Basic outdoors winter car care?

[hwt]

Greetings and thanks in advance for all welcome replies to this newbie! :Picture:

Tragically, my Audi Allroad stands ungaraged in NYC, in an open driveway facing SSE. It gets full sun until early afternoon and is otherwise exposed to the elements. It doesn't get used everyday.

Briefly, as a beginner, what should I do to maintain its cleanliness and protection? I could take it somewhere for detailing from time to time, but what can *I* DIY?

How about snow and ice removal? Simply employ those OXO tools offered by AG? How about using a boar's hair brush to push off the snow?

[ScottB]

I dont pretend to know snow or its condition on paint. I do know you want to remove salt commonly used to remove/melt it as soon as possible.

So I would likely wash when possible, rinse off at a bare minimum weekly, use a very durable wax prior to winter (Collonite, several coats of Klasse system) and I would do a great detail including all steps as soon as winter breaks.

[Smokin]

Like others I just use my arm and knock off most. Collinite either 845 or 476 x2 will work for protection.Then when you get chance 2 bucket wassh and spray wax. Hope this helps

[ph16]

When there is snow, I knock most of it off but am careful not to touch the paint. If it's light snow, I don't bother knocking it off at all. With salt, there's not a whole lot you can do except take every opportunity to wash it off when the weather permits ~ like you don't want your windows freezing shut because the vehicle didn't dry. We seldom get weather like that and I only average about 3-4 washes from December to February. It kills me. The best advice is to put a coat of wax and/or better yet, sealant if you can before the bad weather starts.

BTW, Welcome to AG.

[tenorplayer23]

I empathize with you and your car. Unfortunately, "winter" in this part of the world will just happen........you're lucky you live downstate. Not quite so bad as Western NY. (In fact, I wish I lived in your area for the winter months! :)

My advice would be to use just be careful. There are no magic brushes, unfortunately, that will keep your paint perfect. Plus ANY sliding snow/ice off the car won't help the paint. If you can, go to a car wash that has pressure washers and spray off the big chunks. A "touchless" car wash isn't typically touchless anyway, so no salvation there. The other strategy would just be to treat it as best as you can in the winter and do the correction in the spring to get it back to perfect, car washes and all.

Killrwheels recommendations hold well - use a strong sealant and/or Collonite wax on the vehicle to max out the protection prior. I just coated my Impala with Optimum Opti-Seal topped by a coat of Collonite 845 Insulator Wax. It's one combination that has two strong components in it. The whole car needed major correction, but at this time of year here in the Northeast, I figured the correction would go to waste in only about 30 days. So, I'll just wait until Spring and make it look pretty then. :)

Of course, that's just my opinion........................I could be wrong! :)

See ya http://autopia.org/forum/images/smilies/wavey.gif

[loudog2]

I go to the coin operated pressure wash down the street. Get the major dirt, salt, snow and ice off there. then you can use an ONR wash in your garage, after the pressure wash of course. Another thing I do, but later in the day when the wash is not too busy. I'll bring a 5 gallon bucket with warm water from home with the ONR mixed. Then you can go to town in the wash bay without drenching your garage floor.

[StephenK]

I go to the coin operated pressure wash down the street. Get the major dirt, salt, snow and ice off there. then you can use an ONR wash in your garage, after the pressure wash of course. Another thing I do, but later in the day when the wash is not too busy. I'll bring a 5 gallon bucket with warm water from home with the ONR mixed. Then you can go to town in the wash bay without drenching your garage floor.



:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[tempter927]

The next best thing to a garage would be a car cover. if you know you wont be using the car for a couple of days and you know its going to snow just put the car cover on it.

The paint surface has to be clean if youre going using the cover so you can do a norinse wash or use a spray detailer and mf towel if its not really dirty.

If you have the car cover on the car during a snow storm just push the snow off the cover when you can. and yes a sealant/wax combo is a must while the car cover can come in handy at times too.

[Tesla]

LOL @ Tenorplayer!!!

You are spot on about the NYC winter!!! I lived there for 12 years and LOVED the winter (felt like spring). Now, I live right across the lake from Tenorplayer and we could see each other's cities on a clear day!

As I understand it, Rochester (like Buffalo and Syracuse) gets a lot more snow than even us in Canada because of lake effect snows, coming from North to South of Lake Ontario.

In any event... to the OP, just grin and bare it. I've yet to find ANY product to fully last through a Canadian winter. This year I'm tyring Zaino for the first time.

[stevehecht]

The next best thing to a garage would be a car cover. if you know you wont be using the car for a couple of days and you know its going to snow just put the car cover on it.

The paint surface has to be clean if youre going using the cover so you can do a norinse wash or use a spray detailer and mf towel if its not really dirty.

If you have the car cover on the car during a snow storm just push the snow off the cover when you can. and yes a sealant/wax combo is a must while the car cover can come in handy at times too.

Is is really necessary to only put the cover on a clean car and to wash it prior to putting on the cover? The Ultimate cover I'd be ordering from Bavarian Auto claims that this is not the case.

