Winter car care

[triguy2218]

I live in upstate NY and winters can be pretty brutal here. I know ideally the best way to clean a car during the winter is in a warm garage where you can wash, wax, etc.
However, I don't have access to a garage and was wondering what is worse: not washing the car over the winter months and doing a massive detail when it gets warm enough OR going to the car wash and using a pressure washer?

Is there an in-between? i.e. is a tunnel car wash that uses various automatic machines better than using a straight pressure washer on the paint? Are there any other options?

Thanks

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: Winter car care

Hello and welcome

The one big problem with the car wash is that most of them use the same High Alkaline,Detergent for the car wash soap as they do for engine cleaner and wheel cleaner only a higher dilution ratio so your are striping wax off.

I would wax it as late in the season as you can and do your best to keep up with it as soon as the weather breaks.

[Deaner5]

Re: Winter car care

There are a few options. The first is do you have a friend who owes you a favor or has been getting into car care that has a garage? Offer to wash his car and do yours the same night at the coin op and try to go back to his nice and toasty garage.

The second is just try to go later at night when absolutely no one is around so you wash there (with your own bucket and mitt/brush of course) and actually dry the car there (including all of the door jams and such). There still might be some water left in places you can't see so it's risky with the possibility of locks freezing, but then again so is not washing the whole winter.

Waxing as late as possible in the fall is also a key in the winter.

[james0509]

Re: Winter car care

I usually just hose my car off in the winter.

It literally gets dirty the moment I drive it out during the winter.

Like the above posts, I waxed my car very thoroughly to make sure it can last a few months.

[EssieK]

Re: Winter car care

Winters in Norway are... well, bad for you And the cars. I've put MG #21 2.0 (sealer) and MG #16 (wax) on my car, and I do a high-pressure wash once a week to get rid of the salt and grime. A properly "primed" car is that much easier to maintain during the winter. A quick once-over with a quik detailer afterwards (great to use as a drying aid after washing too) and the car looks great again.