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Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:09 pm

I have a 73' SB, I live in the South (AL,no snow), I'll be moving to the North East this summer (lots of snow in CT). I was wondering how my bug will do in the snow as far as handling and if I need to plan on making any part changes for snow. I figured a German Car will be ready for it. Thanks for any info. Could not find a tread about it.

Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:20 pm

Volkswagens work great in the snow. If you have performance tires, or wide tires, that won't be the case. But stock, they work very well. Very hard to get a VW stuck-we had a boatload of snow here in Chicago this year, as well as a lot of ice as we had record cold temps, but my Bug performed great. It started up no prob at all when it dropped to 22 below, before windchill, too.

Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:30 pm

Cool! :) , I use 10w30 oil now, should I change it to something else when it's cold? :? Or a nice Warm-Up will do?

Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:08 pm

I always ran 5W30 in the winter (or 10W30 if I couldn't find the 5W30).

Also, it pays to use a block heater...the OEM type that bolts to the sump plate and warms up the oil. That way you get quicker flow at start-up...synthetic will help also :)

Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:15 pm

stick with the 10-30 for the winter. I am not trying to start a riot with this statement, just saying I live in the cold north and this works for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUnEbNgHFco

That kinda proves how good they are in the snow :D

Serious, Back in december we had a good snow storm here in western Wash. People can't drive here (I have driven on 5 of the 7 continents and I can confirm they are worse than Iraqi and Kuwati drivers) As I was leaving work I passed a fellow employee trying to dig out his Tundra with chains ON ALL 4 WHEELS stuck in a ditch. I just beeped and puttered on by.

Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:21 am

Slow6t5 wrote: stick with the 10-30 for the winter. I am not trying to start a riot with this statement, just saying I live in the cold north and this works for me.
10W-30 may work for you, but 5W-30 will work better with absolutely no downside. Better than that is 0W-30, or 0W-20. With that, your engine spins over just like summer when you try to start it.

Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:54 am

Handling is great! Wait till you do donuts in the snow.

Heat is OK but defrost is slow to get working. You need to scrape the inside as you drive until your warmed right up.

Gas heater changes everything. Instant heat and it can be tied into the defrost. It's funny, my wife likes the Beetle in winter because it gets hot so much faster than our Neon but she won't drive it in summer due to no air conditioning.

jim

Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:46 am

Ummm - with snow comes salt. There's a reason that its a bitch finding a decent (not rotted) VW in the northeast.

The handling issue has been covered, but I would spring for a set of real winter tires if you are really going to drive in the snow. All seasons are OK for wet and a little snow, but don't cut it for any serious snow.

But the big thing to think about is if you want your car to rust out. There are some folks that run them year round, but typically after a couple years the cancer starts. You seriously may want to consider a winter beater. I use my Subaru WRX as my winter car (LOL)

Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:14 am

Make sure that you get a good under coating on all the bottom and outside corners. Rust is a BIG issue here in NE.
It will be a money well spend if is done right. Not cutting corners. Get the rubber covers for the brake switches, make sure that your thermostat is working. It you don't have one, get the set up NOW. It will prolong the life of your engine.
Make sure that your door have good seals and your windows close as it should. Check your heater flaps and controls. Together with the defrost pipes and fres air flap close all the way when you want them close.
Put antisize solution to your weels lock nuts, take care ANY rust spot now. Specially the fender bolts. Get an electrical winshiel washer and use high quality winshield washer fluid like rainex.
check the spring pressure of your wipers. They can get weak with the snow and ice. Spare points, belts,etc.

This is just on the top of my head as a daily driver here.
I end up replacing all fenders to fiberglass, together with the hood and decklit to prevent corrotion.

I used to live in Miami Beach and I hat to prepare all this things (had J tubes).

Good luck and welcome to NE.

See you around.

Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:21 pm

Salt can be an issue-but if you make sure you clean it regularly, should be OK. I bring mine to a hand car wash, about $14 every few weeks and it still looks good after 6 winters. I run all season tires, works fine-haven't had to push or get the shovel out but I'm a pretty good driver in the snow. I imagine snow tires would be really incredible. I had Blizzaks on my Vanagon and it was amazing in the snow. I also run 10W30 and have no probs starting. My car is parked outside and no issues-although I would think running 5W 30 would be fine as stated above.

Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:55 pm

I know a local shop here in Jersey that will strip off all the undercoating on the pans, inner fenders, fenders and everything exposed underneath. I have a couple club members that have had this done. They have been driving their cars year round for 10 years + with not rust issues.

Me on the other hand, rarely take my car out in the winter and within three years of moving from California, I developed rust issues on my pan and rear quarters.

Rust is pervasive, don't take this lightly.

-jeffrey

Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:55 pm

jhicken wrote: I know a local shop here in Jersey that will strip off all the undercoating on the pans, inner fenders, fenders and everything exposed underneath. I have a couple club members that have had this done. They have been driving their cars year round for 10 years + with not rust issues.

Me on the other hand, rarely take my car out in the winter and within three years of moving from California, I developed rust issues on my pan and rear quarters.

Rust is pervasive, don't take this lightly.

-jeffrey

Do you re-coat everything after it's stripped?

Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:08 pm

Yes, you must. Othewise it will corroe.
I also change my bumpers and running boards to aluminium. All expose bolts to stainless with antisize treatment. I added the heater seat pads on mine. NICE!!!

Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:21 pm

Suggestion:

In September buy a gallon of this stuff and spray the entire undercarriage. http://www.mowpart.com/Fluid-Film/c1200/p143969/Fluid-Film-1-gal.-(Click-here-for-more-information.)/product_info.html?osCsid=r12mltjbg2kc7bk02sijg0c942

Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:57 pm

69 Jim wrote:

Do you re-coat everything after it's stripped?

I guess I left that out, yes they re-coat everything with rust prohibitive coating.

-jeffrey

Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:14 pm

there are some great old VW comercials on youtube. Just search old volkswagen commercials and you can find how the snowplow driver gets to work. They are really cool!!! Just proves how reliable these old cars really are!! Enjoy.

Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:49 am

Randy in Maine wrote: Suggestion:

In September buy a gallon of this stuff and spray the entire undercarriage. http://www.mowpart.com/Fluid-Film/c1200/p143969/Fluid-Film-1-gal.-(Click-here-for-more-information.)/product_info.html?osCsid=r12mltjbg2kc7bk02sijg0c942 =D> I tried this product, and I have to tell you, It's great!! Thanks!!

Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:54 pm

throw a couple of sand bags up front also to give some extra front traction

Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:04 pm

andk5591 wrote: Ummm - with snow comes salt. There's a reason that its a bitch finding a decent (not rotted) VW in the northeast.

The handling issue has been covered, but I would spring for a set of real winter tires if you are really going to drive in the snow. All seasons are OK for wet and a little snow, but don't cut it for any serious snow.

But the big thing to think about is if you want your car to rust out. There are some folks that run them year round, but typically after a couple years the cancer starts. You seriously may want to consider a winter beater. I use my Subaru WRX as my winter car (LOL)

take it to a car wash like once a week that has a pressure hose and concentrate on cleaning the underside off that shoud help

Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:05 pm

robclark63 wrote: there are some great old VW comercials on youtube. Just search old volkswagen commercials and you can find how the snowplow driver gets to work. They are really cool!!! Just proves how reliable these old cars really are!! Enjoy.

that one was awesome man