# Winter Preparation



## Primenay (Nov 22, 2014)

I just got a 2014 Cruze LT with no remote start/heated seats/heated mirrors. Unlike my last car, I will be parking outside. I live in indiana and we have pretty harsh winters here. I was wondering if you guys have any tips on things I should be purchasing to manage the snow and ice that will pile on my car. I heard that some ice scrapers can scratch the windshield and if this is true, is there a special one that does not have the risk of scratching? Also, if you have any other winter tips as well feel free to post them!!

-Nathan


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Get winter washer fluid - the OEM fluid will freeze. Siphon out the OEM fluid and put it in a bottle for the winter. There are treatments you can use to help keep your windows clear of snow & ice. I don't know how good they are as I haven't used any of them. 

Put a small shovel and emergency kit in your trunk. This is to dig out when you get stuck. I also carry ice scrapers (yes plural as I've had them break during use) on the floor behind the driver's seat year round. Jumper cables wrapped around the spare tire to avoid cluttering your trunk. A push broom with collapseable handle to push snow off the "flat" hood surfaces and front/rear windows.

Emergency rations and a canister backpacking stove with fuel in a bag in the trunk. Emergency blankets. 

Finally, snow tires in the upper mid-west are a must.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

If you can, get some silicone spray on the seals, or some Vaseline, so they don't get ice stuck to the car. That will help a bit. Mike gave some great advice as well.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Best advice I can give is to use four winter tires on steel wheels, install the OEM splash guards, and keep your OnStar active.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> If you can, get some silicone spray on the seals, or some Vaseline, so they don't get ice stuck to the car. That will help a bit. Mike gave some great advice as well.


Got a brand recommendation? My car could use this.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

GM used to sell stuff called silicon emulsion. It was almost like a goo on a stick applicator that you buttered your rubbers with. 

I used that stuff for decades.


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## Primenay (Nov 22, 2014)

Thanks guys!! These are all great recommendations!! As for the ice scrapers, are there any that are less prone to scratch the windshield? I have heard that some permanent marks can be made if you are not careful with the plastic ones.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Primenay said:


> Thanks guys!! These are all great recommendations!! As for the ice scrapers, are there any that are less prone to scratch the windshield? I have heard that some permanent marks can be made if you are not careful with the plastic ones.




Tough call - but I think it's more technique than anything. If you start wailing away on your windshield like Sasquatch then it's not going to end well. 

Myself I use something called a sno-rake. It's what the dealerships use - and it cost a fortune. But it doesn't scratch, and is ineffective against ice.


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## Primenay (Nov 22, 2014)

Thank you guys for the advice!


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## Green (May 14, 2014)

Primenay said:


> As for the ice scrapers, are there any that are less prone to scratch the windshield? I have heard that some permanent marks can be made if you are not careful with the plastic ones.


I think any ice scraper _could_ scratch if there is dirt/sand on it. Whatever you get you can try to keep it fairly clean if your concerned about it


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

obermd said:


> Get winter washer fluid - the OEM fluid will freeze.


My factory fluid has never frozen...


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Sunline Fan said:


> My factory fluid has never frozen...


Moi non plus.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The factory fluid is good to -20F.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Sunline Fan said:


> My factory fluid has never frozen...


Mine was only in my car for a month, don't you get bugs on your windows or need a shot to defrost the windshield ever? 




obermd said:


> The factory fluid is good to -20F.


Where did you ever hear that? Even if it is, the dealer tops mine off during oil changes & it certainly doesn't use fluid that cold. I make sure to top of with some -34F stuff before I go in now.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Tomko said:


> Moi non plus.


Teach Penelope to speak French to me, and not wear a mustache, and there may be a reward involved!



obermd said:


> The factory fluid is good to -20F.


Ah ok. We got close to that last year, but not during the day. I park in the garage at night, so that helped.



spacedout said:


> Mine was only in my car for a month, don't you get bugs on your windows or need a shot to defrost the windshield ever?


Park in the garage, so it rarely needs defrosting. I usually scrape it if there is snow on the car at work, so I really only ever need fluid if I'm driving. Even then, I use it minimally, unlike my dad who holds the thing until it comes out by the quart in his car! Just a quick squirt puts just enough on to clean it without smearing.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Sunline Fan said:


> Park in the garage, so it rarely needs defrosting. I usually scrape it if there is snow on the car at work, so I really only ever need fluid if I'm driving. Even then, I use it minimally, unlike my dad who holds the thing until it comes out by the quart in his car! Just a quick squirt puts just enough on to clean it without smearing.


In the summer though if I did not use the washers daily my gas tank last so log my windshield would be destroyed with death. Heck 1/2 the time I forget to wash the windshield when I fill up. Your mostly city driving right? Try driving on the highway or back roads in the summer, you go through a gallon of washer fluid a month. I average 80 miles a day in the summer, which probably works out to 100-500 bug deaths a day.


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## Primenay (Nov 22, 2014)

spacedout said:


> In the summer though if I did not use the washers daily my gas tank last so log my windshield would be destroyed with death. Heck 1/2 the time I forget to wash the windshield when I fill up. Your mostly city driving right? Try driving on the highway or back roads in the summer, you go through a gallon of washer fluid a month. I average 80 miles a day in the summer, which probably works out to 100-500 bug deaths a day.


Lol at 500 bug deaths a day. What does your front bumper look like? Even better, what does your front grill look like. I swear we have bugs around here that stain pretty nasty.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

spacedout said:


> In the summer though if I did not use the washers daily my gas tank last so log my windshield would be destroyed with death. Heck 1/2 the time I forget to wash the windshield when I fill up. Your mostly city driving right? Try driving on the highway or back roads in the summer, you go through a gallon of washer fluid a month. I average 80 miles a day in the summer, which probably works out to 100-500 bug deaths a day.


