Nrp603

So I waited too long and now it is winter. It's too cold outside to wash the car and my area is getting a snow storm tomorrow.

There is a drive in car wash thing that has a brush and power spray i was going to use to get off most dirt then run it through the car was and get the best package which includes a Carnauba-based Wax spray im assuming. Would this be better than nothing or should i not bother?

erdoc48

Most better car washes use the newer design neoprene straps on the cleaning brushes they use and these are fine for a decent clean up. If you're talking about the one where you drive in and the car stays still but the cleaning equipment moves about the car (a lot of these are associated with gas stations in a separate 'garage' type area), a lot of these use the older nylon brushes and these can scratch up the paint (fine scratches, but still scratches). That type should be avoided.

lusid

Is your car frozen? Please buy a dry car!

-_-

Nrp603

Not yet

Nrp603

Ok cool ill give it a go. This one is not a stand still car wash and it was put in about 4 months ago so pretty new. Should i also add spray wax when i get home or do you think putting the waxes on from the car wash will be good enough?

JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

Why even bother if the car is going to just get trashed again? I would rather leave it dirty than take it through a car wash, but that's just me. I mean the car would be fine through one of those newer car washes, but for whatever reason I can't find it in me to take my car through one lol.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

im in the same boat as james.

If i didnt have time, or winter conditions prevented me from doing so, I would leave the car dirty.

also, there is a product called Optimum No Rinse.
which uses a small amount of water.
and you could wash the car properly in winter conditions

KJ TL-S

iTrader: (9)

Agree with Justin on the ONR. Although I am going to use a touchless wash today I think to get the salt off the undercarriage. Shame on me I know, but I need to do it sometimes throughout the winter.

Noober

iTrader: (7)

i go through touch less car washes all the time.

Scottwax

That's the best solution.

Never go through a wash with brushes or use one on your paint. Customer's Mini had to be repolished after the dealership ran it through their automated brush car wash, scuffed the paint all up.

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

I don't wash my car unless it's above freezing.
When I do wash it, I hand wash it at a coin wash.

Below freezing - I don't wash it.
Why?

- Drive through car washes with brushes add mad swirls to your paint.
- "Touchless" car washes usually use very harsh chemicals to wash your car.

That's just me, though.

I use to wash my car bi-weekly in the winter - not anymore; it gets expensive.

Jesstzn

Unless I can hand wash it all I do is use the wand type spray washes and just use the rinse water to get the crud and salt off. The spray wax is a waste of time/money , all it is is an additive to make the water bead .. no protection . BTW the soaps at those washes are really strong and will strip your wax in a couple washes.

stogie1020

If you have a garage, pull the car in and wash it IN the garage. You can run a space heater for 30 minutes prior to warm it up a bit. Your garage 'should' be graded away from the house so just leave the garage door open a couple of inches (in AZ your water heater is in the garage so it's code to grade away from house). Just don't use super high pressure water or all the other stuff in the garage will get wet. I do this in the summer when it's too hot and sunny to wash outside and prevent water spots before drying.

CB7Nub

Touchless is what I have used all the time.
I tried non-touchless once and it almost broke my mirror and it did brake my front license plate holder and also damaged the license plate bracket.

Never again, touchless with underspray is best for winter.
And if it is below 0 degrees Celsius, I would avoid hand drying it to avoid marks.
The air dry at the end of the wash should be good enough.