Anyone lived in Calgary?
08-03-2012, 02:44 PM
#1
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Anyone lived in Calgary?
Hi fellow S2k'ers,
I'm going to be moving to Calgary for school purposes and am wondering, for those of you who drive the car during the winter here or there, do you recommend it? I probably selling my s2k. Wanted some opinions from fellow S2kers who have driven in the snow. I would rather not buy a beater just for the winter. Looking to either equip the S2000 to be able to handle the winter months or to just get something new!
If anyone is wondering, I have an AP1 s2k 75,000kms and is bone stock, canadian car...
Thanks for the input!
I'm going to be moving to Calgary for school purposes and am wondering, for those of you who drive the car during the winter here or there, do you recommend it? I probably selling my s2k. Wanted some opinions from fellow S2kers who have driven in the snow. I would rather not buy a beater just for the winter. Looking to either equip the S2000 to be able to handle the winter months or to just get something new!
If anyone is wondering, I have an AP1 s2k 75,000kms and is bone stock, canadian car...
Thanks for the input!
08-03-2012, 03:29 PM
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Can't help you with your Calgary question but I heard its cold there.
But if you do want to equip your S for the snow... I have a set of good winter wheels and tires I can sell you for cheap. Just putting that out there
Oh and driving in the snow is perfectly doable. Just give yourself plenty of space, be aware of your surroundings, and try to have smooth inputs when driving.
But if you do want to equip your S for the snow... I have a set of good winter wheels and tires I can sell you for cheap. Just putting that out there
Oh and driving in the snow is perfectly doable. Just give yourself plenty of space, be aware of your surroundings, and try to have smooth inputs when driving.
08-03-2012, 10:19 PM
#4
I've been winter driving my Vortech S2000 for 12 years in Calgary. Yeah, it can get so cold it'll freeze the balls off a brass monkey, but lately, those really cold spells are few and far between. Have good winter tires, better if the car isn't lowered but still manageable. Car should have a block heater if you plan to park it outside for more than a few hours during the colder times. Plug it in whenever it gets below about -15*C and it's no problem. I've started mine after being parked outside all night at -28*C without it being plugged in and it started (barely). The heater in the thing is really good. Make sure the antifreeze is good to -40*C just in case. Switch to 5W30 or 5W40 synthetic for winter and it'll turn over much easier. If you have a plastic rear window, don't ever brush snow off it. It'll scratch the crap out of the window. Gently push it off with your arm. Getting stuck? I've driven by more stuck SUV's than you care to imagine because those bozos think they can drive through anything. Guys in little convertibles are more careful and plan their drive better.
08-04-2012, 11:57 PM
#7
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Nice to see so many Albertans visiting the Vancouver forum!
I drive my car through the winter here, although you can't really compare Vancouver's winter with Calgary's. That being said, I'd imagine that they are probably more efficient at clearing the snow than we are.
Whatever you decide, good luck!
I drive my car through the winter here, although you can't really compare Vancouver's winter with Calgary's. That being said, I'd imagine that they are probably more efficient at clearing the snow than we are.
Whatever you decide, good luck!
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08-05-2012, 06:27 AM
#8
A typical winter day in Calgary:
A typical "bad" driving day in Calgary:
A "very bad" driving day in Calgary:
About as bad as it can get. I drove the S that day but should have stayed home or taken the other car. Didn't get stuck and I got home fine but it was a struggle.
Oh, and what my car can look like after a few days of thawing and no, after 12 years, it hasn't rusted away:
A typical "bad" driving day in Calgary:
A "very bad" driving day in Calgary:
About as bad as it can get. I drove the S that day but should have stayed home or taken the other car. Didn't get stuck and I got home fine but it was a struggle.
Oh, and what my car can look like after a few days of thawing and no, after 12 years, it hasn't rusted away:
08-05-2012, 12:59 PM
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Good to learn the cars can manage those conditions. I know you're very knowledgeable about s2ks (
)--what are your rust prevention methods? I've read threads in the UK forum about AP1s starting to rust out (typical rear quarter rot), although I know cars there get assaulted with salty air too.
)--what are your rust prevention methods? I've read threads in the UK forum about AP1s starting to rust out (typical rear quarter rot), although I know cars there get assaulted with salty air too.
08-05-2012, 01:25 PM
#10
I have very little unusual rust forming on the car. I say unusual because the axle hubs, frame rails, suspension arms, etc all get a surface rust on them as a normal course of events. Take a look at any S2000 that doesn't see salt and you'll see this rust. I call that "normal" rust and this kind is not of any detriment to the car. A one year old car will get these parts rusted just from car washes and driving in the rain.
The only places I get rust is where I've drilled holes in the body to mount stuff and I try to coat the holes with touch up paint before mounting the part. The other areas of rust are from rock chips around the wheel wells. Also, the early cars have this plastic trim on the rear wheel well. Dirt and crap get underneath this trim and it begins to rust where the plastic rear bumper cover meets the metal rear quarter panel. On later cars, Honda left that trim piece off and those cars never rusted there unless damaged. I removed those pieces, ground off the rust, primed and re-painted and the rust has not returned for 2 years now.
If you look under an S2000, you will see a black tar like coating right from the factory. They rustproof these things pretty good. Aftermarket rustproofing is not necessary and unless it's put on as soon as the car comes off the boat, there's no point anyway. When washing the car in winter, spray the underside of the car all around with the nozzle and this gets rid of much of any salt that find its way there. Fix rock chips as soon as possible. If driven in winter conditions, consider getting a 3M film covering all frontal areas. Wheels wells get the worst and there isn't much you can do about that except to touch up paint the bad chips when you can. Even left alone, these chips will begin to rust but doesn't seem to spread. I have a couple of small spots (1/2" long) on the fender edges that are rusted but they have not spread in nearly a decade. I don't know what's going on with the UK cars, but you would never know mine is 12 daily driven years old. It could be that those UK cars live constantly in close proximity to sea air. Sea salt can sometimes be more corrosive than the salt they spread on the roads around here.
The only places I get rust is where I've drilled holes in the body to mount stuff and I try to coat the holes with touch up paint before mounting the part. The other areas of rust are from rock chips around the wheel wells. Also, the early cars have this plastic trim on the rear wheel well. Dirt and crap get underneath this trim and it begins to rust where the plastic rear bumper cover meets the metal rear quarter panel. On later cars, Honda left that trim piece off and those cars never rusted there unless damaged. I removed those pieces, ground off the rust, primed and re-painted and the rust has not returned for 2 years now.
If you look under an S2000, you will see a black tar like coating right from the factory. They rustproof these things pretty good. Aftermarket rustproofing is not necessary and unless it's put on as soon as the car comes off the boat, there's no point anyway. When washing the car in winter, spray the underside of the car all around with the nozzle and this gets rid of much of any salt that find its way there. Fix rock chips as soon as possible. If driven in winter conditions, consider getting a 3M film covering all frontal areas. Wheels wells get the worst and there isn't much you can do about that except to touch up paint the bad chips when you can. Even left alone, these chips will begin to rust but doesn't seem to spread. I have a couple of small spots (1/2" long) on the fender edges that are rusted but they have not spread in nearly a decade. I don't know what's going on with the UK cars, but you would never know mine is 12 daily driven years old. It could be that those UK cars live constantly in close proximity to sea air. Sea salt can sometimes be more corrosive than the salt they spread on the roads around here.