Preparing car for winter

[New York Trojan]

I wanted to see what sugestions you might have to prepare my car for winter in New York City area. New York does not get as much snow or as cold as some places.

Different tires/wheels for snow - this is pretty much answered in another thread
Wiper fluid - are there certain types or better brands?
Oil - different viscosity?
Other fluids that need to be changed
Anything Else

I have a 2004 330 CI. I have not owned a car in an area that freezes before so I'm not sure what to check.

Thanks in advance

 

[PuShAkOv]

I think with a new BMW you should only worry about new tires. For $650 you can get Blazzak tires + rims package... best deal. Wiper fluid is such an everyday thing that you just add it when it gets low... and try changing your oil more than once every 15350 Miles... plz.

 

[bmwrocks]

I can't imagine having a nice car like an '04 330Ci anywhere there are winter conditions. I would worry about scratches from sand on the road, scratches from brushing off snow, etc.

That would just kill me.

 

[MrElussive]

Just wash the car once a week and it will stay clean and fresh and you won't have any problems with the road salt and/or dirt. Make sure to stock up on windshield washer now, because if you want some during the winter, everybody's always sold out. Other than snow tires, you may wanna pickup a pair of BMW M Driving Gloves.
Hey, does anybody know where to get those from anyways? I desparately want a pair, but I can't find the link on the BMW web site....it's the official BMW accessories web site.

 

[bmwrocks]

When I lived in upstate NY it was a little difficult to wash the car once a week when it stayed below freezing for months. I didn't have the facilities to wash the car indoors. I used to sometimes have to go months without washing and the salt ruined some of my cars. I would never have a $45K car up there unless I could garage it for the winter.

Unless money was no object of course.

 

[MrElussive]

Oh contraire, bmwrocks. I do not personally wash my car in cold weather, and thankfully there are auto washes or hand washes that are open all-year round.
I wash my car once a week, no matter what. Keeping your car clean during the winter is very important.

 

[Bryan330i]

It sounds very unforgiving on cars but somehow they survive. I have become accustom to warmer climates but I have lived most of my life in very cold placed. Way, way, way, back [joke] when I was in college for the first time, a friend of mine and his family had a very nice selection of cars. One Ferrari, a Porsche 944 (okay now you know how old I am), a 911, a Cadillac, and an Audi something Quattro. They drove all of them all year. You just don’t think about it, when they get dirty just get them cleaned. I would take mine in and get it run through an indoor wash, pay and drive away. But also after living in a warmer climate for a while, the adjustment back would make me a little nervous at first.

 

[PuShAkOv]

Bryan .. its not that bad

 

[Bryan330i]

Bryan .. its not that bad

My age or the cars in cold weather?

 

[PuShAkOv]

Cars in winter... its like .... Woooooooo...

 

[MrElussive]

My age or the cars in cold weather?

Both! [fake]
But yeah, Push is right, it's not that bad to drive in the winter. I wash my car once every 5-7 days, which is so often, it doesn't even get a chance to get dirty.

 

[Average Jae]

Just wash the car once a week and it will stay clean and fresh and you won't have any problems with the road salt and/or dirt. Make sure to stock up on windshield washer now, because if you want some during the winter, everybody's always sold out. Other than snow tires, you may wanna pickup a pair of BMW M Driving Gloves.
Hey, does anybody know where to get those from anyways? I desparately want a pair, but I can't find the link on the BMW web site....it's the official BMW accessories web site.

i found one for $25 at my local bmw center. maybe give that a try? i'd imagine it was a pair? [???1]

 

[CTBMW]

Forget regular winshield wash! Get one that will melt frost off! I use rain x, I've made the mistake of spraying window w/ the blue stuff and having that fine layer freeze! The better washes will melt/wash morning frost right off!! Costs a little more but worth it! (buy it on sale)
-Mel

 

[MrElussive]

I heard that Rain-X is good stuff.
As for the driving gloves, you can purchase a pair for $25 from bmw-online.com. I am going to order a pair this week, I think.

 

[PuShAkOv]

Is it bad to hand-wash a car in winter freezing temp?

 

[bmwrocks]

Au contraire mrelussive, the time period I am talking about was when I was a college student and I did not have the cash to pay for an indoor auto or hand wash. I had barely enough money to put a few dollars worth of gas in my car, much less pay for a car wash. What a joke.

I would pay money (now I can afford it) to watch you or anyone else hand wash a car in below freezing temperatures. How would you stop the ice from accumulating? Where I come from during some winters you couldn't even have a hose outside because it would freeze instantly.

Pushakov, I would say it would be very difficult to hand wash a car in below freezing conditions. I used to have to drive my '75 VW rabbit into my dad's garage just to melt off the ice blocks behind each wheel!!!!!

 

[Average Jae]

Is it bad to hand-wash a car in winter freezing temp?

i was wondering the same thing[???1] [???1]