Winter Car Care?

[Picky1]

Finally bought a new car of myself this past spring…first one in over 20 years and want to try keeping it look new as long as possible. Just concerned that my regular hand- wash, wax, detail routine is not going to be possible to continue over the winter months due to the cold temps in NE.

I see a number of folks use waterless products now to clean their cars, how does this stuff work with all of the sand, salt, etc. that is found on the roads over the winter? Is one product better than another?

Also, I typically keep my car garaged at home but when I come out from work and find a bunch of snow on my car what can I use to get it off without scratching/marring the paint?

 

[supton]

I've always kept a brush in the car for this. The sort with an edge on it for scraping the windshield. Gently brush snow from the car; try not to let the scraper edge hit the car. Walmart should be getting these sorts of things in soon (if not already).

Actually what works great is to wear a good, heavy glove along with your winter jacket; and to use your whole arm (plus scraper) to clean off the car. Makes snow removal fast. In a pinch you can just use your arm. Brush all snow away, then scrape windshield. Usually I will clean off the driver's door, so I can hop in, and start the car, turning on both defrosters. By the time I get to scraping the windshields often they will start get some heat, and make scraping easier. Just clean really well around the door, otherwise you will have a pile of snow on the driver's seat.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I use ONR but your going to want to spray off the heavy stuff first and not wait to long between washes. OR you can just use a wand car wash during the winter and accept a less than perfectly clean vehicle (less headache).

 

[sciphi]

I tend to spray the cars off at a self-serve car wash and leave it for the spring.

I'd get some undercoating stuff and undercoat what you can. Rust is easier to remediate if it never happens.

 

[Oldwolf]

I have a shop sink in my garage. I rigged a garden hose to so now in the middle of winter I can wash my cars with warm water.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl
I use ONR but your going to want to spray off the heavy stuff first and not wait to long between washes. OR you can just use a wand car wash during the winter and accept a less than perfectly clean vehicle (less headache).


+1 I don't wash as often as I do in the summer because it gets cold in NE as you know! When I do get the chance to wash I will hit it with the pressure washer at the self serve then bring it home to ONR and wax my car. Late fall I put on a coat of Collinite so all I really need is a good spray wax to maintain the protection. Easier to apply in the cold weather