A Way to Properly Wash Your Vehicle in Cold Climates

jlb85

jlb85

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If it is snowing where you live AND you want a way to wash your car without swirls AND you don't want to do it in your garage (might be too full of other cars) AND, well, here is how we like to do it in our Michigan Winters :)

Marc takes his GF's car to the quarter wash DIY bay with some good products from home and washes this Saab 9-3 in about 40 minutes at 25 degrees F. We hope this provides some good ideas for any of us who's OCD is affected by the weather.

[video=youtube_share;oVtnRoiIRRI&hd=1"]How To Wash Your Car In Cold Climates[/video]
 
Always Great work! The video can be very helpful for many new comers and the regulars.
Going be working on 2 cars this Saturday and its going be in 21 degrees, can't wait till it gets warm again.
 
You COLD weather guys are just hardcore.

Here in GA it just get's cold.

For me, it's the garage with ONR, 2 buckets of warm water, and a forced air propane heater.

DLB<----Pansy. :o
 
DLB said:
You COLD weather guys are just hardcore.
Click to expand...

Luckily, we pushed our annual snowmobile trip back one week this year. Where we are going next week is going to be -36* tonight. 36 degrees below zero with windchills in the -50 to -60 degrees.

Forecast Conditions
High °F -4
Low °F -36

That is hardcore and my vehicles will stay dirty until it warms up.

Randy
 
Awesome and very helpful video Jacob!


I was actually checking out Steven's youtube channel last night....that guy has mad skillz! :dblthumb2:
 
Nice how to video. :xyxthumbs:

I would not usually be able to that around here because there is usually another vehicle in line behind me waiting to use the wash bay and the car washes all have signs stating no bucket washing while other customers are waiting.

That would be a nice way to properly wash your vehicle in the winter if you can do it, though. :)
 
I'll bet the person behind you in line is having a cow while he's waiting
 
Great video! I like how he explained all of the products in the beginning of the video. Most of these DIY car wash places have signs posted (No Bucket Washing).
 
Would you consider a rinseless product like ONR for washing, and just use booths spray to remove gunk and salt from undercarriage ???
 
Great concept...I'd use a rinseless wash product instead which eliminates the need for detail spray to dry down with.
 
in winter/cold weather i use the coin washes just to knock of the snow ice and heavy stuff. then bring car back home to garage to finish
 
dougaross said:
I'll bet the person behind you in line is having a cow while he's waiting
Click to expand...


That's why you go late at night or very early in the morning. The washes by me are actually open 24/7 and I've never had a car come up behind me. :props:
 
RaskyR1 said:
That's why you go late at night or very early in the morning. The washes by me are actually open 24/7 and I've never had a car come up behind me. :props:
Click to expand...



car washes by me actually have signs up saying no bucket washing
 
My process is very similar, except I carry my water in old milk jugs as my buckets don't have lids. My local DIY car wash has sign posted "No bucket washing if customers are waiting". I go early or late and usually don't have a problem.
 
detailgod said:
car washes by me actually have signs up saying no bucket washing
Click to expand...

So do mine actually. At the end of the day the owner still knows that making $4-6 dollars off of you is better than not making any money at all. As long as you aren't keeping other people from using the bay there should be no issues. However, if there is someone waiting behind you, then the owner is loosing money as a result of you being there. The place I got to actually has 6 bays, and its rare that I ever see another car there after 10:00pm.


I actually had the owner talk to me for a while once as he was cleaning bays late at night. He mentioned the "no hand washing policy" but I was very polite and told him I only come late at night and that I would never hold up another car. He then proceeded to ask me why I chose to bucket wash vs. using all the pre-rinse and soap settings, so I explained it to him. After talking for a while he asked for my card as he thought he could get me some work. ;)

Just respect them and be polite and I find it hard to believe they will care

Just my $.02
 
detailgod said:
in winter/cold weather i use the coin washes just to knock of the snow ice and heavy stuff. then bring car back home to garage to finish
Click to expand...
Hey any decent diy car washes you can recommend in Aurora. Im on the far east side.
 
Try googling touchless car washes in your town, you should be able to find a few.
 
slickooz said:
Always Great work! The video can be very helpful for many new comers and the regulars.
Going be working on 2 cars this Saturday and its going be in 21 degrees, can't wait till it gets warm again.
Click to expand...

integritydetail said:
Nice video Jacob, thanks for sharing!
Click to expand...

DLB said:
You COLD weather guys are just hardcore.

Here in GA it just get's cold.

For me, it's the garage with ONR, 2 buckets of warm water, and a forced air propane heater.

DLB<----Pansy. :o
Click to expand...

ZimRandy said:
Luckily, we pushed our annual snowmobile trip back one week this year. Where we are going next week is going to be -36* tonight. 36 degrees below zero with windchills in the -50 to -60 degrees.

Forecast Conditions
High °F -4
Low °F -36

That is hardcore and my vehicles will stay dirty until it warms up.

Randy
Click to expand...


Thanks, guys! Sounds like you all are dealing with the cold as well, even Dalton! Didn't it snow there a few days ago!? Bet no one washed their car :buffing:


RaskyR1 said:
Awesome and very helpful video Jacob!


I was actually checking out Steven's youtube channel last night....that guy has mad skillz! :dblthumb2:
Click to expand...

Thanks, Chad! I was reading your post in another thread about your cold weather process and how similar it is.

Steven always blows my mind with his pictures. I never expect it! I'll be shooting alongside him with my cheap-o A200, thinking I'm getting more or less the idea of the composition and stuff, just to compare and learn. But when the pictures are done they are so far from what I envisioned, so dramatically impressive, it is just remarkable. His pictures of the Detroit skyline are outstanding!
 
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