Avoiding salt, when is it safe to drive?

[Red Rover]

OK, I was all but prepared to "zip" up the coupe for the winter but after the snow melted and streets were washed by a few good warm rains I've been driving her again. Is this a mistake? Both rear quarter panels have bubbling as well as a spot over the pass. rear fender well. These are going to be cut out in the spring and new sheet metal is going in. Should I be avoiding driving her until spring altogether?
When is it reasonably safe to drive after the roads have been salted for a snow?
Thanks,
Jeff

[Grey Ghost]

around these parts I don't believe salt is used on the roads...the DPW spreads a dirt/sand mixture

[Alex]

You know, Skip, that's what my wife said she read.

So when I last saw these small sand-colored pebbles sprayed all along our main road during the last storm, I actually bent over and tasted the stuff to see if it was salty. It tasted very salty. If it tastes salty, it must be salt.

It could also be a chemical salt-substitute. But if it tastes salty, it must be corrosive to metal, even if it's not real salt.

So we continue to drive our cars out there at our own risk. What else is new?

I think the disinformation printed in newspapers was intended to pacify animal lovers who complained that their pets' feet were being hurt by the salt on the roads.

[Grey Ghost]

I based my report on simple observation of the color of the spread as it's distributed by the DPW trucks, Alex. I've never read in the newspaper anything having to do with the actual composition of the spread.

It could very well be a mix of dirt and salt...it's definitely NOT all salt because it's brown in color

Lord knows the Ghost is rusting around the wheel wells, but salt simply hastens the process, no?

I'd love to drive something other than my classic wagon in the wintry mix, but I can never decide what type of alternate vehicle to buy. I wish the early G-wagens were as cheap as the 123 sedans & wagons are...I've never seen a G-wagen cheaper than $12M (and I KNOW one will suck up just as much repair money as the Ghost does)

[Grey Ghost]

Just called Greenwich's Department of Public Works: the mixture they use is salt & sand in a 1:6 ratio

[Alex]

While salted roads discourage use of my coupes, it does not keep Big Blue or the wife's C320 from plying the City streets. The rust will just have to be dealt with.

Having more than one car enables pampering some but not all of them. Difficult choices have to be made. The W123 is sturdy enough to continue surviving the hostile environment. It's too cold on the bicycle.

[Sysco Kid]

I saw apiece on local cable ( Boston) t.v. that showed the different colors of salt depending on their origin. White= Mexico Pink= Turkey/Spain and so on.

Regards and a Happy New Year to all :)

[dawette]

Living in a salt state, good old New York I have stopped rust by spraying aircraft anti-corrosion oil ( any anti corrosion oil will work like Corrosion X brand as long as it is not too thick or too thin)down inside all my fenders and rockers of my 300D and SD. It will leak out in places, but they have not rusted. Use cardboard around the base of the car for a few days after this. I also have sprayed MB's cavity sealer into the doors and rockers (It's like a liquid waxy material that you can thin with lacquer thinner. Even if you have rust now this will help slow it down until you can fix it properly. However make sure you clean all the oil away before painting! Keep up with all paint chips too.

[VLayton]

When one ONLY drives W123s, one or another will have to face the snow- little snow here this year as of yet, but I try to use one in lesser condition. If possible and above freezing I like to spray off the excess salt after a fair drive in the slop.

[Grey Ghost]

I'm a much bigger user of the "by-hand" car washes during the winter as their equipment really gives the undercarriage a good spraying. Unfortunately, this is a $23 exercise each time

Dawette: greetings, friend! Tell us about your 123s...you are amongst like-minded nuts

[pch2021]

I'm so glad I live in Florida.

Dawette's suggestion is excellent.


spray on on the aircraft anticorrosive, and spray off the salt!

We have a new york car [sissy's 300sd- recently deceased- bent valve- ran it low on oil] and underbody rot is atrocious.

at 280k, we arent sure if it is wrth fixing due to excessive rust.

I say that for the winder, one should buy a 300E or 190E and drive it, until the 123 can be brought out. Also, have that rust cut out SOON! We dont want the ghost to be spoiled!

[Gray Poupon]

After spending all week taking care of rust issues and looking at another week of the same I guarantee that Bullish will never see salt again. Which means the car will be driven from mid April until mid October or November. When the DOT starts hitting the roads with salt I'll drive the Olds 5.7 beater.

[dawette]

Hey guys, I forgot about mentioning about washing the cars after each salt infested outing. I think I am the only one in my neighborhood who keeps my garden hoses hooked up year-round. I'ts a pain when you have to drain the hoses after each use in below freezing weather so they don't freeze solid. It makes me sick to see my cars( 85 300D gold 212K, 84 300SD black 141K) covered with all that salt and sand!