Car washing in winter?

jack123 · 11-07-2008, 09:06 AM

I was wondering how everyone was going to wash their car in the winter? So far I have only hand washed it at home. But I know it will be waaay too cold to do that in the winter. Any ideas or recommendations for places to wash the car?

Seth Gecko · 11-07-2008, 10:29 AM

Move to Florida.

EspressoBoy · 11-07-2008, 10:34 AM

I was told find a good auto car wash, but you can also go to those self serve wash places... they run 24/7 and usually not busy at 3 am during winter storms... but a sunny sunday, and you wait hours.

I wonder about udner the car, with salt. Dad used to tell me always get the undercarriage done, pay 1 buck more in the70's but now? Is that still true?

I was also told that going from heated garage to cold causes more damage. It's the melting that allows the salt/water/corrosion. So to treat your car best, is keep it cold. Anyone know about this?

I have a pressure washer and I guess I could stand at a distance and wash it, I could even hook up hotwater/cold water for outside if need be. I have seen this on some houses in the country. Then with a Y shape attachment you can balance the temp.

What about waxing? Anyone try and wax at -40? LOL I bet it is not easy.

Anyone go to extreme to wash during winter? It's actually a good question if you have not planned on or done a sportscar during winter.

EspressoBoy

vanbmw · 11-07-2008, 10:58 AM

Washing is very important in the winter!!! Being in Vancouver my car will get a big diet of rain but vertually no road salt. I will wash it anytime the weather dries up. When I built my current houe I made sure the middle parking spot in the garage (3 car garage) had a floor drain in it so I can wash inside if it is required. When we do get some cold and they put some salt or sand on the roads I make sure I rinse it off! It takes about 5 mintues to pull out the hose and give it a good rinse on the paint and the underside. Going to a car wash is better then nothing but be VERY careful! When everyones car's have salt and sand on them it ends up lodged in the brushes and you can scratch the crap out of your car!!! Waxing is very important in winter. You need it to be warm out for the wax to dry...inside most garages is fine. A good coat of wax is added protection from all that road grime/salt/sand and it helps all that dirt "float" off easier when it comes time for a wash.

Lester · 11-07-2008, 11:02 AM

A heated garage with a floor drain - the best way to do it. Even better is a lift and a steam cleaner!

EspressoBoy · 11-07-2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanbmw

Washing is very important in the winter!!! Being in Vancouver my car will get a big diet of rain but vertually no road salt. I will wash it anytime the weather dries up. When I built my current houe I made sure the middle parking spot in the garage (3 car garage) had a floor drain in it so I can wash inside if it is required. When we do get some cold and they put some salt or sand on the roads I make sure I rinse it off! It takes about 5 mintues to pull out the hose and give it a good rinse on the paint and the underside. Going to a car wash is better then nothing but be VERY careful! When everyones car's have salt and sand on them it ends up lodged in the brushes and you can scratch the crap out of your car!!! Waxing is very important in winter. You need it to be warm out for the wax to dry...inside most garages is fine. A good coat of wax is added protection from all that road grime/salt/sand and it helps all that dirt "float" off easier when it comes time for a wash.

1 question, you adopting?
FYI, I come with my own 1!

lol Nice!

EspressoBoy

j8smith · 11-07-2008, 11:25 AM

The Husky gas station on the corner near my house has both an auto wash, and an heated indoor coin-op wand wash. For a hand wash in the winter, I pick a non busy time and take my own supplies (bucket, mitt, soap etc..) to the coin-op and basically just use their pressure washer. they even have a rocker/chassis spray as you drive in.

jay

kcobra · 11-07-2008, 11:25 AM

Talking about, what's the reason?

EspressoBoy · 11-07-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j8smith

The Husky gas station on the corner near my house has both an auto wash, and an heated indoor coin-op wand wash. For a hand wash in the winter, I pick a non busy time and take my own supplies (bucket, mitt, soap etc..) to the coin-op and basically just use their pressure washer. they even have a rocker/chassis spray as you drive in.

jay

Nice, I will check this out in my area... never seen heated car wash diy.

There is a diy near my place, and some old creepy guy owns it. He hanges around and tells people off for using their own bucket etc... He claims people take too long and use less of his coin wash... Maybe that's why it's never busy...lol will shop around thanks.

EspressoBoy

PS
Now what would be cool for us to do is find the best carwash for winter wash and mark it on google maps and post it here.

