Basic outdoors winter car care?

**hwt** · 10-24-2009, 01:35 PM

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

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** · 10-24-2009, 02:43 PM

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** · 10-24-2009, 02:44 PM

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** · 10-24-2009, 04:35 PM

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** · 10-24-2009, 05:12 PM

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

**loudog2** · 10-24-2009, 08:10 PM

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** · 10-24-2009, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

**tempter927** · 10-24-2009, 11:02 PM

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** · 10-25-2009, 09:51 AM

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** · 10-25-2009, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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.