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With the Winter approaching in the summer months (Canada) I was wondering where you guys/gals take your car to wash? Touchless washes? Coin operators? Anything that does not cause damage to the paint of your car. Thank you!
I have that 90 car wash pass. Wash all my cars everyday. When it's snowing and there's a pile of snow on my car, I'll go through the car wash and it'll come right off lol. I bought my car specifically for winter because of the AWD. I don't have time to baby it.
When I don't have my car wash pass I go through the coin wash and spray it down. Takes 4 minutes. Cost $3. Does the job.
You guys are crazy if you think you can sit in a garage (and Canadian garage's aren't that warm, even when they're closed and insulated) and have a bucket with some water and slowly wipe down your car. You'll go through a crap load of microfibres just to get all the dirt and salt off. It's probably worse than spraying down your car. These -30 weather will soon hit you and you won't give a damn about how clean your car is.
Last edited by andrewcjduong; Oct 28, 2014 at 04:01 AM.
Wash indoors. No pressure wash, or at least avoid pressure on the door edges, hood, etc. If ice forms in there over time and expands, things can go bad. Cover the buttons on the handles with duct tape, yes water can get in there and the circuit may short. Lift hood after, remove covers and remove water near or on the battery. Just some suggestions...
Yeah, I don't have the time to wash my car myself, and I live in a condo, so that just doesn't happen. I take it to this place in the GTA (greater Toronto area): Denny's Car Wash
Amazing price, and they clean the shit out of your car, outside AND inside - unreal since I never do inside myself.
Wish I had touchless in my area. Sadly... that isn't the case.
I get a bucket of hot water and do rinseless in my garage with a portable heater. Rubber gloves are a must!
I use the wash pass as well. i've used it for the past 4 or 5 years, it's great. The underside of my car is in pretty good condition. The salt is far worse for your car then the wash.
For those unfamiliar, they salt our roads here like crazy. There's usually a small mount of salt at intersections because the trucks stop for red lights, but the salt keeps flowing...
Even in parking lots and walkways, they dump so much salt that you end up slipping on it....
Here's the best advice I can give, wax your car with this stuff just before winter hits:
Don't be fooled by the label saying it's "easy off", this stuff doesn't come off easy, it takes time to do the car. This wax will not give you the best shine but it will outlast any winter you throw at it unlike 90% of the shit on the market.
Try finding a bad review on that stuff, I guarantee you won't find a wax that will last longer then it. I actually prefer my Natty's wax for shine but it wears off within a month or two versus 467s which lasts up to 12 months.
I usually zymol my car before winter and full detail in spring. makes a huge difference for sure. My friend's have started to get opticoat/guard/cquartz done. They seem to like the results.
X2 for the Collinite 476. Best bang for the buck for winter protection that I have come across. It just lasts. Personally, I think it has a decent shine. 845 is better, but doesn't seem to last quite as long from what I have seen. If you use it, or any Collinite products, remember thin is in. When I put too much on, it takes a little more effort to remove. Still worlds better than the old Rain Dance my father used to use back in the day! That stuff sucked to take off!
Throughout the winter, I will try to wash the car in the driveway, whenever there is an weather above freezing. I do not hit up any automatic car washes.
The scratches that end up in the paint from brushing snow or sand or whatever else will be polished out in the spring using a DA and some XMT360 followed by some Collinite 845 and/or some Blackfire Midnight Sun.
I take my vehicle to the local Delta Sonic.
They're car wash is $16 / month for unlimited washes.
You can add HAND APPLIED body wax, RainX, & Tire Shine for $3 / wash.
The best part, no spinning brushes to swirl paint. 100% Touchless.
The best option is obviously to hand wash, but I don't have the time.
Plus, I'm short so it's hard to get the roof of the car haha
If you can't hand wash it, I'd try to find a touchless car wash.
Also, if you have the extra dough, I've heard excellent things about OptiCoat.
It's applied professionally by a professional auto detailer.
I've been thinking about getting it done on my 10' TL.
Thanks for everyones advice!
Quick question. With the Collinite. How do you have to apply it? Do you need a buffer or do microfibres do the trick? First winter with this car, so Im a noob at this lol.
With the Winter approaching in the summer months (Canada) I was wondering where you guys/gals take your car to wash? Touchless washes? Coin operators? Anything that does not cause damage to the paint of your car. Thank you!
