Cold Weather is Creeping Closer. Who Will Winterize First?...

[fallguy]

well my insurance runs out on October 23... so that it for me weather is still not to bad here. and its a coupe.

winterizing this time for me will be pulling out the motor and trans.. making way for the LS swap... cant wait to get rid of this auto in favor of the T56 Magnum

[ZGator]

The Z gets put up for the winter at the first sign of the roads being salted. Stays in hibernation until a good spring rain washes the roads clear of salt and sand.

This! mostly, this Feb was nice for a while and out it came. But c'mon right now is pure roadster heaven in New England, another month at least before the hardtop goes on, then hopefully a month more before salt season.. I don't even unplug the battery anymore, if winter is real tough I might treat it with the charger..

[Tallyho322]

The boat is getting hauled out on October 21, and I have a storage unit rented for the Z3M...

Damn, I hate winter!

Need to take up snowmobiles or something ��

Greg

[Terry F.]

Now, refresh my memory; what is winterizing again? Isn't that when you take the hardtop OFF to drive around in the nice weather?

Shhhhh! I tell ya, fall hard top removal day is almost a ceremonial event for me. Year after year. It means a decent break in the humidity has finally arrived and it's enjoyable to drive during the day.

I relish the break in the high dew points. The car is faster and the breeze is cooler.

[Watch Carefully]

Just installed the hard top moments ago. Temps today near Philly are quite wintry--after 1pm and sunny, yet it is only about 37 degrees, after being low 20s when I awoke.

The Zed looks good with a top, so I'm not terribly disappointed. As recently as 5 days ago I had it out at night with the top down. It's been a good long inaugural open-car season for me with this car.
Next, I gotta make arrangements to swap the summer tires on 17s for the stock 16s and all-season rubber. I plan to drive it as much as possible so long as the roads are dry and brine treatments haven't been laid down.

Summer photo of current configuration:

[s8ilver]

Back near 70 in Denver today...this global warming thing has really made Z ownership pleasurable 'round these parts.

[ProductUser]

Back near 70 in Denver today...this global warming thing has really made Z ownership pleasurable 'round these parts.

Global what? It's going to be 88 today in Phoenix.

[BimmerBreaker]

Just got back from Flagstaff... Was a balmy 60 degrees yesterday up there when we left. Came home to temps in the 80's (and not a drop of moisture in the air)

[Terry F.]

Looks good, Brad. Monochromatic twotone works, and few do, at least for me.

Besides smaller diameter, do you go narrower too? Floriduh here...

Terry
Note 8/Tapatalk.

[Watch Carefully]

Looks good, Brad. Monochromatic twotone works, and few do, at least for me.

Besides smaller diameter, do you go narrower too? Floriduh here...

Terry

Though I have lived all but a handful of years of my life north of the Mason-Dixon line, I'm no expert, Terry. To be honest, this is the first car for which I've had a spare set of wheels specifically shod with sticky summer rubber. By default, I'll just be putting the stock 16s back on, since I bought the car with all-weather tires on them. They are not staggered and are only 225s, I think. Probably not ideal for snow, but I needn't drive this car in snow (and probably won't even try it).
I had extra wheels with Blizzaks for an A4 I drove 2004-2014 (which normally had boring all-weather tires); that is my only prior experience with having a second set of wheels and dedicated winter tires.

[JWin]

lulz, I'm doing some general maintenance to prepare to actually drive it more.

[WisM]

Sort of following Mr. Forbes lead, I winterized mine permanently about 3 years ago by relocating it from Wisconsin to South Carolina.
I do miss the fall colors top down drives tho.

[ixlr08]

We had some snow a few days ago, they didn't salt the roads so the Z is still on the road. More snow forecast for Thursday and Sunday, once the roads get salted, the Z is put up for the winter.

[Tim95M3]

lulz, I'm doing some general maintenance to prepare to actually drive it more.

lol, same. I was gonna say... what's this word, "winter"? I mean, I put the hardtop on... Done!

[Watch Carefully]

We had some snow a few days ago, they didn't salt the roads so the Z is still on the road. More snow forecast for Thursday and Sunday, once the roads get salted, the Z is put up for the winter.

Enjoy it while you can, Jim.
The family & I spent 2 weeks in Maine this summer (mostly hiking MDI)...had to drive the station wagon (with large cruise-missile cargo box on top). I sure wish I could have towed my Z3 for some daytrips along the coast! When will they start salting up there?
Brad

[Randy Forbes]

Looks good, Brad. Monochromatic twotone works, and few do, at least for me.

Besides smaller diameter, do you go narrower too? Floriduh here...

Terry
Note 8/Tapatalk.

From the WayBack Machine: The snow tire/wheel package I bought from Tirerack to run the black car all winter, consisted of 16 X 7" Mille Miglia wheels (spoke pattern cleared calipers), 18 mm spacers for the rear wheels (still didn't bring the wheels out as far as stock Roadstars, but was said to keep rear/outer fender cleaner) and 225/50 Pirelli SnowSports.

I think those lasted 5 winters or so, then I switched to Blizzaks for the next go 'round (no perceivable difference).

As a sort of Murphy's Law thing, I bought a snow tire/wheel package for Sue's X5, figuring that would close the deal on finally moving to Florida. All were sold with the help of a neighbor letting them stay in Ohio until someone bought them__NOBODY buys stuff like that in the spring when we moved, no matter how good the deal is!

[ixlr08]

Enjoy it while you can, Jim.
The family & I spent 2 weeks in Maine this summer (mostly hiking MDI)...had to drive the station wagon (with large cruise-missile cargo box on top). I sure wish I could have towed my Z3 for some daytrips along the coast! When will they start salting up there?
Brad

Brad, I was on some roads today, in the X5, that showed signs of salting from Monday's storm. Rain tomorrow should wash it off enough to keep driving the Z for a little while longer. I am thinking that by the 1st of Dec I suspect the Z will be put up for the winter.

[MartyBtoo]

I completed the winterization of my Coupe today; I closed the roof hatch.

Marty

[Terry F.]

You nailed it Marty!

Terry
Note 8/Tapatalk.

[Dakar Ole]

A new battery:old one 11 yrs.in service, and a bottle of Techron and I'm good.

[melville]

Boy. Oil change and some other maintenance next week after new Michelin PSS last week and it'll be go go go all 'winter' here. 'Winter' is in quotes because I grew up near Brad where the word was definitely NOT in quotes. I may actually drive the car more between September and March than the other way around, as I only have a commuting job in the winter and the bike (also BMW) gets the 'fun' miles in the summer.

[LannVouivre]

Snow tires went on like 2 weeks ago. Bipolar weather down here; usually we get ice rains and stuff without much warning or logic.

[Mr Bingley]

The Zed is nicely hibernating and has been for weeks. The snows go on the XC70 this weekend and won't come off until late March/early April. I expect to measure the snow this year in feet.

[redlinealley]

I'll parked the Z when the first snow falls. No sign of that the white stuff yet 😁

[Remotion]

I completed the winterization of my Coupe today; I closed the roof hatch.

Marty

You nailed it Marty!


Terry

I usually use screws.