How bad is road salt for a car's paint? I drove around for almost an hour today up here in Oregon, and I couldn't find a touchless car wash to get it off! I'll be home in a few days, and I can get it washed then... but is it ok to go that long?

Will Acura dealerships wash our cars for free? I highly doubt it, since I bought it in another state too. I just don't know how to get my car clean!

Also, has anyone noticed they don't make chains for the 245/50/17 tires that come on our car? Chains are REQUIRED in southern Oregon when there is snow. That means that if it snows on Wednesday, I won't be able to get home! Les Schwab says there are none available for our size tires. I went to the Acura Dealership, and they were zero help.

 

I wouldn't worry about your paint. So long as it's waxed, it'll be fine. Sometimes we go weeks at a time without being able to wash the stuff off, it's no big deal.

My dealership washes the car with every service, but I don't think they'll just wash it for free.

Are you sure you need chains on the highway? I'd be surprised.... Mountain roads, sure... but if not, just hole up someplace and wait a few hours, they'll plow you out.

 

I agree. As long as your car is waxed, it won't be a problem. I know people who will put a few coats of zaino on the car just before winter and not wash the car until spring. The salt and other crap comes off the car without a problem.

 

From the feedback I received on the board, I personally don't think I'll need chains. Oregon *requires* them apparently when there is snow on the roads. Weakness.

 

You can find chains @ http://tirechainsrequired.com/Shoppi...xd.asp?id=1034

 

Has anyone had to use chains on the RL? I'm going up to the mountains and probably will need to carry chains.

With the all wheel drive we have -- do the chains go on the front or rear wheels?

 

Chains go on the front wheels -- this car is balanced to be mostly front wheel drive.

 

Check out the other thread I started entitled "Snow Advice". I had the same question you did.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2004

Also, is there a reason people don't use All-Weather tires all year long? Are they more expensive or do they wear out faster or something? I don't see why you'd want anything besides them, if you can get through snow with them.

 

Hmmm looking around I think I answered my own question. People do use the All-weather tires year round- they just don't use the snow tires.

 

All weather tires are a compromise between ride noise, dry traction, wet traction, and snow traction. Each of those factors offsets the others to some degree. Snow tires have knobbier treads to get traction -- but that's noiser, and results in less rubber on the road. All-WX tires have OK dry traction, decent wet traction, and moderate snow traction. IN the parts of the country where they get 4" of snow twice a year, that's fine... but if you live in Buffalo, NY or something similar, you get snow tires on your car from November through April. But all-WX tires aren't really good for real snow, they're just OK.

If you live somewhere dry and hot, you can put "three seasons" on which favors dry traction over anything else -- but dog help you if it rains any appreciable amount, you'll be sliding around on the water like a drift racer.

 

Where in Oregon are you? I might be able to help you out

 

They're required on the passes on I-5 in the winter.

 

Fugazi: if my car was staying in CA I would probably get a set of high perf summer tires for the next set. All Season tires are nice but summer tires are so much stickier it makes a huge difference in handling. But these tires tend to wear quickly so they end up being quite spendy.