Yes but our roads are salted with brine heavily. I have to move my car in late December 20mins down the street once so it’s not a big deal. Just pick a clear dry day after a rainfall.
I have been known to drive top down as low as around 40F, and that’s without a wind blocker. Heat, seat and steering wheel on, plus the windows up, quite comfortable, and that’s on the highway to boot. The cockpit is much more comfortable than the old British stuff I’ve had in the past. And as regards snow, in Toronto we only get the occasional big dump and the roads are clear shortly after. The small dumps get pounded down by the traffic in short order. I’d say that between November and the end of March last winter, I drove on snow perhaps a dozen times, the rest is wet or bone dry.You're a brave man driving a soft-top in a Canadian winter. I hope your heater works real good.
I would agree. If you can't take it out to drive, then it should stay in storage. I can't wrap my head around the owner's manual saying start the car every 15 days and run for 15 minutes. To me, this would result in a lot of cold start engine wear.
I would say the only difference is IF the protective oil film coating the moving parts somehow thins out and drains back to the pan more in two weeks vs 24hrs. Then obviously there is a difference. I don't know enough about the properties of oil to know if this would even be something to consider. On the other hand when oil is cold it tends to flow less and stick better.
There is a big difference between starting the car and letting it idle 15 minutes in frigid weather and starting it and doing a 25 minute commute on the highway at speeds in excess of 60 mph where the engine gets up to temp and the fluids get warm (or maybe even hot)
Interesting thought. From an oil perspective though what is the difference between the two scenarios you mentioned? The engine may be hotter, but how does that help cut down on wear and tear? If in storage for say 5 months, that would be 10 starts. if you drive every day, that is 80-100 (think just working days) cold starts if only counting one per day which is probably generous. Not sure how you scientifically analyze that, but maybe Ford did and that is why they are recommending to start it every 15 days? Maybe it is really a longer period that could be used in-between, but Ford is leaning on the safe side? In my personal experience, I have had several cars at the same time for a long time (not counting my wife's car) and I always have one that is setup for yearly driving. the others are mainly warm weather cars. Being in NJ there are plenty of days that I can take one of the other cars out, not planned like Ford's schedule of every 15 days, just happenstance. Rarely is it to go anywhere far, 15-20 minutes of run time local roads. I have never ever had an issue with only using a car for a couple short duration trips. I opinion is that starting a car and letting it idle will do it no harm. I also change the oil and top off other fluid lvl's etc before they are (stored). I also think not using it at all is probably fine too as long as you change the oil etc before driving it. Just my 2 cents.
I believe that the idle scenario introduces condensation which is not removed whereas the actual running allows it to be dealt with. You will, of course, receive many opinions, and some are holdovers from a much earlier time (where 3K mile oil changes reside). I never started my stored vehicles, unless I was presented with an opportunity to drive one for an extended period, i.e., not just around the block, but others do. I always changed the oil in the fall immediately before storage but many people I knew did it in the spring. I only pumped the tires up to compensate for the pressure drop in the cold, some people put 40 lbs in. It’s all very unscientific and even if you have the car 20 years and follow the regimen Ford suggests, I'm sure all will be fine...or not. You pays yer money and takes yer chances!