We could start a 1addicts map with all the cool stuff!!! Hmmm now that would be very helpful and we can all post to that!

Any takers?

tnawab · 11-07-2008, 01:16 PM

So, if you plan on keep your car int eh garage overnight, then wash it atleast once a week (the auto wash is fine). I wouldnt worry about the undercar... its covered by warranty and wont rust other than normal wear and tear..

If you are paking out in the cold. dont both washing it.. remember, salt errodes when diluted, and only when its warm enough outside for the reactions to take place to make rust (thats +5C or so).

once the winter is over, give the car a good wash and you will be fine.

Qube · 11-07-2008, 02:13 PM

Toronto guys... Petro Canada Glide wash. New one at Hwy 7 and Kennedy. Grab a season pass and share it

wtiger127 · 11-07-2008, 02:29 PM

If you are in Toronto, I found a fully heated indoor car wash at the Esso on Yonge St & Steeles. Cost is $0.70 per minute. I plan to do the rims & wheels quickly during the winter, and then pulling out and in the same lot going thru the no-touch wash machine they have their also. OR maybe wash thru no-touch first, then dive into the indoor building and finish the rims and dry. So far during summer, I 've been washing as no touch and hand drying. I cannot get it below 12$ at the moment for the summer. I do this 1 a week or 1 every 1.5 weeks. Pending on weather. I will make a posting once I have an initial cost for winter.

j8smith · 11-07-2008, 02:34 PM

"...never seen heated car wash diy.."

In alberta most, if not all of the coin-op car washes are heated. If they weren't they would be shut down for half of the year. They keep the doors closed and when it's really cold out as soon as the door opens to drive in, an instant fog fills all the wash bays.

One of the advantages of the extreme cold here in winter is that salt dosen't work very well on the roads. So they don't use much of it, instead they use sand which causes other problems, like sandblasted windshields.

modbargains · 11-07-2008, 02:49 PM

Its the best time to wash cars, suns' not out, no water spots, and wind is nice.

wtiger127 · 11-07-2008, 03:01 PM

Hey j8smith In Toronto, the standard 'do-it-yourself-wash' has 3 walls. One is for the coins and hose, the other to hang the car-mats, and a third for background view. Wind still gets in the same way we drive into it. So an indoor setup for selfwash is rare and much appreciated. Unless one want detailing every week, which can cost here 40$ plus. I like it because I live in a building with outdoor parking only.

j8smith · 11-07-2008, 03:10 PM

wtiger127,

most of the diy car washes around here are buildings with an entrance door on one end and an exit door on the other. inside there is usually ten or so stalls with a driveway down the middle. Each stall is how you describe, but with the pressure washer hose on a swiveling arm attached to the ceiling right above the car. There is chain called Hughes that is all over the place, plus some of the Husky and Esso stations also have them like this.

wtiger127 · 11-07-2008, 03:13 PM

That would be nice if Toronto had entrance doors that close. It would make it really nice for us.

jmexx · 11-07-2008, 05:26 PM

I take the car to my parents house where I can throw it in the garage

I'll let it warm up a bit before I start washing and off I go!

penny · 11-07-2008, 07:03 PM

I live in an apartment with no car wash place in town. As a result, I've been washing my car with Optimum's rinseless car wash. I wash in my garage with just 2 gallons of water.

AlienDNA · 11-07-2008, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanbmw

Washing is very important in the winter!!! Being in Vancouver my car will get a big diet of rain but vertually no road salt. I will wash it anytime the weather dries up.

Sooo...never? :biggrin:

vanbmw · 11-07-2008, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlienDNA

Sooo...never? :biggrin:

Ouch! You shoud see it outside right now. It has been raining for 3 days straight. It isn't a light drizzle it is a serious piss downout there! The only good news is that it is 15 degrees out. I won't complain as we have had only a few days of rain in all of Septmeber and October. Now we get ready for more wet and less dry.

Hey...didn't it already snow out in Margaritaville?

