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“Wash-by-handers” in Northeast, what do you do in the Winter?

Discussion in 'Model 3' started by Rothgarr, Aug 20, 2019.

  1. JWardell

    JWardell Member

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    The real answer is my car stays dirty and unwashed for 4-5 months. You wouldn't watch to chance using a waterless wash with that much dirt and salt, scratching the paint etc. I tell myself that I would bring it over to a DIY touchless car wash bay a few times over the winter, but I haven't done that in years. When you car never sees temperatures above freezing for weeks at a time, it is best to just leave it dirty.
     
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  2. Silicon Desert

    Silicon Desert Active Member

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    yup. that's what I do. Similar weather here in northern Nevada. I wait till spring and pleasantly surprised to see I bought a silver car instead of a black one :D
     
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  3. ConcordeSST

    ConcordeSST Supporting Member

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    I thought I was the only one! Relieved to see that I'm not!
     
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  4. Bill Foster

    Bill Foster I'm going home!

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    Yep.
     
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  5. ecospider5

    ecospider5 Member

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    I agree completely. Wash wax all is a much higher quality waterless car wash than all the other brands. It also is meant to be used with a wet cloth for the first wipe then once it is clean you dry with a fresh towel. I used it on the road grime during the last snow storm in Seattle. Spray the are till it is dripping wet with wash wax all. Wait 1-2 minutes for it to pull the grime into the liquid. Use a sopping wet microfiber towel with a heavy nap to remove the grime. Rotate the towel to a clean side with every wipe. Make sure you have lifted all the grime off the car. If not spray one more time then wipe with a fresh side of the sopping wet towel. Then dry and buff with a fine nap microfiber towel.

    You will get some water on the floor with this but not more than the snow melting off your cars wheel wells.
     
  6. ecospider5

    ecospider5 Member

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    I would also suggest using the concentrate to save plastic. The concentrate bottle is less than half the height of the gallon jug. I keep it a spray bottle and some towels in the frunk so I can wash on the go.

    Aero Cosmetics Wet or Waterless car Wash Wax Kit with 2 Gallon Concentrate for Aircraft RV Boat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YQFB3U6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CABxDbMEKHDH2
     
  7. Thp3

    Thp3 Member

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    Michigan
    Car Care, exterior and interior and PPF

    I washed all winter with low power pressure wash to rinse off salt and dirt, then a WARM bucket of ONR and nitrile gloves did the rest. The coldest day was about 20 degrees because I’d wait for sunlight. I washed the Tesla about every 4-6 weeks to keep the dirt down. Admittedly the ppf was great.
     
  8. daniel

    daniel Active Member

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    Never lived in the northeast, but I lived for about 25 years in North Dakota, and didn't have a garage for most of that time. The car just stayed dirty in winter. Actually, my cars stayed dirty all year except for about the first year of ownership. It's a car.
     
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  9. mdelvin

    mdelvin Member

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    I use a coin operated wash to pressure wash and remove the grime and salt, then rinseless at home.
     
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  10. mswlogo

    mswlogo Well-Known Member

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    I just wait for a good day. It's rarely Below Freezing for a month, occasionally yes.
    I drain the hose every time. Use Hot Water which is not that hot by the time I reach the car.

    I do have a garage that rarely is below freezing, especially if it's warm enough outside to wash.

    Occasionally I go to a Hand Wash Bay at Scrub A Dub it's to cold to long.

    When Vehicles are Older I might use a Touchless to get the worst off, but I'm never thrilled with the results.

    I'm in MA and NH.
     
  11. mswlogo

    mswlogo Well-Known Member

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    That's a good idea.
     
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  12. groovidad

    groovidad Living the Dream!

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    #32 groovidad, Aug 21, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2019
    Just curious, how did you care for other cars you may have owned, during the winter months, in the past?
     
  13. Rothgarr

    Rothgarr Member

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    I always ran them through car washes. I honestly didn't care about those cars as much as I do the Tesla.
     
  14. ALSETJC

    ALSETJC Member

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    This is what I do too, garage and two buckets with no-rinse. I try to do it when there is no precep in the weather or when the dirt gets too much on the car.
     
  15. KenC

    KenC Active Member

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    Yep, the drive-thru here is $20 a month, unlimited washes, including underneath.

    Was tempting to consider a full PPF, and continue using the drive-thru, but the Model 3 is such an easy car to hand wash...
     
  16. novox77

    novox77 1.21 Gigawatts

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    I do a touchless car wash bay to get the salt and sand off. For most of the winter, this keeps the car acceptably clean. If I need it cleaner, then after the touchless wash, I do the rinseless technique inside my garage with ONR.

    But like others have said, I don't really need the car to sparkle during winter, since it's going to get very dirty very frequently.

    I also don't do the touchless wash until the roads are dry. If it's wet at all, the tires kick up a ton of salt/sand onto the car, so by the time you drive home, it looks like you never did a wash.

    Another thing that helps immensely is to apply a ceramic coating while the weather is still nice. I do homeowner-grade coating once a year. Once you have that coating, the touchless car wash gets your car really really clean because less stuff can cling onto your clear coat.
     
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  17. Rothgarr

    Rothgarr Member

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    A number of you recommended home ceramic coating. any particular videos you'd recommend to watch to make sure I do it correctly the first try?
     
  18. Bulbski

    Bulbski Member

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    I love this guy's Youtube. He's very detailed with his detailing.

     
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  19. novox77

    novox77 1.21 Gigawatts

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    #39 novox77, Aug 22, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2019
    I just surfed YT a bit until I got an idea of what's involved. Homeowner-grade ceramic coating just means it's very forgiving to work with, and it's hard to mess up. The tradeoff is that it doesn't last as long. But it will be good for at least a year.

    Basically you apply the stuff with the applicator until you see that the surface is wet. Less is more; you don't need a lot on the applicator at all. Make a pass in both horizontal and vertical direction to ensure coverage. Do 1 panel at a time. Wait until the wetness turns a bit hazy (about 2 min if you're applying at comfy room temp), then wipe it off gently with a MF cloth. It's actually really similar to doing a carnauba wax job but easier, IMO and lasts longer.

    Only gotcha is to make sure you wipe off every part you applied it on. If you forget a spot, it will cure too thick and make that spot permanently hazy. Well semi-permanently. You can buff it out, or you can wait it out (a year or so); it will fade away. If it's cold when you apply (50F), you'll want to wait a bit longer before wiping off. Anything colder than 50F, it probably won't cure properly and you're just wasting it.
     
  20. novox77

    novox77 1.21 Gigawatts

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    Start at 8:48 for the ceramic application part.


    .
     
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