There is no simple way to wash your car in the winter if you go to the do it yourself wash go when its above 32 degrees if the lines in the wash are frozen your bummin.Anyway you look at it you still got to drive home from the wash just spay the rims down with alloy cleaner then spray down the rest of your car with plain water.Its going to be frozen in the morning anyways unless you have a garage. just spray and go save yoyr $$$.
Thanks for everyones advice!
Quick question. With the Collinite. How do you have to apply it? Do you need a buffer or do microfibres do the trick? First winter with this car, so Im a noob at this lol.
Thanks!
I have applied either with a yellow foam applicator pad by hand or with a blue Lake Country CCS pad with an PC7424XP. Either work well. All depends how long you want to hide in the garage... Remove with microfiber.
Honestly there probably is no proper way of washing it in the winter. I use touchless when I can but sometimes it's whatever's available. I would say when spring comes around, give your car a good 3 stage clay, buff/polish, wax and you won't see any hairlines or anything. I've done this with all my cars and every summer it looks as good as new.
Thanks for everyones advice!
Quick question. With the Collinite. How do you have to apply it? Do you need a buffer or do microfibres do the trick? First winter with this car, so Im a noob at this lol.
Thanks!
I just applied a coat of the Collinite to my TL yesterday and have some tips for you.
Always hand wash and hand dry the vehicle before you wax.
1. Make sure you use a damp applicator, I used microfibre wrapped applicators. You can either spray the applicator with a water spray bottle or soak it and wring as much water you can out of it prior to use.
2. Apply sparingly you don't need a lot of wax and you don't need to press very hard when you apply it (especially with a damp applicator this really helps you apply it).
3. You can apply it outside but DO NOT apply it in direct sunlight or you will regret it, it's much more difficult to remove if you let the wax dry in direct sunlight but in the shade you're okay.
4. Have about 3 damp applicators ready, 3 buffing towels, and 1-2 finishing towels (you'll need these to wipe away the wax dust left behind)
It took me about 2-2.5 hours in total to wash, dry, wax.
make sure its prepped for the winter first meaning the sealant and wax of your choice. After that just hose down your car in a self service booth You don't need to dry it off if its too cold. Hitting it with those shit car washes are bad and that's a fact. You're better off leaving it dirty and spending the time when you can to wash it properly. If you don't give a shit about paint then don't worry about it. I like swirl free paint cause having a nice car is about how you maintain it and now the money you throw into it. But that's just me.
Also doing a paint correction every time isn't going to keep working. Paint corrections eat into your clear coat. The point is to keep the clear protected and wash your vehicle well so you don't have to keep correcting the paint. 2 paint corrections later and you'll have to repaint your car depending on how aggressive you get. The folks who claim you should just buff your car out are right when you can maintain it. If you can't don't bother. Also anyone who has spent the time correcting their paint properly know that paint correction isn't an option forever and the effort and cost are high. That's exactly why its easier to take good care of your paint or at the least leave it alone through a cold winter and give it the TLC it needs in the summer. Dirt won't scratch your paint if you're not rubbing crap cloth over it.
Last edited by d1sturb3d119; Nov 12, 2014 at 11:40 AM.
I don't understand this theory of not washing your car during the winter. It's not dirt that accumulates. It's all the salt that sits in your underbody. The only way to wash that off would be to actually drive it though a car wash where it sprays it down. Same with the creases around your side skirt and fenders. That's what causes the bottom of most doors to rust and the fenders to rust.
I drive my car through the wash regardless. Touch or not, it's getting the salt off. In the summer, I'll buff the car and it'll have a clear swirl free paint. I don't really know any other solution. Standing in a garage wiping down the car while the outdoors is -35c is not an option.
I don't understand this theory of not washing your car during the winter. It's not dirt that accumulates. It's all the salt that sits in your underbody. The only way to wash that off would be to actually drive it though a car wash where it sprays it down. Same with the creases around your side skirt and fenders. That's what causes the bottom of most doors to rust and the fenders to rust.
I drive my car through the wash regardless. Touch or not, it's getting the salt off. In the summer, I'll buff the car and it'll have a clear swirl free paint. I don't really know any other solution. Standing in a garage wiping down the car while the outdoors is -35c is not an option.
