Author Topic: More Mars Venus Folly  (Read 7217 times)

Bill Hagan

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More Mars Venus Folly
« on: March 01, 2015, 11:40:12 AM »
Kathi went to grandbabysit in Great Falls last night; I stayed in bed in Cross Junction in a continuing state of self-pity as I try to shake a week-long coldorsomething.  

So, she called this a.m. and said she’d head back home early as the weather forecast was for a wintry mix on the both sides of Snickers Gap on the Blue Ridge, with crossing there always interesting in nasty weather.

Well, I thought, good for her.

I had just had the Mini washed in Atlanta, but it’s a good “mudder,” so I was happy Kathi would be safe even if there’d be road grime on it.

So … where’s this going.

She came home a few minutes ago and was almost bubbly happy.  She said she knew I’d be proud of how safely she’d driven the car. Said she’d stayed behind a VDOT salt truck and plow for the last 30 miles.

"What?!”  I screamed.  :o

"Are out out of your foxtrotting mind?  What were you thinking?  Oh, never mind.  You weren’t.” And so forth.

As you may guess, this approach did not go ever all that well.  ::)  :wife:

But, being saintly Kathi, she forgave me quickly.   :bow

And, being me, I am still flabbergasted that anyone would do that; the driving part, not the forgiveness.   ;)

So, she just made me some tea.  I’m worried it’s poisoned.  Naturally, I’ll drink it anyway.   :D

Bill


« Last Edit: March 01, 2015, 11:57:24 AM by Bill Hagan »

oldbike54

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2015, 11:44:16 AM »
 Bill , as you know the correct response is always , "Honey , I am so glad you made it home safely , my life would be empty W/O you"  ;D

  Dusty

Offline RinkRat II

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2015, 11:46:06 AM »
Much better than to be in FRONT of the plow truck for 30 Miles ~;

   Get better Bill
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dilligaf

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2015, 11:50:00 AM »
Well Bill, you are not alone.  Number one son and his wife drove to Cherokee, NC to gamble and play in the snow.  Called to let me know they were safe, that they were following the salt truck and documenting the adventure with the GoPro I gave Sue for Christmas.  :BEER:
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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2015, 11:50:00 AM »

Offline Aaron D.

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2015, 12:01:03 PM »
If she feels best behind a salt truck, who cares? It's just a freakin' car. If it gets dirty, waash it. If it gets a few chips, well, so what? Are you saving it for the next owner?

Offline Lannis

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2015, 12:06:03 PM »
If she feels best behind a salt truck, who cares? It's just a freakin' car. If it gets dirty, waash it. If it gets a few chips, well, so what? Are you saving it for the next owner?

Well, I sort of know where he's coming from.

With the horrifying witch's brew of highly corrosive material they load on DOT trucks these days, it's not just a matter of getting a few chips, or getting dirty.   If you get the full load of that stuff under a Mini, you MAY take $5000 of usable value out of the car, unless there's some way to wash it ALL out quick fast and in a hurry ....

Bill can be glad to have Kathi home safe, and still do a Fred Sanford "It's the big one, Elizabeth!" over car full of impending rust ... !

Lannis
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Offline normzone

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2015, 12:07:52 PM »
Yup, tip the car on it's side and get a garden hose.
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Offline Kent in Upstate NY

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2015, 12:13:56 PM »
Just slide a garden sprinkler beneath it and let it go for a while.
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Offline youcanrunnaked

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2015, 12:53:12 PM »
You should have counted to ten and then had her haul out the garden hose and thoroughly wash the top, wheel wells, and underside with fresh water. 

Now that you've poisoned the well, you're just going to have to do it yourself and risk pneumonia.  Or let the car rot.  Your choice, I guess.
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Offline Antietam Classic Cycle

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2015, 01:00:02 PM »
If she feels best behind a salt truck, who cares? It's just a freakin' car. If it gets dirty, waash it. If it gets a few chips, well, so what? Are you saving it for the next owner?

