Looks like I'll break the rules again this winter

[Coderedpl]

I did some searching around for winter washing techniques and such and while I did find useful info, the one thing I can't find locally is a coin-operated car wash within reasonable distance, or one that will be open in the winter. I remember the last time I wanted to use one in the winter a few years ago, they said they shut them off for the winter. I also do not want to turn my driveway into an ice-skating rink either, and we also shut off the hoses for the winter.

 

Now I'm toying with ideas on how to keep my car clean throughout the cold weather and winter. So far it seems like, yet again I will be signing up for a monthly plan at a hand car wash, that uses mitts that look somewhat like the merino ones and I do not let their brushes touch my car. The only problem I see is that it seems like they use the generic microfibers which I know will give me swirls.

 

I guess for the winter time, I'll put a coat of wax on the car or something to give it a little extra protection and when the warm weather comes again I will give it a full-out detail?

 

What do you guys think? Anybody ever face the same issue?

Am i still allowed to be here with this idea? lol

[ksell87]

That kind of stinks. Can you get a discount if you bring all the supplies:lolsmack:

[Aceitup1011]

Waterless car wash from Adams?

[Chase@InsanePaint]

Before I was introduced to Adams, and the TRUE art of perfect paint care, I was in a similar situation, and I STILL knew the difference between THEIR towels vs. MY microfibers. So I approached an employee/manager. The deal was: a hand wash with MY product, done by him, under my instructions. And dried by ME with my product in their heated garage. The price cut was very minimal. But to keep my car CLEAN & swirl free in a heated environment......ask me if it was worth it......??

[ChargerMatt]

During winter all I do is spray it down at the coin op and dry off the door jambs.

 

I'll suffer with a dirty car for 1/4 of the year if I have a good wax on.

[ImpulseIII]

Have hot water installed in your garage...You don't need a flood to wash your car. I grew up in Valley Stream......left in '62.

[Z71_Denali]

do you have a garage?

 

invest in a water containment mat

[Coderedpl]

That kind of stinks. Can you get a discount if you bring all the supplies:lolsmack:

Haha I wish but i doubt this will work. They get people coming in all the time.

so doing that will take out a lot of time of theirs.

 

 

Waterless car wash from Adams?

If car wasn't that dirty i would probably do it but it's beyond filthy so that's not an option. I would waste more product and towels then the wash and my own wax session would cost me

 

 

Before I was introduced to Adams, and the TRUE art of perfect paint care, I was in a similar situation, and I STILL knew the difference between THEIR towels vs. MY microfibers. So I approached an employee/manager. The deal was: a hand wash with MY product, done by him, under my instructions. And dried by ME with my product in their heated garage. The price cut was very minimal. But to keep my car CLEAN & swirl free in a heated environment......ask me if it was worth it......??

If it was a smaller shop of some sort im sure I can make arrangements like that but here im not sure it's possible. I can probably ask though. Never hurts to ask =D

 

 

 

 

During winter all I do is spray it down at the coin op and dry off the door jambs.

 

I'll suffer with a dirty car for 1/4 of the year if I have a good wax on.

I would do but I HATE driving with a dirty car. Always did and still do. Car hasn't been washed in weeks due to **** weather and it's just bad.

 

 

Have hot water installed in your garage...You don't need a flood to wash your car. I grew up in Valley Stream......left in '62.

do you have a garage?

 

invest in a water containment mat

I do have a garage but currently being used as a storage facility due to all the renovations we have going on in the house. Future plans also call for actual garage renovation so no point in investing in it now just to do it all over again.

[Z71_Denali]

i've heard this said before by many detailers... as long as you have protection on the paint (preferably layers of sealant and wax) its better to drive a dirty car through winter than a clean swirly one

[Osok]

I used to freak out about this same sort of thing but overall now no matter what the season, I'm confident I can fix whatever damage shows up so for winter I try to keep the car clean as can be, but if I cause some damage from brushing off snow or something else I don't really care. Come spring I'm going to do my biannual strip wash, clay, polish, reseal, wax anyways.

