I wait for the spring thaw to wash the car.
Washing Cars In 0 Degree Weather..
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I've had to go twice just to powerwash the ice and snow out of my wheels. There was so much in them that it through the wheels waaaayyy out of balance. Couldn't go more than 50mph or so.
I hate that when it happens, which has been quite a bit this year. Most annoying.
Originally Posted By: thunderfog
I've had to go twice just to powerwash the ice and snow out of my wheels. There was so much in them that it through the wheels waaaayyy out of balance. Couldn't go more than 50mph or so.
Originally Posted By: thunderfog
I've had to go twice just to powerwash the ice and snow out of my wheels. There was so much in them that it through the wheels waaaayyy out of balance. Couldn't go more than 50mph or so.
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
As much as everyone hates Armor All, I've used it for years on rubber weatherstripping with great results. It also works good on tires if you're out of tire shine, just doesn't last as long.
Yes, I too use Amror All on the weather stripping, keeps them sealing good and dirt off, should last longer too.
As much as everyone hates Armor All, I've used it for years on rubber weatherstripping with great results. It also works good on tires if you're out of tire shine, just doesn't last as long.
Yes, I too use Amror All on the weather stripping, keeps them sealing good and dirt off, should last longer too.
Story from when I was a kid.
Dad had old Chrysler. Most Saturdays in Winter we went to automatic car wash. At the end of the line everyone would get back into car and drive off. On this day when car was cleaned and ready to go. Dad got in with us kids. Throttle must of froze or stuck. Car flew at high rate of speed through the glass window exit door of car wash smashing it to pieces. Proceeded through the parking lot turning right on a side street then left on main street and finally plowing into the rear end of a parked car. Nobody was injured.
Dad had old Chrysler. Most Saturdays in Winter we went to automatic car wash. At the end of the line everyone would get back into car and drive off. On this day when car was cleaned and ready to go. Dad got in with us kids. Throttle must of froze or stuck. Car flew at high rate of speed through the glass window exit door of car wash smashing it to pieces. Proceeded through the parking lot turning right on a side street then left on main street and finally plowing into the rear end of a parked car. Nobody was injured.
That's a little cold for me. I figure at 0F the quarter inch of salt stuck to my paint really isn't doing much.
But I will wash occasionally when it's close to that temp. We have a gas station with a washer that closes the doors while it washes. It also has a 60 second hot air dryer at the end which is pretty much enough to dry the car. It's like $7 so I don't make a habit of it.
But I will wash occasionally when it's close to that temp. We have a gas station with a washer that closes the doors while it washes. It also has a 60 second hot air dryer at the end which is pretty much enough to dry the car. It's like $7 so I don't make a habit of it.
Originally Posted By: Kory
Got a car wash at 0F yesterday. My doors were a little sticky to open but other then that, completely uneventful.... My car looks shiny and spotless though!
Not for long!
Got a car wash at 0F yesterday. My doors were a little sticky to open but other then that, completely uneventful.... My car looks shiny and spotless though!
Not for long!
Originally Posted By: Jimkobb
How does that car wash water hitting the windshields affect the glass?
Perfectly fine, unless you have a crack in the windshield.
How does that car wash water hitting the windshields affect the glass?
Perfectly fine, unless you have a crack in the windshield.
Patman
Staff member
Originally Posted By: abycat
I go to a nice automatic touchless one in the winter. It dries very well after.
I have never found an automatic car wash that does a proper job of drying afterwards, every one of them still leaves way too much water for my liking. I have always thought that they need to have double the amount of driers to do a proper job.
I go to a nice automatic touchless one in the winter. It dries very well after.
I have never found an automatic car wash that does a proper job of drying afterwards, every one of them still leaves way too much water for my liking. I have always thought that they need to have double the amount of driers to do a proper job.
I use an automatic wash, which dries but not very effectively, and drive home and park in my heated garage. No issues. For those with a garage, it really isn't expensive to heat it. I just put in a ceiling mounted propane heater made by Stirling and it has done a great job for several years. Best I can recall, the heater was somewhere around $400. Just had my semi truck washed at one of the commercial truck wash places. No drying by them. I just pulled it out, opened all side boxes and doors and wiped out with paper towels. I do this almost weekly all winter long. I have no issues with freezing up even though it parks only outside, and only operates in the upper midwest.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
....below 60f is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
....below 60f is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
As long as temperatures are well below freezing, the accumulated slush and salt aren't doing any harm.
