Poll: Auto Wash or Keep Salty and Dirty

Auto Wash or Extended Period of Salty and Dirty?

  • Auto Wash

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Salty and Dirty (also how I like my women)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

Glossequation

New member
Easy poll question, but I've been debating this one for the last 2 weeks, everyone thinks I'm stupid and have too much time but this is what I think about in the winter, in the horrible state of MA, within the horrible region known as the Northeast.



I think I'm going to limit my auto washes to 3x each winter, I haven't done one yet but i can't help but think that a cleaner car with a few scratches which can be polished out is better than that salt sitting everywhere for an extended period of time.



The way I see it, I get my last wash in the middle of December, then the car gets cruddy. After 3 weeks I can't take it, so that's the beginning of January. Another three weeks and an auto wash and that's Feb...after that, its usually mild enough out to hand wash.



ONR is NOT an option for me and keep in mind that you HAVE to choose one of these options, since someone is holding a .38 to your head.
 
I'm in CT and I just try to powerwash or spray off the salt/heavy buildup at least once a week. Maybe every other week or so, I'll wash it with by hand with soap depending on how cold it really is (I can also wash indoors if needed). Another good option is going through the touchless car wash.
 
I would wash as long as the streets are dry and you won't salt back up in a day. I think having the salt off your car for a few days is better then sitting on your car all winter.
 
blackcaraddict said:
good ol' regular tunnel wash. i find that the touchless leaves behind a slight layer of crap.



Tunnel? Do you hate your car or love having to polish out all the swirls induced by tunnel washes? Run it through a touchless or coin wash and call it good. I would much rather leave the salt and dirt on my car before I would ever run it through a tunnel wash.:think:
 
Strokin04 said:
Run it through a touchless or coin wash and call it good. I would much rather leave the salt and dirt on my car before I would ever run it through a tunnel wash.:think:



+1



My gold paint is nowhere near swirl free, and I would still never consider a tunnel wash.



Touchless or coin-op for me, in the winter I really don't give a **** about a film on the paint, as long as the crusted on salt is off.
 
Go to a coin-op pressure wash and blaaaaaaassssttt away as much as possible. Don't go touchless and God forbid a brush type. I would rather have a film than induce damage with sandpaper brushes or strip previous work with touchless. Where I am it's been -30C but will be warming up. Loads of salt that I try to keep at bay, and use ONR after a good spray off, whenever possible. It's really a balancing act. You can't keep it spotless in these conditions, but you can keep it reasonable.
 
First and formost my car must be as clean as possible. I wash my car at least twice a week. I am lucky because I can wash my car at work, were it is warm. We dont make much money , but we do have perks.
 
If by auto wash you mean car wash tunnel than I vote nay. Leave the car salty and dirty. Not sure why ONR isn't an option but it is definitely my choice when I can get the car some garage time during the winter. Consider too that salt-induced damage doesn't occur until the temperatures start climbing again, i.e. spring. So I'd just stop into a coin-op place and spray the underside when it gets above freezing then follow up with a SaltX solution spray at home.
 
I have a hot water spray bay about 500 feet from my house. I take a boars hair brush with me and blast away, then brush, blast, and clean out the brush. I'd much rather that than salt. Especially after noticing some random pin head sized rust dots on the tailgate of my Xterra.
 
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