Winter use.

[twincamtim]

I don't want to lay up the 7 over winter and wondered about how often I should be going out (obs: as often as possible!) and then for how long to ensure temps etc are enough etc. Any advice on this and related pitfalls, thanks.

[Jonathan Kay]

Usual winter preparations and precautions for any car, but you're going to get a lot colder and wetter a lot faster if you get stuck.

7s seem to get a lot of "battery" problems. Check the minimum voltage during cranking before it decides to tell you in another way.

Clothing: mine's a sheepskin flying jacket. But it's getting harder to keep my hands warm.

Consider blanking the grille if the engine never gets warm enough

The biggest variation in practice (apart from not using it) may be how much desalting you do after every run.

Jonathan

[Andy Doughty]

The gritting /salting is one of the biggest problems running in the North of England through winter. It really does get the rust and corrosion going. I've stopped running through winter now as I got hacked off trying to make sure it was all cleaned properly before being put away. Probably doesn't help with my car being bare alloy and no powder coating on the inner surfaces.

I must say it is nice to go out on a nice crisp winters day though.

Enjoy!

[john milner]

The water on mine takes roughly twice as long to warm up and the oil lags the water by about 15 minutes. I've not needed to blank off but plenty of people have.

The cold can kill small batteries if left outside. I move the battery to my garage overnight if frost is forecast or it is not be used for a couple of days. A master switch can help with this as the immobiliser drain will flatten the battery in a week or two if unused even in a mild winter. Before refitting a battery I usually bring it up to max with a Ctek conditioner.

[TomB]

I don't use mine in the winter, I use that time to SORN and tinker in the garage.  This years its been enforced due to a clutch failure, but Im also tidying the wiring up and some other bits.  For me in the northwest of England, the weather, road conditions and available time to drive and de-salt it so rarely align, so I prefer to hibernate it.  

[Kensboats7]

May be a silly question, but why should a Seven play up more in the winter than a normal car, lets say a Sigma engined Ford for example. Battery size apart, and noting the lack of warmth retaining bodywork, Caterhams are modern cars, or am I missing something? I will be keeping my Sigma Roadsport on the road as much as possible during the winter months, but bow to more experienced owners advice if it will be a real problem.

[Paul McKenzie]

They're only modern in terms of engine.  The chassis is steel tubes with an aluminium wrap and that's a recipe for dissolution in the presence of an electrolyte such as salty water.

IMHO sorn the car from November to March, get the jobs done, and enjoy it March or April on, when the weather's good enough to use it properly.

 

[Kensboats7]

Yep, I can understand the corrosion problems, it is the getting the engine up to heat and oil problems that I find hard to understand. The thing is, I find the car quite addictive and therefore hope to use it at least once a week, weather permitting. Just bought a sheepskin coat, so no problem keeping me warm, just need to squeeze it and me into the S3. Recommended headwear?

[Jonathan Kay]

Winter: Tight fitting woollen walking hat or occasionally leather flying helmet.

Jonathan

[twincamtim]

As I wear glasses I struggle to keep them on my face due to buffeting - what are the views on wearing a helmet (full or open face with a visor) to both protect your face from gravel/dust (I regularly get stuff in the face) and to reduce wind effects?

[Jonathan Kay]

Aeroscreens, presumably?

Jonathan

[Tazio]

Skiing Goggles.....

[Kensboats7]

Had some safety goggles in the workshop, they work fine over glasses and have enough side ventilation to keep from forming condensation. They are also surprisingly light and comfortable to wear for long periods too.  They don't look too fashionable, but who can see that when you are doing fifty?

[james.c]

So if I'm taking it out for a spin each weekend should I really be cleaning it well after each use? And / or is it just important to spray underneath the car where it's more likely to suffer from corrosion?
J 

[Drumster]

I only started wearing glasses 4 years ago and as an 'aeroscreener' who'd always worn ballistic rated goggles I decided to go down the route of prescription lenses for the goggles. The lenses are also ballistic rated as well as light reacting. I'd never drive aeroscreened with normal specs.

[Jonathan Kay]

So if I'm taking it out for a spin each weekend should I really be cleaning it well after each use? And / or is it just important to spray underneath the car where it's more likely to suffer from corrosion?

There are different practices for both desalting and protection. Do you know about the reputed high risk areas... search for "grot traps".

Jonathan

[Kensboats7]

Decided on winter use as much as possible but only when enjoyable. For me this means dry roads and clear days, out after the sun is up and back home well before it goes down again. Trying to travel north westish in the morning so that I come back with the lowered sun behind me in the afternoon and go out with it behind me in the morning. Have got a little fed up with being blinded with oncoming halogens at eye level, and nutters in hatchbacks driving right up my bum at night on the local lanes. But summer is on its way!

[Kensboats7]

OK to just hose down underneath? Iclean the car before putting it away after every drive, but wonder at best way to get all of the muck off that is below eye level.