Prepping for my second winter - how did I do?

Modena AL

Modena AL

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I'm about to go through my second indiana winter, and this time I'm going to be prepared. Last year I think I put a coat of Souveran on the cars and called it good, and was in for a nasty surprise. I tried valiantly to keep them clean and protected, but it was just too cold. Not this year though.

I've searched around and seem to have figure out the best combination of protection that people recommend and this is what I think I'm going to go with:

Duragloss 601
Duragloss 105
Collonite 845

Does this look good? I read to use the 601 before the 105 to help in the product description. Is it really neccessary? Then after the 105 back it with the 845. From what I've read this will get me though no problem. I'm also just going through touchless washes this year rather than try to do it myself. What type of CCS pads should I use for each product? and what is the cure time for each if any? How easy is it all to use say compared to pinnacle?

Anything else I need to think of for winter? I'll be putting 303 aerospace protectant on all the trim pieces of our minis. Anything I need to do for the wheels? I have track pads that dust like mad so they get really dirty. These wheels will be my dedicated winter wheels after this since I'm buying new wheels in the spring, but I'd like to keep them looking like they did when I bought the car.

Thanks for any input!
 
Ok I've been looking around a bit more and it seems some are using poor boys EX for their sealant before winter.

Would I get enough winter protection from this: a paint cleansing lotion like pinnacle to clean the paint off, then follow up with Poorboys EX-P (forgot I just got that), and then bring up the rear with collonite #845? I'm thinking a grey CCS pad for the paint cleansing and sealant and then a blue for collonite? I just XMT360'd my car a few weeks ago so it's in really good shape. What about cure time for EX-P before I apply 845?

Also I found that DP wheel glaze fits the bill for the wheels and pinnacle black onyx for tires, which I already have.
 
Poorboy's EX-P will need dry for about an hour on the paint before you wipe off and then the following day you can apply the #845.

Also, try not to use the toucless wash places. The DIY pressure wash stations are OK if you follow that up with a rinseless wash like ONR or QEW. The soaps at the touchless places are extremely strong in order to clean effectively ... strong enough to remove your LSPs, so all of the prep ahead of time would get wasted ....
 
Thanks for the tip on the touchless washes. I've never bene through one before so I didn't know it would be that strong. I moved up here from the south so it was not uncommon for me to be detailing in shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter.

I'm just reading up on some of these rinseless washes and think I'll pick up some of that too. I tried the DIY stations last year and took a bucket and all my tools, but almost got frost bite trying to wash it. It's only a mile down the street so I may go rinse it off real good, then come home and do a rinseless wash in a toasty garage with warm water. I'm worried about scratching with a rinseless though...
 
Modena AL said:
Thanks for the tip on the touchless washes. I've never bene through one before so I didn't know it would be that strong. I moved up here from the south so it was not uncommon for me to be detailing in shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter.

I'm just reading up on some of these rinseless washes and think I'll pick up some of that too. I tried the DIY stations last year and took a bucket and all my tools, but almost got frost bite trying to wash it. It's only a mile down the street so I may go rinse it off real good, then come home and do a rinseless wash in a toasty garage with warm water. I'm worried about scratching with a rinseless though...
Click to expand...

No problem, glad I could help. I live in NH so it stays below freezing for about 3 months. It's no fun. Also, there's no need to worry about scratching with the rinsless washing. Read up on techniques and watch the videos (Anthony Orosco just posted one using Optimum No Rinse, ONR). I try to wash as often as I can in the winter ... I also don't have a heated garage so it can be very cold at times. I'll stop by the DIY place, come back and do a QEW wash and hopefully I'll be able to throw on a coat of wax to keep the protection nice and fresh. Then the next day or two it'll snow and it'll be a mess again ....
 
Thanks. I'd looked at the Optima wash and the DP pride wash. Probably will end up going with the OER. Whats the QEW?

What's a good quick detailer to use when it is freezing? i've got about 7 types: mothers, wolfgang, crystal mist, 2 types of megs, crystal mist, and poor boys spray and wipe. I'm not sure how well they would work in the cold, so I was thinkng about picking up another.

Also, I have everything in a cabinet in the garage. Should I bring them inside? i read on here somewhere that going out and shaking everything well once in a while does wonders.
 
