So Ya'll Think You've Had a Rough Winter?

[MountainDon]

Thanks to John (redoverfarm)

http://strangedangers.com/

[glenn kangiser]

I don't like much snow and ice.  That much could freeze my hole over. 

[lipadier]

The pictures with the massive ice on the cars are from Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

By the way, my trusty winter-bangeronomics Fiesta, after a heavy love night with a snow storm: 


The snow in the motor bay was actually blown in from under the car. But after a hot shower and a spark plug check, all was well again.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

As my husband says nearly every day since we moved back from Wisconsin, TGWIO (Thank God we're in Oklahoma!!)

[Sassy]

   Fiesta, huh?  I had a Horizon at one time - never had a relationship with the snow but had something wrong with it's electrical system, would just die in the midst of driving...  

[lipadier]

I buy a small and cheap FWD cars for the winter seasons and drive them until they presumably will not pass the fierce swiss motor car inspection anymore. While I drive them there is no service, no maintenance and no cautiousness. Just a new set of winter tires every year. Most cars I had this way have been good for two seasons. After that, I drive up to a garage, buy another one, and donate the old one to the one random employee who has his hands up the fastest after I ask " Who wants this car for free?". 

Careless winter motoring. I love it.

[MountainDon]

Do the roads get salted over there?

[lipadier]

Salt? Yes, a lot. Tons of it. Especially the autobahns. But they have to, because of this:


When the temperatures are falling, the salt shakers are out:



Run out of washer fluid behind one of these, and you will go blind.

[MountainDon]

Is that the reason, or one of them, that you use disposable cars in the winter? I used to have a winter "beater" for winter/salt road use back in Canada in the 60-70's. Full set of studded tires included.

[lipadier]

I fell in love with the "banger" idea some years ago. The salt issue was one part of it. The other part was depreciation. You loose so much money over a new or newish car. Not so with a cheap banger.

I have to say I buy my bangers only from main dealers and only after they had a recent gouvernmet inspection (mandatory every two years for every car older than five years), so I can be sure all is well technically (frame, brakes, motor, suspension). With this I buy most of my cars without even having a test drive. And I pay in cash and don't haggle over the price. The garage people love me for this. But they hate me for the "no maintainace" part.