RedFire281

Hi folks! I’m relocating from SoCal to West Virginia on Jan 1, 2016 and I’ve got some questions about Winter there. My baby is a DD and has lived in Cali since she left the factory in 2006, always garaged, rarely seen rain or weather below 32 degrees F, and never driven in snow. So my question to all of you with experience in WV winters is: are winters in Beckley, WV harsh enough that I should not leave the car outside? I will not have a garage so a car cover is the best I have right now although I would consider an partially enclosed car port. Rent a storage garage? Anyway, any opinions (and no, I cannot stay in SoCal unless I want to be unemployed. LOL). Recommendations and/or advice is welcome. Thanks.

BTW, does anyone know of Mustang car clubs in or around the Beckley/Charleston area?

ghunt

Hey! Whatcha moving out here to the Mountain State for? Job I take it?

I'm about 4 hours north of Beckley (Clarksburg, WV) but I think it's about the same all over the state climate-wise. Our winters have been up and down the last couple years, and snowfall usually also depends on your elevation. Places up in the mountains get way more snow. We seem to get at least one or two big storms a year that dump a bunch of snow but otherwise accumulation is 6" or less. Also late Jan-Feb have a tendency to be really cold, like there are weeks in Feb where it doesn't go above 20 for several days. (Hey, the summers here are nice and you will love driving our mountain roads).

As far as leaving a car outside...I stored a car outside in the open for several winters years ago. #1, I don't really trust car covers myself because even the good ones still get moisture in/under them and then it just sits against your paint. #2, you have to be careful of rodents! Have had big issues with mice getting into the heater box on my cars and sometimes into the interior. Mothballs and traps will generally keep that under control.

I have a garage I store mine in and very thankful for that. If you can get your car in a carport, definitely do it. I'd say covered and under a carport is about the best you can do without a garage. Would also recommend putting it on stands to keep the weight off the tires, disconnect the battery, put Sta-Bil in the gas, all that usual stuff for storage.

Oh and as for car clubs, not too familiar with the Charleston-Beckley area but Charleston is our most populous city and I'm sure there's several car clubs in the area, you'll just have to ask around.

Any other questions shoot me a PM, I don't know if there are any other WV members on this board or not.

BTW- this winter has been weird so far, apparently due to El Nino. They're calling for a high of 70 here today and tomorrow. I'm starting to think we're going to have a pretty mild winter this year.

Edit: I just re-read your post, are you still planning to keep your car a daily once you move here, and not storing it? Just be aware they salt the roads here in the winter. Also, the window short drop does not like ice on the windows. I do not drive mine between November and April generally.

algregory

I live in NC, I have no idea about the vicinity of your new home. I know that the price of home here was much cheaper than California where I lived in San Jose.

I have a friend that is moving from SJ up near the lower Sierra, north of Sacramento. He sent me a picture, place in the hills above one of the reservoirs. What I want to say is he has car, motorcycle and such, takes care of them. He was surprised how little a concrete based shed would cost him, since the new place doesn't have a garage. FWIW, FYI