Car Wash in the Wintertime

[MotoRaider]

now that it's snowing in most parts of the NE region, does anyone still wash their cars outdoor? My garage is too small and tight to for me to wash my car in there, so just wondering how bad it is to take it to a local car wash place.

[Stealth]

because of the weather i started washing my car at one of those do it yourself car washes...biggest mistake i ever made. now my car is covered in swirl marks. i say hold out till you can continue doing it by hand.

[RayfuM3]

I usually take my cars through a touchless car wash that dries the car afterward. It is good to get the salt off and clean the undercarraige. The last time I went my side skirts got scratched because of the wheel scrubber. The touchless automatics that are at gas stations like Amoco out here do not have the wheel scrubber and won't scratch your finish. The only problem is if you wait to long and let the salt and road grime stay on your cars finish the automatics won't clean it. Back to handwashing in the garage with a propane jet heater to keep you warm.

[GreekM3]

be careful of those touch-free ones because they do use recycled water, which is not to good for the paint. Its a lose/lose situation in winter

[RichP]

I found a good touchless wash a few towns over...find a reputable one and you should be fine..in the NE there isnt really any other option. just...DO NOT GO TO A HANDWASH..let me repeat...DO NOT GO TO A HANDWASH...they nearly ruined my car completly, and they ended up paying close to $400 in damages (car had to be deeply compounded and some other treatments) The mitts accumulate grit, which is like washing the car with brillo. (imagine going out the car the next morning and noticing it really isnt glossy anymore!)

[KmanM3]

I would avoid those car washes if I were you. They always seem to bend or break something like a license plate frame, etc and I don't think all those high speed brushes/sprayers are good for your finish. I wash mine outside in the driveway still, but also have to brave the cold. As long as you have access to a hose and/or a sink it should not be bad. Use your driveway or the street instead of the garage. For the wheels I just fill a bucket with car wash soap and warm water from the sink. Even if you do an abbreviated washing of the car because of the cold it is better than nothing and than a car wash, especially once the snow and salt come around. In fact due to the snow these past 2 days I will probably just rinse off my car tonight after work with the hose and spray the wheel wells and undercarriage. The worst part about washing in the cold is drying the car takes forever but use a good chamois cloth and that should work.

[Hellrot]

When I was in college in upstate NY and had my [perfect, beautiful, wonderful ] Celica, I would go to the do it yourself place with about $3 in quarters and a bucket, sponge, and soap. The water was effing cold but warm enough to melt the crap off the car, and blast salt and stuff out of the wheelwells.

I then did a quick hand wash and rinsed it.

CAVEAT: it's better to let the salt and dirt sit than to do a less than perfect job getting it off. If you simply wet the stuff down without getting it out of the 200 cracks and crevices you're hurting the car.

Of course, I often froze my locks and had the car caked in ice, but to me, I preffered that to dirt

-Dave

[hamann99]

I would recommend you to go to a self washing area where the water unit is a pressure washer. All you have to do is pay the machine quarters and bam you're ready to go.

I'm not familiar with the NE, but that's what I'd recommend doin if you don't like to use your own hose.

[Tobias]

Hi guys!

Here in Sweden we have gas-stations called "OK". Where I live there have a so called "Gör det själv" (In Swedish) "Do it yourself" in English... It's works perfect. The Carwashes here in Sweden have big rollers (incl hi-pressure) with somekind of rubber that goes on the paint. You get small scratches at once And then you can choose the wash that does it without these rollers (Hi-Pressure). But the problem then it that the Salt (which we have here in Stockholm ) comes of the car and goes down in the recyclingwater. So what you actually do is that you're squirting saltwater on the car.... Doesn't sound to nice does it???

I take the car to this Do It Your Self Hall. Before I go in I use something called (Avfettning) here in Sweden. I don't know what it's called in America, but it looses up the salt and dirt so it's easier to get it off. But it also loosens up the Wax-Layer. But then I usually don't Wax the car in -20 degrees celcius. In this Hall it's like 15-20 degrees celcius and they have hi-pressure washes and a thing that carrys the car up to the celing so you can wash it underneith. I start spraying the car of with the hi-pressure wash. And then I spray it underneith. Then I take Turtle Wax Car Shampoo and wash it with a clean sponge. Then I spray it off again and finally I dry it with a Shamy... Works very good and I think it's very cheep to. A regular Car-Wash here costs about 10 bucks. I usually manage to wash the car in like 45 minutes (incl vacuming). They have a good vacumcleaner but you should only use it to do the floor. It can be dirty... Well however this costs like 5-8bucks... And then ofcourse I have to buy new Shampoo etc as usual

Well that's all...

///Toby

[Yangsta]

I try to brave the cold in portland. I just use lukewarm water so my fingers dont freeze completely off.

[NOC]

I say bare the pain and wash outside by hand,,,I know it is hard, hell, my hands almost cought frostbyte, but I am willing to do anything for my baby.....

[satyen119]

hell, i just brave it as best i can. of course, i'm in texas.

last week i handwashed outside (about 40 degrees , afternoon) with cold ass water. it was fine once my hands went numb. but drying definitely takes forever... nothing evaporates! i go through twice as many towels as normal when i do it in the cold.

[Alex328is]

Wow, after reading all these responses I'm glad I have a shop where I can wash my car. Of course not everyone has access to their own shop.

My advice: Go to a body shop or detail center that has an enclosed washing area inside the shop and offer the owner boss some money to wash your car there for 20 minutes or so.

[EEE21M]

I'm sure I speak on behalf of all my Aussie DTM brothers and those living in similar warmer climates when I say i'm glad that it doesn't snow where I live. Some days in winter here i can still wash the car in shorts and shirt.
I'm not rubbing it in your face, I genuinely admire and share your dedication, something hard to explain to those that only see cars as something to get you from A to B.
Peace

[hofbrau8]

67 deg and nice hear at the beach in So Cal, just thought you would like to know.