Winter Washing :|

[SSSXR]

So being its winter and I have a BSP, I'm washing my truck whenever i have free time pretty much.

Usually just head to the coin wash, foam brush, spot-free rinse it, dry it off and im on my way..

but its getting colder now (it was -12 today) and by the time i rinse one side off, and start the other side, the water has already frozen to the side of the truck...:thumpdown:

I want to just start going through the touchless car-wash at my usual gas station. being that most of the water is dried off right away and i should have time to hop out and dry the rest off before it freezes.

how much damage will this do to my exterior/paint over the winter? is it worth it? is there another alternative?

 

[chadfo]

How about one of these?
http://www.calcarduster.com/autoOriginalCaliforniaWaterblade.asp

I use one and it's not a perfect dry but it takes a lot of water off quickly.

 

[darthyota]

dude in the winter because of how easily bsp gets dirty just hit an automated touchless wash not the best i know but it will at least look better then not being washed. and the salt from the road will rust most things under your truck. also if you have any paint chips it will also start to rustthose which in turn kill your paint so keep it clean the lazy way.

 

[HiTek21]

I have read that ONR (Optimum No Rinse car wash) is good for those winter days where you don't have time to dry it of. Just hose down your car, wash it down and leave it. It's suppose to dry or freeze to where it wont leave water spots behind. I've never used it myself (since it never gets that cold here in So. Cal) but some of the guys on Autopia.org swear by this stuff. I've seen pictures of guys washing their cars in the freezing cold weather with snow in the background and they love it. It has good reviews too so i'm sure it works pretty well. Let me know how it goes I might try it out on those days where I don't have a lot of time to wash the XR.


Link for the product.
http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.html

 

[SSSXR]

thanks guys, those look like good options.

 

[Stevenredx]

I have read that ONR (Optimum No Rinse car wash) is good for those winter days where you don't have time to dry it of. Just hose down your car, wash it down and leave it. It's suppose to dry or freeze to where it wont leave water spots behind. I've never used it myself (since it never gets that cold here in So. Cal) but some of the guys on Autopia.org swear by this stuff. I've seen pictures of guys washing their cars in the freezing cold weather with snow in the background and they love it. It has good reviews too so i'm sure it works pretty well. Let me know how it goes I might try it out on those days where I don't have a lot of time to wash the XR.


Link for the product.
http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.html

x2, read a lot about it and heard it's pretty good stuff.

 

[Amarillo X]

Call me crazy but ive been using my garage to winter wash my X since i got it. I've even hooked up to the washer valve to have warm water. It gets really nasty here in winter time,
but that's no excuse to not keep her clean. I've had many people comment that they have never seen my truck dirty!

 

[blastap]

ahhh Wait, save your self some money and NEVER use the foam brush! I always used the foam brush and had to pay a professional to fix my f-up.IT scratches everytime you use it.

 

[Amarillo X]

Right you are sir. When my X was being painted I saw a customer bring his new Dodge quadcab in to the shop to get the entire vehicle buffed. One wash with the carwash brush and his NEW paint looked like chit!

 

[MusTrd]

Yea those foam brushes scratch like no other :ahhhhh:

 

[SSSXR]

ahhh Wait, save your self some money and NEVER use the foam brush! I always used the foam brush and had to pay a professional to fix my f-up.IT scratches everytime you use it.

ah thats what it is. i kept seeing new scratches after drying it and was like wtf? my towels are clean and didn't know what it was.

i guess when you think foam you don't think it will scratch. thanks for the tip.

ill probably look into getting a professional to shine her up in the spring.

 

[gregincali]

I don't think its the brush it self. Its more how other people use them. Like to wash off there off road gear and stuff. Ive seen people use them as a broom to clean out the beds of there trucks.:stupid: Yeah stay away from the brush...

 

[HiTek21]

I would recommend using a high quality sheepskin washmit (never let it hit the pavement or it'll pick up rocks and all sorts of stuff that can scratch) and a large 5 gallon bucket with a grit guard at the bottom.

After washing a panel, dip the mit into the soap and drag the mit across the top of the grit guard to deposit the dirt picked up so it will settle at the bottom of the bucket.

If you can, try and use the two bucket method both with grit guards. 1 x 5 gallon for soap, and 1 x 5 gallon for clean water to rinse your mit. Wash a panel of the truck, dip it into the rinse bucket and get all that dirt and crap out, then drip it into the soap, continue washing.

 

[5H4D0WD347H]

If you hand dry after power washing it you will damage your paint pretty well.

Just power wash until it gets warm enough to hand wash.

 

[music_man185]

I don't think its the brush it self. Its more how other people use them. Like to wash off there off road gear and stuff. Ive seen people use them as a broom to clean out the beds of there trucks.:stupid: Yeah stay away from the brush...

exactly. i stay away from the brushes because you never know where they've been and what is hiding in those bristles.

If you hand dry after power washing it you will damage your paint pretty well.

what exactly causes the damage after power washing? i'm not arguing...i'm just curious.


also, i dont know about the drive through washes where you guys live, but not all of the ones around here offer the under body wash. make sure you get the under body wash done in the winter. thats where all that harmful road salt hides and eats your frame.

p.s. - the falling snow on the site is awesome!!!

 

[Phoenix]

Whaaaat about -28.. can I wash my truck? My poor mini beast is just.. well it looks like a BSP right now lol

 

[Yardie]

What aboot alcohol, it does'nt freeze :top:

 

[xrunish]

touch fee washes!