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    What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Some guys say, "My car's NEVER been in the rain," like it's a major selling point when it's time to say goodbye to it.

    The only thing that bothers me about getting these cars soaked for weeks on end is that the area under the hood above the weatherstripped luggage compartment is really NOT protected from water intrusion at all.

    I realized this while washing car and then taking battery cover off and seeing piping, brakelines and some _wiring_ SOAKED with water. I mean if I parked the car in a cold damp garage and left it there for weeks the battery compartment would still be soaked when I came back (thank "God" for heated garages, huh?).

    My question is do most guys here just drive in the rain and not give it a second thought or are there reasonable considerations to be made?

    FYI, here's the watherstripped area roughly outlined in red. Area above it is quite accessible to water; especially from a hose used to wash the car.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Never ever give it a second thought.

    I think it's absolutely ridiculous to not drive a 911 in the rain. If you have slicks or a GT2/GT3 that may be a different matter . . .

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Same here. Always drive in the rain. I never ever believe anyone who said "car never sees rain" when they sell.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I even go through the Car-Wash with it! Dont worry, it should stand rain!

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    The battery compartment has drainage channels to remove rain water and wash water - the luggage area is weathersealed so no water ingress there.

    You don't worry about all the wiring around the engine (coil packs etc etc) getting wet driving along so why bother about the battery area ??

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I have driven many thousand of km's in the rain. The front trunk/boot has never leaked. Some of those trips were in torrential downpours. It is not unusual for me to keep legal papers/documents in the trunk. There has never been a drop of water on them.

    However, I have been scared ***tless driving this car in heavy cold rains. If water is accumulating on the road, there are real dangers of hydroplaning. It is absolutely frightning when you lose control of the car as you travel through accumulating water. Luckly it has never caused an accident. But there is something about wide high performance tires in cold rain that just does not work.

    Don't get me wrong, the 911 is a good car in the rain. Most of the time it is actually a great car in the rain. But hydroplaning is a real issue when a road surface is not draining fast enough. I have had more situations of hydroplaning than in any other car.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Quote:
    TheOldMan said:
    [...] there are real dangers of hydroplaning [...]



    True - Fernando Alonso would definitely vouch for that after last weekend's F1 GP in Fuji !

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I wouldn't give this issue a second thought - these cars are built to withstand extreme weather conditions so heavy rain is simply not an issue...

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I have heard of ""dry miles"" for a motorbike but not a car , thats crazy ....

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Quote:
    MMD said:
    Some guys say, "My car's NEVER been in the rain," like it's a major selling point when it's time to say goodbye to it.

    My question is do most guys here just drive in the rain and not give it a second thought or are there reasonable considerations to be made?




    It is a big deal in a unique classic car. Most F cars, L cars, AM's, and P cars will still be cherished by someone 20 years from now. Certain models won't and certain versoins won't.

    My 928 never sees rain, it was garaged/covered most of its life, which is why the paint looks new.

    If you own a classic and more importantly perform all the maintenance, you will understand what rain, salt, and debris does to all the important functioning parts and what hassles those effects can cause.

    Does it matter to someone who is just leasing a new porsche and will throw it away in 24 months No.

    That is part of the difference in Porsche ownership today vs. some other exotics/sportscars.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Quote:
    racerx said:
    If you own a classic and more importantly perform all the maintenance, you will understand what rain, salt, and debris does to all the important functioning parts...



    I think I have a pretty good handle on the effects of salt and debris, but I must be missing something. What does rain do to the "functioning parts" of my car?

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Quote:
    TheOldMan said:
    But hydroplaning is a real issue when a road surface is not draining fast enough. I have had more situations of hydroplaning than in any other car.



    Hummmm..., very interesting good observation; I'll not forget what you say next time it's raining heavily.

    Must have something to do with water not being able to get out of the way (thru channels in tread) fast enough because of tire width.


    BTW, I _DO_ drive in the rain and don't give it a second thought until later in the week I open hood or trunk and water drips out or is still visible.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Quote:
    Nugget said:
    Quote:
    racerx said:
    If you own a classic and more importantly perform all the maintenance, you will understand what rain, salt, and debris does to all the important functioning parts...



    I think I have a pretty good handle on the effects of salt and debris, but I must be missing something. What does rain do to the "functioning parts" of my car?



    Quote:
    MMD said:
    BTW, I _DO_ drive in the rain and don't give it a second thought until later in the week I open hood or trunk and water drips out or is still visible.




    Everything is electrical on these cars. All functions are controlled by electric brains, switches....

    Water is the enemy, if you drive in the rain water gets shot by wind into every crevice and nook up inside the bodywork. Here it gets on wiring, connectors, and GROUND POINTS of which there are dozens on a 928.

    First things to go; brake lines and fuel lines, try replacing them.

