snow removal from car- how to avoid swirls?

[Periodic]

The depressing months of winter are approaching fast.   In the ever growing quest to eliminate swirls, the thought crossed my mind, how do I clear the car of snow/ice during the winter.  

 

For starters, the garage is not a consideration, too much stuff in there for a car, so the car gets the deep freeze on the driveway.

 

In past years, I have always had a beater, and never really cared about the paint.  (3 late 90's Saturn S series cars for which i paid under $1500 each).  My method involved a shop broom for the painted surfaces, and a snow brush for the windsheild/windows.

 

Clearly, this method would be worse than a single bucket/single rag wash, forget the 2 bucket 3 mit, foam rinsing swirl avoidance measures.  A 36" shop broom does not mix well with good paint.

 

Warming the car up for 2 hours every morning is not an option haha.

 

Also, I know some people may say, just leave the snow, it will blow off/ice will fall off as you drive.  I always hate those idiots driving with mounds of snow on their vehicles.  I find it unsafe for near them on the road.

 

Car will be getting a polish and a MSS application this weekend, depending on time, it'll get the brilliant glaze and double americana application as well.

 

Do I just saw to hell with it, get the snow off and correct pain in spring?

Edited October 24, 2013 by Periodic

[04silverado]

Leaf Blower

[Team Adam's]

I had to learn all this last year, heres my short list of tips as a person that just 12 months ago had to figure it out as well:

 

Glass Sealant is a life saver! Sealed glass is really easy to get ice/snow off of... unsealed glass is not! 

 

A 'snow broom' isn't all bad. Yep... I said it... but hear me out - use it to knock the TOP LAYER of snow off of car, but don't touch the paint. So if there was something like 4" of snow resting on the car, knock off the top 3" as carefully as you can. Even if you start driving with a small layer of the white stuff its not that bad. 

 

MASTER BLASTER IS A GOD SEND! Hot concentrated, super fast air! The master blaster is perfect for blowing everything off in the morning... I even used it to clear a path to my truck on one particularly snowy AM last year. If its fluffy stuff it moves pretty easy. 

 

Hope that helps! 

[Chewy]

Mine sits out only when at work, but it seems like that's when we get all our snow.  Ugh!  I find Dylan's methods work best.  It's the law here that paint must be clear of all snow, but I have yet to have an issue with the fuzz.  

 

I take it one step further however.  I will and have, literally driven home in a blizzard of snow and stopped at the car wash to clear the car of all the snow.  My reason for doing this is so it doesn't all melt in my garage and potentially turn to ice on the car or in the garage.  My G8 had a horrible tendency to get a sheet of ice on the back truck lid.  Ice will scratch your paint!   

 

Glass sealant is the BOMB! 

 

Chris

[Periodic]

Thanks guys, I park in a heated underground garage at work, so the afternoon commute is never an issue...it is the overnight snow/freezing rain that worries me.

 

Master Blaster, eh?  I'll have to give my sidekick a try, although im sure its nowhere near as hot or powerful as the master.

[Feets31]

I clear the snow like dylan does.  I find the rubber side of the window scraper does a good job unless it has 6 inches or more on it. 

[blcksilv08]

My method is similar to dylans snowbroom technique. I use it on my tonneau cover to. I've stopped at the coin op on my way yo work if needed and use our hot pressure washer when leaving work.

[ExpressThis13]

As Dylan stated just knock off what snow you can without touching your paint and in honesty you may touch by accident were only human and mistakes happen so even if you do lightly touch it its nothing you cant fix next year but just do your best to keep it from happening. I usually just let the snow sit unless its excessive otherwise its just windows, plates, lights and mirrors for me most of the time.

[GerryC]

I always remove as much as I can from the car without actually touching the paint, and usually with my hands (don't want to misjudge the amount of snow while using a stiff broom, or, worse, a shovel). Whatever trivial amount that's left will blow off. Also any of the Metro Blasters heat and filter the air they blow, so that will help with removal/melting in some cases. Having a proper coat of sealant on all paint and glass beforehand is also key. Just follow the same "the less you touch the paint..." methodology as you do during the summer and you'll be fine.

 

Or move

[Rich]

My first advice to you would be to get you rear end organized and clean out that garage! 

That being said, I have nothing else to offer as far as snow removal.  In Pennsylvania, it's the LAW that you don't drive with snow on your car. I'm not saying people don't do it though. But you can get a nice ticket if you're caught with snow on your roof, hood, or trunk and it's blowing or falling off while driving.