[Coderedpl]

I used to freak out about this same sort of thing but overall now no matter what the season, I'm confident I can fix whatever damage shows up so for winter I try to keep the car clean as can be, but if I cause some damage from brushing off snow or something else I don't really care. Come spring I'm going to do my biannual strip wash, clay, polish, reseal, wax anyways.

 

That's actually exactly, how I thought about it.

[Marylander]

I used to freak out about this same sort of thing but overall now no matter what the season, I'm confident I can fix whatever damage shows up so for winter I try to keep the car clean as can be, but if I cause some damage from brushing off snow or something else I don't really care. Come spring I'm going to do my biannual strip wash, clay, polish, reseal, wax anyways.

 

That's my approach, too. A half day of correction on a nice spring day sure beats a winter of stressing over it all.

[JBlack151]

My TBSS is all sealed up and ready for winter.

 

Now that my paint is swirl free and I took pictures of the results, I was actually thinking about bringing my car to the local drive thru hand wash (not machines) this winter and documenting the damage that occurs from these places to share with my clients and of course you guys. This would also be a good test to see how the MSS and QS hold up as well after these washes.

 

I know......you guys are all are cringing right now, right!

 

Then like Rich said, take a nice spring day to do a full correction again.

[J.greenroyd]

That would be good to do, looking forward to a write up

[Coderedpl]

My TBSS is all sealed up and ready for winter.

 

Now that my paint is swirl free and I took pictures of the results, I was actually thinking about bringing my car to the local drive thru hand wash (not machines) this winter and documenting the damage that occurs from these places to share with my clients and of course you guys. This would also be a good test to see how the MSS and QS hold up as well after these washes.

 

I know......you guys are all are cringing right now, right!

 

Then like Rich said, take a nice spring day to do a full correction again.

 

I would be looking forward to this aswell although i already have a feeling I know what the results would be.

[Markeeemark]

Stewart ave car wash in Levittown is open during the winter. Open bays just bring Adam's supplies.

 

You don't happen to post on vortex as well?

[Coderedpl]

Stewart ave car wash in Levittown is open during the winter. Open bays just bring Adam's supplies.

 

You don't happen to post on vortex as well?

 

I'm assuming 215 Stewart Ave?

Might have to stop by and check it out.

 

Yes I'm on vortex aswell, audizine, and others =)

[Redbeard]

My TBSS is all sealed up and ready for winter.

 

Now that my paint is swirl free and I took pictures of the results, I was actually thinking about bringing my car to the local drive thru hand wash (not machines) this winter and documenting the damage that occurs from these places to share with my clients and of course you guys. This would also be a good test to see how the MSS and QS hold up as well after these washes.

 

I know......you guys are all are cringing right now, right!

 

Then like Rich said, take a nice spring day to do a full correction again.

 

Sounds interesting for scientific purposes, but what are you some kind of masochist?

[BRZN]

When the Saturday daytime temps are above freezing in the winter I'll do a regular two bucket wash of the cars out on the driveway. I try to finish with the hose in enough time for the water to evaporate off so as to not freeze to the surface and make a skating rink.

 

I where a pair of polypro glove liners with a pair of thin playtex rubber gloves overtop to keep my hands toasty and dry. I also have a faucet in the garage with a mixing valve to be able to use warm water through the hose.

 

My correction in the spring will usually consist of nothing more than one pass of FMP with the Flex to bring them back. There's five cars at my house and not enough time for full corrections on each one every year so it's important to maintain them through the winter as best as possible.

[Coderedpl]

Stewart ave car wash in Levittown is open during the winter. Open bays just bring Adam's supplies.

 

You don't happen to post on vortex as well?

 

Went there the other day, not bad. But even doing it real quick my hands were freezing. Time flies so quick I dont have enough time to do anything lol, next thing you know i was out a lot of quarters. My car was in fact filthy, the fact i was spraying my undercarriage probably didn't help the time either =P