[tenorplayer23]

You guys on the South Shore of Lake Ontario have it easy.........more sun, less snow, a better water front. Ugh...........

You're right, lot's more snow here in Roch. & in Buffalo. Unfortunately, the winds across the lakes just add to other systems. The good news is that I live outside of the city and as far away from the lake as I can be in the county. That bad news is......doesn't matter that much when it comes to taking care of car paint!! NYC is a cake walk re: to weather in winter...............maybe not relative to traffic during a snow dump, but the balance of the time it is more temperate. I'd really like that...........in fact, I'd really like moving another 1000 miles further south and having the 'vette on the road a lot more often. :)

Of course, that's just my opinion............I could be wrong! :)

See ya. http://autopia.org/forum/images/smilies/wavey.gif



LOL @ Tenorplayer!!!

You are spot on about the NYC winter!!! I lived there for 12 years and LOVED the winter (felt like spring). Now, I live right across the lake from Tenorplayer and we could see each other's cities on a clear day!

As I understand it, Rochester (like Buffalo and Syracuse) gets a lot more snow than even us in Canada because of lake effect snows, coming from North to South of Lake Ontario.

In any event... to the OP, just grin and bare it. I've yet to find ANY product to fully last through a Canadian winter. This year I'm tyring Zaino for the first time.

[hwt]

Thanks again, All, for the advice and cheerfulness. AG's gotta be as happy with the order I placed as I am ('cause I even got free shipping, hint).

I'm looking forward to employing my purchases, starting out with a pre-winter sealant and wax, the Opti-Seal topped with Collinite, a product from Utica by way of Florida (tip o'the hat to Rochester)! Then, I'll follow some of the other suggestions. "Tis true, winter weather on the right coast is far more balmy than the Upper Midwest of my youth, but forecasters claim that the upcoming winter in the NE region is going to be more severe than the past decade.


Is is really necessary to only put the cover on a clean car and to wash it prior to putting on the cover? The Ultimate cover I'd be ordering from Bavarian Auto claims that this is not the case.

Regarding the car cover, I'm on the fence about that right now, too, mulling it over. To opine about steveh's question, presumably he's looking for testimonials from folks who use one without having their cars spotlessly clean and how much effect that may have on the finish.

Like anything, there'll no doubt be a diversity of opinion. For example, some folks on this forum use a brush to wash their cars and some won't let a brush near the finish of their cars. Same with covers, presumably. Some folks won't use covers, some won't unless their cars are absolutely spotless, some find no problem if the car's a little dirty.

If you get some responses, Steve, or find the answer through searching this or other forums, please post again and let me know.

Best wishes.

[stevehecht]

Well, I bought the car cover today from Bavarian and asked them about having to wash to clean the car before using the cover. At first he said it would be a good idea, and when I asked him if using a car duster would do, he said yes if the car wasn't very dirty. If it is, he recommended a wash or a NR wash. There's no way I'd get involved with a wet DIY wash in winter in Massachusetts, I'd rather bring it to a touchless car wash. So, if the car is decently clean I'll use the California duster, if more than that it's touchless for me. :iagree:

[stevehecht]

Killrwheels recommendations hold well - use a strong sealant and/or Collonite wax on the vehicle to max out the protection prior. I just coated my Impala with Optimum Opti-Seal topped by a coat of Collonite 845 Insulator Wax. It's one combination that has two strong components in it.

Hmmm, I've only got a coat of Optimum Car Wax on my bimmer for the winter. Even though this product contains carnauba and polymer sealants, I'm now wondering if that's enough or whether I need something stronger (especially since I'll be putting on and removing that car cover all winter!)? OCW is a spray-on after all. What do folks think?Feed back please

[tenorplayer23]

I think the conventional wisdom with a spray wax like Optimum is that it isn't designed to be long lasting..........at least not in terms of lasting under "winter" conditions in the Northeast. Ease of use, maximum finish quality, reasonable life expectancy are probably the order of it's characteristics. The propensity of feedback is to use something more durable instead/in addition to it. I have Optimum Spray wax, as well, but have no idea what the actual life length is.

Like I mentioned, I layered Optimum Opti-Seal and Collinte 845 Insulator Wax. Opti-Seal is an excellent sealant, great gloss and pretty good durability (from the longer experiences I have read on the site). For durability, there a supposedly better sealants. Klasse & Duragloss are regularly mentioned. For a primarily carnauba product, Collinite 476/845/915 seem to be universally recommended for maximum durability. Used in multiple layers....both of these product types ought to provide much better protection than the Optimum Spray Wax - by a lot.

Of course, that's just my opinion........I could be wrong!:)

See ya. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:forums.corvetteforum.com/get/images/smilies/seeya.gif


Hmmm, I've only got a coat of Optimum Car Wax on my bimmer for the winter. Even though this product contains carnauba and polymer sealants, I'm now wondering if that's enough or whether I need something stronger (especially since I'll be putting on and removing that car cover all winter!)? OCW is a spray-on after all. What do folks think?Feed back please