gsnav

Wash your car in the winter, when the water coming out of your pipes are cold or even frozen. Need help.

Kajukenbo

Bay area doesn't get that cold, does it?

You need to move down here.....

///MDex

OK, nobody laugh.....

When its about 40* or below, I fill up the bucket in the kitchen sink with water that is just below as hot as I can stand it, and of course, car wash soap.

Now, some will say this removes the wax & polish faster, but, when you spray your car off with hose water that is very cold, then put that rag in the bucket, the bucket temp cools pretty quickly.

Add to this some of those rubber yellow kitchen gloves, and you are golden.

A bit of a PITA, but definitely worth it.

HTH, from the guy who washes his car no matter how cold it gets

nanotech

iTrader: (2)

Wash when it gets warm...yesterday it was 18 degrees here, last thursday it was 78 degrees.

And you can always let a reputable car wash place wash your car...someone that usually does luxury.

Goods

I used to live in Minnesota, and I'd fill a large bucket in the tub to wash my car (Honda) at the time. You'd see the steam rising off the car, and from the bucket ... quite a site to see I'm sure.
I guess I wasn't smart enough to get a kitchen glove .. but back then I was a crazy college student .... who didnt really care...

I had probably one of the cleaner cars in the state after the weekly wash.... =P

OK .. I'm not so fanatical anymore ... and I've been going to the Gas station car washes lately ...
Don't really completely trust them ... but no new scratches that I can tell yet.

Sometimes .. you just can't beat convenience....

I still like Meguiar's Cleaner Wax every month or so though ...

-Goods

ShowGSLuVv

Well since I got my car at the end of December, I think i've become a pro at washing the car in the winter, though I might have a slight advantage, I keep my water hoses in the basement, and connect two water hoses together, and connect them to the sink in the basement, turn both hot and cold so the water will be warm... route it through the basement window to the driveway, I have a bucket filled with water and soap.... make sure the water hose has a nozzle for it, I use the nozzle with the shower thing and keep it closed when im not using it, so i dont run the hot water out..... But if u can do this, make sure that u wear winter gloves, with the rubber dishwashing gloves over it because ur hands will be so cold that u wont be able to move ur fingers. Also keep rinsing the car because warmer water freezes faster then cold water... just to let u know

ShOwGS

mooretorque

Warmer water freezes faster than cold water??

That's not how I learned it in chemistry class.........

nherc

It actually does, because it evaporates more quickly cooling it faster in the cold air.

mooretorque

Good thought! Wasn't thinking about evaporative cooling.

But that would come less into play as the water temp drops, and once water temp (on surface) below, say 40 F., contribution wouldn't be too great. Especially compared to the amount of heat that has to be lost to undergo state change from liquid to solid. (Sorry, don't have my CRC handbook here, and it's been >20 yrs since I actually thought about specific heats!)

gsnav

Thanks, but jsut ot let you guys know, my car is in Michigan right now at school.