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Should I clear the snow off my car or leave it?


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It is not possible to drive it off my road, never mind speed up and down lol. The snow has been on it since monday so I'm assuming there will already by ice under the snow. Pouring hot water over it is definatley not going to happen...I've only had the car 3 weeks! I suppose it's been under the snow this long, a few more days won't hurt though I may go out and sweep a bit off it tomorrow but not spend ages scraping ice off it, there's no point when it's not going anywhere.

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My car has been stuck on my road since Saturday (Sunday due to being hungover :rolleyes:) There is approximatly 2 foot of snow on it. Was thinking today, should I try and clear some of it off or just leave it until I can actually drive it anywhere? If I leave it on is it going to do any damage or will it be ok for now?

 

this has been worrying me too, my car has been under snow since tuesday,

will try and get in there tomorrow to start it up, just hope the battery isnt flat.

I think I will use public transport for work, till the roads are nearer normal

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Blimey, I thought that was common knowledge now If you have 6 inches of snow on your roof and you speed up down the road it will blow off onto the car behind and they wont be able to see. Bloody obvious I would have thought

 

The OP did actually say..

 

should I try and clear some of it off or just leave it until I can actually drive it anywhere?
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Its a catch 22 situation.

 

Leaving the snow on will help insulate it from the sub zero temperatures but the sheer weight of so much snow can damage your suspension. The weight can cause springs to crack and the prolonged compression to the shock absorbers can start them leaking.

 

Personally, i have chosen to clear the snow off and risk the relatively minor problems caused by the temperatures rather than risk having to stump up for new suspension.

 

The suspension is designed to cope with the weight of up to five occupants and luggage. There is no way that two feet of snow adds up to that combined weight. Having said that,the best time to clear the snow is in the middle of the day when the snow is softest and will be easiest to remove without damaging the paint.

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The suspension is designed to cope with the weight of up to five occupants and luggage. There is no way that two feet of snow adds up to that combined weight. Having said that,the best time to clear the snow is in the middle of the day when the snow is softest and will be easiest to remove without damaging the paint.

 

Indeed.

 

But the weight of the occupants and luggage is not constantly resting in one position, as the car moves along, the suspension moves up and down. The weight of the snow just resting in one position can create leakage within the shock absorbers as they are not 'resting' in their idle position. This is quite a common problem with people who lower their cars springs without adding shortened shock absorbers.

 

Either way, i know what i would do... whatever other people choose to do is up to them. :)

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At about 100kg/m sq the weight of snow is unlikely to exceed 200kg. That's equivalent to a full tank of fuel and a dismembered body in the boot.

 

You'll be fine if you don't visit the mother in law until the snow melts.

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