Merc63

I have a winter truck. Although our winters are harsh compared to most.

Cars that aren't winter driven fetch a better dollar here. Salt and sand rock kills the paint huge here.

Ingenieur

I drive mine year round
eg
e36 M3 200k miles (I traded it in and the dealer mechanic that checked it out bought it!)
e46 M3 150k
RS4 90k
got top $ for all of them
they all looked damn near new when I got rid of them

did have an 86 Porsche 951 (944 turbo) with 70k miles, it was parked in the winter and looked better than new, and had the original paint
if I had a Z06 or something I'd park that: but a C63, RS4, M3, nope

they are garage kept and well maintained with thorough records
I put them on a lift in the fall and spring and power wash the chassis, lube the bushings, general inspection, etc.
I don't like 'detailing', I prefer optical maintenance, lol
with a good detail the buyer can't tell if they were driven year round
the technology (paint, corrosion protection, materials, UV protection, etc.) have really reduced damage to exposure from the elements

Critter

Ballin is when you have so much money to spend at the car wash to rid your ride of that nasty salt and saline brine we use on our roads. Not drug related at all. Personally have no issue with snow it is the extra crap laid down . I am managing just fine and do drive a car in the winter with leather heated seats and side mirrors and it even has rear window defroster, it is just not the Benz.
You do with your car what you wish I will do what I wish with mine, enjoy. So much for the depreciation thats for me to worry about.

Ingenieur

and it's up to others to worry about their car without (not so) veiled insults about their lack of funds to drive another car in the winter
quote: You fellas that seem to be "ballin" cannot afford a winter vehicle

perhaps they can afford to, but choose not to squander and waste their money on a 2nd car?

thanks for the permission to use my property as I see fit
not that it means squat

Critter

Merc63, you said it well with few words,
Some people just do not get it, a blind man could tell if a car has been winter driven and if not then he deserves what he buys. To spend 75 to 120K and then see it following a salt truck, being pelted with rock salt, well that just does not feel right. That's why we have winter beaters.

Ingenieur

a blind man could not tell
no one can tell if maintained properly
I have seen cars from the NE, driven year round, in better shape than garage queens
a garage car washed and waxed poorly vs a year-rounded owned by someone who knows how to maintain it

it's not the weather that determines a cars state of condition, it is the owner

the sun is harsh on paint...driver under an umbrella?
rain spots?
there is road debris in the summer too


why not just buy the thing and park it 365?

I can afford to drive it year round, because I can buy a new one when I want...I don't have to buy a beater and try to eek out every cent of the initial investment

for the 5 months yours sits. I enjoy mine...12 months vs 7, 60% more enjoyment for the same money? penny wise, pound foolish
who made the wiser investment?

my RS4 cost more, should it have been parked in the winter? awd?

perhaps I should build a shell around my home to protect it from the elements

it's a freakin' car! a depreciating, consumable commodity, like a pair of shoes...wear the dang things, don't 'save' them
if bought properly (used, CPO'ed, low interest rate, kept for 4 years or so, etc.) they cost little more than a new Honda econo-box, especially after resale and joy of ownership is factored in...enjoy it...you might not have the chance to do so later

it was -5 F this morning, which translates to +60 HP (vs 72 F), it was a crackin', snortin' beast
garage kept at 60F, perfect way to start the day

Critter

How about we just say you are right, happy!
I built a tree house does that count?
I'll give you the last word because I am Canadian

Thrilla

It's been brutal here in Michigan too. I too detailed my car before the winter, but I have to admit the salt and crap caked on is worrying me. A good trick for a no rinse washing is to run the car in a touchless carwash, to rid of the surface buildup. Then go home and wash it with the no rinse 2 bucket method with warm water and clean microfiber towels. I top it off with a spray wax to make up for the layer of wax stripped by the car wash.
Once a week, every Saturday before the baby wakes up. 20-30 mins.

zibby43

To spend $75-120k and have the car sit around for half of the year does not make much sense to me but to each their own.

The C63 is a great car, certainly, but it's not like it's some kind of super exotic, rare, or collectable Ferrari.

I don't buy cars anyway. They're depreciating assets. After you buy the car and drive it off the lot - voila - your car has depreciated several thousand dollars already. If someone clips you right after pulling off the lot, now your car's value has depreciated even further.

Now, if you plan on keeping the car for a long time, buying makes sense. If you plan on the car being a toy or a weekend car, again, buying makes sense (because of lower mileage, less wear, etc.). If you're looking at a used car, buying is really the only option. Again, to each their own.

I prefer to lease my cars. I drive it for a few years. I take care of it meticulously while it is in my possession (just because I enjoy doing so). Despite the fact that it's a lease, I treat it as if it were mine to keep. When the lease is up, I turn it in. I enjoy being able to get the maximum amount of use out of my car and then switching it up every few years once something newer and better has come out.

Ingenieur

there is no 'right' (correct) here
just differing perspectives
you said people who drive them are wrong, or cheap, or something

are Canadians more special or tolerant than others?
I wouldn't be boasting about being Canadian

Ingenieur

Bingo!
we have a winner!

zibby43

Could not have said it better myself.

It's not like you are deliberately choosing to trash the car by driving it year-round. These cars are winter tested by AMG because they expect the cars they sell to be well . . . driven.

I would rather drive my car constantly and take care of it for my own enjoyment instead of obsessing over keeping it perfect for the next owner.

