Vehicles in the dust

[Sharky]

This is my first year to Burning Man and it looks like I'll be taking driving my car out and into the desert. I am a bit worried about causing damage to my car from the playa dust. What sort of problems can I expect after having my car out there? I plan on parking it for the duration. This car is my daily transportation and I can't really afford to overly trash it for this trip, and at the same time I can't afford a rental and I have too far to drive to trust a beater!

[III]

when you get back, do an oil change, air filter change, and get it washed with an underbody wash. you should be fine. unless you crash our car on the way out, or the way back. it's been known to happen.

[robbidobbs]

If you're really worried, cover it. You'll still find dirt in the *strangest* places. Think: corrosive talcum powder.
Once you're off the pavement, I don't care how hot it is, turn off your air conditioner. Unless you like a poof of playa years later.
My drivers side door will never be the same.

"You can take the Ranger off of the Playa, but you'll never get this shit off my tent!" Ranger Revvy 2000

[Ducky]

You might want to disconnect the negative battery terminal the second you find camp. Its amazing how many neighbors, I jump started, after that tiny little dome light drained their battery...after an entire week of opening their vehicle, leaving a door open and passing out, or just not thinking. I learned this lesson my first year, because of all three of those reasons.

[poeticphoto]

I'm having the same dilemma. I'm wondering weather or not to bring my '88 toyota or to spend the money to rent something for 2 weeks. I know if I take my car I'll be worried about it a lot so it's really bugging me. My boyfriend doesn't want to rent anything, but then again, it's not his car at risk. I don't know what I'll end up doing, but if I bring the car I'll take many precautions. I was thinking about buying a cover for it, but then I thought that would probably make it even hotter with a fabric so close to it, keeping the air in. I'll try to rig up a silver tarp half over the hood of the car and the front of our tent... somehow. Someone on another part of the e-playa gave some good tips such as covering the windows with foil and cracking them slightly, but keeping some type of fabric like cheese clothe in the cracks to let a little air flow, but no sand in. Like everyone said though, sand will get in... no matter what. By the way, Ducky, good advice on the battery.

[calsur]

Be very careful about tying anything to your car. If a nylon rope comes in contact with car paint and it moves a bit, it will wear through the paint in a hour or two.

[Dork]

I had good luck last year getting one of those cheap emergency blankets and taping that to the outside of my windows using masking tape. Get the medium strength stuff marked 14 day removal. The adhesive is sort of like post-it notes and won't leave any marks. That keeps the heat down inside the car quite a bit. Ditto what calsur said - don't let anything rub up against the paint. You can tie stuff to your tires instead of pounding rebar, though.

I honestly wouldn't worry about doing much else with the car during the event. It will get dust in it, but as long as you clean it thoroughly when you get back (especially the undercarriage!) it shouldn't do too much damage. The ride there and back is the worst part. Make sure you aren't overloading your car, take it slow, and bring spare belts and hoses.

[Taniwha]

I bought my car 10 years ago now, it's been to the playa 3-5 times a year since there. I wash it once a year after I come back the last time (Octoberish), it's got little rust on it certainly little more than any other that old, nothing really obvious. The only playa-related maintenance I do is to either replace the air filter whenever I get back (once a year) or vacuum it out (all the other times). To be fair when I don't go to BM I drive around on the playa a lot so dust gets everywhere - you'll find it coming out of places for months after a trip.

So in general don't worry - the dangers of playa dust to cars are IMHO way overrated

[KC]

However I had never thought about any issues with the battery! I might take that into consideration this year.

Anyway, what I did was buy a mylar space blanket and cut it up and close it inside each of my side windows, shiny side facing out, and then closed it in the window (ie, nothing to fall off the outside of the car, no leaving windows open a crack). You can just take a business card and tuck the edges into the sills of the windows. Then I used one of those accordion-fold reflective-y thingies for the windshiled and the back window. When I came back mid-morning to go home, the car was nice and cool inside. oh! I also left myself a pair of clean sandals in the car to drive home in. Really good idea as my other shoes were completely trashed. Kept the inside dust down on the way home.

Definitely get a new air filter afterwards. Maybe if you've never had one before, that would be a good time to switch to a K&N as they can be cleaned and re-used (http://www.knfilters.com/).

And I wholeheartedly agree with the thing about turning off the A/C once you leave pavement. Also - drive slow!! The posted speed limit in BRC is like 5 miles per hour. It keeps the dust down and it makes it safe for pedestrians. It also is kinder to your vehicle. Also, spazzy people who want to go faster piss me off - J christ, what's the big hurry, YOU LATE TO WORK OR SOMETHING?! omg ;]

[Captain Goddammit]

I was thinking about buying a cover for it, but then I thought that would probably make it even hotter with a fabric so close to it, keeping the air in.
keeping some type of fabric like cheese clothe in the cracks to let a little air flow, but no sand in. Like everyone said though, sand will get in... no matter what.

There is NO sand! This is a dry lakebed, the surface is DIRT!
I think a cover is a terrible idea. Playa dust is going to get under or through it (I have 2 covered cars in my garage that even get a little dusty) and there is lots of wind to flap and wave the cover. That cover rubbing the playa dust will do more damage than just leaving it uncovered. That's why classic and show cars aren't covered when they're being towed on an open trailer. If you really want to cover it, get one of those 10' x 20' white tarp and metal tube portable garages from Costco, stake and tie the hell out of it, and park in there where nothing will be rubbing directly on the paint. Or don't bother.
Just wash it, pressure-wash under the hood, door jambs, underneath... bring about $10-$15 worth of quarters to a self-serve car wash. Playa dust rinses off amazingly well. Then when it's dry, soak everything in WD40. Car will be fine.

[Bob]

Stay home.