Playa-proofing my vehicle...any suggestions?

Madgirl · Post by **Madgirl** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:52 pm

Hello all!

I will be driving my car to the burn this year (my second burn, was in a friend's RV last year) and am looking for advice on how to keep it as dust free as possible.

I realize that dust WILL get into everything...but I'd like to minimize that as much as possible. I'm planning to keep it locked up nice and tight once everything is unloaded.

FWIW, it's a '97 Subaru Outback.

Thanks!

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:54 pm

My advice is go to a rental car outfit you hate and rent one for the duration. That'll show 'em.

Token · Post by **Token** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:59 pm

duffdog · Post by **duffdog** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:01 pm

[quote="Dr. Pyro"]My advice is go to a rental car outfit you hate and rent one for the duration. That'll show 'em.[/quote]

everyone I know who has a nice car just rents one for the week and destroys it entirely at the burn. (get the insurance)

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:32 pm

close the vents. keep it closed up. & you can throw sheets over everything inside.

thats my plan anyway. & I hear when you clean it after. use swiffers to dust inside NOT water.

Madgirl · Post by **Madgirl** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:39 pm

Dr. Pyro wrote:My advice is go to a rental car outfit you hate and rent one for the duration. That'll show 'em.

Hah, if only finances allowed.....

kman · Post by **kman** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:51 pm

Boijoy wrote:close the vents. keep it closed up. & you can throw sheets over everything inside.

thats my plan anyway. & I hear when you clean it after. use swiffers to dust inside NOT water.

Good call on the swiffers. I'll have to give that a go this year.

To Repeat: The second you hit playa, close your vents, put the AC on recirculate and shut everything off. Best to arrive at night so you don't die of heat!

Don't crack a window or you'll come back to PlayaCar. It's just going to have to bake inside there. Car covers usually won't do well without extensive prepwork, because the wind can cause severe rub-shots on your paint job. I've read that strapping packing blankets over the car, and THEN putting on a good car cover (one that you can secure REALLY well against the wind!) can work really well, but I personally wouldn't bother. Just seal it up well, put up sunshades everywhere you can to minimize the sun's worst damage to the interior, lock the doors, and enjoy the burn.

When you get back, wipe everything down with damp cleaning stuff... I like Boijoi's swiffer idea. Or those Armorall Car Wipes.

Or better yet just pony up to have your car detailed when you get back. Best if you can get a firm quote over the phone before they get a chance to see your car.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:24 pm

Blocking the vents on the hood that lead to the heater is a proven method to lower dust entering the HVAC system.

It took me the same amount of time to clean my ranger that was shut for nearly the entire burn one year versus spending 2 days with the windows down a year later. I have no idea why it was not harder to clean.... Armor all cleaning wipes worked very well for me.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:27 pm

Armorall wipes rock. All passengers start wiping every surface they can reach on the drive to Reno. Really, really helps. Although our vehicles aren't pristine in real life...

Token · Post by **Token** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 8:07 pm

Unless you have a pickup truck you and all the dust on you, and all that dusty gear and bags of garbage are going back into your car for the drive home.

Taping vents and jumping through hoops will be a royal waste of time and effort when you are parked in exodus for 8 hours, your engine is overheating and you have to turn off the AC and roll down the windows.

Not to mention that you have to pee ...

If it's real important to you that your car interior be clean, budget a Benjamin when you get home for a detail job.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 7:05 am

Token wrote:Unless you have a pickup truck you and all the dust on you, and all that dusty gear and bags of garbage are going back into your car for the drive home.

Why do people even drive cars now-a-days?

kman · Post by **kman** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:35 am

Fire_Moose wrote:
Token wrote:Unless you have a pickup truck you and all the dust on you, and all that dusty gear and bags of garbage are going back into your car for the drive home.
Why do people even drive cars now-a-days?

I haven't quite perfected teleportation yet.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:29 am

I was implying that pick-ups are FAR superior to cars.

munney · Post by **munney** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:30 pm

1. Get some Bleu Painters tape & once you get all your junk out of your ride, tape up all the Door Jams, so the dust wont get into your Rubber Seals, ... Make sure to tape over the the Trunk, Hood, Vents, Sunroof, etc...

2. Get some of the Industrial Cellophane, the kind used for Packing or Wrapping Pallets and use it to cover as many surfaces as you can. Wrap the Seats, the Dash, the Floors, the Mats, the Trunk, the Roof, Everything...

3. When you wash the vehicle, use some Vinegar in the soapy water.

4. Dyson, Use a Dyson, it Sucks So Well, Damn is all I gots to say.

5. If at all possible Borrow someone else's car.

Clar-i-ty · Post by **Clar-i-ty** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:33 pm

Token wrote:

Yup.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:36 pm

Token wrote:Unless you have a pickup truck you and all the dust on you, and all that dusty gear and bags of garbage are going back into your car for the drive home.

Taping vents and jumping through hoops will be a royal waste of time and effort when you are parked in exodus for 8 hours, your engine is overheating and you have to turn off the AC and roll down the windows.

Not to mention that you have to pee ...

If it's real important to you that your car interior be clean, budget a Benjamin when you get home for a detail job.

"I've yet to meet, the legend, Token, but, I am told, he wanders the desert........at times, dispensing logic, humor, and snark.
It is my hope, to encounter this mythical person, and, converse, even if in brevity, that I may bask in his countenance, and, perhaps, glean wisdom, through osmosis".........

Token · Post by **Token** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:41 pm

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:48 pm

pica?

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:57 pm

Why do people even drive cars now-a-days?

Because for some reason nobody has got a SF to Gerlach train together yet. I would donate $100 to anyone who actually got that going.

Could you imagine a train load of burners?

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 6:45 am

Everyone's booze would be gone by the time they hit playa...

ConnieH · Post by **ConnieH** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 8:29 am

I still have playa in my car from the last 2 years...doesn't bother me though, I enjoy the subtle reminder of good things to come

My paint job is effectively trashed thanks to the playa, and again I don't care...it's a '96 PlayaVW now, maybe I'll paint groovy hippy flowers on it next year

The only thing that concerns me is the engine, so we'll take some precautions this year to keep dust out of vital engine parts, if it's possible. We still aren't sure if my alternator problem last year was due to the dust that got in it from the drive in, the dust that got in it from sitting for a week, or just that the alternator is old and crotchety...the BF wants to wrap it with a sheet once we are parked, I figure it couldn't hurt anything.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:15 am

Dumping a load of people at the gerlach train station isn't going to solve many problems...

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:28 am

How do you protect the interior of your RV from being ruined?

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:34 am

Don't bring yer RV.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:37 am

I know, bring someone else's.

Token · Post by **Token** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:58 am

You are all DOOMED! The city is in location C this year!

Its going to be a slow hour long drive at 5mph on the lake bed just to get to the city. The dust will cover EVERYONE!

[youtube][/youtube]

kman · Post by **kman** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:55 am

Thanks from bringing teh cheer.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:34 am

[quote="Dr. Pyro"]My advice is go to a rental car outfit you hate and rent one for the duration. That'll show 'em.[/quote]

what if i hate them all? maybe just bring my truck, yup

token, we're doomed to dust deal with it

is there an eplaya thread roulette wheel? this would be a FUN feature...i always learn and laugh

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:49 am

It's so much fun to be doomed.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 10:17 am

UD....you forgot! The eplaya roulette wheel...hmmm where is that feature?

Playa-proofing my vehicle...any suggestions?

Playa-proofing my vehicle...any suggestions?

Playa Proof Car Tips