Car wash in winter

[mis3]

I tried a new spotfree car wash yesterday. I did not wash the car, just used the high-pressured water to rinse the car off salt, top and underbody. The outside temp was -20c and by the time I got home, the car was of course frozen. I did not see any issues other than windows being hard to open.

I am wondering if car washes are good for cars in extreme cold weather.

[Blueline]

Re: Car wash in winter

Personally, I never wash my vehicles in the winter. For me it is a waste of time and money, as one trip down the road, and they are covered in salt again. With a good coat of wax on, the undercarriages and inner body panels oil sprayed, a little salt doesn't hurt them. On the other hand, freezing windows and doors CAN hurt them. Opening a frozen door can rip off the weather stripping (unless one has treated them with silicone grease as I do) and window motors are not too happy trying to open frozen power windows. In the very least you will blow a circuit breaker. Probably other issues. Frozen wipers, door locks, etc.

[wifpd4]

Re: Car wash in winter

Blueline makes some good points, although when it's sub-zero I think I wash more often. When it is really cold the streets are frozen or dry, so washing is not a lost cause. It's when it's warmer and everything is a slushy mess, I may not wash as often. I still wash just to remove the salt residue. I don't have a car with a protective layer of oil.

Not sure why my doors are not ever frozen and I don't open the windows so that's not a problem. Now if I head straight home from the car wash and park outdoors, my wheels will freeze and as often the case if I wash the car at the shop and let it sit for the day my brakes rust tight. In both cases, frozen or rusted, I need to gently rock the car to break it loose.

A lot depends on my ambition and whether the car washes are closed due to the cold as to whether I tunnel wash or hand wash the car. Being we have black cars and I do detail as a hobby, just not right I drive around in a dirty, salt covered car

[mis3]

Re: Car wash in winter

Everytime I apply Ultimate Protectant to my interior, I usually wipe some to my door and Window trims. Not sure if this UP is silicone based.

[JGdetailing]

I try to wash mine through the winter just to get the salt off of course. I can't stand salt on my car. And I'll have to try the silicone on the weather stripping. Never did that before.

[greg0303]

Re: Car wash in winter

With low temperatures in winter time I use Ultimate Wash & Wax Anywhere to survive those cold months and keep vehicle(s) clean. If it's below upper 30's I work on much smaller area at the time and wipe off product/dry surface very quickly. It usually requires more microfiber towels as well.

[JGdetailing]

Won't the Meguiars Anywhere scatrch your vehicle without hosing it off?