gas spill and winter car wash

[Cyprs]

On my 03 Nissan Altima I got a little gas spill this evening, I gave car a couple coatings of Turtle Wax Platinum series in early October, car wash closed tonight and I dont have heated garage, water will just freeze solid on contact now, is paint okay till morning when car wash opens?

Another question, when temps are between -15C (7F) to -25C (-14F), can paint damage occur by immediately applying hot water to cold paint at car wash? My Nissan manual says not to use excessive hot water, I normally hand wash with water hose presoak, sponge with bucked warm water and soap, then rince and shammy. I rarely use a car wash, prefer hand wash, we get chinooks here normally thru out winter for good handwashing weather, abnormally cold now. Temp will be about -25C (-14F) overnight. Should I allow car to sit in warm car wash bay for 15 minutes for paint to warm bit before hitting it with hot spray?

Thanks
Cyprs

 

[yugrus]

I'm not really an expert on that one, but I would leave it as it is. My car is white, it has Meguiars coat, and I spilled some fuel a couple of weeks ago when it got really cold here. Not as cold as you get of course. I decided not to traumatize the clear coating with washing. Nothing happened, I washed the car this weekend with pressure washer (carefully) and that was it. Don't worry!

 

[bretfraz]

Well, not much you can do about the gas spill now. It'll be OK till tomorrow. Just wash the area well and apply another coat of wax as the gas will have stripped off the previous coat.

Spraying hot water onto ice cold paint could cause stress cracks in the clearcoat so I'd advise against that. I think warm water is fine and I like the idea of letting the body warm up for a few mins before washing. It sounds like your regimen is fine. Keep up the good work.

 

[Cyprs]

Thanks guys,

I got up at 6 am this morning, got to car wash at 7. It was about -5F or -22C overnight, I let the car sit for 1/2 hour while I cleaned the interior, it was about +55F or 10C in car wash. There was still ice on paint after the half hour but it was softening, the car wash water was warm (not hot) and I only used the fat part of pressure spray with spray moving constant around car, no concentration of heat. The paint did not seen to get traumatized, infact, the car wash water still froze in low areas due to the paint (metal) still being cold, this probably means I did not shock anything, I hope. No gas stains.

Too much plastic on cars today, it is the cold plastic with warm water than scares me, cars used to be solid metal, those were the days.

If a clear coat cracks, does it checker effect, split widely, will it occur immediately, is it highly visible or molecular?

thanks guys,
Cyprs

 

[Cyprs]

Great tip Spitman, will put some in truck of car, never thought of antifreeze washer fluid, any soft cloth work, why no paper products to wipe? Are paper towels too abrasive or stick to cold surface?

thanks,
Cyprs

 

[SPITMAN]

I fill a hand pump spray bottle (old quick detail bottle) with windshild washer antifreeze and keep it handy to clean off any spills etc. It also comes in handy for cleaning off the plastic covers on the head and tail lights between washes. I use rainX antifreeze and a soft cloth -- never use paper towel on your paint or plastic. Works great for me -- give it a try.

 

[tweeker43]

rather than washer fluid, i would recommend a detail spray and a microfiber towel.

that's just me though. i carry that kind of crap in my trunk.

 

[Cyprs]

Detail spray? what products available and will they freeze on contact with extreme cold car paint?

Cyprs

 

[tweeker43]

i've never had any freeze, but that doesn't mean they won't.

eagle one, turtle wax platinum, mother's, meguiars, all make detail sprays that can be found at advance auto.

detail sprays are used to either clean a (lightly) dusty car or to put a nice final shine on after a wash.

eagle one wax as u dry will also do the trick.

 

[Cyprs]

Thanks tweeker43, will check the store shelves, might experiment and add small amount
of antifreeze window wash if lable doesn't include antifreeze properties for our extreme cold weather, will post if works.

thanks,
Cyprs