When do YOU winterize your MSP?

[Rush]

It's gettin' to be that time of year again! So how 'bout it? If you experience nasty-icky winter weather, when do you winterize your MSP? And what exactly does winterizing entail for you?

I live in central Pennsylvania, and I generally winterize around Thanksgiving. I might even do it a little later -- but my hood and wheels are kept in storage at my parents' house in the northeast Philly suburbs. That, however, is likely to change after this winter, since my boyfriend and I moved into a new house that has plenty of storage space. Then I can winterize later, whoo!

I always take off my carbon fiber hood and carbon fiber grill, and the 18" wheels with the summer tires. My carbon fiber sideview mirror covers, carbon fiber eyelids, and carbon fiber trunk trim piece all stay on -- cause they're held on with heavy-duty double sided tape, and they'd probably wind up more damaged being taken on/off over the years than just leaving them on through the winters.

The stock hood and grill go back on, and then my winter wheel/tire setup. I'm actually kinda excited this season -- cause I got new winter wheels! .. Okay, well. They aren't new. They're a used set of 16" MZ3 wheels, but at least they'll look better than the steelies I was running before!

 

[Outlawstar98]

Im just going to part mine in the winter in my garage, well ill be putting it on blocks and working on it all winter with some parts i have laying around i gotta install. but im going to keep my carbon trunk on, im lazy HAHA, and to me i know people who ran their carbon stuff all year round, and it still looks good, but mines going to be garage kept so im hoping, but it might go though a snow storm or two, depends on how long it takes me to find a good 4x4 truck.

 

[SteelWarrior]

It's gettin' to be that time of year again! So how 'bout it? If you experience nasty-icky winter weather, when do you winterize your MSP? And what exactly does winterizing entail for you?

I live in central Pennsylvania, and I generally winterize around Thanksgiving. I might even do it a little later -- but my hood and wheels are kept in storage at my parents' house in the northeast Philly suburbs. That, however, is likely to change after this winter, since my boyfriend and I moved into a new house that has plenty of storage space. Then I can winterize later, whoo!

I always take off my carbon fiber hood and carbon fiber grill, and the 18" wheels with the summer tires. My carbon fiber sideview mirror covers, carbon fiber eyelids, and carbon fiber trunk trim piece all stay on -- cause they're held on with heavy-duty double sided tape, and they'd probably wind up more damaged being taken on/off over the years than just leaving them on through the winters.

The stock hood and grill go back on, and then my winter wheel/tire setup. I'm actually kinda excited this season -- cause I got new winter wheels! .. Okay, well. They aren't new. They're a used set of 16" MZ3 wheels, but at least they'll look better than the steelies I was running before!

im already in a foot of snow lol...hurray for wet rain, that then froze over everything like a sleet of ice, then have 12cms fall over night lawl

definitly sucks


i just slapped on my winter tires and let er rip...nothing too special

 

[terbow]

as soon as it gets near 50's i winterize mine.

I switch my water over to coolant in my water to air IC, put 15" steelies with snow tires on and change my grille over.

 

[KZL_99ES]

i love the cold, but hate the snow... but those kinda go hand-in-hand...

i put my 15" stockers back on with all season tires, (maybe winter tires when i can afford them)
and
take off the CAI, and go back to SRI.



I WANT TO MOVE TO NEW MEXICO! (maybe that'll solve some snow problems)

 

[CTt3P5]

Not an MSP but still a third gen.

I am trying to decide if I want to swap the MX-5 wheels with summer tires for the 14" steelies with snow tires this weekend or push it closer to Thanksgiving. This is my first set of snow tires so I really don't know how far to push it.

 

[aaragona]

I live in toronto canada, i am putting on my winter tires and rims 205/55/r16 going down a size(blacksteels), and got it rust proofed twice i paid once and 2nd time the shop i went to did it for free (sick). last winter was a killer but i had a different car, this is the first winter i will be goin with it..hope all is well!
(nuts)

 

[dstmsp03]

i drive my POS 88 JIMMY and put stabil in the fuel and park that b**** in the field! with a cover

 

[Rush]

Not an MSP but still a third gen.

