alright so i know it's a little early to start thinking about snow/salt on the road...but i wanted to get everyones opinion on something.

anyone who lives up north and has to deal with terrible winter months can relate. the TL is my DD so i don't have a choice but to drive it during the harsh months.

i want to protect my carbon fiber hood and front aspec lip/bumper from road salt/snow/crap. i was thinking about using painters tape all over the hood and front bumper/lip...wrapping it up real good and overlapping behind the hood/bumper so that it wont peel up over time. then i was thinking this might not be a good idea to leave it on for so long (tape residue left over, going to look funny with blue tape all over my car, whatever other issues may arise...)

anybody have any thoughts? i don't want to buy a 3M clear bra because i just don't like those things plus they're expensive. i can't get a front leather bra bc they're hideous and they don't make one that fits over the aspec lip.

i'm open to any ideas. thanks guys/girls!

 

I think we are both F$@*ED!! All you can do is hit up the coin op car wash regularly to get the salt off

 

I'm looking for an empty garage to store her in the winter. Time to change out the fluids in the hEEp!!!

 

wash frequently as long as the hose isn't frozen. rubber kitchen gloves and ONR wash. i did this last winter when i discovered ONR. before i would wash with the hose and soap (old fashion way) freezing my ass off and the rubber kitchen gloves. if it was above freezing i went and got the crud off as soon as i could, preferably after all the snow melted and there was no chance for road spray.

i don't know if there are any other options if your TL is your DD short of painter's tape and bubble wrap. if you had a winter beater....that would be your best option, but that's not feasible in this case.

 

I usually hit the coin wash bi-weekly heheh

Most of the the time after I get home from the wash the droplets are frozen on my car already =(

 

Keep it waxed like a mofo. During the year, I'll reapply wax/sealant every 4-5 weeks, during winter maybe every two weeks. That's my protection.

 

wax definitely helps...it also helps the snow slide right off your car too wen you clean it off

 

OP =

 

after much debate and thought i realized i don't need to do anything.

 

It is unavoidable that the car will see a lot of salt. I am concerned with the salt that collects but more concerned with salt trucks.

The best thing to do it wash it to get the salt off and wax when possible. Stay off the roads when possible.

 

SB, there's not a whole lot you can do, especially if it's your daily driver. Just keep it as clean as you can.

Get some ONR and pray for a light winter.

 

If it is anything like the last couple years then we are all screwed in the NE. We would be lucky if we got a heated garage and a warm day every 7-10 days. The garage I got minus the heat.

 

^^^ I know-it's supposed to be a longer, colder winter this year....

 

Yeh. I have to pick up some touch up paint soon to get some of the paint chips on my TL covered. But with the miles I put on, it ain't really going to matter.

 

Move to Arizona?

 

Clear bra? It's going to cost more than a few rolls of painters tape but it might be worth it

 

Apply 2 layers of Collinite 845 wax and reapply when needed. I can see the rear bumper and trunk wearing off quicker than other panels due to the slipstream of our cars.

 

coin wash, I actually use to get in touch with the manager of the one by my place, and ask for a discount if I went almost daily, hooked it up for .50 cents a wash instead of the 2.00 reg charge. it doesn't hurt to try and ask. hey still got any of that black vinyl wrap for sale for my grill lol??

 

^This (or someplace similar) is my long term plan. Why can't kids grow up faster? On second thought....

What is this ONR people are talking about?

Forget the tape idea---will only last a few days at most. Might as well run her through the wash every few days. Find a place with the undercar rinse.

 

Check with your boss and see if you can work from home during the winter. If not all the time, perhaps part time. If that won't work for you, try using a force field. I think I've seen them on e-bay.

 

yeah that's the feeling i'm getting to...

i need a hEEp!!! i should have never sold my beater to get the TL...

you sound like me last year...the whole rubber kitchen glove fiasco. not fun...

i have read good things about ONR, perhaps i'll give that a shot. thanks for the post!

when you go to the coin wash, do you just use the sprayer to get off the salt/crud or do you use their soap too?

thanks. plenty of wax, check.

i hate you so much justin.

yeah but i do.

exactly...you know what i'm talking about. salt trucks are just awful. i HATE getting stuck behind them...

i'm gonna pray, mr. bell. idk if it'll help tho, it's supposed to be a rough/long shitty winter.

exactly.

yeah my front lip/bumper is riddled with rock chips from daily driving. i may just get the whole front resprayed next spring and look into a 3m clear bra before next winter hits.

i wish. i'm originally from NC where everything was peachy all year round.

i think i will do this next year, tyler. seems like the best bet after i get the front repainted.

good call. aerodynamicsFTMFW.

yeah i still have that vinyl man, send me a PM.

dave, ONR is a way to wash your car w/out the use of water. check it out, it's pretty cool. maybe i'll grab some and we can see what all the hype is about.

