What are your winter prep plans?

[rider9195]

It seems a little early to be thinking about how you will prep your vehicle for winter, but the snow fell early last year and it doesn't hurt to be early!

What are you're plans to prepare your car for the cold weather, salt and sand covered roads, plus the difficulty in washing all that grime off?

Here is my plan:

Thorough wash, including engine bay.
Wheels will have three coats of Collinite 845 and my tires I am not worried about as I will be changing then soon.
The paint will get an IronX treatment along with a nice claying. Some Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer with a black pad on my Porter Cable 7424XP will remove the previous LSP's and provide a clean surface for my next step. I will be applying two coats of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant followed by Collinite 845.

I might add some protection to the glass as well.

After all this work ahead of me, I need to Opti-Coat asap!


So what are your plans for winter prep?

[Chris's FX4]

Guess I did my winter-prep really early, back at the end of August.

Already had snow flakes in the air over the last couple nights up my way, but anyways here is what i did. Truck will be outside 24/7.

- Washed with CG Citrus Wash & Gloss at stripping ratio.
- Clayed with Meguiar's Clay Kit.
- 2 coats of WGDGPS 3.0 w/ my G110v2 on a crimson HT.
- ^^^ All paint, lights, and chrome recieved that.
- WG Exterior Trim Sealant on all trim.
- DG 501 on the wheels.
- Rain-X on all glass.


Was going to use WG Paintwork Polish Enhancer on a white pad, but ran out of time.


This was what I did last winter, and it got me from August-April.

I'm definitley buying some OC for next year also.

[Minoan212]

I am still putting my winter prep plan together. I haven't used 845 on my wheels before, but I think I am going try it out considering a lot of people like it over other wheel specific products. My car is outside year round, and we live by the water in the northeast.

[swanicyouth]

Just did it:
- foamed with Bilt Hamber Snow Foam
- Washed with Maxi Suds II
- TRIX on wheels
- Baggie Test (no clay needed)
- P21S Paint Cleaner on PC white CCS pad
- Bilt Hamber Finis for LSP
- Wheels previously Opticoated

*** Plan on putting on more coats on Finis over the next month or so. Also plan on applying it to side and back glass, front glass gets Griots Glass Sealant.

[ScottZ]

Winter prep will begin on vacation next week and I plan on trying something different this year.
-Two coats of DG 111/601 topped with two coats of 845 on all painted surfaces.
-Two coats of 845 on the wheels.
-I'll also use a sealant on the glass (haven't decided which one yet).

[Lowejackson]

My car is nearly done
(after cleaning, polishing etc)

Bilt Hamber Finis wax for the paint
Gtech G1 for the glass
Gtech C4 for the external trim -still to do
Optimum tyre shine for external rubber trim
Bilt Hamber Ferrosol (lubricant) for doors, locks, window mechanisms etc - this stuff is amazing
Gtech C6 interior dressing
Underside of car treated to anti corrosion wax
new wiper blades

[scooterguitar]

I have two coats of BFWD on everything, about a month ago. I'm planning on another coat after a wash tomorrow. I do question, throwing a wax on top? Should I? If so, should I use the fk1000, a liquid, or souveran, natty blue, or xxx? Decisions.

[micvog]

Just got my shipments the last two weeks and plan on the following later this month:
- Clean wheels with Griot's Wheel Cleaner and Daytona wheel brush and Griot's lug nut brush
- Clean wheel wells with Mothers' wheel well brush
- Clay paint and glass with Griot's paint clay
- Three coats of DuraGloss on wheels and paint (501/601, 105/601, 111/601)
- Griot's Glass Sealant
- EagleOne Enviroshine TireShine Gel

I tried the glass sealant last night for the first time. Based on what I read here, I expected it to haze more and be difficult to remove. It hazed only slightly even after 15 minutes and wiped right off. The glass looks really clean and shiny, and is very slippery. I guess I will find out about durability.

I also got to use the wheel brushes for the first time. What a difference! The Griots wheel cleaner also seems to work a lot better for me than the EagleOne Enviroshine All Wheel and Tire Cleaner.

[BobbyG]

Most plans will vary from a complete makeover to doing absolutely nothing because it's geographically dependent... The folks in the North have the most work ahead of them but our warm weather friends in the South may put this off until next weekend....or the weekend after...

Winter prep for me will begin with a change of fluids and filters. While under my truck everything will be inspected, fluid levels checked, and steering components greased. Once this is complete then it's on to the exterior...

After a complete wash and clay, my 1999 Dodge Dakota will get a quick polish with Menzerna Super Finish PO106 FA. This really does a great job at removing most minor surface defects and the gloss is outstanding.

Once this is completed I'll do 2 coats of Menzerna Power Lock sealant, 12 hours apart, then a final coat of Collinite 845 ....

All the plastic trim will be treated with CQuartz DLux Plastic & Wheel Coating and the windshield will be cleaned and protected using Aquapel.

Throughout the winter I'll wash and maintain using several products that range from a regular wash to a rinseless wash. To maintain the finish after washing and drying I like to go over the finish with a quality spray wax like Optimum Spray Car Wax or Duragloss Aquawax ..

[BuckeyeR/T]

CG Citrus Wash & Gloss
Clay
205 with finishing pad (paint is in pretty good shape)
Collinite #915 FTW!