11-07-2008, 09:06 AM	#1
jack123 Enlisted Member 2 Rep 30 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2008 iTrader: (0)	Car washing in winter? I was wondering how everyone was going to wash their car in the winter? So far I have only hand washed it at home. But I know it will be waaay too cold to do that in the winter. Any ideas or recommendations for places to wash the car?
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11-07-2008, 10:29 AM	#2
Seth Gecko New Member 0 Rep 12 Posts Drives: Join Date: Jul 2008 iTrader: (0)	Move to Florida.
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11-07-2008, 10:34 AM	#3
EspressoBoy 1addict, and proud 40 Rep 1,019 Posts Drives: BMW 135i 08 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	I was told find a good auto car wash, but you can also go to those self serve wash places... they run 24/7 and usually not busy at 3 am during winter storms... but a sunny sunday, and you wait hours. I wonder about udner the car, with salt. Dad used to tell me always get the undercarriage done, pay 1 buck more in the70's but now? Is that still true? I was also told that going from heated garage to cold causes more damage. It's the melting that allows the salt/water/corrosion. So to treat your car best, is keep it cold. Anyone know about this? I have a pressure washer and I guess I could stand at a distance and wash it, I could even hook up hotwater/cold water for outside if need be. I have seen this on some houses in the country. Then with a Y shape attachment you can balance the temp. What about waxing? Anyone try and wax at -40? LOL I bet it is not easy. Anyone go to extreme to wash during winter? It's actually a good question if you have not planned on or done a sportscar during winter. EspressoBoy __________________
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11-07-2008, 10:58 AM	#4
vanbmw Major 130 Rep 1,101 Posts Drives: 2015 Black 335i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	Washing is very important in the winter!!! Being in Vancouver my car will get a big diet of rain but vertually no road salt. I will wash it anytime the weather dries up. When I built my current houe I made sure the middle parking spot in the garage (3 car garage) had a floor drain in it so I can wash inside if it is required. When we do get some cold and they put some salt or sand on the roads I make sure I rinse it off! It takes about 5 mintues to pull out the hose and give it a good rinse on the paint and the underside. Going to a car wash is better then nothing but be VERY careful! When everyones car's have salt and sand on them it ends up lodged in the brushes and you can scratch the crap out of your car!!! Waxing is very important in winter. You need it to be warm out for the wax to dry...inside most garages is fine. A good coat of wax is added protection from all that road grime/salt/sand and it helps all that dirt "float" off easier when it comes time for a wash.
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11-07-2008, 11:02 AM	#5
Lester Brigadier General 295 Rep 3,350 Posts Drives: Join Date: Oct 2007 iTrader: (0)	A heated garage with a floor drain - the best way to do it. Even better is a lift and a steam cleaner!
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11-07-2008, 11:25 AM	#7
j8smith Private First Class 12 Rep 128 Posts Drives: 128i coupe Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: edmonton, ab iTrader: (0)	The Husky gas station on the corner near my house has both an auto wash, and an heated indoor coin-op wand wash. For a hand wash in the winter, I pick a non busy time and take my own supplies (bucket, mitt, soap etc..) to the coin-op and basically just use their pressure washer. they even have a rocker/chassis spray as you drive in. jay __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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11-07-2008, 11:25 AM	#8
kcobra Second Lieutenant 22 Rep 284 Posts Drives: 135i M package Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Montreal / Miami iTrader: (0)	Talking about, what's the reason? __________________ kCobra ------- 2008 Black 135i M Sport
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11-07-2008, 01:16 PM	#10
tnawab Private First Class 11 Rep 187 Posts Drives: 135i Graphite, Coral Red Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ottawa, ON iTrader: (0)	So, if you plan on keep your car int eh garage overnight, then wash it atleast once a week (the auto wash is fine). I wouldnt worry about the undercar... its covered by warranty and wont rust other than normal wear and tear.. If you are paking out in the cold. dont both washing it.. remember, salt errodes when diluted, and only when its warm enough outside for the reactions to take place to make rust (thats +5C or so). once the winter is over, give the car a good wash and you will be fine.
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11-07-2008, 02:13 PM	#11
Qube Lieutenant 34 Rep 531 Posts Drives: E39 540 :: 09 STi Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Right here. iTrader: (0)	Toronto guys... Petro Canada Glide wash. New one at Hwy 7 and Kennedy. Grab a season pass and share it __________________ :: www.HIDCanada.com
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11-07-2008, 02:29 PM	#12