Haha yeah, I'm mostly city driving, and mostly during the day when the bugs aren't that bad. When I do get bugs though, I clean them off with glass cleaner, never had much luck with wipers and fluid doing anything more than smearing it into a disgusting mess.


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## NYCruze2012 (Jan 16, 2012)

My winter preparations consists of making sure my wifes Sonic has her snows on and the Suburban has a full tank of gas.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

obermd said:


> The factory fluid is good to -20F.


Wtf was in my car then?!? It froze at 31!


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## Primenay (Nov 22, 2014)

jblackburn said:


> Wtf was in my car then?!? It froze at 31!


When I was driving my rental car last week it was about 30 or so and the fluid was frozen. Maybe since I park outside it has a longer amount of time to freeze?


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## smiley87 (Sep 14, 2012)

I have been using ice scrapers in alaska for the last 16 years and never had one scratch a windshield. I have broken many ice scrapers by trying to break through the thick ice on the windshield though.


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## Stss95 (Dec 9, 2012)

I drove last year on the 1lt stock Firestone tires. These were the worst tires I've ever driven on in the snow. Even with just a light dusting on the road the car would have problems starting and stopping. Especially stopping the abs would keep kicking on and the car would just keep going. I went with a set of general altimax arctic and so far it's night and day, haven't had any deep stuff here yet tho.


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## BlkGrnetRS (Jul 21, 2013)

Stss95 said:


> I drove last year on the 1lt stock Firestone tires. These were the worst tires I've ever driven on in the snow. Even with just a light dusting on the road the car would have problems starting and stopping. Especially stopping the abs would keep kicking on and the car would just keep going. I went with a set of general altimax arctic and so far it's night and day, haven't had any deep stuff here yet tho.


I hear ya! I wasn't able to get my snows on right away this year so with the first storm came me sliding into a ditch! The firestones were obviously terrible.


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## Primenay (Nov 22, 2014)

smiley87 said:


> I have been using ice scrapers in alaska for the last 16 years and never had one scratch a windshield. I have broken many ice scrapers by trying to break through the thick ice on the windshield though.


That's really reassuring!


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

smiley87 said:


> I have been using ice scrapers in alaska for the last 16 years and never had one scratch a windshield. I have broken many ice scrapers by trying to break through the thick ice on the windshield though.


Were they made by the same company that makes our windows? I have a cut in my back window and nobody knows how I got it. Non heated side mirrors do scratch fairly easy when you try to deice them.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Sunline Fan said:


> Haha yeah, I'm mostly city driving, and mostly during the day when the bugs aren't that bad. When I do get bugs though, I clean them off with glass cleaner, never had much luck with wipers and fluid doing anything more than smearing it into a disgusting mess.


Summer time I use the gree bug wash(will freeze in winter), seems to have more ammonia & helps break down the bugs better. Best bet is to get them as soon as they hit. At highway speeds its about 1-4 times an hour I use the washers. 



Primenay said:


> Lol at 500 bug deaths a day. What does your front bumper look like? Even better, what does your front grill look like. I swear we have bugs around here that stain pretty nasty.


The fog lights on the RS package are the worst, hard to clean all the different angles well. The trick I found that works best is to clean my car in the AM when the morning dew has soften the bugs a bit. At a high pressure manual car wash I spray the entire front of car with windex or the above mentioned bug cleaner. If I'm lucky enough to have someone else with me I will manually scrub the front after they hit it with high pressure soap. Honestly though its hard to keep up with at that many miles a day, its a never ending battle.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Yep green summer, orange winter for fluids. Dealer blue/purple top off is not gonna freeze in bulk but will when you use it on the windshield.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

Even the orange freezes on me parking outdoors here in Iowa. I have to hunt down the semi-rare dark purple that's rated for -35 or -40F.


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## S-Fitz (Jul 16, 2012)

Stss95 said:


> I drove last year on the 1lt stock Firestone tires. These were the worst tires I've ever driven on in the snow. Even with just a light dusting on the road the car would have problems starting and stopping. Especially stopping the abs would keep kicking on and the car would just keep going. I went with a set of general altimax arctic and so far it's night and day, haven't had any deep stuff here yet tho.


I have the same set of both tires, the generals are great on ice. Not sure about snow though, in the Vancouver area snow is rare so no experience there. This last week we have had a cold spell which started after an evening of rain (fun...). Of course, the streets were a sheet of ice. Luckily my drive to work was uneventful. Winter tires really are an investment for your own safety.


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## Green (May 14, 2014)

revjpeterson said:


> Even the orange freezes on me parking outdoors here in Iowa. I have to hunt down the semi-rare dark purple that's rated for -35 or -40F.


I have a theory about the freezing thing, may be all wrong or may have some truth to it. I _think_ the anti-freeze part of it may be alcohol and over time may exvaporate right at nozzle if not used on regular basis. With the fine nozzles they have on todays vehicles ( unlike the fire hose sized ones in the past) it wouldn't take much to clog them with ice.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Green said:


> I have a theory about the freezing thing, may be all wrong or may have some truth to it. I _think_ the anti-freeze part of it may be alcohol and over time may exvaporate right at nozzle if not used on regular basis. With the fine nozzles they have on todays vehicles ( unlike the fire hose sized ones in the past) it wouldn't take much to clog them with ice.


You are correct, the anti-freeze agent in these cold weather washer fluids is alcohol. You can add a yellow bottle of gas line anti-freeze(heat, methyl alcohol) to lower the cold point. 

People who add meth injection kits to the cruze utilize the washer fluid bottle and a strong methyl alcohol/water mix for the power gains.


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