How do you wash your car in winter? Where do you go?

[Eken9]

Any different procedures for anyone?

I was thinking of touchless car washes but the pressure is too harsh and it strips wax like nothing. (Might not be all)

Also, I've noticed the hand pressure wash place I go to (16th ave 68st) use very harsh chemicals thus also stripping wax, but not as bad as the touchless. I've been going there for many years and never had a problem until a few months ago.

Where do you bring your car? Where you've had good a experience? Do you wait until a certain temperature?

[Lucky97]

in the winter i wash my car at least once or twice a week. and i go to the big bucket just off pegin and 25th in the se i think

[shin0bi]

My ex washed her car during the winter and it got really cold really fast and froze her door shut leaving her to be stranded and me to laugh hysterically...

..thus one of many reasons why we are no longer together. hehe


I usually just wait for a mild day and go through a touchless car wash close to home, and then make sure it dries off REALLY well, then I'll grab a rag and go over the trim to catch any excess before it gets a chance to ice. I've really noticed a difference in how quickly rust forms when I do that.

[GQBalla]

I just wash it as normal if I'm at a bay and its not busy ill hand dry quick.

If not ill go to esso car wash touchless and let the big dryer take care of it

[n1zm0]

normal wash @ a pay-a-dollar pressure wash place and i put a piece of scotch tape on my the door lock cylinders, i've ran into way too many shitty times in previous winters unable to open the lock after i wash it, believe me it works!

[gretz]

Originally posted by n1zm0
normal wash @ a pay-a-dollar pressure wash place and i put a piece of scotch tape on my the door lock cylinders, i've ran into way too many shitty times in previous winters unable to open the lock after i wash it, believe me it works!

+1 for frozen locks

....or when you cant shut your door

[lilmira]

I just go to Centex on centre at night when there is no one around. I'll have all the time to dry the car before I leave.

I don't like touchless, they are expensive and don't even do half the job I can do myself. Your won't have enough time to dry then the moment you drive off the car looks like crap.

I usually wax my car once before winter and then wax again half way thru winter when it's just warm enough.

[ZorroAMG]

10th and 10th + heated parking = win

[bulaian]

I usually only wash my car right before I head home, so the locks don't get the chance to freeze

underground heated parking :clap:

[Canmorite]

Originally posted by ZorroAMG
10th and 10th + heated parking = win

+1. 2 Min drive back to the warm underground :rofl:

[silviak91]

I do not wash winter car.:D

[403ep3]

I wash my car right before I head home and leave it in the garage. I tried washing it before work..:banghead: :banghead:

[adam c]

i usually wash mine right before it gets really cold, it stays the cleanest the longest

[cyrusli]

well, it depends if you want to wash your car to keep it clean or wash your car to keep it from rusting.

if you want to keep it clean during winter, yeah, wash it before it gets really cold, but make sure you dry it properly or yuo'll have trouble with doors generally.

if you're washing to prevent the car from rusting and wash the grime and salt and watever's on the ground off, just spray it off and dry it. I've come to the point where i just was the car every week, spray off the dirt and what not, not a perfectly clean car, but presentable and less hassle in the long run.

I used to spend time washing the car, but for the time it stays clean, it's just a waste of time. IMHO, just spray it off every now and then to get the dirt off, and when spring comes around, do a detailed wash and wax.

[chongkee_]

i wash my car once a week at those wand wash places. The first thing i do after is wipe the side of the doors to keep them from getting stuck.

[97'Scort]

Winter? What's that? :D

[nismodrifter]

I wait till it gets Fing cold. so it doesn't get dirty. Go to carwash late at night w/bucket, wash mitt, etc. Spray down car, fill bucket, hand wash, rinse. Dry. Enjoy.

[sillysod]

I wash 2x a week in a coin op. Never had my car freeze up even up north in -40 she gets frequent baths.

I don't use a key... keyless entry FTW!

[badatusrnames]

Anyone ever tried a rinseless wash product?

[sneek]

Originally posted by badatusrnames
Anyone ever tried a rinseless wash product?

I have. Sometimes cars are too dirty to be safely rinslessly (if that's a word) washed. A key to keeping yourself from freezing is using warm to hot water. Room temperature water can freeze on your car if it is too cold, not to mention it is pretty unpleasant unless you have an amazing tolerance to the cold.

[kamatayan]

I don't have a car to wash... .. .

[topmade]

No special procedure, but I used to go to any wand wash at night just before I head home when there is nobody there and bring some towels. Even if your car is a POS it's good to clean the salt off of it. Dry your car down before you drive off so the doors don't freeze shut on you. I sometimes drive around to a couple until I find one that is free.

