Topic: Joy of Winter car washing!

[aquadorhj]

I have not washed and waxed my car since october.  and since it's been to the body shop couple of times, the wax I put on has been stripped many a times.

So, this morning, I decided to wash it.   I don't have a garage, nor a warm water hose so I took the easy route.
paid for a touchless car wash.  I thought about the waterless ONR , but the car had too much caked on salt, so i discarded the idea.

so touchless car wash at coop gas station.
came home real slow so the snow doesn't dirty the sides again.

sprayed with Turtle Ice quick detailer to wipe down the whole car.

then put on a layer of Eagle 1 Nano wax.  i keep thinking i have to get a synthetic sealant, but i have 3 different waxes I haven't used yet.....    don't want to waste money.  Pic 1.

since the last polish attempt, the paint has remained smooth, though there are lots of new scratches and nicks due to winter driving.

but i'm ok with that.  (except the scratches put on by the body shop....)

also cleaned under the hood. Pic 2 before

I used Armor all orange cleaning wipes.  turned out pretty good.  pic 3 after.

I tried to put on the front strut tower brace i got on Kijiji.  turns out I need new nuts to hold the brace.  and i haven't got them.
i called local bmw parts department, and the nuts are $23.90 EACH.  and I need 6..... ....that's f-ing nuts, i told the parts guy, and he agreed and laughed with me...  but i'm crying inside...  so i got ripped on kijiji deal, it turns out.

i have to take the brace off before i attempt to drive it, because right now, the struts are barely held by nuts that have only 2 full turns....

[Snowman]

Awsome!...don't let the dolts who think you should park you fun DD in the winter get to you...enjoy!

[aquadorhj]

Awsome!...don't let the dolts who think you should park you fun DD in the winter get to you...enjoy!

lol, as long as i'm easy on the throttle, the car handles fine.(DSC kills throttle when it's too slippery anyway)  it's just that it gets dirty so fast..  that's why i wanted to wash it and put on a coat of wax.   i won't hand wax until summer now.   just the touchless car washes for next 4 months.

[CanuckG35]

I don't mean to be a killjoy, but that wax that you put on will be completely gone in than 6 weeks (or less if you keep taking it through a touchless car wash).   

[dr_spock]

Nice.  Blue is one of those colours that winter grim show up strongly.

[aquadorhj]

I don't mean to be a killjoy, but that wax that you put on will be completely gone in than 6 weeks (or less if you keep taking it through a touchless car wash).   

I know.   

Maybe I should just order wolfgang or zaino synthetic sealant...  ..I mean, they ARE different from wax, right?   

[1TSX]

Awesome job...the paint looks beautiful. How did you do all that in the cold? I would love to give my car a wax right now, but my hands would freeze.

[CanuckG35]

I don't mean to be a killjoy, but that wax that you put on will be completely gone in than 6 weeks (or less if you keep taking it through a touchless car wash).   

I know.   

Maybe I should just order wolfgang or zaino synthetic sealant...  ..I mean, they ARE different from wax, right?   

IMHO, you would really do yourself a favour by ordering a good sealant to protect your paint.....especially during the winter months.  Menzerna Power Lock, Zaino Z2 or Z5, C Quartz, etc or all great choices.  Any questions just let me know.

Btw, your Bimmer is simply hawt......one of the best colours of a car ever!!   

[aquadorhj]

I don't mean to be a killjoy, but that wax that you put on will be completely gone in than 6 weeks (or less if you keep taking it through a touchless car wash).   

I know.   

Maybe I should just order wolfgang or zaino synthetic sealant...  ..I mean, they ARE different from wax, right?   

IMHO, you would really do yourself a favour by ordering a good sealant to protect your paint.....especially during the winter months.  Menzerna Power Lock, Zaino Z2 or Z5, C Quartz, etc or all great choices.  Any questions just let me know.

Btw, your Bimmer is simply hawt......one of the best colours of a car ever!!   