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.html

i do have a seasonal job, hours/time get cut during the winter months...but i still have to show up. i wish i had the luxury of staying at home.

and yeah, i actually looked for a force field on eBay. well played.

 

Have you thought about buying a beater for two - three grand then selling it right when it warms up. Depending on the purchase price you could break even when you sell it.

 

Carpooling??

 

that's a thought...but i don't have money like that laying around. i always end up blowing it on something for the TL.

good idea! i think i'll do that if/when the weather is rough and just leave the TL parked.

 

You can put 700 coats of any wax/sealant on the car and its not going to protect sh*t from the smallest rock.

I can see 2 options;

1) Cover the frontal areas with electrical tape covering the same area a bra would. Also cover the "A" pillar, rocker panels, the area in front of the rear wheels, the edge of the wheel wells and the area under the rear fender behind the wheels. I have done this more than once. Might look ugly but come spring you just face the car into the sun and let the tape warm up and it peels off leaving very little residue. Matter of fact I did this on a new Cobalt I got on 1 Nov last year and there is not one rock chip on the nose area.

2) I have a bra I bought for my 06 base TL then I modified it slightly to work on the "A" spec lip I put on the car. I snipped off the bottom "C" type channel clip and added a small bungie cord that clips onto the inner fender. Even with the bra I add a few strips of electrical tape under the trailing edge of the bra on the hood and where it curves over the fender so if any crud gets under there it rubs on the tape not the paint. I also remove the bra about every 6 weeks and wash the front of the car off with ONR . I bring the bra in the house to dry and I vacuum the back of it off really well and reinstall it.

Here is a pix of the cord I added. Tool 5 min per side.

 

or Texas

 

I live in PA, so we get our share of snow from time to time. I have never worried about salt and all that junk, car always looks the same after the winter as it does before, not a big deal in my opinion. I don't have any carbon fiber stuff so I don't know how well that holds up but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

btw painter's tape does not guarantee clean removal after 14 days, so you're either going to have to buy lots of tape to re-do it every week and a half or so or clean up the residue every time.

 

ONR...rinseless car wash. amazing stuff. during the snow crap...if you can give the car a good rinse or go through a touchless wash to get the majority of the crap off, drive the car home, then finish off with the ONR wash. it takes like 20 min to wash your car. follow up with detailer spray (if its not too cold) and the car and you will be happy. beats doing it old school and adding about 15 min of ass freezing outside. if you have a garage...with a heater...the ONR is awesome for those appplications as well. can also double as a detailer spray too (follow instructions). i sound like an infomercial.

i had my doubts, but said...what the hell. after reading all the rave reviews about it...bought it...sold. its nice to have when you're too lazy or time constrained to do a full hose wash any other time.

shark-one of these days i'm gonna have to see your car in person...always liked what you've done with her.

 

It's a car, it's meant to be driven. Just drive the car. Covering it up makes it look 10x dumber than a couple of rocks hitting it....

 

Move to North Dakota...It's so cold up here salt does no good, so they don't use it.

 

I'm not that well versed in it, but how about wrapping it with some vinyl?

 

electrical tape huh? that would take FOREVER...but i see your logic w/ using it. thanks!

i've also seen you post that picture of your custom bra before...i'll have to look into that more.



yeah i just know after last winter came and went, i had A LOT more chips/scuffs on my front bumper and hood.

good call...i won't be using that crap.

yeah i'm def going to buy some ONR...i've always wanted to try it.

and thanks for the compliment...hopefully we have another meet before i have to put on the winter wheels. i'll keep my eyes on the regional forums.





got a place i can stay?

 

I take it you're the kind of person that wraps their cell phone in a big velvet case that takes 1 minute to pull out and use....

To each his own.

 

^yerp. you got my number!

go back to your video games son.

 

Don't you still have the stock hood? If you do, swap it out for the winter months. If not... then I think you could try putting vinyl on the CF hood. Other then that, just try to keep the car clean and free of the salt.

 

You didn't keep your OEM hood?

 

 

Applying the electrical tape to the Cobalt was less than 2 hours ... no longer than it would to apply painters tape ... Cobalts nose is just as complex as the TL.

 

nah i traded my stock hood for the VIS CF hood.

thanks for the idea tho!

nope

i win the interwebz war!

good to know. do they make a larger diameter roll of tape? or is it all the skinny normal kind?

how long did it hold up for? did you prep the area before applying? which direction did you put the tape on? horizontal or vertical?

^mucho questions...sorry.