So, I live in northern Jersey and we just got our first snowfall. I bought my car around Feb. so I lack knowledge in the winter care area...
So how do you guys keep your ride spanking clean during winter?

And for those fortunate members who don't know what snow is... FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU (jk, im just extremely jealous...lol)

 

Your not going to keep it sparkling clean in winter ... big mistake noobs make is they take it tothe car wash and use the foam brush on it .. this scratches the hell out of it.

If you have the ability to wash at home just do a proper one there when you can .. otherwise all I do is go to the wand wash place once a week and use the rinse water only and get off as much of the crud as possible and rinse the underside best you can.

A good coat of wax prior to winter helps too.

 

If you have a garage, then ONR will be your best friend. I usually just swing by a wand wash and spray it down with water only and go home and do a 2 bucket wash with ONR. And like Dale said, make sure you keep it waxed properly also. Collinite 845 is a good winter wax.

 

excuse my lack of knowledge but what is a ONR? Will look into the Collinite 845

 

ONR is a no rinse car wash substitute. good for cold weather days when you can't use a hose.

 

Sorry forgive me for not understanding the ONR system totally, but wouldn't that scratch the hell out of the car even if you do a long rinse at a car wash?

also whats the length of protection on the Collinite 845? This is a wax not a sealant, waxes do not hold up as long as sealants correct? It's my perception that you use a sealant to keep the paint protected and top it with a wax for depth and shine?

I thought about some of the Opti-Seal stuff and also was recommended to use duragloss 105?

 

ONR...good stuff. been using it the last few yrs. no marring!

collinite durability is suppose to be pretty good. i believe it is a synthetic and carnuba sealant/wax. true carnuba waxes do not last as long (say a month). synthetics/sealants will last longer (some claim in upwards of 5-8 mos).

yes, sealant first then wax. i've used the klasse twins with collinite on top of that. in between major details...say after an ONR bath, either use a quick detailer or a spray wax to give a quick shine. though cold weather makes QD or SW kind of finicky when wiping it off.

 

This is the best insurance there is.

 

for winter prep i did the following.

wash
clay
polish (had light swirls)
seal with blackfire jetseal
and 2 coats of purple haze paste wax.
jet seal on the wheels.

i plan on using ONR on it at least monthly.


should give me plenty of protection from the elements.

 

Will the ONR scratch, I mean seems like just a strong rinse will still leave a ton of stuff on the paint and the ONR would just rub the dirt around?

Maybe I'm wrong and just not following.

That Mustang doesn't even look dirty at all, I'm just curious about using it. I would love to use a ONR since I hate washing at the car wash in the winter.

 

Damn! That ONR video hurts my eyes. My car would be all scratched up if I used that technique. Washing a clean car is not a good example.

Try this thread instead.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=384012

 

I just did my preparatory layer of sealant today with meguiars ultimate wax. I'm guessing there are probably 2 weeks left of "warm" days to wash and wax outside. I'm gonna probably try spray wax, during winter to prolong the protection.

 

Not really. If my car is pretty dirty, I load up a sprayer with some onr and water. Give it a pre spray. Then 2 bucket with onr and clean water with grit guards. Haven't had a problem yet.
You should be able to get a small sprayer from Home Depot for like $10 bucks

 

I know everyone here is in favor of cleaning their car at home. But for a variety of reasons, I need to go to a car wash, as in the kind where the car goes through on a track.

So, what can I look for in a car wash that would be the least damaging experience for my new TSX? There is a car was in a nearby wealthy town where I see all the Merecedes, Beamers etc. pulling out. I was thinking of trying it, but I don't know what to look for and what to avoid. Since I'm in CT, I know I need the undercarriage done. What other add-ons should I use or avoid? And what should I look for in the drying cloths the guys use?

Thanks.

 

please do not use an automatic car wash, whether its on a track or one where people wash it for you in a bay. your paint will be swirled all to hell. it amazes me the amount of people that use these types of services.

if you have no way to do this at home, might want to look into ONR. it's a rinseless/waterless way to wash your car, and if you practice proper washing techniques...you won't muff up your paint. do a quick google search on it. a few of our vendors sell it on this forum as well.

if thats not an option, go to one of those self service wash bays and clean your car yourself, with your own wash mitt and soap.

 

I agree. Bought my new black car in November and took it to automated car washes a couple of times and they scratched the hell out it. Since then, I have been doing my own car washes at home with ONR. So far so good but when you have to wax and you don't own a polisher, it's very a tiring job. Nonetheless... very rewarding since the end result justifies the means.

However, what do people do about the undercarriage? We are starting to see snow in my area and I am concerned about the salt build up in the undercarriage of the car.

 

Its not a big concern with new cars .. well coated and mostly self flushing .. and on top of it ;

a) Salt etc is inactive below freezing

b) Once the snow melts the solt is dissolved

c) The water on the roads does a pretty good job of washing the underside off.


Outside of surface rust on the suspension parts I have never had issues like they used to on older cars.