Is it OK to drive in the rain?

[911TES]

Seareef,
Are you sure your "No rain so cal" location is "up-to-date" ?

[Unobtanium-inc]

If it's a B Roadster make sure you bring towels, lots of towels!

---Adam

[csbush]

I have a little experience with this. When I got my 70 911 in 1985 it was a good candidate for the scrap yard because it had so much rust from being driven as a daily driver in Germany. So no- if you drive an early 911 on wet salty roads, and let the dirt accumulate in the fenders and such, you will ruin your car.

After the (very extensive) rust repair I drove it almost daily for another 15 years. I tried to avoid the rain as it leaked. It had an ill fitting targa top, and I used towels like Adam. It still got wet a lot, and I certainly washed it with a hose, making sure it was clean under the fenders. Despite this horrible abuse , it has not experienced any additional rust issues.

So my advice is don't worry about driving in the rain. Just make sure it has ample opportunity to dry out. Keep your car clean, and don't drive it on roads with salt and slush.

See you out on the roads! (wet or dry)

[dhopkins]

So far:Yes 12
No 9
Maybe 1
Stupid Question 2

Don
1970 911T
2006 Cayman S

[NorthernThrux]

Many years ago we had a thread on this and I said yes. But at the time it was a $25k car and bondo doesn't rust. Now it is a pristine, galvanized, epoxy primer car worth a significant fraction of my house and so I think I'll exercise some care.

Ravi

[Unobtanium-inc]

I guess the bottom line is unless your car is worth more than $250,000, don't be afraid to drive it. I have a rule about dogs and cars, if you have one you are afraid of, get another one that you aren't. This is not to say there are cars I wouldn't drive in the rain. A friend let me sit in his Spyder, 550-0054. Would I drive that in the rain, no, but most of us drive pretty regular cars so don't be afraid to drive it on a Sunday if there is a chance of rain. What's the point of having the car if you can't enjoy it?
But I guess there is a reason I have driver quality cars and small dogs....


---Adam

[Frankr]

I don't enjoy driving in the rain period. Way more chance of a wreck caused by another driver and not much fun in the Avalon with good rain tires and defrost system let alone an old 911 with neither. No thanks unless necessary to get home.

[Richardnew]

Actually that's something I've never thought about much here in Florida. Driving in the rain is no fun whatever type of car you have. I try to avoid it even if I'm in my truck.

Keep in mind we don't get that stupid Seattle type of rain (2 days of mist). We get 2 inches of rain in 5 minutes. We get roads with 6 inches of rain on them. Then the sun comes out for the rest of the day.

During the rainy season I try to plan my day around the rain schedule.

The OP just neglected to say what sort of rain he's taking about.

Richard Newton
Driver Fitness

[Unobtanium-inc]

I want to clarify what I meant. I would probably never wake up on a rainy day and say, "I'm going to take the Porsche out." But I'm also not going to not drive it if there is a chance of rain. My wife and I try to take at least one road trip a year in the Roadster and we normally hit some rain, NE in the fall it tends to rain, but I wouldn't miss the chance of driving the 356 on VT back roads for anything.

---Adam

[RSTarga]

I have to say that in the days of XVX Michelins, P7 Pirellis, driving in the rain in a Porsche was really sort of touchy. When the CN36 came out it was a game changer, since then, and my switch to Bridgestone, I can barely tell the difference between wet and dry. The A002's were excellent, and the RE-11's I currently run on 16" wheels are fantastic. I've always enjoyed driving in challenging conditions, rain, snow whatever.
The only thing I try NOT do do, is drive at night. I used to have great vision, not quite the same cat eyesight I used to have.