wtiger127 Private First Class 12 Rep 198 Posts Drives: 128i VERT A/W Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: North York iTrader: (0)	If you are in Toronto, I found a fully heated indoor car wash at the Esso on Yonge St & Steeles. Cost is $0.70 per minute. I plan to do the rims & wheels quickly during the winter, and then pulling out and in the same lot going thru the no-touch wash machine they have their also. OR maybe wash thru no-touch first, then dive into the indoor building and finish the rims and dry. So far during summer, I 've been washing as no touch and hand drying. I cannot get it below 12$ at the moment for the summer. I do this 1 a week or 1 every 1.5 weeks. Pending on weather. I will make a posting once I have an initial cost for winter. __________________ 1.28i CAB Alpine White / Toupe Leather / Prem Pkg / Snd Pkg / Sport Pkg / USB / iPod Recommended Reading 08/08/08 Summer (In-Service-start) (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14493) Winter Shoes -AW (Vert) (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19947) The Winter 128i/135iCAB for Canadians (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19738) 1000+ Miles on new winters across the US (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19948)
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11-07-2008, 02:34 PM	#13
j8smith Private First Class 12 Rep 128 Posts Drives: 128i coupe Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: edmonton, ab iTrader: (0)	"...never seen heated car wash diy.." In alberta most, if not all of the coin-op car washes are heated. If they weren't they would be shut down for half of the year. They keep the doors closed and when it's really cold out as soon as the door opens to drive in, an instant fog fills all the wash bays. One of the advantages of the extreme cold here in winter is that salt dosen't work very well on the roads. So they don't use much of it, instead they use sand which causes other problems, like sandblasted windshields. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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11-07-2008, 02:49 PM	#14
modbargains Brigadier General 170 Rep 3,160 Posts Drives: 08 E90 335i & 01 Toyota Avalon Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: La Habra, CA iTrader: (5)	Its the best time to wash cars, suns' not out, no water spots, and wind is nice.
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11-07-2008, 03:01 PM	#15
wtiger127 Private First Class 12 Rep 198 Posts Drives: 128i VERT A/W Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: North York iTrader: (0)	Hey j8smith In Toronto, the standard 'do-it-yourself-wash' has 3 walls. One is for the coins and hose, the other to hang the car-mats, and a third for background view. Wind still gets in the same way we drive into it. So an indoor setup for selfwash is rare and much appreciated. Unless one want detailing every week, which can cost here 40$ plus. I like it because I live in a building with outdoor parking only. __________________ 1.28i CAB Alpine White / Toupe Leather / Prem Pkg / Snd Pkg / Sport Pkg / USB / iPod Recommended Reading 08/08/08 Summer (In-Service-start) (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14493) Winter Shoes -AW (Vert) (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19947) The Winter 128i/135iCAB for Canadians (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19738) 1000+ Miles on new winters across the US (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19948)
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11-07-2008, 03:10 PM	#16
j8smith Private First Class 12 Rep 128 Posts Drives: 128i coupe Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: edmonton, ab iTrader: (0)	wtiger127, most of the diy car washes around here are buildings with an entrance door on one end and an exit door on the other. inside there is usually ten or so stalls with a driveway down the middle. Each stall is how you describe, but with the pressure washer hose on a swiveling arm attached to the ceiling right above the car. There is chain called Hughes that is all over the place, plus some of the Husky and Esso stations also have them like this. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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11-07-2008, 03:13 PM	#17
wtiger127 Private First Class 12 Rep 198 Posts Drives: 128i VERT A/W Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: North York iTrader: (0)	That would be nice if Toronto had entrance doors that close. It would make it really nice for us. __________________ 1.28i CAB Alpine White / Toupe Leather / Prem Pkg / Snd Pkg / Sport Pkg / USB / iPod Recommended Reading 08/08/08 Summer (In-Service-start) (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14493) Winter Shoes -AW (Vert) (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19947) The Winter 128i/135iCAB for Canadians (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19738) 1000+ Miles on new winters across the US (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19948)
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11-07-2008, 05:26 PM	#18
jmexx Private First Class 3 Rep 110 Posts Drives: Join Date: Oct 2008 iTrader: (0)	I take the car to my parents house where I can throw it in the garage I'll let it warm up a bit before I start washing and off I go!
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11-07-2008, 07:03 PM	#19
penny Captain 43 Rep 829 Posts Drives: '08 135i (sold) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Las Colinas iTrader: (2)	I live in an apartment with no car wash place in town. As a result, I've been washing my car with Optimum's rinseless car wash. I wash in my garage with just 2 gallons of water. __________________ '08 135i.
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