Getting ready for winter.

[Finemess]

Wont be long now till cold weather. What do you do different for winter? More coats of wax, different tires and wheels etc. I'm thinking about getting some ONR for indoor washes to try.

[Dubbin1]

I choose sealants for the winter. Go ahead and pick up the ONR or Ultima Waterless Wash, you wont regret it.

[Toymachine2009]

yup to prep your car for the winter I would give it one last good detail and extra coats of sealants or wax or both.

I would do a thorough Wash
Clay to remove Contaminants since Wax sticks better to paint rather than a fine layer of dirt. Seal it and Wax it and hopefully it lasts you a long while.

Wax and sealant lasts a lot longer on a smooth paint surface than on one full of contaminants and dirt which is why I suggest clay baring first if your surface is smooth already.

[AeroCleanse]

Nothing extra for winter

[Dr Oldz]

Collinite 845, some de-icing windshield wash and good wiper blades here in PA! Can't forget to make sure the remote start batteries are A-OK too!!

[mswerb]

I've always put on a coat of wax before Winter, got the snow brushes out, stocked up on De-Icer wiper fluid and applied silicone to all weatherstripping.
Winter sucks.

[longdx]

My DD held up pretty well last brutal winter with 2 coats of Collinite IW845. I have a newer car this year, so this past weekend I used Megs. UC, followed by XMT360. (I will let that cure and then later add Collinite IW845)

[Black Car]

Stock up...plenty of beer and ONR

[Dr Oldz]

I have also been using a squeegee in place of a brush......those bristles on snow brushes can be kinda harsh!

[bill57]

If anyone still has a Meguire's Versa-Angle body brush (long discontinued item), its great for removing snow in lieu of those stiff bristled snow brushes. The handle broke on mine!

[Shane731]

We bought these last winter, I think we only got to use them once though: OXO Twister Snow Brush (http://www.autogeek.net/oxosnowbrush.html)

[Rob T]

Collinite

[akimel]

I have finished the fall details of both of my my vehicles. I washed and clayed the CR-V and then applied three coats of Finish Kare 1000p over a period of two weeks. I will wash the car during winter as the weather permits. While I hate taking it to the coin-op, I may do so if needed; but generally I hope to get by with ONR rinses at home. I probably will not add anything else to the paint. I really want to see what kind of durability I get from 1000p.

I washed the S2K and then polished with Ultimate Pre-Wax Cleanser. Over the period of two weeks, I have applied three coats of Blackfire Wet Diamond. I hope to get by with ONR rinses, only visiting the coin-op when absolutely needed. I will probably follow up the ONR rinse with some FK 425. If I think the wax needs a refreshing, I will apply Ultimate Quik Wax. This process, which I followed last year, should get us through March and April.

[BobbyG]

Winter can be "the" true test for any finish protection product.

Old man winter throws everything but the kitchen sink at our vehicles from bitter cold, to snow, ice, freezing rain, salt, and sand.

The Finish

In the fall I completely detail the finish which consists of;


Wash
Polish,
Sealant
Wax

What's been working well for me is Menzerna Power Lock Paint Sealant topped with 2 coats of Collinite 845. This combination seems to provide me with the best long term finish protection.

Plastic Trim


Two coats of a quality plastic protectant

Wheels & Tires


Clean both the tires and wheels
Wheel Wax
Tire dressing

I'll scrub the tires and wheels with a good cleaner removing the film buildup, brake dust and debris. Products I've found suitable are Amazing Roll-Off, Meguiars APC+ or Super Degreaser.

Wheels

Once dry I'll apply a coat of Poorboy's World Wheel Sealant or DP Wheel Glaze. These products work amazingly well and if you've never tried them you owe it to yourself.

Tires

There are a variety of tire protectants that I can recommend including; Pinnacle Black Onyx, DP Gloss Tire Gel, Optimum Opti-Bond Tire Gel, and Wolfgang Black Diamond Tire Gel.


Washing and maintaining a vehicle can at times be a challenge. Regular washing and treating the finish with some of the spray waxes available today go a long way in preserving and protecting that finish. If you have access to a heated garage then you'll be able to do much more in the way of proper cleaning.