body and interior 2002 in a Pacific Northwest winter?

[msh441]

Greetings all,

 

Toying with the idea of driving my '76 2002 through the winter.

 

Where I live, north of Seattle, there really isn't much in the way of snow... just rain, rain, and more rain. Also some cold morning (but my heater works GREAT).

 

I have what I believe to be a small leak in the front windshield gasket, which deposits about 2-3 tablespoons of water behind my dash/console on the driver's side if the car is left out in HEAVY rain for 24 hours.  Working on getting a new front gasket and locking seal as I type this.

 

I have a 5-speed in the car, good Michelin tires, and will have a e21 3.91 limited slip differential in the car before it gets too cold.

 

My main concern is the iron worm... RUST.  The body is straight, with only a few signs of surface rust here and there.  A small spot of paint bubbling on the passenger side, pop-out window.  Also a spot under the rear that is actually scaling, and will need some attention in the next 12 months.

 

We don't salt our roads here, but should I be hugely concerned about the sheer volume of water/wet roads (provided I can keep all the water outside the car, instead of in)?

[bmdubl02]

Is this your only car?

[msh441]

Nope.

Z4MC

Nissan Armada

 

 

 

 

...but realistically, on the few really bad days, I was going to put the wife in the Nissan, and take her Volvo S70 sedan.

Edited October 31, 2015 by msh441

[adawil2002]

Well, if you have another car drive it in the rain. Drive the '02 when the roads are drier. Pretty simple solution. I don't drive Vern in the rain unless it cannot be avoided like on a long trip. On rainy days I drive my M3 or X3. I don't wash Vern with water either and his small rust areas have not increased in 5 years. I'm too lazy to want to detail the car after driving in rain.

[Fatherof3]

Make sure about no salt. King county started using it a few years back.

Even if there isn't snow they put down de-icer that may have sodium in it.

 

If you can have a back up car that's best

[PaulTWinterton]

If you must...

 

-  put a bag or two of sand in the trunk.  100lbs or so.  Give you better traction on those icy or snowy roads.  We can get a few cold and snowy spells.

 

-  wash your car often and hose off the underside of the car each time, making sure to dislodge debris that gets stuck in those hard to see places.

 

better idea...only drive it on the dry days.

['76mintgrün'02]

Yup, Kitsap county uses 'de-icer' too.  All it has to do is dip down to freezing temps and they spray the roads.  Drives me nuts.  Salting the roads, due to a chance of frost... It sits on the roads until the next rain washes it up onto your car.  

One thing you can/should do is make sure there are no pine needles, or other tree debris stuck in the drain tubes (elephant trunks) in the heater intake area in front of the windshield.  Keep the trunk perimeter clear and make sure there is no build up in the nose panel.  So often junk builds up and water backs up and gets into places it should not.  Keep the wheel arches clean.  There are big pockets that hold junk, which holds water and rust will eat holes in your car.

 

I intend to apply a product like Waxoyl in all the hidden corners of my car's body, once the rocker rust has been repaired.  I should have just used it when I first got the car four years ago.  New blisters have formed in the doors and wheel arches, while under my watch.

 

I park my car under a poly-tarp Costco carport.  Just yesterday I  finally  installed an end panel and am wondering why I waited so long.  Today is another windy rainy day and my car is staying dry.  I drive it in the rain, but I know I am encouraging the spread of rust.  Once they start spraying, I switch to my tRusty Subaru.  Poor little Subaru....

[kiva667]

Keep the wheel arches clean. There are big pockets that hold junk, which holds water and rust will eat holes in your car

And don't forget the dishes where the front springs sit. They collect debris and will rust. There's a small hole in them from which the water is supposed to drain but it easily gets blocked. I regularly poke a pin through to keep the drain holes free. Something I learned from reading the forum!

Edited October 31, 2015 by kiva667

['76mintgrün'02]

Good point kiva.  Mike Self suggests enlarging that hole.  I found a pebble blocking one of mine.

 

The boxed in area in the top of the rear wheel arch holds sh!t as well.  I blew mine out, back when I first got the car and dust just kept coming out!  I bought some plugs for the holes, but have not put them in yet.  I think I read that the early cars used the plugs, but they were omitted in the late cars?  I intend to plug them, once I treat the insides.

 

Make sure the drain holes are clear in the bottom of the doors and that you have the plastic sheeting behind the door cards, or they will curl... like mine.

 

My passenger window no longer winds all the way up, hence that leaks too.

 

msh441, if you have not ordered the windshield seal yet, I would suggest purchasing the BMW seal, as opposed to the URO version.  A lot of people have had trouble with the fit of the URO seal.

[willie002]

You indicate your North of Seattle, I'm not sure how much of the deicer they use up there but I know that in the Portland, Oregon area it's used quiet a bit. They give it a lot of different names but it all has a common ingredient, sodium in one form or another. Back in the good old days it was small gravel or cinders and all that you really needed to avoid was the sand blasting effect on the nose and broken windshields. Then the liquid deicers came out a few years back - and I stopped driving my BMW's in the winter. Now, I've been told by several Area Maintenance Managers that the deicers have no sodium in them yet they had a hard time explaining it showing up on the product label. Once you've been out in those deicers it takes a lot of work to neutralize them, they just seem to build up year after year. Then the rust repair starts to happen. Never seen a rust repair project that was a pretty sight. Save up a little money and buy yourself a winter car that you don't care so much about as your BMW. I'm just saying...............you don't find clean solid 2002's every day of the week anymore.

[msh441]

Seriously great info.  Much appreciated.

[TobyB]

De-Icer, all the time, my personal fave is on the Aurora bridge. Which hasn't been painted in 25 years.

That's gonna work out really well for them, eventually.

Honestly, I stopped about 5 years back. Traffic is so shitty these days that it's only a matter

of time before you get rear- ended. I gave up and now drive a POS E36. It handles better, defrosts faster,

brakes better and has better bumpers. And it's ratty, so hit me, just try it.

t

[bento]

De-Icer, all the time, my personal fave is on the Aurora bridge. Which hasn't been painted in 25 years.

That's gonna work out really well for them, eventually.

Honestly, I stopped about 5 years back. Traffic is so shitty these days that it's only a matter

of time before you get rear- ended. I gave up and now drive a POS E36. It handles better, defrosts faster,

brakes better and has better bumpers. And it's ratty, so hit me, just try it.

t

[Redtail]

I live in Portland and drive an '02 through the winter, though I have been considering getting a winter beater for a while.

Portland uses CMA to anti-ice and deice plus MgCl when the temperature goes below 17 degrees. CMA is only sprayed on bridges and highway overpasses and the west hills. MgCl is only used in the west hills (not sprayed on bridges due to the corrosive properties).

They say CMA is only as corrosive as tap water. Not sure I believe that but it is better than salt that's for sure.

So if you drive only surface streets and don't get on the bridges or highways or the west side you don't have to worry. If you use the freeway system, cross bridges, or live on the west side than your car is getting exposure and you'll need to consider that.

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/376538

[pklym]

I live in Portland and drive an '02 through the winter, though I have been considering getting a winter beater for a while.

 

 

Thanks for that link, real helpful