tankinbeans wrote:I've always heard, don't know how much to believe, that it's better to just leave the grime because warming it up and getting it wet is a catalyst for corrosion (or something to that effect). Am I remembering or believing correctly?
It is my understanding that the weather warming and cooling is what accelerates salt's corrosion, and washing the salt off as often as possible is the very best thing you can do. I do worry about water getting into small spaces, freezing, and expanding though...and thermal shock when it hits something hot.
Doors freezing shut needn't be a worry. You can hip-check the door to push it into its gasket which will break the ice seal, or give it a quick spritz with spray de-icer. You could also help prevent it by heavily waxing/rain-xing the area and keep the gasket treated with whatever is recommended for it.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
theholycow wrote:
Doors freezing shut needn't be a worry. You can hip-check the door to push it into its gasket which will break the ice seal, or give it a quick spritz with spray de-icer. You could also help prevent it by heavily waxing/rain-xing the area and keep the gasket treated with whatever is recommended for it.
Silicone spray on the door seals will prevent doors from freezing shut. It's part of my fall ritual every year...
Slightly late to the party, but the dealership has a carwash attached to the detail shop in the back. So I can wash my car at work. I don't do it super often (unlike some employees here), but every few weeks I'll run it through just to get the dirt and bugs off. It seems to be a higher quality wash than your average gas station - softer "brushes", not weird wax stuff. That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".
Really, there are two benefits to working at a dealership. Access to the detail shop. And cheap rental car rates. Other than that, it sucks.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT '97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
Squint wrote:Really, there are two benefits to working at a dealership. Access to the detail shop. And cheap rental car rates. Other than that, it sucks.
what about getting to drive the MR2s and Supras??
That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".
i don't like most gas station car washes, compared to independent washes at least. i always found the wax fake-looking and smelling, like you were on a kiddie ride at the amusement park. i usually get the mid-level wash if i go through the mechanical antenna-stealing wash (modern built-in rear window antenna FTW).
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
Squint wrote:That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".
You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.
The RI central landfill has a free undercarriage squirter, automatically activated when you drive over it on the way out, but that's not exactly practical if you're not hauling at least a few hundred pounds of garbage there.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
theholycow wrote:
You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.
.
Place one of these on your driveway and drive over it
Squint wrote:That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".
You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.
The RI central landfill has a free undercarriage squirter, automatically activated when you drive over it on the way out, but that's not exactly practical if you're not hauling at least a few hundred pounds of garbage there.
Just haul a garbage bag there whenever you need your undercarriage washed hahaha
"So, what are you going to be dumping today..."
"This bag of garbage."
"Uhhhhh........ o...kay..."
**Smile** then drive in. Tada, free undercarriage wash.
I assume you can go monthly or twice monthly? You can go every 2nd and 4th Saturday at our dump.
theholycow wrote:
You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.
.
Place one of these on your driveway and drive over it
I like it!
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
six wrote:I assume you can go monthly or twice monthly? You can go every 2nd and 4th Saturday at our dump.
You can go all day every day if you want. You pay by the pound.
The sprinkler idea is correct. I first saw it on this forum in 2010, and have been doing it since. It's not perfect (takes a long time and you gotta stand out in the cold getting wet adjusting the sprinkler, or spend a bunch of time driving over it) but it's free.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT
Put your car in your sig!
Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
theholycow wrote:
You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.
.
Place one of these on your driveway and drive over it
Hand washer/detailer here. I make a block of time for it and get it done. Gonna have to do the fall detail on the parents' vehicles soon. Weather is starting to get a bit less...agreeable...