Salt Damage?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Salt Damage? I live in Michigan, and right now there is left over salt on the roads. I dont drive my trans am in rain or snow, but i was wondering if the left over salt will affect the paint or any of my car at all. I'm talking the next day when the roads are dry
yes, salt is highly corrosive. Definately spray it off as soon as you can after you're done driving it. Thats the main reason northern cars are so commonly rusted out and people prefer southern cars ("california cars" "texas cars" "arizona cars") etc
Especially the chrome rims. Make sure you rinse off the inside of the rims aswell. Salt with brake dust will start pitting your chrome fast if you don't get it off from the backside also. I have seen beautiful chrome rims on the face of the wheels with terrible and pitting chrome on the inside. 
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TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 437
Likes: 0
From: Northern Kentucky
Perfect example is the muscle cars that are becoming so popular now.
Everyone wants a western car because they don't have the rust due to no salt eating everything away causing rust. My '67 has little rust damage because it has been a racecar its whole life, thus it didn't have salt eating the paint/clear creating rust.
I got a good '69 Camaro for a Kentucky car and it only needed 2 quarters, heels on the fenders and a drivers side floor pan. A good California car doesn't need this.
Salt = not good.
Everyone wants a western car because they don't have the rust due to no salt eating everything away causing rust. My '67 has little rust damage because it has been a racecar its whole life, thus it didn't have salt eating the paint/clear creating rust.
I got a good '69 Camaro for a Kentucky car and it only needed 2 quarters, heels on the fenders and a drivers side floor pan. A good California car doesn't need this.
Salt = not good.
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Originally Posted by Wdpballer46
there is A TON of left over salt on the roads here.... and i cant wash it off because we shut off the hoses so they dont freeze & break. And i dont have a damn garage. any suggestions?
Launching!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 252
Likes: 1
From: Jamaica, NYC
I (should) know about this subject first hand. First of all, do not panic. Road salt, although lethal, is much slower in corrosive action than the salts that they were using years ago (There are some cars that go around with cakes of salt that haven't been washed for weeks during the winter.....DON'T). You can drive on moderately salty roads and not worry, but you will have to keep a very good cleaning regimen. You should wash your car a minimum of once a week, rain or shine. I would recommend that if possible, do not let the salt stay on the car for more than 2-3 days. When the weather gets to at least 33 degrees, take some warm water in a bucket, and rinse off areas as much as possible.
Your best bet, however, is to find an automated car wash (preferrably a hand car wash) that has an underbody wash service. A good car wash will prove to be your best friend during the harsh winter months, and if its a hand car wash, so much the better for your paint. It is a much better alternative than suffering in the freezing weather trying to wash your car.
At the very least, wash your car thoroughly at least once a week. It is also a very good thing to undercoat your car with rubberized spray on undercoating. That will help fight off salt and corrosion immeasurably (I always have my new cars undercoated.....one day I may even make it to the DD).
Your best bet, however, is to find an automated car wash (preferrably a hand car wash) that has an underbody wash service. A good car wash will prove to be your best friend during the harsh winter months, and if its a hand car wash, so much the better for your paint. It is a much better alternative than suffering in the freezing weather trying to wash your car.
At the very least, wash your car thoroughly at least once a week. It is also a very good thing to undercoat your car with rubberized spray on undercoating. That will help fight off salt and corrosion immeasurably (I always have my new cars undercoated.....one day I may even make it to the DD).