For those that prefer the whole garage queen approach, go for it. Just don't accuse me of being crazy for choosing to get the most out of my car while it's in my possession.

Thanks man. My approach might not be for everyone but that doesn't mean it's wrong. Everyone should do what floats their boats.

Ingenieur

please stop making sense...someone's head might burst

hmmmm.... http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...-arctic-garage

Inside AMG's Arctic Garage
Virtually every car manufacturer performs cold weather testing near the tiny town of Arjeplog, Sweden, just south of the Arctic Circle. In fact, so heavy is the automotive presence there that the city's population swells with up to 1,800 test drivers during high season. Though development is usually the name of the game in these icy parts, Mercedes-Benz's consumer-based AMG Winter Sporting Academy commands the largest garage of its kind in the area, housing 8 SLK55s, 8 E63s, 8 C63 Coupes, 2 fully kitted race taxis, 2 drift cars, and 2 G55s-- all within a nearly 10,000 square foot space.


AMG engineers are not morons
they build a car to be driven ALL THE TIME

CoolBDPhenom03

I drive mine year-round on summer tires
It's my only car at the moment.

Ingenieur

lol

I at least sprung for rubber floor mats and all season tires

so far it's been good (this coming from RS4 Quattro)
we had 6" of snow and it was a bit squirrelly but I just drove a bit more 'gently'

ps: wait, you're in Cali, no fair, doesn't count!

zibby43

Haha thanks buddy.

And thank you for sharing that awesome link. I had not seen that before. Very, very cool stuff!

I envy you Californians at the moment.

mdgrwl

No, they dont. Especially with a salt built up car.

Their chemicals are also pretty harsh.

Again, I'm okay with some swirls... as I know I'll just do a full correction with Menzerna when it warms up.

DD's are impossible to keep "perfect". Its not a show car, it's a DD. Gotta bend some...

zibby43

You're absolutely right.

In the past, I too just took my car to Mike's (the local automatic car wash chain around these parts) and the swirl damage really wasn't that bad.

The gentleman that polishes my car was always able to eliminate any swirling that occurred during the winter washes.

After he taught me how to use ONR indoors, I found that I saved both time and money by washing the car in the garage during the winter.

AMG Boost

Really... All you American guys need to chill lol. You guys dont know how bad a car can get destroyed up here in a winter. My car is fully 3M'ed, this is the only reason I drive it sometimes in winter.

And you guys look retarded when you try to tell someone what is best for their car in their environment. If someone wants to park their car for 6 months, thats ok! Unless you have lived up here you dont know. Try owning one of these and driving around in Edmonton or Fort Mcmurray for a winter. You will be washing that car with your 2 buckets every day.

zibby43

Cool story. I didn't tell anyone what to do. People can do with their car whatever the hell they want. I don't give a damn if it's not my car. The OP asked for washing recommendations and I merely provided the procedure that I like to use. If you don't like it, don't use it.

Ingenieur

I lived in Alaska for 10 years, they have winter for 6 months

it's your Canadian buddy who said the 'ballers' were too cheap to buy a beater...he was telling people how to live, although he did give me permission to use my property as I see fit

you Canadian guys need to hop off your high horses and get down with the rest of us in the real world and stop treating machines as if they were precious metals, lol

I rinse the car off a few times a month, did so today since >32F

yesh

I live outside the GTA (milton) and drive to Waterloo (which is in the snow belt). I was completely against the idea of storing my car for the winter as I couldn't justify spending the money and then leaving it parked for 3+ months. With that said, if it snows more than 5 cm in a day, I usually garage it for the day and take a different car.

I invested in the three month petro canada car wash pass (cost 224 with taxes) and use that to get the snow/salt off. The touchless doesn't do the best job, but it's great for removing the salt in between proper car washes.

ZephyrAMG

Who ever says that driving your car in all weather and that rocks and salt and moisture doesn't damage or wear on a car is an absolute idiot in denial.

Truth of the matter is that you just have to spend more money and bust your *** with more cleaning, caring and repairing these cars to make them nice and presentable. Make no mistake: SALT, RAIN, SNOW, SAND, etc WILL RUIN A MACHINE USED OVER TIME.

So, NO, its not the owner, IT IS INDEED THE ELEMENTS.
Anyone can tell touched up paint a mile away. But the owner can just work harder at keeping the car looking good either for themselves or to fool someone when selling it.

Needless to say, it's not a Maybach or Lambo. It's just a C Class. So garage queening it is only the owner's loss. There are several garage queen babies on this board. I was one myself. It just occurred to me that its just a C Class. I bought it to enjoy it. Life is short. BUT I DO MAINTAIN HER METICULOUSLY and drive the car often. The car just looks great when treated well.

It's kind of pathetic if you buy things and not use them for hopes that the next owner will appreciate its condition. Enjoy what you have for YOU. Nothing wrong with using and driving and maintaining your cars well and enjoying them at the same time.

MagasC63

Bravo Zephyriiii! I am with you 100%....it's just a C-class, but it's a very nice C-CLASS

avery.whss

i use to be all **** about keeping my old cars clean but with my c63 i keep mine outside, i let mine get dirty as hell, it's a machine, when it gets ugly dirty then I'll pay the boys at mercedes $200 to detail it like they have before, plus everyone in my city is so **** about keeping their 5-15k cars super clean it's kind of refreshing seeing a more expensive car covered in dirt