[badatusrnames]

Originally posted by sneek


I have. Sometimes cars are too dirty to be safely rinslessly (if that's a word) washed. A key to keeping yourself from freezing is using warm to hot water. Room temperature water can freeze on your car if it is too cold, not to mention it is pretty unpleasant unless you have an amazing tolerance to the cold.

I have a garage with infloor heating - so no worries about freezing!

[badatusrnames]

Originally posted by kamatayan
I don't have a car to wash... .. .

Thank you for this. Your contributions are immense, as always.

[StreetRacerX]

I go to a touchless then take it to a bay in our shop and towel dry it, I wax it at least once a month.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by StreetRacerX
I go to a touchless then take it to a bay in our shop and towel dry it, I wax it at least once a month.

haha... it would probably be more dirty after coming out of that shop then when it went in... just think about what you must be stepping in then getting that shit on your floor mats :shutter:

[cjay^]

Anyone ever try the touchless at Centex on banister road? every time I fill up I see for $7.99 (i think) you get rust inhibitor and underbody "blasting" I usually just wash and wax myself, but this underbody shit sounds alright.

[D. Dub]

Originally posted by 97'Scort
Winter? What's that? :D

Sunshine? What's that?

[StreetRacerX]

Originally posted by ercchry


haha... it would probably be more dirty after coming out of that shop then when it went in... just think about what you must be stepping in then getting that shit on your floor mats :shutter:

Hey now it aint that bad, the bay I use is actually clean:thumbsup:

[97'Scort]

Originally posted by D. Dub


Sunshine? What's that?

Looking outside, it's sunny and 7 degrees, son! Green grass! Girls in skirts! And school is cancelled the minute it farts a snowflake :D

[charlie_su1986]

Wash and dry at centex every week.. late at night of course;)

[Masked Bandit]

About the only thing I do different is wait for a warmish day. The truck doesn't seem to have problems with freezing doors / locks. I have had vehicles in the past though that were a pain as they would freeze up just driving past the car wash.

[TYMSMNY]

car wash bay in building... but I'll do a bucket wash late at night at either the one off Heritage or Brentwood.

[Eken9]

Originally posted by charlie_su1986
Wash and dry at centex every week.. late at night of course;)

What is Centex and where is it??

Open 24 hours?

Thanks in advance! :)

[Tik-Tok]

I either wash at the 24/7 wash on 39th ave NE, then park in our hangar to dry, or I wash at the place on Heritage, and park in my heated garage.

Of course this is of no help to the OP, lol.

[charlie_su1986]

Originally posted by Eken9


What is Centex and where is it??

Open 24 hours?

Thanks in advance! :)

I think the full name is centex laser wash... right beside centex gas station.

Yes it's 24/7 with 8 bays. Located at center st & 22 ave north.

Google Map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=centex&sll=51.068747,-114.062998&sspn=0.008994,0.020192&ie=UTF8&ei=hCguSfjrIJrIigPcxbC4Ag&cd=1&cid=51072648,-114062521,7236816245388948877&li=lmd)

[Swank]

I wash the night before I have a day off and there is supposed to be some sun. By the time I'm ready to use the car, nothing is frozen, even in -20. But my car is black so that probably helps quite a bit.

In summer I wash for show, in winter I wash to keep the evil salts to a minimum.


Originally posted by adam c
i usually wash mine right before it gets really cold, it stays the cleanest the longest
:werd:

[88jbody]

my old car I would hand wash at work in the shop, dry it off my self, let it sit inside for a wile and ussually lube the locks, hinges, and spray silicon the door rubbers before I put it back out, but this car, I wait till it rains it isn't worth the effort to wash it more then 2-3 times a year

[vape]

wash it as normal, just dry out the jams dude

[rc2002]

Originally posted by Eken9
Any different procedures for anyone?

I was thinking of touchless car washes but the pressure is too harsh and it strips wax like nothing. (Might not be all)

Also, I've noticed the hand pressure wash place I go to (16th ave 68st) use very harsh chemicals thus also stripping wax, but not as bad as the touchless. I've been going there for many years and never had a problem until a few months ago.


Pressure is probably comparable at both touchless and wand washes. You do have more control with a wand wash though because you can go further away.

I don't see how you expect to wash your car and not strip the wax off.

[97'Scort]

Still washing mine in the driveway, suckers!
:poosie:

[Graham_A_M]

My winter car is a '99 Saturn SL2, so I'm not overly concerned with rust. :rofl: If its absolutely FILTHY, with a week of weather ahead that looks clear with no chance of snow, I'll spend a few bucks then and wash it, but its a waste of money and time otherwise.
:dunno:

[GQBalla]

Originally posted by 97'Scort
Still washing mine in the driveway, suckers!
:poosie:

I hate you...I broke my door handle 2 days ago lol