    The water spray gets everywhere, tail light assemblies, engine compartment, wiring harnesses etc.

    There are endless posts on other more technical forums about electrical gremlins causing engines to die, turn on one thing and another shuts off.

    ABS sensors in the wheel/brake area get flaky have caused malfunctions at speed.

    It corrodes the insulation and connections. Sun is the second worst enemy. Use and time are not nearly as bad as WATER and SUN.

    There are wood panels under the passengers feet in a 928 covering the Central elec board to prevent a mishap.



    This car won't have these water caused issues;

    http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/sh...t=928+gt+museum

    simple example of corrosion (tough to fix)
    http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=75831


    The list is endless of water caused electrical and rust type problems on older cars especially complex high performance cars.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Wow, sure sounds scary. I'll never wash my car again!

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Not scary, just expensive. Bottom line is that exposure to water will be the biggest factor in quality of ownership as car gets older.

    "Corrosion is breaking down of essential properties in a material due to reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means a loss of an electron of metals reacting with water and oxygen. Weakening of iron due to oxidation of the iron atoms is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion. This is commonly known as rust."

    I'd like to be standing behind you someday when you strip a bolt head off.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Good thing our Porsches aren't made out of iron, then!

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Tell that to the rear quarter panel on my 928 or all the ground points.

    Won't let it rest will ya? I don't want to post the whole wikipedia here.

    water

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I'm sorry that you are experiencing rust problems with your 928. It's a bit absurd, though, to conclude from that experience that rain is going to totally destroy all of a vehicle's "functioning parts." I'm afraid that in this debate you are going to lose the battle of anecdotes.

    There's nothing inherently destructive about rain on a properly maintained car and avoiding rain in some misguided attempt at preserving the car is beyond parody. There are tens of millions of rust-free, functioning cars on the road that are driven in the rain with routine frequency.

    You can continue to paste wikipedia pages until everyone's stopped reading but it isn't going to make your argument any more credible.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    From a collector's viewpoint...

    Driving in the rain makes a mess out of your undercarriage is all... A car that's seen little or zero rain will always have a really nifty bottom-side, which in the future, is a plus to not have to go in and restore/detail.

    Getting a car soaking wet, even repeatedly, isn't so much the issue, as is insinuated by racerx...

    Cars go to pot during the time they sit, whether you're driving in the rain or not, depending on the water-content of the atmosphere it's in... Further aggrevating this is that if you do have a dirty and muddy undercarriage, this creates a habitat for the dampness to move into and remain.

    Your primary concern is not whether you get caught in the rain, it's the dry-ness and control of your storage that really counts, and likewise, the climate you live in where the car sits outside or at work..... A car will dry-out rather rapidly and harmlessly in a good dry climate-controlled garage, or overall dry environment, also assisted by the heat from the engine/exhaust cooking the moisture back out..

    It's in humid climates, with un-controlled garages and storage, that a car is exposed to constant "stewing", with each exposure to rain/dampness simply adding fuel to the process..

    For instance, my dad has a home in Colorado, about 9,000 ft above sea level, on the side of a mountain... It's DRY up there, we go through cases of lip balm and lotion when we visit... He has a Jeep CJ-7 out there that he bought new in 1983. for almost 25 years now, he'll go out and run Jeep trails, crossing 2-foot deep creeks, snow-filled mountain passes, and getting caught in rain storms all the time... When he returns to his house, wet or dry, the Jeep just gets tossed back into the mountain-side garage...

    There's not a speck of rust on that Jeep, not a corroded surface... Just alot of dry mud in every crack and crevice. That's because it's so damn dry up there. So virtually every time that vehicle gets used, it gets run through hell... But it's the time a car SITS, and WHERE it sits, and whether that dampness flashes dry rapidly, or just sits in a steamy-stewy garage, that really makes the difference..

    If you live in a steamy or wet climate, you really need to air-condition the garage in the summer, and run a dehumidifier in the winter. The lifespan of your lines and electronics will be far more affected by that, than the frequency you drive in the rain..

    The water is indeed your enemy... But park it where it's ultra-dry, and the water doesn't hang-around on the car long enough to do a damn thing...

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Porsche continues to learn with every model in how to deal with water intrusion. Trust them. They design with that specific issue in mind. I can understand your concern about that area below the windshield/screen, but understand that Porsche decided it was not a critical area for any of the components they placed in there.

    Dan

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Quote:
    MMD said:
    My question is do most guys here just drive in the rain...



    DRIVE in the rain? Wow.. I couldn't figure out what the windshield wipers were for! Now it all makes sense! lol...

    I'm making fun of myself, as some of the Rennteam members here may know (was it MMD that said he saw my 997 getting rained on at Zuffenhausen?), as I am one of those people who doesn't drive my P-car in the rain. Why you may ask? Well, I have other daily drivers and really just leave the enjoyment of the P-car to sunny weekends (and the once-in-a-while week day.)

