the_bard Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 .I'm noticin' a lot of y'all are from the Northwest... anybody have a plausible explanation for that? Around here, in the Northeast, Sube's are known for being great snow vehicles (one of the main reasons I love my 4wd Loyale so much)... does the same hold true for the NW too? And how's the salt up out west? My Subie's got a lot of rust-rot from the amount that NY lays down... might be a good reason to move out west . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 One of the small pleasures of living in the NW (besides the scenery, great climate (if you can stand the rain), is the fact that they don't use salt!!! Only thing I've every seen put onto the snow and ice is sand. Results in some strange sights. I came out here and saw a 1956 VW beetle during the first few months I lived here. Also, most cars wind up in Pull a Part because of emissions failures, accidents, and just plain age. Very few have any appreciable rust on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 The only major rustmobile I have ever had in washington was an old pontiac that had taken a dunking down at ocean shores.. was fished out a few days later.. ran forever, but since the saltwater wasn't washed off.. well.. you know what salt does to a car My current subaru has been a washington car from the time it was new until I drove it down to TX a few months ago.. it has one rust spot about the size of a dime on the rear gate.. just surface rust though.. not rusted through. As ed says, they just use sand on the roads.. no need for salt.. theres only a couple of days of snow each year, usually followed by a couple of days of ice.. most people just stay home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_bard Posted September 13, 2003 Author Share Posted September 13, 2003 Only a few days of snow a year? :-\ Yep, I'm in the wrong side of the country. In Troy, we're lucky if the streets are plowed clean for a few days out of the winter season. I'm still stuck on the idea that there's gotta be some surefire way to keep salt from getting at the underside of my Subie. I'm hoping I'm going to be able to stop the rust that's already there, too... I have really fallen for this car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 They don't use salt around here because of the lack of it - they use chemicals, and sand or gravel mostly cause we have lots of that. I've heard that most of the road salt comes from the great lakes, so it's readily availible out there, but since there's no large bodies of salt water around here, we just can't supply it. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 out here in the mid west there are no large bodies of salt water either, we have the largest non frozen reserve of fresh water. that said detroit is on the nations largest underground salt deposit, lets hope it dosn't mix with the lakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajavwnsoobnut Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 well for oregon at least most of the passes are "sanded" with Cinder which is the best for traction cause of it desentigrates (sp?) over time with cars driving over it and it melts the ice down enough to get a bite into the ice, unlike gravel which is nasty to windshields, bodies, and paint after awhile with cars kicking it up and it just sits on top of the ice, they don't use chemicals cause of the environmental concerns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 it seems like every car i have gotten into, subaru, isuzus,(mostly), always have the greatest numbers in washington. i think you guys got the largest numbers of the best options. like turbo brats, touring wagons, hatchbacks... all that stuff, wish i was a west coaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDirtyRue Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 General Disorder, I have to disagree about the statement that there arent any large bodies of salt water around here. If you live up in the Seattle Tacoma area, you have the puget sound, if youre over on the coast, youve got the great Pacific. I think that the NW Could use salt, but it would cost too much and wouldnt be worth it. Unless you are in the mountains, then there really isnt a need for it. As some thoer people have said, it only snows a few times a year over there, so no point in spending lots of money on snow/ice control. ( this is also why the whole city nearly closes down after an inch and a half of snow. Over here, we could have 12 inches and ti'd be just like any other day!) Just saying, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastchance Posted September 14, 2003 Share Posted September 14, 2003 I've lived in the Portland/Vancouver area my whole life. It probably snows here combined in the winter like 10 inches. They never use salt and here in Clark County (Vancouver) they don't even use gravel anymore. My uncle works for the county and says the biodegradable and enviro friendly chemicals they spray on the roads (much like a water truck to keep dust down in construction sites, etc) is WAY more cost effective than gravel or salt. The winters here aren't gnarly enough for them to waste a bunch of the state's/county's money on salt or extended efforts to make the 1" snow covered roads "drivable." If anyone is in this area, you'll know what I mean with the lack of funding and weak winters we have. That's all, Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickOregon Posted September 14, 2003 Share Posted September 14, 2003 Here in eastern Oregon the roads are cleared fairly quickly after a snowfall, either by the state/county road crews, who do a great job, or by mother nature. The sun usually shines so brightly here that the snow just melts away, especially fast on blacktop. Where cinders are spread, it's usually on curves and hills, and there, only sparingly. Main things that damages cars over here seem to be those darn suicidal deer and antelope... Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratty2Austin Posted September 14, 2003 Share Posted September 14, 2003 I know that near my house, (north seattle area) they spray those chemicals on the road, that lowers the freezing point, so it is still liquid slush stuff on the roads... it just dis-allows snow and ice to form on the streets! (makes it no fun though!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Hill Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 I live in Vancouver, WA too. The winters are pretty much non-existant. Last year I don't think we even had any snow! The worst thing about the gravel and sand they spread is that it makes riding your mortorcycle on the first nice day of the year REEEALLY tricky. I've had a couple of pretty "puckery" suprises turning onto side streets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Washington cars definitely have it good when it comes to rust. My car originally came from Washington, and it has NO rust at all to this day. It also does seem to be correct in saying that you guys down there have all the good, rare soobs too. Alaska is PACKED with old subarus, but even an ea82 turbowagon is a rare sight here. Not even many brats around any more. They're nearly all carbed or SPFI ea82 wagons (and of course later-model cars as well). Also, Alaskans are notorious for treating cars, especially subarus, like crap. My car is probably the nicest subaru in Haines, and it's got a bunch of body damage on one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 you could take your best example of a subaru from indiana and rank right up with the rustiest examples out west. rust is something you acept and deal with around here. and they are like "what is a ziebart" not really, but it might as well be that way................ you should see some of the ford tempos that run around. i'm talking about rust holes in the roof! i bet they dont sell any bondo out west! people drive around cars a lot worse than the ones in junkyards out west thats fer sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Try living in SALT LAKE CITY!!!! Our roads are white in the winter and it's not snow!!!!!!!!! You have salt crystals forming on your car evey couple of days in the winter season:madder: We export train loads of salt out of here.... Cars have no chance here:boohoo: Whine, whine, whine... Glenn, 82 Hatch, holes in the floor 01 Forester, undercoated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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