Winterizing a California vehicle for Minnesota climate

[AndrewJ]

go grab a couple cans of rubberized asphalt undercoating and go nuts in the wheel wells, that ought to give you a good start. Then, when you get to MN, check out other (identical) trucks and see/ask where they start to get rusty. Then hit your truck with more undercoating in those locations.

[roflwaffle]

In terms of coatings, maybe pulling apart the truck to apply something like por-15 would be a good idea, but I wonder how well the spray on coatings would seal. If they let anything past it'll just sit there and rust through....

[Yaristock]

Don't forget about the wheels and the paint. I suggest getting different wheels cause those alloys won't make it.If you can't get new wheels then find a good wheel sealant(specifically made for what a wheel encounters not just paint sealant) That salt will eat straight through the clear and erode them away. Not to mention any defect in the build quality will come out if its over stressed due to lack of traction or loss of control. The paints a different story, It needs full protection if you plan on keeping it, clay bar it to remove road/industrial contaminates, polish and use a synthetic wax for longer and stronger protection against the snow and salt. Oh, don't forget to run the ac at least once a month; it may be cold but keeping it dormant for too long will have adverse affects and cause it to not work properly. Grill Block

[bennelson]

Cover your bed, otherwise you will just be hauling tons of snow all winter.

A garage really is the correct answer.


This may sound weird, but you might want to park under a tree.

I have a two-car detatched garage. My wife's car goes in the left side, my motorcycle, tools and workbench are on the right. Just outside the garage, on the right hand side is a very large pine tree.

I park on the right just so my wife can get in and out the left side of the garage. However, I discovered that the tree has some interesting thermal properties.

For example - I usually don't have to scrape frost off about 2/3 of my windshield - it just doesn't form on the side near the tree.

In 6 years, my car has never NOT started from the cold until last week, when I was parked out in the open for work all day in the bitter cold.
Two days later, in the same weather, it started right up under the tree.

Do not park under a pine tree in the summer - sap does not come off no matter what. I don't care too much, because it covers nicely with Rustoleum Hammer-Finish paint...

[Frank Lee]

I haven't found a commercial "rust prevention" that works. You might as well take that money and start a bonfire with it. My "rustproofed" vehicles are rotted out piles of crap now, even though they were washed religously.

[Chris D.]

I've heard that POR-15 is crap..

I was thinking of roll on bed liner in all the right spots..

Is your avatar your picture? I can't quite place it, were you in a movie?

[jeremy85]

if you like your truck that much, get something else to drive in the salty months.
Nothing will protect every spot from rust. And salt will find every little spot thats not protected and there is more of those spots than you can find.

get a 4wd
people that say 2wd are fine in the snow never drove a 4wd in the snow
wait till you try to drive thru a foot of snow in a 2wd, you'll know what i mean

[Ryland]

Does where you are moving have public transit?
Rust happens fastest between 30F and 40F when salt is involve so the best thing you can do is keep your car cold all winter, garage kept cars rust out really fast unless you wash them every week then dry them.
I use self healing undercoating and so far it seems to be working, I've also talked to people who spray linseed oil on the under side of their car once a year and claim that they never develop rust.
Snow tires work so well I don't understand why you wouldn't use them.
Synthetic oil and a good battery should keep it starting all winter without a block heater or extra batteries.

[JohnnyGrey]

If you like your truck, don't drive it in those climates. Get a winter beater like a 90's Impreza or Audi Quattro.

[Chris D.]

I only have room for 1 vehicle..
I'll make something work out just fine for rust proofing..