What do you do during winter months?

[Mambwe]

It is beginning to get cold here in NY and pretty soon it will be too cold to wash my car. I washed it yesterday when it was 48 degrees and I got some pretty strange looks from my neighbors. A little bit colder and my fingers may freeze. This is the first car I own that I don't really want to take to a car wash, but the car is black. When you add everyday dirt and snow/salt the car will look like crap in no time. Eventually it will be too cold to wash it myself. The self-car washes will be closed soon. What should I do? Eventually the only option will be a regular car wash.

What does everyone else do?

[statusdetailing]

Rinsless wash in your garage with ONR. Cars tend to get pretty dirty in the winter, so you may want to dilute it a little stronger than recommended for extra lubrication. I would also do a good pre soak. I would very carefully agitate with a microfiber mitt and the 2 bucket system and wipe clean with a large microfiber towel.

Keep up with the cleaning at least once a week or it will be very difficult to not induce major swirls with a rinsless wash method.

You could get an electric or propane heater for your garage if it's extremely cold.

You may want to find a good highly rated local detailer to wash it every couple weeks if you don't have a garage. Maybe he'd give you a good deal if you brough it in regularly for the winter.

Good luck to you!

[Johny B]

During winter months a friend of mine has a heated garage and I can go there to wash my care once a week. Give him few bucks for the electicity and buy him a Xmas gift.

[vman]

Maintain it with a rinseless or waterless wash as often as you can.

[Chris's FX4]

When I'm away at school my only options are the DIY car washes and automatic touch-less washes. At home its pretty much the same otherwise I do ONR washes if the temps aren't too bad, preferably above freezing for me. Truck is too big to fit in the garage with door closed and still have room to work.

[RedXray]

I get caught in the rain maybe a couple times a year so my truck stays pretty clean throughout the year. BUT if the hose isn't frozen and the wind isn't blowing, I really don't mind washing it outside. It dose make it easier that I can pull into a warm garage to dry and detail. I installed an AC/Heat minisplit system a few years ago, the unit draws only 8 amps and heats/cools the 900sq ft main part of the building.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc195/RedXray/100_6719.jpg

[statusdetailing]

I get caught in the rain maybe a couple times a year so my truck stays pretty clean throughout the year. BUT if the hose isn't frozen and the wind isn't blowing, I really don't mind washing it outside. It dose make it easier that I can pull into a warm garage to dry and detail. I installed an AC/Heat minisplit system a few years ago, the unit draws only 8 amps and heats/cools the 900sq ft main part of the building.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc195/RedXray/100_6719.jpg


My shop is about 1000 sq ft. I have a ventless wall mount heater that does ok. The winters aren't extremely cold in southern, Mo, but I could probably use a little more heat. Would you recommend the setup you have. Is it efficient?

[Mambwe]

As I am relatively new to this can you tell me what a ONR is?

[statusdetailing]

As I am relatively new to this can you tell me what a ONR is?

Optimum no rinse. It is a concentrated product that can be used for rinsless and waterless washing, clay lube, and a quick detailer. A gallon will last forever. 1 ounce will make 2 gallons for a rinsless wash. 8 ounces to a gallon will make one of the best quick detailers on the market. I love the stuff.

[Hoytman]

I'd be very careful about using any type of open flame, or glowing red screen type heater, like those found on propane bottle heaters. No wash is worth the risk of losing a car, a house, or a life.

My uncle nearly burned down a garage this way and his 63 corvette that he bought in college nearly burned to the ground.

Do some research before heating a garage and employ some common sense...it must prevail.

[RedXray]

My shop is about 1000 sq ft. I have a ventless wall mount heater that does ok. The winters aren't extremely cold in southern, Mo, but I could probably use a little more heat. Would you recommend the setup you have. Is it efficient?

The minisplits are very efficient and the technology is getting better and better with the new inverter type compressors, with some SEER ratings in the high 20's. These are heat pumps and some with back-up strips for very cold climates. A heat pump is just the A/C unit running backwards. You know how a ac unit blows hot air out in the summer... a heat pump takes that warm air and reverses it inside.

Mine is a 18,000 BTU and heats & cools the main 900 sq ft main part of the 1200 sq ft building very well. It is an insulated building with a insulated overhead brand 16 ft garage door. You can get these in varying BTU sizes and even multi rooms. The multi room units have one outdoor unit that connects to two, three or four indoor units that hang on the wall.

It stays on about 70 degrees all the time, plus it has a timer function to lower/raise the temps at a predestined time of the day/night.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc195/RedXray/GarageTemps.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc195/RedXray/Rack4.jpg

[psynx]

During winter months a friend of mine has a heated garage and I can go there to wash my care once a week. Give him few bucks for the electicity and buy him a Xmas gift.

lol thats awesome :xyxthumbs:

[statusdetailing]

The minisplits are very efficient and the technology is getting better and better with the new inverter type compressors, with some SEER ratings in the high 20's. These are heat pumps and some with back-up strips for very cold climates. A heat pump is just the A/C unit running backwards. You know how a ac unit blows hot air out in the summer... a heat pump takes that warm air and reverses it inside.

Mine is a 18,000 BTU and heats & cools the main 900 sq ft main part of the 1200 sq ft building very well. It is an insulated building with a insulated overhead brand 16 ft garage door. You can get these in varying BTU sizes and even multi rooms. The multi room units have one outdoor unit that connects to two, three or four indoor units that hang on the wall.

It stays on about 70 degrees all the time, plus it has a timer function to lower/raise the temps at a predestined time of the day/night.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc195/RedXray/GarageTemps.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc195/RedXray/Rack4.jpg

I may need to look into that for next year. Nice shop by the way!

[vet]

I try to hibernate! lol

I do the ONR wash in the garage, but will take it to the car wash when the dirt is thick, just to knock it off. We have a touchless in town that I will sometimes use to get the under wash. In fact, I used it last week after a skunk with a death wish decided I was the one to do it.

If you don't have access to a garage, you're probably kind of stuck with a car wash or frozen fingers. I use hot water for the ONR, but the drying is still chilly.

[wikkid]

Hot water in your buckets.
Neoprene gloves.
Get a hot/cold mixing frost-free hose bibb (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=203102474&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=203102474&ci_kw={keyword}&kwd={keyword}&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-203102474&ci_gpa=pla#.ULaJxO_ziJQ). Why doesn't every house have one?!