Car washes don't spray your underbody either way so theres no point for underbody maintenance unless you spray it yourself. The fact that you're driving on snow means that there is a constant spray of salt. If you can't wash the car this week its not the end of the world. You're still better finding a place where you can hit the car gently. Pressure washers used at full intensity may work but is not good for any rubber components that seal surfaces together. The outside of a car is designed to withstand rain now water at 150PSI.
Rust happens due to chips in the paint. Chips expose bare metal that then are a point of rust This is why touch up paint is important. As long as bare metal spots are covered no rust will occur even if salt sits on your paint for hours. You don't have to wipe anything down. Hose off but make sure you know whats getting hosed and how hard. If your paint is sealed properly a majority of the water will come off and you can leave the paint and rubber seals in tact.
i would def apply a sealant before it gets too cold; that will protect you with a base layer for 6 months; to wash the car, i take it to a coin wash and gently hand wash with 2 buckets; sure, i know its cold outside but suck it up!
I have my car rustproofed yearly so regardless it can withstand some tough conditions but every car wash in my neighbourhood and area sprays the underbody of your car. I still prefer to wash my car every week or so. If I leave my car unwashed for more than a week, the car looks like this.
Keeping cars clean during Canadian winters is often a running joke IMO.
But, it's not a total lost cause. Both Canadian gas companies, Esso and Petro Canada, have decent car washes that are touchless. I usually get my washes with Esso and just get their "Full Wash" package which is a pre-soak, soap, layer of useless wax, and dry. It's fine on paint.
Currently, my car is covered in mud, dirt, and sand given the lovely pile of sand, dirt the city dumps onto the roads when snow hits. I hope to wash it in a day or so when the roads are a bit dryer.
Definitely don't just "leave it", if you live in a salt belt run through the wash that sprays the undercarriage. Also make sure before the snow/salt hits that you do a through inspection of the car for paint chips, especially in the rear wheel arches. If you find any chips fill them with touch up paint. If you find any with rust then you need to very carefully sand the rust away and touch it it up and apply fresh wax over it.
Rust proofing isn't a bad idea either depending on if you're willing to spend the $100 to get it done.
Do you really believe manufacturers do not rust proof their cars? You need to make sure its maintained but no amount of washes are going to prevent salt from corroding bare metal. So if you have chips already and you think washing your car will save it that's not going to happen.
Preventative maintenance will help like filling in chips and under body coating if any areas are scratched up to prevent further damage but it all goes back to prep. There are plenty of my customers who do not wash their cars through the winter and come summer all is well. Salt does not corrode what is already protected.
Do you really believe manufacturers do not rust proof their cars?
No, they don't apply a rust inhibitor from the factory, you're clearly mistaken if you think they do. The dealerships will always offer to sell you a rust inhibitor when you purchase new.
Originally Posted by d1sturb3d119
You need to make sure its maintained but no amount of washes are going to prevent salt from corroding bare metal. So if you have chips already and you think washing your car will save it that's not going to happen.
I don't think the discussion on washing cars is referring to ensuring the top of your painted hood is clear of salt, the washes are mostly to remove the salt build up around the fenderwells, bottom of the doors etc.
Originally Posted by d1sturb3d119
Preventative maintenance will help like filling in chips and under body coating if any areas are scratched up to prevent further damage but it all goes back to prep. There are plenty of my customers who do not wash their cars through the winter and come summer all is well. Salt does not corrode what is already protected.
The people who don't wash their cars must have an awful amount of containments in their paint after a full winter season with no washing...they probably never claybar either so I bet their paint will look like shit in a couple years. I'd love to see the condition of the paint under a pile of bird shit that sat for 4 months haha.
All I'm saying is if you want to hose it down that's great. Just remember rubber seals aren't meant to take a huge amount of pressure. And that touchless or conventional automated car washes do damage your paint. Given the fact that I've corrected my paint I'd rather just hose down the car than take it to a car wash.
Even the ones where people wipe down your car are bad for your paint. Those businesses make money off being quick not precise. There's a reason why you pay a detailer 60 bucks or more an hour vs someone who you pay 15 or 20 bucks to make it a quick 10 minute job.
In those cases just leave the paint alone, hose it down and call it good. If the weather gets better use a microfiber mitt, wash clean off, and then drive. The sealant will take care of the rest. If you have time wash and dry and use quick wax to add a protective layer back. More is less when it comes to paint.
and plus, free skating rink in your garage once you're done! 