    By doing that I always feel that my P-car is a special treat and not something I've taken for granted. I did just complete a road trip to Las Vegas and fortunately did not have to drive in any rain. If it had rained I would have dealt with it and continued on but if I have the choice of taking it or another car I pass it over if it looks crummy outside.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Quote:
    Nugget said:
    I'm sorry that you are experiencing rust problems with your 928. It's a bit absurd, though, to conclude from that experience that rain is going to totally destroy all of a vehicle's "functioning parts." I'm afraid that in this debate you are going to lose the battle of anecdotes.

    There's nothing inherently destructive about rain on a properly maintained car and avoiding rain in some misguided attempt at preserving the car is beyond parody. There are tens of millions of rust-free, functioning cars on the road that are driven in the rain with routine frequency.

    You can continue to paste wikipedia pages until everyone's stopped reading but it isn't going to make your argument any more credible.



    I am not experiencing rust. It is low miles and mint. Mis-reading is not your friend.

    The wikipedia ref. was to scientific explanations of corrosion, iron only being one metal of many that corrodes as do copper and aluminum.

    I agree with the bossman as to moisture and its effects but as mmd observed and i and others as well, water hangs around for a long enough time to act as the catalyst for corrosion.

    You can't argue with chemistry or history. I could post half the rennlist 928 section as proof to the effects of water over time on these cars.

    It will most likely not affect cars that are new, but over time water will work its magic and be responsible for most maintenance issues.

    I would drive that 300 mile 928gt with a lot less issues than a regularly used and rain driven one.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    It's not necessary to argue against chemistry, just a matter of recognizing hyperbole when you see it.

    "Why do you have a banana in your ear?"

    "To scare away the elephants!"

    "There aren't any elephants here"

    "See? It's working"

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I didn't mean your car would melt, just that over time water in the form of rain would cause maintenance problems.

    I choose to drive mine only for enjoyment in good weather like puffy. I treat it well. it treats me well.

    experience taken the wrong way - hyperbole.

    go take a drive. bring your umbrella.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    i always liked the porsche ad a few years ago...pray for bad weather..if your not driving yours in the rain your missing a bunch of fun, imo

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    WOW! From now on - No more washing with water - Dryclean Only! or driving in the rain.....

    I belong to the school of "Use it or Lose it" It's ONLY a car.

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I don't worry about it, although I have a garage that tends to get a bit damp at times. If it gets really damp, I can open the door to get some fresh air in. That usually takes care of any excess moisture.

    Jim

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Honestly My P-cars never see the rain. I hardly even wash them. I drive them on weekends only and use a professional quick detailer spray that takes care of the dust. Every 2-3 months I power wash them and wax them

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    I'm an admitted weenie about pulling my Porsche out in the rain, as my car is indeed a "for fun" indulgence, not a daily-grinder... As-such, I keep it like a show-car (as that pleases me, as it always looks dynamite), and the whole purpose of driving it is to ENJOY, not to dread the 3-hour-long cleanup after sloshing through a soup.. I don't find driving in the rain to be "fun" whatsoever... It stinks, you can't really do ANYTHING unless you're in the middle of nowhere. Playing with slippery handling around town is just stupid and dangerous.

    I love variety myself, and relish the times I drive my C2S, but also relish driving other things for other reasons... I tried driving my Porsche every day... and quickly started getting bored-to-death with it... It's not the Porsche's fault, that happens to anything and everything I drive on a daily basis.. That's why I constantly mix it up... I'm driving an '06 Pontiac GTO LS2 6-speed today, and it's SO MUCH FUN!! I wish my Porsche had torque like that, but then again...

    NO SINGLE car has EVERY ASSET that makes a car-guy totally satisfied... With every car that does alot of things beautifully, there's another that approaches the event of driving from a totally different angle that is equally enjoyable on different merits..

    And sometimes, a cheap "no-worries" car with a maniacal V8 is just the kind of therapy I'm looking for... And then I drive an old Cadillac, and then I'm back in the 997 grinning ear-to-ear...

    Variety is the spice of life... If you believe that driving your 997 every day, for miles-on-end, year-after-year, is the best medicine for you, then more power to you, it's wonderful that you can find happiness in just one machine..

    But try to be understanding... some of us just like "cars", and we like to savor the contrasts and varieties... I'm like a man-whore, just with cars instead of women....

    Re: What Happens To Car If You Drive In The Rain?

    Well, as a rule I won't drive in the rain, but living here in Seattle where it rains every other day during the 6 weeks of summer and constantly the rest of the year it sometimes can't be avoided. I like to think Porsche has designed a car that will withstand the elements, if not I can always get a Buick.

     
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