Winter Driving?

[congee]

What about in todays weather? Would a touchless wash be fine??

I drove by an esso station and saw a few cars lined up this afternoon when it was around -13 out. I heard that some stations use warm water?

Kind of tempted to go for a wash as my car is dirty AF but at the same time scared of my windows shattering. Has anyone been through a touchless wash when it was negative double digits?

[7thgear]

if you're gonna wash it, better get home quick and dont store it in negative weather

[wparsons]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

if you're gonna wash it, better get home quick and dont store it in negative weather

This! I find that my garage is about 10-12 degrees warmer than outside, so I don't get it washed unless it's warmer than about -8 outside.

If you park outside, I'd count on either driving around until it's 100% dry on both door seals or waiting for it to be above 0.

[Kfresh23]

Originally Posted by congee

So has anyone tried washing their car yet? I usually go to a coin op but that's not the best idea with the weather so cold. Are those touchless ones at the gas stations okay for this weather? My car is in need of a wash loll

I wash mine in all temperatures, but I use the coin-op hand wash's and ALWAYS towel/shammy off your car before leaving the wash bay. Especially the door jams, windows, trunk area. I have done this for many years, and never had an issue. If it's ridiculous cold out, I don't bother, and most, if not all car washes will be closed anyway.

[congee]

Decided to use the Midland car wash. Heated indoor self serve. $3 for 3 mins. Nice and warm inside. Only problem was waiting for the water to dry up. Anyone know of a method to speed up drying??

[PMPB]

Originally Posted by congee

Anyone know of a method to speed up drying??

Shammy off the water?

My only concern is that this car doesn't have very good window seals on the outside of the glass, and the special rollers needed for the frameless glass seem to soak up water and stay wet for days. So your windows are likely to freeze in place and stay stuck for quite some time.

[Suberman]

California Blade.

[PMPB]

Originally Posted by Suberman

California Blade.

If you hate your car...

Honestly, they are time consuming, and since you'll be popping into a touchless or coin-op hand wash, your paint is going to not even be close enough to clean to use a blade without scratching the living day lights out of it. The soft jelly of the blade will grab any remaining dirt on the paint, and you'll just drag that murderess nugget dirt and cause some nice scratches. Plus at this point is freezing out, and your aren't going to have the patience to go over every square inch with a blade, cleaning the blade after every swipe.

A nice microfiber dehydrator cloth, or The Absorber(TM) shammy. Works really fast, and you'll have less of a change of pressing left over dirt into the paint. Just keep folding the cloth once you notice it's getting dirty.

If it's the summer, and you've just detailed your paint/clay bar whatever, feel free to use a blade.

[Suberman]

Used one for nearly ten years now, no scratches.

Dude, if you don't wash your car so it's clean then don't try to dry it, you'll scratch it no matter what you use.

My advice, wash I our car so it is clean or don't bother.

Blade it, much faster than wiping and doesn't streak like a cloth does.

Then if you're not happy with that, only then use a chamois or microfibre.

Of course if you go to the hand wash as you should then the final soft water rinse does 90% of the job for you.

[aghuman]

Anyone have any issues with this weekends storm/Monday commute? My FRS performed great for the 130km trek to work this morning and my winters helped me stop in time to avoid a car that lost control and swerved into my lane *phew*.

I ask because I saw a ton of cars in the ditch and spun around but hopefully no one was hurt and none of us damaged our cars.

I did however suffer my first set back when it came to winter maintenance on the car. I came home and saw that the snow was already cleaned off my car and that someone in the house used a broom . They had good intentions but yea....now it has 3 times as many scratches as it did before .

Oh well, I hope a good spring polish should get that out.

[drewbot]

Originally Posted by StarshipPoopers

Then again I am sure they look at me oversteering around turns and think "what an idiot".

I got that look today.

But it's the only way to exit un-plowed intersections, or else I'll get stuck, so...

[Taro]

I had to shame at least two people going 30 on the passing lane at the DVP today with my horn. Seriously, some people. If you're going to drive that slow, stay on local roads, or at least the other two lanes. It's not like people are going to be able to stop in time through slush to compensate for you driving 70 below normal. I have no issue with slowing down when it's nasty out, but they've taken it too far.

I almost got stuck today, but I turned off the TRAC for a second, and it was like magic. I had a little squirming around when trying to get moving from stops, but I also found that you're basically automatically drifting every time you leave a street/make a turn.

[Taro]

I was unwise enough to take it to the coin wash today, since I've been hit by salt trucks three times in 24 hours. For some reason the hose would not give me high pressure water...but did give me infinite low pressure water. I spent like 15 minutes spraying down the car. It was frozen over by the time I was done.

[HunterGreene]

Originally Posted by Taro

I was unwise enough to take it to the coin wash today, since I've been hit by salt trucks three times in 24 hours. For some reason the hose would not give me high pressure water...but did give me infinite low pressure water. I spent like 15 minutes spraying down the car. It was frozen over by the time I was done.

Instant rock chip armor!


My own recent experience had me very proudly making it up a hill on which 4-5" of snow had accumulated on the top. Full disclosure, someone had plowed a lane at the bottom that let me get a head of steam, but was still dicey getting to the top.