Keeping your IS clean during the Winter / No car washes
#16
#17
Exterior wash
Interior: vacuum, leather, door jambs
Tire dressing
Spray Wax
Blow - dry
Microfiber towel drying to finish off
Some spray with a sweet smell
#18
#19
I'm not a full time detailer but i am a detailing fanatic and take lots of care and consideration when cleaning my car. just because you take your car to a hand car washing place doesn't mean jack. if i am lazy, i would go to a brushless car wash (e.g., soap and high pressure water, no brush contact) rather than go to some hand wash place. do you really think they do a two bucket wash method? do you think all the deposits and debris collected on the wash mitt from the previous car is washed off before used on yours? do you think they use clean water on your vehicle (its recycled water, so there will be some small contaminants).
do yourself a favor and use one or a combination of the following during winter mode, or year round:
1) rinse off as much gunk as possible using a brushless car wash facility.
2) if you have a garage then even better, use chemical guys' eco wash (hose free washing solution) and the two bucket wash method.
3) again garage is awesome, and if you're too lazy to do #2, use chemical guys' eco smart (spray and wipe cleaning solution). note that there is some carnuba or similar form of wax in eco smart so there is a slight haze and you'll need to buff a little after. if you want to skip the buffing, use optimum no rinse or ultima waterless wash+, great products!
do yourself a favor and use one or a combination of the following during winter mode, or year round:
1) rinse off as much gunk as possible using a brushless car wash facility.
2) if you have a garage then even better, use chemical guys' eco wash (hose free washing solution) and the two bucket wash method.
3) again garage is awesome, and if you're too lazy to do #2, use chemical guys' eco smart (spray and wipe cleaning solution). note that there is some carnuba or similar form of wax in eco smart so there is a slight haze and you'll need to buff a little after. if you want to skip the buffing, use optimum no rinse or ultima waterless wash+, great products!
Also, I did see them using the 2 bucket method and taking their time to do a thorough job! Believe me, it was the 1st time going there, so I was definitely like a cop watching them and asking questions Lastly, wish I had a garage man Sometime soon!
#20
#23
I do exactly the same but at this time of the year in my neck of the woods we can go 30-40 days where the temperature remains below 40. Sadly, this means my car just doesn't get washed. It's better to leave it dirty - even with salt on it - than to run it through a car wash and I don't trust ANYONE else to wash it - not even hand washing. This is the same way I've dealt with all my other cars during winter and they faired just fine. When the temperature does warm up enough for a wash it takes more time/effort to get all of the salt off. In this case it usually takes me 2 hours to wash it (not including drying) but it's okay. In a perfect world they wouldn't put down brine and salt on the roads but instead just plow what they could and let the rest melt naturally then there would be no issues. Unfortunately that's not reality.
#24
#25
What, Akrkwk??? You have an already sexy car and you don't take care of her? She'll dump you You gotta give her love!
#26
i am a bit of a detail freak too. love keeping my car clean, hate when its dirty, just got some snow here in Nyc and watching my car sit there with all that salt on it is killing me lol. can't even take it to a hand wash place because its gonna be stuck in the teens here for the next few days nothings open =/ time to move to florida or cali LOL
#27
We go for stretches of cold temps also, right now it won't get above freezing for who knows how long. Just have to wait it out. Im pretty picky about washing it and won't bring it too a car wash or let Lexus wash it either when I go in for service. They are using the "green" salt on our roads now, not sure if that is any better for cars though.
#28
My guess is - if you had a garage, you would wash it yourself.
#29
I bet! You can't let the salt eat away your paint!
#30
Nope, it's an actual shop which does multiple things... clear bra, clear coats, body shop, wheels, detailing, etc. Everything is done indoors and it's heated! And yes, they're tough to find! Only one in my area thus far.