Thanks Canuck , your s2k is hotness as well though, and in real life looks even better, as opposed to mine where it only looks good from 4 ft. :-)

which would you say is the strongest longest lasting sealant?

[Julie]

^ I dunno which one is the longest lasting, but I like Zaino because it's FAST.  Easy to put on, easy to take off.  But maybe the synthetic sealants are all that way, I dunno...  Will be interested in hearing Canuck's thoughts too.

I've never done it in the winter though, just right before winter or right after it.   

[No H2O]

i have to take the brace off before i attempt to drive it, because right now, the struts are barely held by nuts that have only 2 full turns....

Are you referring to the top mount plate of your strut? If so, does it not have three studs sticking out of it?

It sounds like the studs aren't long enough with the added thickness of the strut brace plate in place. How will a nut change the issue?

[No H2O]

also cleaned under the hood. Pic 2

Good shot of where an oil filter should be placed on an engine.  All other manufacturers ought to take note.

[articsteve]

If any car on this forum needed an emergency Krown Treatment this is the car.

Forget trying to keep the paint shiney.  When Bimmers reach the age that this car is and they hit 6 months of winter they go fast.  The paint will last.  That's not the priority.  The body panels, undercarriage, lines, suspension parts, strut towers, .... you name it, need assistance.

[Jaeger]

Btw, your Bimmer is simply hawt......one of the best colours of a car ever!!   

Agreed.  Smurf Blue FTW!

Jaeger

[No H2O]

If any car on this forum needed an emergency Krown Treatment this is the car.

Despite my friend's '85 BMW never having been treated and it is still in great shape...in his words, "I should not have listened to the salesman who told him not to rustproof the car, or he'd void the warranty". He is Krowning his cars now.

[CanuckG35]

I don't mean to be a killjoy, but that wax that you put on will be completely gone in than 6 weeks (or less if you keep taking it through a touchless car wash).   

I know.   

Maybe I should just order wolfgang or zaino synthetic sealant...  ..I mean, they ARE different from wax, right?   

IMHO, you would really do yourself a favour by ordering a good sealant to protect your paint.....especially during the winter months.  Menzerna Power Lock, Zaino Z2 or Z5, C Quartz, etc or all great choices.  Any questions just let me know.

Btw, your Bimmer is simply hawt......one of the best colours of a car ever!!   

Thanks Canuck , your s2k is hotness as well though, and in real life looks even better, as opposed to mine where it only looks good from 4 ft. :-)

which would you say is the strongest longest lasting sealant?

CQuartz is probably the most durable paint protection on the market.  The application of CQuartz isn't quite as straight forward as a traditional synthetic sealant, but it's durability simply can't be beat. 

[CanuckG35]

^ I dunno which one is the longest lasting, but I like Zaino because it's FAST.  Easy to put on, easy to take off.  But maybe the synthetic sealants are all that way, I dunno...  Will be interested in hearing Canuck's thoughts too.

I've never done it in the winter though, just right before winter or right after it.   

Julie, Zaino's Z2 and Z5 sealants are the most durable synthetic sealants that I've used.  It's great stuff for sure. 

[mrthompson]

also cleaned under the hood. Pic 2 before

I used Armor all orange cleaning wipes.  turned out pretty good.  pic 3 after.

Did you use many wipes?  The engine bay was pretty clean to start with.


Great job on the cleaning/detail. 

[aquadorhj]

also cleaned under the hood. Pic 2 before

I used Armor all orange cleaning wipes.  turned out pretty good.  pic 3 after.

Did you use many wipes?  The engine bay was pretty clean to start with.

about 5 cleaning wipes then 4 "protection" wipes

Great job on the cleaning/detail. 

thanks.    the weather was just about -1, so it wasn't so bad.  it helps me relax, when i clean the car. like a therapy.

[dr_spock]

  it helps me relax, when i clean the car. like a therapy.

+1