Barely Drving Car in the Winter salt?

[rustedrotors]

I do not drive my car in the winter. I do type to drive it once a month when the roads are dry. There is salt on them. This is winter #2 with my 2024.

Anybody has experience with putting a car away for the winter, but drives it like once a month to keep everything lubed up in the internals? Thinking of buying one of those underbody powerwash sprays, but use low pressure. Just get everything wet, wait a few minutes then rinse of the the diluted salt. Was kinda forced this year, recalls and factory tune at the dealer. Last winter was real mild here in NY.

My garage is unheated.

Anybody got experience doing what I do? Had GTO's Transams and a cutlass or two over the years. SomeI did that too, but usually didnt keep one for more than 3 years.

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[robvas]

Driving it doesn't "lube up the internals"

if you're going to let it sit just let it sit

The last thing you want to do if it gets salt on it is spray it with water

 

[POHLHAMMER]

X2 for just leaving it sit. Once you salted it , it gets into every Crack and crevice. Then the cancer starts. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of "winter storage".

Wash it really really well. Then use fluid film if you want to occasionally drive it in the salt. That requires putting it on a lift and getting the coating on everything. It will get dirty and have a gooey feel to everything, but fluid film absolutely works to prevent corrosion. You need to reapply it annually to areas that get road spray.

You can get a nice spray kit and a gallon can. or use the single aerosol ones.
I used to use the cans , but got smart and bought the kit. The spray kit works really really well. Especially if you have access to a good compressor. If you don't have a compressor, buy the cans.

Fluid Film Lubricant & Penetrant, Rust Protection, 11.75 oz, Pack of 6 Aerosol Cans - Walmart.com https://share.google/292NrvSCWDQbLrFjU


Fluid Film Spray Gun Kit Mfr# FFSG - Ace Hardware https://share.google/QTSD1HCX0m4NMEqRJ

 

[jbrnigan]

I use an oscillating lawn sprinkler for the undercarriage - just move it around. I also take drives when the sun shines and the roads are clear, but, keep the car covered and on a charger when the weather is inclement. Unless you plan on keeping the car for a LONG time, I would just enjoy the car and leave rust and corrosion worries to the next owner. I'm like you, I keep cars for a few years, then they find new homes, NEVER had a rust issue while I owned them. I buy them to drive and enjoy, not as garage trophys ..... FWIW

 

[LarryOS650]

I'm in the Northeast, and with the exception of one drive a few weeks ago on salt-free roads (we had plenty of rain before the snow fell again), mine has been sitting on a Battery Tender. Otherwise, I leave it alone.

Take this with a grain of salt... I found the following information via Microsoft Copilot (ChatGPT):

If you can’t actually drive the Mustang long enough to get the oil hot, starting it and letting it idle is worse than leaving it parked. The engine won’t reach full operating temperature, moisture won’t burn off, and you actually add more condensation and fuel dilution into the oil.

The best move is surprisingly simple: don’t start it at all until you can drive it.

Why idling a stored Mustang does more harm than good

• Condensation builds faster than it burns off when the engine never reaches full oil temp (around 180–200°F).
• Cold idling causes fuel washdown, thinning the oil film on cylinder walls.
• Short run cycles create acidic byproducts that stay trapped in the crankcase.
• Exhaust moisture never fully evaporates, which accelerates corrosion in the mufflers and pipes.

A modern Coyote is totally fine sitting for weeks or even a couple months as long as the battery stays healthy.

What actually helps when the car sits

These are the things that matter for a few‑week or few‑month winter sit:

• Battery health — either a tender or a periodic drive.
• Tire flat-spot prevention — move the car a few feet in the driveway if possible.
• Moisture control — keep it dry, covered, and out of the salt spray.
• Oil condition — as long as the oil was reasonably fresh when parked, it’s fine.

You don’t need to “exercise” the engine unless you can get a proper drive in.

When you should start it

Only do a start-up if you can:

• Drive at least 15–20 minutes,
• Get the oil fully hot,
• Let the exhaust system dry out,
• And avoid salt-covered roads.

If the roads are still sloppy, it’s better to wait.

A non-obvious insight

The Coyote’s tight tolerances and synthetic oil actually prefer being left alone over being started cold and shut off early. Long-term storage damage almost always comes from short run cycles, not from sitting.

Like I said, take this with a grain of salt because it's from the internet. However, it aligns with the practice I followed for 15 years when I had my 02 GT, and I never had any issues.

