tires and wheels Winter-ing in an '02

[aerowise]

I am reluctantly forced to spend this Colorado winter driving my 1974 2002 due to clutch failure in my usual winter wheels, a 1991 

Saab 900. I have had other 2002's through the winter months as a daily driver but its been years.

 

Im wondering what everyone does to winterize their 2002 and make it more DRIVeABLE in the snow.

 

-Should I throw an elephant in the trunk to compensate for the weight/traction issue?

-Planning on buying some Blizzaks, any better suggestions for rubber?

-My heater blows very weak and defrost is dead. Where do I begin to fix these heater issues?

-The windshield wipers leave patches of wetness resembling swiss cheese, mostly cheese... How can I get them to make firm contact with the glass?

-All around the side windows there is gushes of wind and thats gonna bite come freeze time. What, when, where, how to replace the strips/seals?

-Any cold start tips?

 

_Im considering pulling the door panels and stuffing insulation all in there for added heat retention! Seriously!

 

Please, if anyone has experience with seriously winterizing there 2002 please help.

Any and all tips, suggestions or anecdotes would be greatly appreciated!

I hear its gonna be a DoOzY! ( I think i'll name my 2002 that, DooZy. Has a nice ring to it... yeah, Sahara Doozy. It's official. )

[Simeon]

Clutch change in the 900 would be easier.

Sounds like you have a bit of a backlog of work to do. Don't forget the car is designed for Northern European winters so if everything is working correctly it should be fine.

Tackling the heater / demister is a priority. A remember driving a VW campervan down the motorway in the UK and having aerosol de-icer (sprayed while driving ) freezing on an unheated windscreen. You will need to pull the heater to restore - not a trivial job. You might also check your thermostat and make sure that this is an 80 degree state to help with the heater temperature and running temperature. A partial block of the radiator with a piece of cardboard slid in front after loosening the fixing screws may also help.

[tzei]

My list:

 

Antifreeze: coolant & window wash. Make sure those are better than you should expect to encounter.

New wiper blades helps a lot. Little bending might put more pressure to blades.

working rear window defogger is a +

LSD is very good

maybe rear sway bar off

15 - 20 kg in trunk at least (as in sand bags - which might come handy. Also rubber floor mats will do). I use old block in trunk.

Good studded tires

Engine heater + battery charger

Due  the oem heater capacity - i would put extra heater in cockpit (routed from the same electric source as eng. heater unit)

Ice scraber

small shovel

a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to block some of air flow to keep temps up.

 

Locks works best when clean imo. Some uses oils, others don't.

 

For extreme:

extra clothes

wood & matches to make fire

 

Drive with a lot of caution!

 

Enjoy the slides!

 

hth

Edited October 9, 2015 by tzei

[M3M3]

Fix the saab. Cheaper, faster, better, easier.

[Simeon]

From memory a Saab 900 clutch is an easy job done entirely standing up without pulling anything significant. That would be my pick rather than DDing an 02 in less than robust condition through a heavy winter.

[adawil2002]

Fix the saab. Cheaper, faster, better, easier.

 

Marshall beat me to it. You'll be saving money on rust repair on the '02. Been there done that when my '02 was my daily in college. The easiest way to kill the car is to drive it in winter, the salt and sand will dissolve the car faster than you can keep up.

 

Even if you don't drive it coat the underside and fender wells with Fluid Film, available at Napa. Search Fluid Film on youtube.

[Conserv]

n/t

Edited October 9, 2015 by Conserv

[Conserv]

I'm in the "Fix Saab" contingent: it's a better winter vehicle. But if there's a lot more to the Saab issue than you're telling us, and you insist on the "Fix BMW" approach, you need to overhaul that heater, buy 4 good snows, and buy a pair of new wiper arms (the springs in yours appear to have given up).

We "winter drove" these cars through horrendous winters and we lived to tell the story.

Steve

[Hans]

Or buy another beater. Waste of a good 2002 to winter drive it in salt.

[jmanscotch]

http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/5259161353.html

 

FWD Cavalier that needs a rad, could get for $650 probably, about the same as tires and materials for winterizing the 02 and less work than the Saab clutch...

 

Plenty of cheap winter beaters to be had around here.

[beammmer]

You should start the 02 repairs now for 2016/17 winter.

[ray_]

Mike S said you can add blowers from hair dryers to the heat ducts if you can't get around to overhauling the fan. Not sure how long an extension cord you'd need though...

 

If they don't salt the roads there, I guess the old German metal might survive winter.

 

Saab-fixing still a better idea tho, I think.

 

Good luck,

[Emyers]

Stationed in the Springs from 1993 to 1998.  The state did not use salt on the roadways then, and do not think they do now, lots of sand/gravel though.  Drove my 02 everyday to work and back from up near Garden of the Gods to Ft. Carson for two years, and then NORAD, Cheyenne Mtn for 3 years.  Never had an issue, slow down, avoid the 4 wheel drive SUVs upside down in the ditch/road and plan your moves.  I also had Florida plates on the car and that helped keeping the natives away from me on the road:)  Fix the heater/defrost if you are going to drive the car!!

[jimk]

and do not think they do now, lots of sand/gravel though

Earl, they do now. Not much sand and gravel due to the airborne dust pollution (the brown cloud) that is kicked up as soon as the roads dry. Lots of liquid mag chloride sprayed down before a snow is the in thing now. I don't even take mine out for several days after the roads dry to not have the mag chloride dust get in the crevices and to have it later wetted.

[Emyers]

Earl, they do now. Not much sand and gravel due to the airborne dust pollution (the brown cloud) that is kicked up as soon as the roads dry. Lots of liquid mag chloride sprayed down before a snow is the in thing now. I don't even take mine out for several days after the roads dry to not have the mag chloride dust get in the crevices and to have it later wetted.

Jim,

 Thanks buddy, I stand corrected. I remember that cloud. It seemed to be there all the time, when taking off in my trusty UH-1H from Butts AAF you could see it from traffic pattern altitude.  I also remember that there seemed to be a windshield replacement shop on every corner.......

Earl