OK guys i live in north jersey and not that i'm a wimp or nething when do you guys find time and a place to wash your car when its this cold outside. I mean i can let my car get really dirty long as theres no salt cause i have layers of wax on her from the summer. So my question where do you guys wash ur car when its cold. thanks in advance.

 

i once watched my neighbor wash his car in december, when he was all done he had layers of ice all over the car and couldnt get inside it because the doors froze... i was laughing my *** off

 

Here in central Illinois, its usually snowed 3 times by now, just not this year. Its still been about or below freezing all week though. But thats no excuse for a dirty car! (mine was sure there though)

I washed mine yesterday, cause dude, you're not kidding cars get dirty in the winter and I don't like that junk just sitting there on my paint.
What I did was go to the do it yourself carwash and closed the doors on either side of the car to keep the wind out. The water, at least at the one I go to, was heated and was actually steaming like crazy. I just did a wash/rinse/spot free cause whats the point of doing much more than that. Before it could dry off, I squeegeed the car off, and the shoulda used one of those "shammy" things however you spell it, but I don't have one. It woulda been totally dry then. I coulda/shoulda opened the doors and dried off all the gaskets too, but didn't. Then drove home and parked in the garage since mom's car is in the shop! I did have ice droplets here and there where i didn't squegee all the water off, but not enough to freeze anything. Fired up the garage heater for a few to melt things, then just soaked the drops up with a towel.

Clean car, no freezing problems! People looked at me kinda funny pulling outa the car wash, but hey half the bays were empty when i got there! Can't beat that!

 

well here in california it has been getting cold (for us at least) and i know what you're talking about by not being able to wash your car due to the lack of heat. i mean, it'll be like 45 degrees outside but the cold water is too much for me to handle. what ive done is let my car go to craps, and im gonna take it to the paint shop in a few days, let them deal with it, then try and keep that as clean as possible, but i totally feel you when it gets like this

 

It's usually worse around January and February...ahhh, coming soon. I need a winter beater, I have driving the 72 in snow. Oh well, it needs restored anyways.

But i wash (warsh as i say) my 72 every other day at work. We have a 3-stall heated garage and I get all my supplies free and wax and everything for Detailers, which sells Malco wax and other stuff that kicks butt. Ask Dave how shiny we got his car. I don't think he thought his car could shine like that.

 

Winter washing in NJ isn't as bad if you take a pitcher, fill it with scolding (spell) water from your kitchen tap, and pour it in the bucket before you suds it up with the hose. And if you drench your car when the washing's done like me, just wipe down quickly before it freezes

 

I plan on visiting the DIY car wash once a week or so and spraying it off real good, especially the wheel wells and under the car to keep the salt off.

 

Yea i know what you mean about keeping the car clean up here in Northern Jersey. This is the first winter I've had a car but I've washed it once or twice already, I tried the suggestion of using hot water along with the suds rather than using the hose to wash the car, worked out well. And remember to just let the doors open for the water that could have gotten inside to dry off. I'm just trying to keep it free of salt for the winter instead of making it shine too well.

 

I can hook up my hose to the utility sink and then I can get hot/warm/cold water. Just was one panel at a time and if try to do it on a day that has the highest temp.

 

I wash cars everyday (its my job). Then again I have a shop thats heated. If you wash ur car make sure to wipe it completely dry or your doors will freeze to the car once it gets outside. I live up in Canada and we have really cold winters here. A neat trick i've found out was to put dressing (whether it be tire or dash) on the weather stripping, it will stop your doors from sticking. If u dont have a shop dont do it outside, do it inside a car wash. Bring a shammy or something to wipe your car down.

 

I wash mine right in the front yard, the hand gets a little frozen putting it in the bucket, but it's worth it. However, I don't get to wash it as often as I would like.

 

When I had to drive my camaro in the winter. I use to fill the soap bucket with really hot water from the tub and connect my water hose to the hot water side of my washer and washed my car really quickly. But this still wasn't on a pure freazing day cause you wont get in your car when it freezes.

 

Dude, posts like this make me happy cuz other people use their f-bodies year round like me. I just wash it when I know I won't be needing to use it anytime soon. It sucks cuz my car's a real beater and the doors sag and stick to the sill with ice. Last winter I broke my driver's side door handle trying to open it. A remote starter that warms up the car and melts the ice would sure be nice if I could afford it... and if my car wasn't carbed.

 

You guys are going to hate me for this one, but we have a floor drain and faucet in the garage. So, we can was cars inside the garage.
I've done the wash at 20 degrees before. Almost broke my fingers when I hit them on the car. Water freezes on the car almost faster than it can come out of the hose.

 

Wow, other than Bebefouch, none of you guys should even be talking about washing your cars in the "cold"

In Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, it will hit 40 degrees below zero (Celsius or Farenheit) without fail every winter. Oftentimes it is even worse

Now THAT is a cold that you can't even imagine unless you've experienced it

Other than the folks that live in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana, the Lower 48 shouldn't even be allowed to post an answer to this question

Like Canadians, Alaskans can talk to their heart's content

 

That happened to me yesterday. I washed my car when it was about 40 degrees and a few hours later I couldn't get into my car! I was like, "Hey! This is south Georgia! What the..."

 

I like the post from California.. lol. I'm sure it does get cold there.



I live in Wisconsin, which much like Canada, gets veeeeeeeeeeeery cold. I take it to the DIY carwash, which is cold, but warmer than the outside air. I wash it, scrub it, and bring several of my own towels and a friend, and dry it as fast as possible. THen, make sure both doorjambs are dry. And take the Ttops off if you have them, and make sure they're dry.

But, here in Madison, they don't use salt, the snow just compounds, luckily. I just wash my car after going to Milwaukee or one of the other normal cities around here that does use salt.

Jon

 

I like the carwash I go to because the water is heated. I washed my car when it was someting like 34 degrees out, iceicles were all over the car wash (yes my hands almost froze off) but it didn't ice up my car because I put it right in the sun, dried it off there, and I am good to go. I really think that hot water helps.

 

Here in the north pole(Upper Michigan) My car is put away due to the amount of snow. But I bring my truck to the do it yourself High pressure spray wash. Like others pointed out its heated diffently the way go.

 

you think 45 is to cold out to wash your car?!? oh man i washed mine yesterday when it was 30 degrees out in short sleeves (little chilly ) i woke up today and theres a good 6 inches of snow on the ground...this should be fun...real fun

 

I love this... 30 degrees.. .45... wow.

Hence the subject of "actually cold".

Try washing your car out here. We wish it were 30.
Seriously do.

Jon