Moving to Minnesota at the end of summer, what do i need to get ready for a MN winter

[Foreverzero89]

i know that i'll need winter tires, a hard top is preferable(but not likely ill be able to afford one) so thats out. what about a block heater and a deep cycle battery?

[JDSM]

why are you moving?

stick-on block-heaters, or the dipstick version are awesome for fast warm-ups... yes, tires, also think about getting it undercoated up there(where they know how to do it)

[Nails]

Sell the Miata here where you'll get the most for it and buy a front wheel drive hatchback up there.

[black roadster]

The Miata will rust out in a very short time. Get a winter beater and garage the Miata for 6 months out of the year. I've had a few "northern" cars here at the shop and the road salt really does a number on the cars.

[Foreverzero89]

JD, i'm moving to be with my GF.

[POS Racing]

Sell the Miata here where you'll get the most for it and buy a front wheel drive hatchback up there.

+1 Subaru FTW! My grandmother in Western PA. would get a Subaru every 4-5 years depending on how fast they rusted out. But the 4 wheel drive was awesome in the snow!

Change the Antifreeze now since winter is just weeks away in Minnesota!

[Foreverzero89]

selling the miata is not really an option. i think if i can get the undercoat and clean it well after winter i should be alright.

[black roadster]

selling the miata is not really an option. i think if i can get the undercoat and clean it well after winter i should be alright.

You're going to be going six months of freezing winter temps. Six months of daily assault of snow, ice and salt. The chemical reaction of rust happens quickly. An accumulation of salt, slush and road crud over several years will take its toll, and vehicles in the Snow Belt are bound to pick up at least a little rust over time. However, keeping a vehicle in a garage, getting the salt and road crud washed off promptly (Fun to do when it is below freezing!) and keeping a car’s finish protected with wax can deter rust. I believe snow belt states have year round car washes that clean the chassis and under carriage. You will need to wax the car more often than you would in Texas.

I seriously would consider garaging the Miata and buying a $1000 beater to drive in the winters. Make sure you stock the trunk with nonperishable food, water, blankets, a folding shovel, kitty litter and what ever else those folks up there recommend.

[OZMDD]

You don't want to hear this, but you are going to kill your miata in a year or two up there, and its going to be a pretty miserable driving experience in the winter while you do have it. The low clearance, rwd and softop aren't well-suited to MN roads and climate. Because of the snow, salt and plows, potholes and rough roads are ubiquitous.

You can actually get a pretty penny for a southern Miata up there, as it will be the only rust-free miata in the state that isn't a garage queen. A Subie is the best possible car you can buy for MN, but a Mazda3 would also make a terrific snow car.

A good firsthand source for advice and maybe some car help is a fellow on the forum who goes by slates.
He is in MN, but lived down here for a few years, and is a big miata guy. PM him and he won't steer you wrong.
Good luck!
BTW, if you do want to sell your miata before you go, I'm buying.

[shortshift]

The wife and I lived in Chicago for most of our lives before the transfer to Texas in 1999. The advice about storing the Miata over Winter is very good. We stored our 1990 NA each October and retrieved it in late March. Illinois and Minnesota use road salt to keep the streets clear. It's great for driving but is terrible for the cars. Put some Sta-bil in the gas tank, check the anti-freeze level and yank the battery each Fall. Use a beater to drive around in Winter (and you will definately need a block heater for that car) if you really wish to keep the Miata. While Winters have been getting "milder" over the past 20 years, MN is still subject to short-term temperatures around -15°F or colder. Winter percipitation is usually snow rather than ice, so multi-season tires are okay for whatever you drive in the Winter. Good luck!

[Foreverzero89]

i really want to keep the car, but i will have to survive this winter with it. can prob get a beater for next year, but this year i will have to make do.

[trickyrix]

Sell the Miata here where you'll get the most for it and buy a front wheel drive hatchback up there.

+1... the Miata is NOT compatible with winter weather like they have up there, and the weather will turn it to red dust unless you get creamed by a snowplow first. No sense sacrificing a perfectly nice TX Miata to the salt gods in the Great White North.

[trickyrix]

JD, i'm moving to be with my GF.

Moving to MN to be with a chick? She doesn't have a cell phone? No email?

[JDSM]

We do silly things for women...

[Foreverzero89]

+1... the Miata is NOT compatible with winter weather like they have up there, and the weather will turn it to red dust unless you get creamed by a snowplow first. No sense sacrificing a perfectly nice TX Miata to the salt gods in the Great White North.

i have no choice, no money to get rid of one car and get something else. i have to rough it this winter.

Moving to MN to be with a chick? She doesn't have a cell phone? No email?

she does and we skype everyday, but it's time to be with her.

We do silly things for women...

that we do.

[trickyrix]

Good luck.

[Foreverzero89]

Good luck.

thank you, good sir.

[TexasStig]

Very good comments/warnings above. I had a convertible during college in Illinois, and it wasn't the best choice. Do you have a plastic or glass rear window? One time I went to scrape the ice off the plastic window (with my student ID, nothing hard) and when I touched it the window shattered.

[bnordin]

JD, i'm moving to be with my GF.

You need to rethink this move!!

[POS Racing]