Winter Car Care Tips
Keeping Your Ride Rust Free
Winter car care is extremely important on both the
interior
and exterior of your vehicle. Especially if you live in a colder climate and have to deal with snow, ice, sand, and salt.
Washing your vehicle in cold temperatures is a pain but it is necessary when trying to prevent corrosion. Most importantly washing off snow and ice build up keeps your glass clear, eliminating obstructed views of the road. I like to wash my car once per week.
The most common areas I've seen corrosion begin is in the fenders and quarter panels. This is because there are a lot of hiding places there where salt and sand can build up.
If you have access to an indoor do it yourself wand car wash, I recommend using it. Using a wand wash will allow you to get into the inner wheel well areas with ease. Although the wand wash is more labor intensive than an automatic wash, its worth it.
If you only have access to automatic washes, well they will have to do! I suggest touchless washes opposed to the automatic brush washes. I have seen some severely damaged paint jobs coming out of brush washes.
When the weather is extremely cold, (well below freezing) I don't recommend washing your vehicle. Doors freeze, locks freeze, not a fun situation to be in! A good habit to get into after each wash is squirting your locks with de-icer. Also drying off your weather stripping and door jambs.
The best winter car care tip I can offer is when the snow is melting, keep washing your vehicle once per week. Even if the roads are wet and mucky, getting that weeks worth of build up off your paint is important.
One way to make washing easier during the winter months is to apply a good quality
paint sealant or wax
before the snow comes. This will provide a protective barrier for the paint, allowing for easier removal of road grime.
Sealant or wax can be applied to paint, chrome, polished aluminium, wheels, exhaust tips, etc. Any place that can be a target for corrosion.
Taking the time to apply paint sealant/wax before winter is going to ensure your paint still looks good when the cold weather is finally over!
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