Im glad someone is posting about this again as the whole issue of road salt drives me crazy.

When I moved to the Midwest I didnt wash the vehicle I brought with me that first winter and it became a casuality of road salt in just a few years. As in destroyed.

When I owned my WRX I washed it every week in the winter and when I sold it at 5 years old it only had rust on some of the undercarraige fasteners.

It is recommended to wash your car every ten days or whenever the temperature gets above freezing. Above freezing temperaures and road salt combined on metal equals the oxidation process.

I recommend washing every week no matter what. At a carwash that has a strong underbody wash cycle.

I also recommend keeping your car in an unheated garage or a garage that is not attached to your house (and passively heated). If your garage is attached open the door 1 inch to let the cold in, or if you have a window or vent open that. Install a thermometer inside to keet track of temps and make sure they are below freezing. It seems counter intuitive I know. But if your car is in a nice, warm, cozy garage with road salt over it guess what? Rust.

Also, take it to a self wash every now and then, and at the end of winter to rinse out your engine bay, wheel wells, and all those nooks and crannies that cant be got at with an underbody rinse. A lot of people are diligent about underbody rinses and washing their cars in the winter months. But most neglect the engine compartment etc. Salt gets sucked into there too. Dont ingore it.

I know guys who get under their cars in the spring and clean their entire suspension etc by hand.

Keeping up with touch up paint, nicks and scratches will keep your body panels protected better from road salt.

A good pre-winter polish and wax also helps. Dont neglect your door and lid wells as salt, grunge and dirt get in there to promoting rust.

HTH

 

I have used the touchless systems and think they are good for the under carriage wash however there are signs posted on ones around where I live don't know about other, but there is a warning that the soap that they use to possibly do harm to your paint. I think this is probably would only happen if you used it quiet a bit but after see the warning sign posted, I have kept my X away and sticking to hand washing.

 

What do you guys do when the temp is below freezing? I washed my car last night and i tried to dry it off as quick as i could but had ice all over it.

 

Hmm I've never experienced that lol must get alot colder where you are. Only thing I can think of off the top of my head is maybe try doing it in the day time or using some kind of winshield deicer.

 

Halifax Canada yea ya think.

Antonovich Please do not put windshield de-icer all over your car

 

I agree. Don't put any winshield de-icer - or washer or glass cleaner - all over the car. That will strip off any protective coating you might have on there.

My suggestion. If it's below freezing and staying below freezing - wait. When it warms up or you get a chance to get the car in a heated area, then wash it off good and dry it (or let it dry) when things won't freeze.

 

yeah it was -4 celsius and other people were washing their cars at a self serve bay so i thought it would be fine. I start spraying and it's freezing and i'm thinking "why the hell are all these other people doing this!?" lol.

 

Just following the crowd, eh.

 

heated /handwash area is only way to do it right, dont wash it when its damn freezing outside. I have one place here where they hand wash and its pretty cheap. I dont mind winter at all, its just damn salt that eats paint.

 

Ive taken my car to the touchless wash in temps of 10 F. Usually in my area they will close them down around there or below.

If you are worried about paint a good handwash is the way to go.

I would take mine to a reputable detailer and have them wash and wax for my money but thats me.

Get some good snow tires this season gents, wash your car a lot, and drive safe!

Take care-

 

Yeah I definately would not put the deicer on your car Perhaps I stated that wrong, only put that on your windshield, the frozen water on you car I wouldn't worry about as long as its clean and doesn't have any soap still on it

 

I plan on doing this real soon, I was told that its always good to wax your car every 6 months especially if its new to keep the paint in great shape

 

I only do hand washing, unless there's salt involved then I'll take it through a wash that has a bottom blaster to get the salt off the bottom about once a month. As long as it's around 40 degrees or more then I'll take it to a do it yourself with pressure washers and wash it by hand with lots of clothes and gloves covered by latex gloves so my hands stay warm and dry. I personally do not use touchless at all. I go through the wash that uses the little bristles they claim are micro fiber.

 

 

I'd strongly suggest reading the (applicable) tutorials link'd on the previous page. You may also want to stop by the detailing forum on this site, but please do a little reading first. It seems like you're interested in maintaining your paint, so might as well do it right.