Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 14:53:19 -0800
Reply-To: rpc <populuxe59@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: rpc <populuxe59@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Automatic car washes in winter?
In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.0.20070128044815.022671f8@ipa.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Don't plan on locking your doors for a day. It helps to put a piece of elec tape over key holes but it usually gets blown off. Even if you doors get froze shut you can usually get one open as long as you didn't lock. Make sure you are gassed up before the wash. The locking gas cap can cause a near panic attack when your on empty, cap wont unlock and now your worried you'll break off your only key in the cap and it's -15 F. I always keep a tiny squirt can of lock thaw and Bic lighter to heat the key. Drive on the highway for 5-10 miles to air things out the dryer missed. Usually park in a garage afterwards--not heated but usually not frozen.
If you wait until "nice weather" where I live, the lines are so long you'd never get a wash all winter. I gassed up and washed last night with a forecast of -2 F. I always pay the extra buck for the under carriage wash. I feel like a schmuck driving/owning a dirty car all winter. Seems to shift easier after the flush too. Prevents the kids from writing on the crunchy salt coating.
I've been inside a few car washes and was surprised that fresh water was used--and amazed that the fresh water was heated to about 80 degrees--all to go down the drain.
My new favorite car-wash is the an old style, "soft-touch"with flailing rags. Very Medieval. Wife and kids got a real kick out of it. After a detail shop did a botched "buff job" on the van, I don't worry about the clear coat too much. According to a car wash R&D guy I met; these old type spinning rag washes sell well and are quit popular in countries other than the U.S. I find the "touchless" washes don't do the trick when your car is very dirty.
Good luck
Chris C 90mv
Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET> wrote:
Anyone have experience with these Northern automatic car washes that
advertise"undercarriage wash" in addition to the other whistles and
bells offered? Are they effective in getting the salt out of the
wheel wells and other areas? Will the water tend to freeze up brake
cables etc or do the air blasts dished out at the end sufficient to
dry that stuff? What is the lowest temp you'd recommend having this done?
Well. the stupid questions are the ones that never get asked.
Thanks
DM&FS
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