" your car in the driveway in 35 degree weather? Yes. Yes they do... But do you really care? You just spent [1-10] hours driving a fantastic car again...

Again, not knocking anyone who chooses to keep their car as a show-piece, but man I want to drive this thing. I just rinse it when I'm done.

-M

Yes, salt away all you want but there is just no way you are going to get the neutralizer in all the cracks and crevices the salt (and saltwater) gets splashed into. The vibration, and tight areas make it virtually impossible...

These cars do rust. The subframe and where the roll bar connects to the subframe appear to be pretty prone.

But at the end of the day it is your car, so do what you want! :shrug:

 

[dwkoski]

How much snow depth remains? I'm hiding down here in Florida for another month. It's in the 80's and I'm going swimming as soon as I finish typing this. Anxious for the snow to melt though as I finally got new axles and c/v's in the S1 in early November.

 

[livethedream]

I hate you! They put salt all over the place again for a little freeze with no snow. Waiting for rain.....lots of rain!

 

[sprocket3]

Damn.. It's nice here now. My Car is still down for maintenance and off insurance. I'm a procrastinator.

 

[ksm]

Hey, busted out mine today, too! And passed a black one. Looks like everyone had to feed the need when they could! Expecting more snow (and salt) here on Monday!

 

[emlise]

I think Northern Ontario gets more salt free weeks than we do in Milwaukee! The city goes, "Hmmm its cold... better throw some more salt down!"! I don't know if it is a safety thing, the local governments attempt to not lay off plow drivers, or if they are trying to just support the automobile / autobody industries... :shrug:

Robert! Don't be so down! All we need is a a few more days above freezing, none of those forecasted flurries to come to fruition, and a few rain shower, and we can all be hanging out at Cars and Coffee in just three weeks!

 

[JWA]

Robert! Don't be so down! All we need is a a few more days above freezing, none of those forecasted flurries to come to fruition, and a few rain shower, and we can all be hanging out at Cars and Coffee in just three weeks!

After this winter, that's some serious optimism .

Did you guys buy an Exige? Cool - congrats!

 

[Sanj]

You Chicago guys getting salt-free roads weeks before we do the last few years are giving new meaning to the FIB acronym .

I rather doubt the roads here are even close to salt-free.

 

[driftwood]

the next few weeks are going to be excruciating... slowly waiting for a decent rainfall & consistent 40's has never been so wanted in my life

i've been able to drive the elise by April since purchase... 2014 is going to ruin that streak :facepalm

 

[ML1media]

Gas on the Fire.

In addition to the LOVELY salty black slurry runoff that's still finding it's way on to the roads as it melts, beware the potholes---which is an understated term here (Chicagoland). Last week, there was a roadhole in front of the building that I was working at of sufficient size that
every large truck that bounced thru it shook the building and
claimed over a dozen (car) wheel covers.

The wheel covers flew with such force that we all moved our cars away from the street facing parking spaces and propped the wheel covers up like little tombstones on the parkway. Some of the covers didn't make it off the street and when a truck ran over them, they shattered into a thousand little sharp daggers...which led to more than one flat.

The cruelest part was the rainwater/slurry runoff that filled the hole and made it nearly invisible when full.

The city was called immed.....but the Hole was still claiming victims as of last Friday.
If it's still there tomorrow, a couple of us will prob chance it and pour some crushed limestone in there if there's a break in traffic.

Elise stays in garage until roads won't EAT it.

 

[Fermi]

I'm surely hoping you all get 1-2 rain storms between now and 4/2 when I pick up my Elise. It's currently located just north of Milwaukee and I'll have it in Waterloo, WI. for a couple of days before driving it back to the DC Region.