Winter Maintenance
 

What should we be doing to maintain the car for the winter season?

Are you guys keeping up with the car washing/waxing?

Whats a good place to get the bottom of car washed from all the salts?

Thanks guys!

A good place to keep the under carriage of the car from salt is to wash it frequently. I usually go to those coin wash place where you put in some coins and hold a spray gun yourself and just blast the under side of your car with water (no soap or anything else). My family do that about once a week. We have a 10 year old corolla with 200000km on it, not rust proofed, and it's rust free.

Note: just use water to give it a pressure rinse. don't wash the paint with soap too often.

I got my car opti-coated late August so no need for waxing just regular washing.

I recommend going to a do it yourself wash bay & rinse off all the dirt & salt by using a spray gun. Once it's clean you can go through a touchless car wash that has a under carriage sprayer which will clean it even more. Then I guess you have the option of driving home & actually handwashing.

ccol thanks guys.

Those touchless car washes are gonna be okay for the paint? wont be damaging?

They are fine once in a while, they do use harsh chemicals but what do you expect for it being touchless?

You can coin op too if you like, but I find it near impossible to actually spray the underbody 100% prefectly, as compared to a car-wash.

Don't think you should use railed washes though.

Whats a "railed" car wash? And which gas stations have the touchless washes that also spray the bottoms in Canada?

Thanks!

Where you located in "Canada" ? I only know of Toronto Washes

Railed = Rail washes... like non-touchless ones usually have them.

You put your driver side wheels on them, and neutral, and they drag you through the car washes.

Oh those ones! lol..

I live in GTA area.

Thanks

i haven't found a car wash yet that reliably washes the underside of the car. They all advertise it but my car comes out with the lower half still dirty.

i started going to the coin-op at Yonge and Steeles, it's 1 dollar a minute.

If you're quick you can get your whole car done in 5-6 minutes. Bring cash, this will shave a minute off your pay time cuz you can buy at the station and not have to walk to the store.

I hate that esso wash.

Yeah, they advertise they "clean it" but it's most likely just warm water spraying up your underbody, not with soap or anything.

Well based on Toronto, I would say...

Coin Op:

These are the two I really only go to...

Shell @ HWY 7 / Valleymede - Coin OP
(You can buy pre-printed tickets at cashier, and punch in the #'s at the machine)

Petro @ Kennedy / Finch - Coin Op
(Coins only)

(If you go late, you can always just bring a bucket, and a mitt, and selfwash, they are open 24/7 anyways)

(Coin op should really run you $6-9 max)

Touchless: (I find touchless never get's the hard stuff out, haven't been to one in years, the one I recall is)
(Most Essos have touchless, but they are expensive $10+)

Petro @ Hwy7 / Yonge

Anyone know of a heated car wash?
Also, how do you guys wash your car when its -5 outside? Doesn't it freeze when you get out...

You don't want to use hot water to wash because exposing car to hot water and then rapidly cool down by the cold weather is gonna damage certain components.

All those coin op car wash areas have their water temperature controlled at a certain degrees. If you touch their water with bare hands in the cold winter, you'll notice that it's not bone chilling cold.

also, don't wash your car when it's too cold. rubber seals will freeze onto the door. -5 is fine as long as you park your car in the garage after you wash it.

I haven't washed my car lately. But from the previous post it seems like their washing it regardless of weather....