When I bought my coupe it had no windsheild wipers! Owner told me my car had never seen rain
Thoughts on exposing your Coupe to rain
- Thread starter bluecoupe30!
- Start date
If everyone takes a step back, the conversation almost makes no sense. These are cars. They are meant to be driven. Unless the car is already near its end, I would drive any of my cars nearly any time. I assume most of us have busy lives, and driving provides joy. The limited time we have to use our cars shouldn't be limited by the threat of rain. Never washing a car for decades? I am pretty comfortable that washing an E9 from above isn't going to reduce it to rust.
Just my two cents. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I am happy to wave as I drive by and am looking to update my wipers to have a useable intermittent function.
Just my two cents. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I am happy to wave as I drive by and am looking to update my wipers to have a useable intermittent function.
To say the conversation makes no sense… makes no sense. We just have different kinds of car owners at opposite ends of the spectrum. On one end, you’ve got the folks who drive in the rain without a care. On the other, people who treat raindrops like acid.
It’s like taking care of your body—avoiding bad habits doesn’t guarantee immortality, but it improves the odds. Cars are the same: the better you treat them, the longer they last. At one extreme, you’ve got the ‘it’s just rain’ drivers who actually enjoy every twist and turn, rain or shine. At the other, you’ve got people who see a drizzle and think, ‘Rust is coming for me!’ Most of us sit somewhere in between—taking care of our cars while still getting out there and enjoying the ride, because what’s the point of a perfect car if you never actually drive it
Minivansomeren
Well-Known Member
Yeah I wouldn’t fault an owner who drives their E9 in the rain, but I also wouldn’t fault somebody who avoids rain because they want to preserve it for future generations.
The only owner I would take issue with is the guy who drives it less than 50 miles a year
one reason to avoid rain might not have anything to do with rust ... it can have a lot to do with how many idiots out there drive in the rain. i personally love to avoid those clowns that don't know how to control their car in the wet.
So true Scott! Previously not yet acknowledged but a major factor in taking a Classic out on public roads. Some drivers are simply unsafe at any time, add rain, reduced visibility, darkness, and you have certainly increased risk. Everyone has different levels of tolerance to risk, but as I get older, I see it is easier to avoid and drive another day, than just get out there, and hope for the best. Is it just me, or has anyone else realized we just don't have another insurance claim, tear down, parts source, weld and repaint in our future? I appreciate the input here. Helped me avoid a most seriously wet and windy dark day up here that was only meant for a few hours and will be best rescheduled for a calmer day here in beautiful, but often wet, British Columbia!
When I first got my coupe, I avoided rain. My wife called it "the sugar cube" since she was convince I thought it would melt in the rain. Since the bare metal respray, Lokari inner fenders and Waxoil I am less anal. Yes, if downpours are predicted I will beg off but sometimes the weather is unpredictable in New England or the event (The Vintage in Asheville) is too compelling to miss.
Such was the case at O'Fest in Rhode Island, Legends in Hilton Head and The Vintage this year when we drove through lashing rain for a day.
Such was the case at O'Fest in Rhode Island, Legends in Hilton Head and The Vintage this year when we drove through lashing rain for a day.
bimmerboy73
Well-Known Member
This is where I am with it. Rain really isn't the issue. It's water trapped in dirt that never properly evaporates and thus begins to consume the metal it's in contact with and water allowed to sit in surfaces that aren't protected. Anyone who owns a couple should reserve the time to thoroughly clean the nooks and crannies, the undercarriage and fender wells to get rid of all the surface contaminants that hold water. Give all the surfaces you can some level of protection... Rust inhibitor, rust neutralizer and then cover exposed metal with wax or paint.
Then go and drive.
Salt and snow is far more damaging.
I mean, to each their own. If you have a nuts and bolts restoration or virtually mint original car and want to keep it that way, I get it. But that category of car is a fraction of a tiny fraction of the coupes left in existence. I don't fret anymore about the car getting wet. I just finished a mild resto 9 years ago and regret that I haven't enjoyed the car as I should have since then. When it was sporting ragged paint and torn seats, I drove it all the time and loved it. It's not a garage queen but it's really solid, has zero structural rust if any kind and is protected with epoxy primer, so I am starting now from a pretty good place for a 50 year old car. The way I see it, if I drove it everyday for the next 20 years, it might be in the shape it was again when I first acquired it. I will worry about the rust then. But if you take care of the car, clean those unseen areas and stay on top of them, it's not that big of a deal.
Sometimes water is necessary.
Sometimes water is fun.
Lokari Fender Liners made for Scandinavian Winters.
100% of Coupe owners have another daily driver.
Athena is likely the most driven Coupe on this forum 200,000km/125,000mi since 2011.
Sometimes water is fun.
Lokari Fender Liners made for Scandinavian Winters.
100% of Coupe owners have another daily driver.
Athena is likely the most driven Coupe on this forum 200,000km/125,000mi since 2011.
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Looks like Lokari isn’t shipping to the US at the moment. Here was the reply to my inquiry:
Due to changes in customs regulations that have significantly impacted international trade, we are unable to export goods in small quantities to the United States for workshops and private customers for the foreseeable future. Industrial customers can still pick up their goods and clear customs themselves through their freight forwarders from our warehouse in Hallbergmoos near Munich Airport. Thank you for your understanding.
Due to changes in customs regulations that have significantly impacted international trade, we are unable to export goods in small quantities to the United States for workshops and private customers for the foreseeable future. Industrial customers can still pick up their goods and clear customs themselves through their freight forwarders from our warehouse in Hallbergmoos near Munich Airport. Thank you for your understanding.
wow, that's a shame. not that anybody wants to pay the tariffs, not being able to get something to protect our cars is unfortunate. glad i already have a set.
OK, I would drive this Rally in rain in my Coupe or my Healey....
Andrew, some members will have a stroke when they see your beautiful coupe enteering the Wash Bay. I am with you all the way. Wash. Drive. Wash. Drive. .....
When the rain turns to snow. I live in Bucks County, PA, southeastern PA. We have winters. But I drive all winter. No tucking my Bavaria away or any other classic I have owned for the winter and depriving myself of one of life's greatest pleasures. But I only drive on days when the rain, and we do get rain during our warming winters, has washed the salt off the roads and the sun has dried them. When those conditions are in place a sunny February day becomes perfect June day.
As Stevehose says, "life is short..." and getting shorter by the day.
When the rain turns to snow. I live in Bucks County, PA, southeastern PA. We have winters. But I drive all winter. No tucking my Bavaria away or any other classic I have owned for the winter and depriving myself of one of life's greatest pleasures. But I only drive on days when the rain, and we do get rain during our warming winters, has washed the salt off the roads and the sun has dried them. When those conditions are in place a sunny February day becomes perfect June day.
As Stevehose says, "life is short..." and getting shorter by the day.
Andrew please tell me that is not a car wash that you are putting Athena through?
Yup, 2016 in Del Rey Oaks across from the Safeway on Laguna Grande, down the road from Mike Burger's house. Big Sur fires covered everything is gritty ash that year.
Way to go Andrew!
Minivansomeren
Well-Known Member
Flagstaff (where I live) is often one of the top 10 snowiest cities in the US.
BUT
They don’t use road salt! I guess they found that it kills the Ponderosas Pines in town. They use volcanic cinders like sand, which are terrible for paint and windshields, but no salt. So I’ve been thinking of taking it out in the snow, maybe even doing some donuts in a parking lot hehehe
Maybe that’s a reason to get all-seasons instead of the summer tires that came on it…