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Or, does it matter? (I'm not including the rust factor, which is not insignificant in the upper midwest!)
Living in an area with hot, muggy summers and very cold winters, I wonder. Summer, everything runs a bit hotter, and if you have AC, that takes a toll, I think. Winter and spring...more potholes, harder starts in the morning, fluids and lubricants take longer to thaw and reach proper viscosity.
Is one harder on the OS, generally speaking, than the other? Or is this a dumb question?
Every spring, I'm amazed that my car got through winter and purrs. After months of banging on doors to get them open, driving through salt baths, listening to rock hard bangs under the cold car every time it hits a pothole on cold suspension. It always seems a miracle in the spring when everything works again.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Summer in Death Valley tugging a motorhome or trailer around. (and living OUTSIDE 24/7)
Winter in Canada or the Northern states / plains, living OUTSIDE, short trips, high 'slush' content on the road.
This is really quite dependent on your driving, vehicles, and climate. Winter for me brings 102" of drizzle (285 miserable days...) very tough for a car than MIGHT leak (and you find leaks in most every car, after several months). Humidity is very tough on ignition and electrical components and 'GROUNDS" (one reason I only drive diesels)
Or, does it matter? (I'm not including the rust factor, which is not insignificant in the upper midwest!)
Living in an area with hot, muggy summers and very cold winters, I wonder. Summer, everything runs a bit hotter, and if you have AC, that takes a toll, I think. Winter and spring...more potholes, harder starts in the morning, fluids and lubricants take longer to thaw and reach proper viscosity.
Is one harder on the OS, generally speaking, than the other? Or is this a dumb question?
IMO, summer heat is harder on a vehicle than winter stress.
Underhood temps in hot weather with the electrical loads and heat stress from an A/C system fail more components than winter cold temps. I replace more batteries, alternators, regulators, ignition components, belts/hoses, and leaking gaskets/seals in hot weather than cold.
months). Humidity is very tough on ignition and electrical components and 'GROUNDS" (one reason I only drive diesels)
OK point as long as you're driving mechanical fuel injection diesels ... like your older VW's (and M-B's and Audi's and Peugeots, Fords, Dodge/Cummins, etc).
But not applicable to the latest generation electronically controlled Diesel injection systems found in all the emissions oriented diesel motors, with particular problems in the variable intake plenum displacement VW motors, or PowerStroke or similar computer controlled injection systems ... or purely electrical powered diesel fuel injection nozzles, computer controlled.
Or, does it matter? (I'm not including the rust factor, which is not insignificant in the upper midwest!)
Living in an area with hot, muggy summers and very cold winters, I wonder. Summer, everything runs a bit hotter, and if you have AC, that takes a toll, I think. Winter and spring...more potholes, harder starts in the morning, fluids and lubricants take longer to thaw and reach proper viscosity.
Is one harder on the OS, generally speaking, than the other? Or is this a dumb question?
Considering ONLY temperature, excluding rust, filth, grime, ****ty roads, incessant moisture, and all the other associated problems that occur with winter, summer is probably a little rougher on cars. As long as you have a very strong battery in winter, you won't usually experience many other problems.
However, I think that severe climate extremes on both ends really put things to the test. Some very odd things happen in extremely cold weather also.
Considering all related summer/winter factors, southern cars have it easier.
Or, does it matter? (I'm not including the rust factor, which is not insignificant in the upper midwest!)
Living in an area with hot, muggy summers and very cold winters, I wonder. Summer, everything runs a bit hotter, and if you have AC, that takes a toll, I think. Winter and spring...more potholes, harder starts in the morning, fluids and lubricants take longer to thaw and reach proper viscosity.
Is one harder on the OS, generally speaking, than the other? Or is this a dumb question?
Take a trip out to the west coast and see how many old cars are still on the road compared to the midwest and east coast. Cold and winter is the WORST thing by far. Not only on your car but on your body as well. Cold/winter is good for nothing.
I would say that mechanical stress points have a little more wear during the winter, but rubber items (hoses, belts, dust covers, etc...) get more wear during the summer.
Mechanical things like spings, shocks, etc get more wear in the spring, or at least before they blade the county roads.
Electrical items like starter and alternator get a little more wear in the winter.
This is based on Wyoming weather.
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