 :+1

If it was an old (original) Mini, you could probably watch it rust away before your very eyes after following a VDOT truck. But, it's a modern Mini, probably much better protected against corrosion (what isn't plastic). Warmer weather is coming - pick a day and take it to the car wash or auto detailer.
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Offline wrbix

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2015, 02:32:42 PM »
Ouch!
Teresa and I have decided that little baby girls are issued a different Book of Life Instructions than are little baby boys upon their discharge from hospital nursery. She seems not interested in reading mine, and I'm afraid to read hers! <sigh>
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Offline Bob Wegman

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2015, 03:00:19 PM »
 Hey Bill,  Is it close to needing an oil change or the snow tires taken off.  Have the tech give it a wash off on the bottom while it is on the lift.  I think those things might be warranted for about 10 yrs against corrosion.  The dealership I work at sells Minis, and believe me we use more than our share of the worlds salt in NY.  I see folks driving those all over during the winter and really don't see many corroded Mini parts lying in the road.  Don't worry.

PS,  If you need to get closure, maybe you could spend some of the grandbabies inheritance on your next car. :)
« Last Edit: March 01, 2015, 03:09:56 PM by Bob Wegman »
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Offline Aaron D.

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2015, 03:02:20 PM »
Just for context-I live in salty New England, I get crusts and stalactites of various salts all over my cars-keeping in mind I drive about 50,000 miles a year-and wash them , well, now and then. Sometimes I wash them just because I get white dust on my clothes if I even get close to the car.

In 25 years of doing this, in primarily German cars, I have had not one instance of rust or corrosion. Not one. And a single decent wash makes them look great.

And besides, it IS just a car.

Offline pebra

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2015, 03:40:56 PM »
I've just instructed my wife to overtake salt trucks immediately.
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Offline Bill929

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2015, 04:01:52 PM »
You should have counted to ten and then had her haul out the garden hose and thoroughly wash the top, wheel wells, and underside with fresh water.  

Knowing Kathi, I'm not sure that would be the best route...

We have lots of salt on the roads this winter in NC, and I recently spent three hours cleaning Lisa's truck.  Looked great (for a day)!  The good news is I looked pretty closely at the undercarriage and didn't see any signs of corrosion.  
« Last Edit: March 01, 2015, 04:11:49 PM by Bill929 »
Bill
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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #15 on: March 01, 2015, 06:55:00 PM »
Just slide a garden sprinkler beneath it and let it go for a while.

You know.. I like that..  ;D
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Offline Jim Rich

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2015, 07:42:06 PM »
Hang in there Bill, she made it home safe, have a medicinal Knob Creek and wash it off first chance you get.  It'll be ok.

Offline boatdetective

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #17 on: March 02, 2015, 06:18:11 AM »
I would second Aaron on this one. I live in MA, on the salty coast. I'm also a slob and rarely wash my cars. I haven't put my foot through the floorboards yet. I wouldn't worry so much about it. BTW, the sprinkler idea is clever. If i cared, I guess I'd use a pressure washer though. I wonder if you could make some sort of deflector nozzle for one to make the stream shoot up into the undercarriage?
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Cheese

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #18 on: March 02, 2015, 06:54:26 AM »
If I were a "road warrior" doing 50k a year the salt damage wouldn't matter. Presumably I'd get rid of the poor car before 200k had been logged, or 4 years whichever came first. In either case too soon for the floorboards to disappear. For me the grass is greener where the typical car lasts indefinitely and just require mechanical repairs, which I can do myself. Very hard/expensive for me to replace oxidized structural parts. If you follow the salt truck be aware they are not just dispensing a nice evenly sized load of salt crystals but stuff found around salt deposits, mining sites and storage areas as well, stones big enough to take out your windshield. Just another reason for the great northeastern diaspora.

Peter

Offline Aaron D.

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #19 on: March 02, 2015, 06:59:34 AM »
200K is my usual limit, 275K is the longest so far.

But the first few cars I went through were used, including one Renault!

Bill Hagan

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #20 on: March 08, 2015, 07:43:38 PM »
I know many of you have been worried about this  :D, so thought I better close the loop.

The "Mini" problem is history.  Did a serious undercarriage wash ... which may explain why I have pneumonia now; really  :'( ... but at least the car is (probably) purged of the road poison. No apparent rock chips, so I am at peace with it all.

But, real closure came today.





After all, it's only a dishwasher.   ;D

Bill



Offline Bob Wegman

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Re: More Mars Venus Folly
« Reply #21 on: March 08, 2015, 08:08:27 PM »
If I pull a trick like that, I had better make sure it happens on a day my bride is at work :D  Oh yea and clean up all evidence after.  You da man.
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