 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Off to Tignes on 15th Dec. Drove down last Easter and parked at Tignes les Boisses in the free car park, but it was warm and sunny.
Does anyone have any tips for leaving the car for 2 weeks outdoors. Boisses is 1800m I think.
I've read about filling up with diesel from Albertville onwards, but would welcome any other advice, unless I get really scared and stump up 134 euros for covered parking.
Are shovels/covers etc any use?
Thanks.
 A happy snow day to all.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would be happy to leave it outside but probably a good idea to schedule a couple of visits to it. Brev should be open by then so you can ski down to it, dig out and start it up, drive it round a bit then continue skiing. Have the last visit a couple of days before you leave and keep an eye on weather and move it inside if forcast for heavy snow. Skiing down to it means you are kitted up to deal with fast removal of snow from it.... just use arms to remove snow
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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gryfon, pull your windscreen wipers away from the windscreen. Start up the engine occasionally, don't leave it cold for the whole two weeks. Keep a shovel handy to dig it out again if you need to (avalanche shovel will do the job).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Are shovels/covers etc any use?
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whether shovels are any use depends on whether it snows. If it does, then they're indispensable, really. Also useful is a small stiff-bristled brush - shovels can play hell with your paintwork.  I don't bother with a cover - because the big work is clearing the snow from round the car - rather than off it. None of the locals seem to ever bother with covers. Remember to leave the windscreen wipers off the screen. If it's very cold, locks can freeze, as can door seals, especially on the windward side. But if it's clear and cold, no problem - and you don't need de-icer spray in those conditions because there isn't enough moisture in the air to freeze onto the windscreen.
If you think it's going to snow overnight when you will need the car in the morning - put chains on the night before. and bring your shovel indoors in case the doors freeze shut.
Final suggestion - don't leave the car somewhere where it's likely to be walled in with two metres of rock-hard snow shoved up by a snowplough.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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gryfon, Put your chains on before you leave it.....it takes just a few seconds to take them off again if not needed but if they are it's so much quicker and easier if they're already on rather than trying to dig it out and put them on when all you want to do is get off home.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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vaseline on the door rubbers....... means you can always open the doors without shredding your seals!
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Diesel congeals at something like -15 (not sure of the exact temperature but that's ballpark). So if the forecast is for really cold weather & you're expecting to have to get anywhere in it. I'd suggest moving it in advance to an underground carpark or somewhere that won't get so cold. So that you'll be able to drive it when you need it.
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Just might be worth checking that they don't clear the snow from the car park on Satudays and need all cars out to do this. I have parked in places where this is the case. Seeing the snowploughs & JCB's at work they would have made short work of any cars left.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Further to my previous post a little research tells me that this process starts to occur at about -9 to -10 degrees. There are however additives you can add to your fuel to prevent this from happening.
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Ours was outside for 5 months last winter with no special treatment save the wiper tip and rarely driven - although admittedly only at 850m. TBH we were kinda hoping it would die out there so that I could have a shiny new one but t'was not to be and is still going strong. We just used arms to brush off snow and an old garden spade to clear a track behind it if it snowed. Definitely take Pam's final suggestion seriously. Been there, done that and will NEVER EVER do it again!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Liberally coat door seals with silicone (NOT vaseline) to prevent ice welding the doors to the body.
Get some graphite lock lubrication or at worst squirt locks full with WD40
Always lift wiper blades off the glass
Consider buying a new battery if yours is a bit old.
If possible park with the engine away from the prevailing wind
Leave the fuel tank full to minimise condensation forming and then freezing thawing and watering down the fuel.
Always park facing the way you want to drive off in case you need a push start
Clear ALL snow off the car before setting off. Plod have been known to pull up cars covered with snow.
Fill windscreen washer with a 90% mix.
Always park in gear with handbrake off
Diesel sold in Alpine areas is good down to -20c (actual not chill temp)
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Mon 30-11-09 20:36; edited 1 time in total
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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frank4short, If you fill up in Albertville (or anywhere else close to the mountains) you get diesel rated for very low temperatures with the additives already in and shouldn't suffer from freezing.
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I just made sure I let mine run for a while if I hadn't taken it out in a week although I did have covered parking: good in that I didn't have to clear snow, bad in that if you let the snow melt off it clears all the crap off with it: mine just got sprayed with muck all over the rear screen.
To clear snow off with a shovel dont shovel it but push it with the back of the shovel, it'll all come off in one and you won't touch your paint.
My screen wash froze for about a month though, even though I had some stuff for -25 if diluted 1 in 2 that I put in neat. Although I bought some French stuff and stuck that in neat and it took till this month for my screen to stop smearing for the first few passes whenever I used the wipers
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You know it makes sense.
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Leave the car in gear/park and don't put the handbrake on as the brakes can freeze
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Maybe have one of the portable battery backup starters in the boot.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Put your chains on before you leave it.....it takes just a few seconds to take them off again if not needed
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Indeed - my smuggest moment was driving out of Vallandry after an overnight dump, whereas everyone else was struggling to put chains on in dark and cold.
As for starting car during the week - not so sure on this, our handbook says this actually puts more strain on battery and engine won't be charging until its been running for 10 mins. I found this out the hard way, as I had been doing this and on departure day battery was flat.Luckily the taxi driver taking my parents to station was very kind.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Always park in gear with handbrake off
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Ah yes! I'd forgotten that one, so glad to have the reminder. I had to take our car into a garage last year because it was making a ghastly noise which turned out to be something happening because the hand brake had been frozen - or similar. So I shouldn't have forgotten, as I left the car overnight and had to get the ski bus home, then pick it up next day - big faff, but very little dosh, fortunately.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Leave your pride and joy behind.
Get a Subaru.
It works even better if you turn the smugmode switch with the snowflake to on.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Park with the drive wheels outwards.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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nixmap, no no no... I'm sure spyderman will agree with me on this LAND ROVER DEFENDER everytime lol
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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gryfon, re the screen wash additive, you can also use meths, (methylated spirit) its cheaper and if used 50 50 is good down to !!! well mine has never frozen yet sounds mad if you have never herad of this but has been used for years.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| Liberally coat door seals with silicone (NOT vaseline) to prevent ice welding the doors to the body. |
For interest why "silicone" and not "vaseline" and what is a good silicone to use?
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Vaseline (or anything oil based) will rot the rubber.
I'd guess that 'cockpit spray' from a car shop would do the job.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| marcellus wrote: |
| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| Liberally coat door seals with silicone (NOT vaseline) to prevent ice welding the doors to the body. |
For interest why "silicone" and not "vaseline" and what is a good silicone to use? |
Vaseline is petroleum-based, and over time will degrade the rubber on the seals. However it does of course depend on whether the seals are actually rubber-based or something else, such as neoprene.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Tue 1-12-09 11:06; edited 1 time in total
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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marcellus, Vaseline will rot the rubber over time. Ususlly small pin prick holes appear and then... 
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| livetoski wrote: |
| gryfon, re the screen wash additive, you can also use meths, (methylated spirit) its cheaper and if used 50 50 is good down to !!! well mine has never frozen yet sounds mad if you have never herad of this but has been used for years. |
Or just buy the french pamplemousse smelling stuff - will smell much nicer when you spray your windscreen...
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You know it makes sense.
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bertie bassett, that's the stuff that smeared on my screen from March till last week.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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gryfon, go on to the landyzone forum...those guys are the money when it comes to info like this...make sure you give them the make and year of car first though or you might get some smart @r$e$ jumping all over you.........
okbye
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FAQ
