Not sure how many of you are in areas where winter snow and slush is an annual thing...

Here in Vancouver, BC, during Dec - Feb, we get lots of sleet, freezing rain, about a week's worth of snow, and slush... and the salted roads...

So, in light of this, have been stocking up on car wash coupons from the Shell station (obtained with airmiles redemption), so that after each snow storm, it's the car wash immediately with the RDX to remove the accumulated salt and dirt/mud.

There is no way I would like to handle water that is icy cold, no matter how much I like to detail the RDX and like to personally TLC the RDX.

Those in areas like California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, the southern US states, need not really respond to this thread with claims of how easy it is to maintain and detail the RDX throughout the DEc - Feb months.

 

In Alberta where I am, I wash my car in the winter at a wand wash as I find the touchless car washes at the gas station never get the film off the car. After the wash, I park my car in a mall parkade and kill a couple of hours until the car dries off.

 

ya I usually wash my cars at the coin ops. Machine washes are just too hard on the paint (talked to a few details and body shop guys and they all go against gas station car washes)

If you love your car you would take it to a coin op place (its alot cheaper then the machine wash anywho :P) if you plan on getting rid of the car in a year or 2 then what ever is convenient to you.

 

I've found a few touchless car washes that I would use in a hurry, better than nothing, but they don't do as good a job as you can do yourself or at least at a coin operated wash. Especially to get at the salt and grime under the car and in the wheel wells. I like drtdvl's suggestion about parking in a parkade till it dries off! I'd be worried about the door seals etc. freezing up and getting damaged, but the parkade solves that problem! Just not so good for my credit cards...who can go to a mall and not buy anything?!

 

forgot to mention you lucky bc'ers :P We in Toronto get months and months of snow!

After a snow storm

 

Mau, that looks to be about 2-3 cms on the fence line? Yup, I know the feeling, some snowfalls in Calgary we get upwards of 6-10+ cms in one night. Good times! Can't wait to try out the RDX in the snow . Can't believe I'm actually wishing for snow.

 

lot of fun in the snow, as long as ur careful and not crazy

 

Yeah, it would be fun to try out the SH-AWD in snow, but really... I like snow if I don't have to get stressed out by driving in it. Having fun playing in snow, yes... stressed out with worrying about driving in it, no...

Although, have to agree, BC'ers do not generally get the extended winter snow like other parts of Canada...

 

I havent thought of this yet, just trying to push the thought of winter as far off as possible.

My CX-7 got absolutely destroyed by the past winter and the paint was shot from the door handles down (very soft paint). I know its inevitable not to bring the car thru a wash during the winter, just not sure how else to approach this. The coin ops i guess are ok, i just find them leaving way to much soap residue on the body and not cleaning the car well at all. More of a power wash rinse than anything

 

I have to agree with car wash is really nothing mroe than a power wash rinse. But it really helps if you do the car wash regularly, especially a day after a snow storm hits, and dirt/grime/salt has accumulated on the car. Allowing the grime and salt to sit longer will make removing it much harder.

To help in preventing the grime to get stuck on the paint, I am planning to layer the paint surface with a polymer sealant soon (after I prepped it properly with the P21S paint emulsion cleanser).

 

ShadowGirl - where I am from, the parkades on weekends have reduced pricing. It is usually about $2.00 for the day. Also, at most stores - if you purchase something, they reimburse you for the parking. I hope this helps.