Winter Wonderland...Not even close

I was wondering if you guys had any tips for washing your car in the winter. I park on the street for work and get the dirt and salt and whatever else is on the roads from plow trucks and buses. I don't have a heated garage or a drainage hole in the garage. Also the temp doesn't get above freezing very often right now. Should I run it through a touch free car wash and let air dry or what? Thanks

Hot water pressure wacher....
and one importent thing!...quickly dry the car after waching. open doors and drunk and cover the sealings whti a special silicone so they wont freez and get stuck. If you park it on street it's better to use a car cover. when snows or what ever, it's much easyer just to pull the coer off and co into a clean car.

I wait for spring, or will go thru a car wash if we get a day above freezing.

I don't have much salt to deal with here though.

I agree with Snowdog's comments. Having gone through 6 salty winters driving the Riviera, I find that a spray down with a hose or pressure washer does the trick. Spray from the roof down, sides, then bottoms with medium/low pressure (paint areas). Then hit the wheels and inside the fenderwells with high pressure. Be sure to aim up into the fenders to get it all. Shoot all the rocks and salt debris out of the control arms and inside fenders. Finally, get down really low and shoot high pressure water at the underbody all around the car. No soap or brushing needed - just use water and let it drop dry.

I've been waiting three weeks to wash mine. It's driving me insane. Unfortunately for the most part it hasn't gotten above 15. None of the car washes are opened here unless it's 25 or above. I'm currently driving a giant salt lick. I really wish they'd just use sand.

I take my Riv to a do-it-yourself car wash when the temp is above freezing. (Above 25 would work but have to park it in the sun for a couple hours to let it dry). In the DIY car wash I wash/rinse the salt off *AND* as well wash in the frame/wheel wells. I finish by blasting under the wheel wells and frame with the "wax" setting to put a coat of wax on the cleaned metal. Then rinse off the car. It takes 2 bath towels to dry it.

The wax spray, well it is not as good as the WaxOyl treatment you can get in Canada but it seems to have stalled the rust on my Riv for some time now.

Albertj

I had never heard of WaxOyl until you just mentioned it.
Googled and found a couple of "Application Centers" in MA.
I need to do a little more research on this and see if the product can be purchased without going to an application center.
Albert, you never cease to amaze me with all the stuff you know about.!!!!

I doubt you'll find it outside of an application center. I think the starter kit for a pro is about $500. If you have a business (I now do) you could buy the starter kti and the training and hang out a shingle. Ziebart's "Penetr-oil (Canada only) is similar as well.

Individually you can get the apparently similar Noxudol:

http://www.noxudolusa.com/

This should have popped up under your google search. WaxOyl is european (german), Noxudol I am not sure probably swedish. It should be under $30 per rattle can.

My guess is that all this stuff is basically paraffin in kerosene or mineral spirits or some such.

Albertj

oh man thanks for askin this question. ive been wondering the same thing just kepy being lazy an didnt post it.

aaron when u say drop dry....whats that mean?

is it ok to do this spray down in 15 degree?

I think he meant "drip dry", washer down good and let gravity and air do the rest. Or talk to Vince and get yourself a SHAM WOW! While your at it snag me a SLAP CHOP, those nuts of his look delicious.

The only time you should EVER use a car cover is if your car is completely out of the weather in a garage and it's just to keep dust off. If the wind blows a cover will scratch your paint all to hell. If the cover gets wet, you'll get rust. DON'T DO IT!!!

washing a car in the winter? what's the problem? i did mine today...in shorts
Thought i would get it done while it was nice out, tomorrow will be a brisk 61* and that's just too cold to get out there and wash it.

I actually work for a car wash company and after seeing some of the "snow bird" cars, i never want to drive on salt roads.

Mr.Riviera wrote:

tomorrow will be a brisk 61* and that's just too cold to get out there and wash it.

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all.
I think it was 8* this morning.

Rickw wrote:

Mr.Riviera wrote:

tomorrow will be a brisk 61* and that's just too cold to get out there and wash it.

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all.
I think it was 8* this morning.

If it make you feel any better i wish it would get a little colder down here so it actually feels like winter. Not a blizzard or -19* cold, but enough so the car runs nice.

What would be cold enough.??
I remember when I lived in the Tampa Bay area I Rode one of my bikes down to Naples in December to visit and while I was there a friggin Canadian low had pushed all the way to the keys. The temps were in the 30's. Made for an interesting ride home. Had to stop and find a ski shop in Florida to buy some skiing clothes so I could tolerate the ride home.

high in the 40's would be fine. It hit 37* one morning so far this winter but it rarely goes below freezing.

I know. Like i said I lived in Clearwater /Tampa Bay for 6 years.
Where in FL are you.? I forget, remember I am getting OLD.

Orlando, but born in Jacksonville. it's amazes me how much of a seasonal difference a 2hr drive is.

Yes, Florida is like that. Up north and the Panhandle has a whole different Winter weather pattern than the mid and lower part of the state.