Warm them up with a nice hot wash and any residual salt will start rusting any uncoated steel.
I just leave the cars alone until warmer weather arrives, which is typically at least once or twice each winter month here.
Warm them up with a nice hot wash and any residual salt will start rusting any uncoated steel.
I just leave the cars alone until warmer weather arrives, which is typically at least once or twice each winter month here.
Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
....below 60F is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
Too cold for me. Like high today is only 65F and I have sweater on when go out. When it was below 60F I had sweater on and a light jacket on top of it.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
....below 60F is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
Too cold for me. Like high today is only 65F and I have sweater on when go out. When it was below 60F I had sweater on and a light jacket on top of it.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
....below 60F is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
Too cold for me. Like high today is only 65F and I have sweater on when go out. When it was below 60F I had sweater on and a light jacket on top of it.
LOL! You should come visit me. Last week walked dog over 2 miles in -25 degree chill factor. Actual air temp was -2. Today had warm-up to 43. Washed both cars and it seemed like summer. Calling for -4 on Tues morning!
Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
....below 60F is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
Too cold for me. Like high today is only 65F and I have sweater on when go out. When it was below 60F I had sweater on and a light jacket on top of it.
LOL! You should come visit me. Last week walked dog over 2 miles in -25 degree chill factor. Actual air temp was -2. Today had warm-up to 43. Washed both cars and it seemed like summer. Calling for -4 on Tues morning!
Patman
Staff member
When I was in Florida a few days ago I saw a lot of people all bundled up when it was 68 degrees outside! Seriously! These people don't know real cold weather if they are cold at that temperature! They would really hate being here tonight, it's going down to -10F! Yikes!
I wouldn't even think of wearing a sweater and a jacket at 60 degrees, at that temperature I'd be in shorts and a t-shirt!
I wouldn't even think of wearing a sweater and a jacket at 60 degrees, at that temperature I'd be in shorts and a t-shirt!
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
....below 60F is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
Too cold for me. Like high today is only 65F and I have sweater on when go out. When it was below 60F I had sweater on and a light jacket on top of it.
California where cars do not rust, almonds grow and mountains exist. Luck you HTSS_TR.
Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
....below 60F is too cold.
Why? Too cold for you or too cold for the car?
Too cold for me. Like high today is only 65F and I have sweater on when go out. When it was below 60F I had sweater on and a light jacket on top of it.
California where cars do not rust, almonds grow and mountains exist. Luck you HTSS_TR.
Our local car washes have enough water trickling out of the wand to keep it from freezing. I remember being worried about the salt on my truck that I washed it when it was bitter cold but sunny. The sunny side of the truck looked nice, but when I went to the shaded area, the soap bubbles froze and sounded crunchy and the water quickly froze sealing in the grime under a thin layer of ice.
To be honest, I just leave the truck dirty now until the temp is mid 30's atleast. Then it is so much easier. Car washes near me really have not had many takers which I think people know it will be worse after a wet car leaves in -2 degree weather at the moment. Hopefully in March we will have "normal" temperatures again. That would seem like summer....well almost.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Do they heat the carwashes there? Ours freeze till they thaw,fortunately that's around lunchtime.
To be honest, I just leave the truck dirty now until the temp is mid 30's atleast. Then it is so much easier. Car washes near me really have not had many takers which I think people know it will be worse after a wet car leaves in -2 degree weather at the moment. Hopefully in March we will have "normal" temperatures again. That would seem like summer....well almost.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Do they heat the carwashes there? Ours freeze till they thaw,fortunately that's around lunchtime.
Originally Posted By: Patman
When I was in Florida a few days ago I saw a lot of people all bundled up when it was 68 degrees outside! Seriously! These people don't know real cold weather if they are cold at that temperature! They would really hate being here tonight, it's going down to -10F! Yikes!
I wouldn't even think of wearing a sweater and a jacket at 60 degrees, at that temperature I'd be in shorts and a t-shirt!
I would be sweating with a sweater and jacket at 60 degrees!
When I was in Florida a few days ago I saw a lot of people all bundled up when it was 68 degrees outside! Seriously! These people don't know real cold weather if they are cold at that temperature! They would really hate being here tonight, it's going down to -10F! Yikes!
I wouldn't even think of wearing a sweater and a jacket at 60 degrees, at that temperature I'd be in shorts and a t-shirt!
I would be sweating with a sweater and jacket at 60 degrees!
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