I follow the path of driving my car vs. keeping a garage queen, but salt is a no-go. Once the roads are clear, I will begin daily driving it until Nov/Dec.

Hope this helps.

 

[wesg79]

IMO driving that seldom just induces moisture and condensation, empties the gas tank and makes room for moisture. I know what the manual says but for me, get an oil change, fill the tank, add stabilizer, put it on some anti flat spot blocks, and throw on the trickle charger in the garage and drive the winter car

The salt dust left on dry roads is just as bad as the rest, I wait till we have had a couple good rains and no more forcasted days where theyd be dropping salt.

 

[robvas]

If the boomers don't have their Harleys out yet, keep your car in the garage.

 

[LouG]

I'm in the Northeast, and with the exception of one drive a few weeks ago on salt-free roads (we had plenty of rain before the snow fell again), mine has been sitting on a Battery Tender. Otherwise, I leave it alone.

Take this with a grain of salt... I found the following information via Microsoft Copilot (ChatGPT):

If you can’t actually drive the Mustang long enough to get the oil hot, starting it and letting it idle is worse than leaving it parked. The engine won’t reach full operating temperature, moisture won’t burn off, and you actually add more condensation and fuel dilution into the oil.

The best move is surprisingly simple: don’t start it at all until you can drive it.

Why idling a stored Mustang does more harm than good

• Condensation builds faster than it burns off when the engine never reaches full oil temp (around 180–200°F).
• Cold idling causes fuel washdown, thinning the oil film on cylinder walls.
• Short run cycles create acidic byproducts that stay trapped in the crankcase.
• Exhaust moisture never fully evaporates, which accelerates corrosion in the mufflers and pipes.

A modern Coyote is totally fine sitting for weeks or even a couple months as long as the battery stays healthy.

What actually helps when the car sits

These are the things that matter for a few‑week or few‑month winter sit:

• Battery health — either a tender or a periodic drive.
• Tire flat-spot prevention — move the car a few feet in the driveway if possible.
• Moisture control — keep it dry, covered, and out of the salt spray.
• Oil condition — as long as the oil was reasonably fresh when parked, it’s fine.

You don’t need to “exercise” the engine unless you can get a proper drive in.

When you should start it

Only do a start-up if you can:

• Drive at least 15–20 minutes,
• Get the oil fully hot,
• Let the exhaust system dry out,
• And avoid salt-covered roads.

If the roads are still sloppy, it’s better to wait.

A non-obvious insight

The Coyote’s tight tolerances and synthetic oil actually prefer being left alone over being started cold and shut off early. Long-term storage damage almost always comes from short run cycles, not from sitting.

Like I said, take this with a grain of salt because it's from the internet. However, it aligns with the practice I followed for 15 years when I had my 02 GT, and I never had any issues.

I follow the path of driving my car vs. keeping a garage queen, but salt is a no-go. Once the roads are clear, I will begin daily driving it until Nov/Dec.

Hope this helps.

That's exactly what I learned in the trade. Luckily we don't need to store cars, but when we used long term parking on our last holiday, I had them start it every 2 weeks to get a charge in the battery. They did not use chargers.

 

[TheACN]

I do the same. I don’t mind driving in cold temps, it’s the salt that I’m trying to avoid. I don’t have private parking either, so it’s on a public street With an outdoor cover. I vent it out once a week to get the moisture buildup out if the weather allows. At the same time I put it on a 15 amp battery tender i have, it charges from about 60% SOC to 90 in 3 hours or so. I don’t start the car. Tires are also overinflated to cold pressure rating on the sidewall, hoping to prevent flat spotting. I will drop back the pressure before i actually drive it.

Snow season may just be over now, and with the temps raising, we just need one good rain event to wash the salt away.

 

[MAT1955]

Have been storing summer "sports" cars, over the winter, for decades. I put fresh synthetic oil, gas stabilizer and 91 in them just before storage. I start them about every four weeks. I run them until the engine reaches operating temperature and keep it there for about 20 minutes. I cycle through the settings (AT) a number of times. I operate the heater so coolant (with its anti corrosion additives) flows through the system. This usually involves running it for 40 minutes or so. Once it reaches normal operating temperature I keep the rpm at about 1000 (Mustang GT) for 10 minutes, let it return to normal idle then shut it off. I also over inflate the tires as tire pressure drops inversely to temperature. I keep the gas tank topped-up with a gas canister. Never had a problem.

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