I am trying to decide if I want to swap the MX-5 wheels with summer tires for the 14" steelies with snow tires this weekend or push it closer to Thanksgiving. This is my first set of snow tires so I really don't know how far to push it.

I wouldn't bother with it till Thanksgiving. It's still getting warm enough during the day that any 'snow' we see in PA will be more like slush and will melt soon afterwards.

 

[43975]

cause I got new winter wheels! .. Okay, well. They aren't new. They're a used set of 16" MZ3 wheels, but at least they'll look better than the steelies I was running before!

What years MZ3 wheels fit any specific model to look for? I really need to get a set of snow tires this year. I have a guy that said he could get me the LeBra for the front for cheap. I might take him up on that offer to save my hood and front a bit from salt and rock chips for the winter.

 

[CTt3P5]

I wouldn't bother with it till Thanksgiving. It's still getting warm enough during the day that any 'snow' we see in PA will be more like slush and will melt soon afterwards.

Alright then...looks like I'll be swapping wheels/tires while hanging Christmas lights. Thanks.

What years MZ3 wheels fit any specific model to look for? I really need to get a set of snow tires this year. I have a guy that said he could get me the LeBra for the front for cheap. I might take him up on that offer to save my hood and front a bit from salt and rock chips for the winter.

Any MZ3 wheel from 04-up will fit. IIRC the 04-06 models offered a 15-17" range and 07-08 offered a 16" or 17"

Check this link out for pics and other info - http://www.wheelsandcaps.com/w_selection.asp?_SUPPLIERSKU=ALY64862U

 

[ZoomZoomH]

not a MSP, but i put on my winter wheels on the last weekend of november, which, i guess, is over thanksgiving

 

[Rush]

Alright then...looks like I'll be swapping wheels/tires while hanging Christmas lights. Thanks.

Watch a huge snowstorm blow up from outta nowhere this weekend and dump a foot of snow across PA, just because I said to wait till Thanksgiving, LOL.

 

[SleepyMSP]

This year I'm either parking her (not likely but I wish) or doing all the preventive stuff...winter tires, rust proofing, CAI -> SRI and I'm going to pick up a car bra this year (yes ugly I know) cause last year my front end was destroyed by the roads here with all the rocks and salt...when I cleaned my car after winter I noticed a strong resemblance to Swiss cheese

 

[CTt3P5]

Watch a huge snowstorm blow up from outta nowhere this weekend and dump a foot of snow across PA, just because I said to wait till Thanksgiving, LOL.

I guess that will depend on if your weather forecast is right or wrong, no? lol

I have hung our outdoor lights/decorations every year on Thanksgiving morning or black Friday since 1998 (yeah I'm old) and mother nature has been kind enough to provide warm enough temps and hardly any precipitation during that weekend. *knocks on wood*

Oh and congrats on the house!

 

[HondaNoMore]

i panicked about 2 weeks ago when it snowed a little and i still had on my bald RT615's. so snow tires and steelies are already on for me.

of course the week after that it was sunny and 70 damnit. oh well, better safe than in a ditch somewhere!

 

[Spooler]

Winter tires are already on....last year I gambled and I ended up on some guys front lawn....no damage to the car thank God.....rust proofing...not Mazda dealer s***, I did it for a few years and the doors and hood rusted anyway....-40C wishwash fluid....bring in the car the booster cables (mainly to help other people) and the beautifull window scraper...

 

[Patrickenator]

what all should be sprayed down when rust-proofing (some things I've hear are NOT good to spray...) and whats the best product?

 

[reg_2004]

here in wisconsin it started to snow a lil bit last week but never stayed - since its hanging around 35-45 depending on the day i cant put the snows on quite yet since they need to have 40 or less consistently. i took off the CF grille already tho and when i put the tires back on ill convert the CAI to SRI

WINTER BLOWS!!!!

 

[Spooler]

Tough to say what product is better for rust proofing. Here in Montreal we have a few different types. Metrorpolitan anti-rust does it with an oil based product, Duro uses a gel type product. Dealerships use this grease-wax thing that is useless if you take my car as a reference. I know the oil based one is sprayer everywhere, the even spray inside your door panels. But you have to leave your car in the street a few days or it would ruin your driveway