If your garage is not heated you should bring all of your products in the house if you can. It's not good for them to freeze.
 
Then that settles it; they're coming inside. I left them out there last winter but I don't think any of it froze, and everything i've use since has worked fine. My temp guage on the car never came on when I would leave the garage in the morning, and it does that at 36 (it would be about 10 outside), so I don't think it gets below freezing in there. I'll keep an eye on it and bring them in if neccessary. I spent alot on the XMT line and poorboys so I want to keep it in tip top shape.
 
Yeah, shaking products once a month is a good idea to keep all of the ingredients together. QEW is another rinseless wash made by Protect All, Quick and Easy Wash. It was the first rinseless wash and is available locally at Camping World for less than $30 a gallon. QDs are going to have a little problem in the cold. As long as they don't freeze, they'll work ... but bring a few extra towels with you. QDs, under normal temps, evaporate as they dry but in the cold it seems like the towel won't absorb it as it would normally.
 
Ok I've got my supplies in. I decided to go with DG 601/105 and follow with Collinite 845 the next day. I'll maitain with ONR and AW once a week hopefully. For the wheels I will use EX-P x 2. What CCS pads would you recommend for these steps? I read it would be best to apply #845 by hand so as to not strip off the 105. Would I need to do any other polish before the 601? I have minor swirling that only I can see apparently.
 
Modena AL said:
I'm about to go through my second indiana winter, and this time I'm going to be prepared. Last year I think I put a coat of Souveran on the cars and called it good, and was in for a nasty surprise. I tried valiantly to keep them clean and protected, but it was just too cold. Not this year though.

I've searched around and seem to have figure out the best combination of protection that people recommend and this is what I think I'm going to go with:

Duragloss 601
Duragloss 105
Collonite 845

Does this look good? I read to use the 601 before the 105 to help in the product description. Is it really neccessary? Then after the 105 back it with the 845. From what I've read this will get me though no problem. I'm also just going through touchless washes this year rather than try to do it myself. What type of CCS pads should I use for each product? and what is the cure time for each if any? How easy is it all to use say compared to pinnacle?

Anything else I need to think of for winter? I'll be putting 303 aerospace protectant on all the trim pieces of our minis. Anything I need to do for the wheels? I have track pads that dust like mad so they get really dirty. These wheels will be my dedicated winter wheels after this since I'm buying new wheels in the spring, but I'd like to keep them looking like they did when I bought the car.

Thanks for any input!
Click to expand...
DG #601---DG#105---Collinite 845 is a great combo! #601 is necessary to prep your paint for sealant for max durability. Then apply #105, let it cure for at least 12 hours, and top it off with #845.
 
The 601/105 is a great winter protection system...it has worked for me fine..but I would use a collinite paste wax over 845..reason being I believe the solvents in 845 can compromise some sealants...plus the pastes seem to last longer for winter use...I use either 915 or 885 for winter toppers over 105....

Do not get me wrong ..845 will work..but a paste will last better and they contain a little more carnuba content with less solvent...

I know for me the pastes carried me thru winter no problem...and cleaned very easy with just a rinse from the wand wash....dirt and salt just rinsed off so easy with just a rinse spray and beading was over the top till May...and it was done in Nov...

Al
 
Thanks guys! I'm glad to hear that this is going to work out. I went with the 845 becuase it sounded a little bit easier, from my searching, to apply than the collinite paste wax. I may get some of the paste but I spent a fair amount at autogeek this week on supplies. I've been looking around I'm trying to work out the correct process for doing this, let me know how it sounds

My car needs minor correction so;
XMT#1 - CCS grey pad
Paint cleansing lotion or XMT 360 - grey pad or even a blue
601 - by hand, pinnacle yellow applicator, wait 45 minutes
105 - by hand over 601, pya, wait 45 minutes, buff
cure overnight
845 by hand, pya. can I buff immediatly or should I wait x amount of time?
EX-P x 2 on wheels, cure first coat over night

Girlfriends car will get the same but will need a clay first then XMT #2 on a white pad. I'll maintain each by rinsing with a powerwasher at a car wash, then drive home and clean with ONR and AW each week. Everything look right?
 
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