1NICESC430

I put my 02 SC430 away every winter 'twixt Thanksgiving and Easter (or thereabouts).

I want to put it away clean, so I put it away earlier than I really have to because it gets too cold to wash it. Which leads to my question - is there any problem putting a car away unwashed for four to five months? Assume I clean off the bug residue first and assume I do not drive after the roads are salted.

LeslieRC

I would try to clean it up before sending it to bed. As a teenager I used to hand-wash cars for some extra cash. Invariably, I would have a few customers who sought to take advantage of "a good thing", since I didn't charge that much (it was the 60's), and bring their cars that hadn't been washed in months. What I remember the most from this experience was the dirt stains that remained on the paint after I had washed those cars - I would have to apply a light coat of paste wax on the stain and rub it out in order to remove the stain. Speaking of which, have you noticed the stain that a wet leaf can leave on your car when it sits there for just a few days? So, if you like the way your car looks, I say find a way to clean that puppy!

herragge

When I put away my SC, ( which is now, and has been for the past week or two ) I put on a car cover. I got it from lexus service but I'm sure you could get a cheaper one from the net somewhere. I also make sure shes clean before as well so I took her to a detailing center where they waxed it and such. The cover is nice because it doesn't scatch the paint and it prevents dust, hair, and water from corroding the paint surface. Only bad thing is that mine is in a garage where the garage door is constantly opening up and down, ...so maybe she'll get cold?

tfischer

ED:

I agree with the above post.

Although I have no real information, that dirt could contain all kinds of things that could, in the course of months, etch away at the clearcoat and the paint over that amount of time, just like bird droppings will do in about 48 hours.

For a solution, try QEW, aka Quick and Easy Wash. This is a great product designed for the travel camper market, but which is used a lot today by detailers and others who need to wash a car when it's very cold.

You add an oz or so to a bucket of warm water, and you wipe it directly onto the dirty car, then dry that panel with a dry towel. You would think that this would scratch the paint, since we all know not to wipe anything across a dirty car without adding water first, but this product works by somehow floating the dirt and grit off the surface of the car. Professional detailers, who know how to wash a car, use this product all the time on expensive cars. I have used it once or twice (so far) on my black 430, and am amazed. This allows me to wash the car at much lower temperatures than before, because you can do it in a garage, even one that does not have a drain.

I suggest using microfiber towels, which also have their own method of lifting grit away from the work surface, and I also suggest using a second bucket of plain water to rinse the working cloth.

QEW for the most part is sold in shops that service the camping market, and I'm sure a Google will turn up the name of the manufacturer (which escapes me at the moment) and a few places that sell it on line if you don't want to trek cross town our way out to the burbs where the camping places are usually located.

One way or another, I'd wash the car before letting it sit for several months. It's just good insurance against bad news in the spring, and who wants that!

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i would suggest to clean the car and then put on the car cover too. it's just too much risk putting the car away for so long without cleaning it first

1NICESC430

Well, my question is answered; thanks to all.

And thanks Tim, for the QEW suggestion. I will definitely look into it and maybe eke out another couple of weeks of driving enjoyment.

ALI_Enterp

I agree with the others wash the car,... and wax it if you can. Just a quick question you do plan to at least start up your car every week or every other week?

1NICESC430

Nope ... never started or moved the car.

During the two winters that I owned the car, I kept it in its own garage parked on a vinyl sheet and hooked up to a BatteryTender. I filled the tank with 93 octane and included some fuel stabilizer. I replaced the RFs last year with Goodyear F1s which tend to get flat spots after sitting for a while, so I bought a set of tire cradles to park it on during this past winter. No problems with flat spots or starting after the four-plus months of hibernation.

I realize I answered more questions than you asked; I was anticipating other questions from elsewhere, JIC.

Nice avatar, ALI_Enterp

igorxx

I feel sorry for you guys that can't drive your cars year round. I guess thats why I live in the South. Don't they have car washes where you are? I would think the expense would be well worth letting it sit all winter dirty.

tfischer

We don't call them "car washes" up here, we call them "automated swirl mark application machines.," and I'd rather let my swell car sit dirty for a year than screw up my finely polished paint by having road grit ground into the surface by dirty felt pads,, then wiped around some more with filthy polyester towels, even if it only costs five dollars.

But you do what you want.

1NICESC430

I'll second Tim's emotion and add a bit of horror myself. When I exit my driveway and head towards civilization, this is what I often face during the winter. Would you drive your SC on this?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

man, damn..... i can go there for vacation, but i can't imagine myself living there.. @_@

herragge

I have the potenza s-03's, and I just got them this summer so I am very concerned about flat spotting my $1100 tires. Whats are these tire cradles? They sound interesting so I will probably get some. Can I get em at any Canadian Tire?

tzu911

move to cali

rominl

iTrader: (4)

haha, i can't agree more