Touchless vs. doing nothing

**stoneweed1** · 01-24-2003, 05:29 PM

I placed a layer of blackfire polish and the polymer wax in sept and gave it a deep gloss spray quick detail two weeks later, however now my car is "COVERED" with white salt for almost a month.

I doubt i`ll be able to clean it at home this week due to the cold conditions, and then i`ll be out of town for about a month, which leads me to my question....

would one be better off taking it thru a touchless car wash in which the possibility of having a harsher soap remove my application of blackfire since the september application of blackfire has whithered away and is virtually nonexistent or......

the Blackfire is still on there and its better to let it stay on than to take it thru a touchless carwash?

**Preachers Sheets** · 01-24-2003, 05:50 PM

I doubt there is a large amount of BlackFire still left on your car.

It`s up to you, would you rather have your clearcoat covered in salt or clean and covered with nothing.

**blackntan** · 01-24-2003, 06:07 PM

Im having the same problem here....

But because the car is black, im more worried about the swirlies and such than not having protection...

I`ve actually put on a coat of NuFinish about 3 weeks ago, so I think it`s pretty well covered as far as protection, but which is worse... the salt, or the scratches...

god, what a brutal choice...

**Redcar GUY** · 01-24-2003, 06:14 PM

well, just spraying it down with warm water will wash of someof that nasty crap but it will not look to clean after. If I had no choice I would toake it down and spray it off. But then with it being this cold you have to wory about suff freezing also. it is up to you, I remember before I had a garage I would just spray it off on a warm day. Like I said though, it didnt look good but it looked better......

**blackntan** · 01-24-2003, 06:22 PM

Yeah, I have a garage, just not an inside water source....

since it`s 13F out, im afraid to do anything involving water with the car...

I was considering one of those `QD washes` but am hesitant to do even that....

it looks so bad right now too, black shows everything, so imagine how a month`s worth of road salt and dirt look...

:sosad

:nixweiss

**Preachers Sheets** · 01-24-2003, 06:38 PM

Get your garage warm, use warm to hot water to wash your car and right before you bring your car inside after it is rinsed off just spray the warm/hot water all of your car, it`ll melt the ice if there is any and you can dry your car inside your warm garage.

My car HARDLY fits in my storage bay, such a tight fit I can`t do anything in there, I can only fit the car in..... tight as a glove too.

**ryeh2o** · 01-24-2003, 06:50 PM

I`m of the opinion that the car needs to be cleaned once a week for as long as i own it. So if that means me loosing some fancy wax (polymer) so be it. I will take care of the finish first chance i get when it warms up. A clean car last much longer than a neglected one.

Patrick · 01-24-2003, 07:54 PM

Salt, Ice, whats that....?

Im in California, please elaborate.... !

Sorry guys, I had too......

BTW, its 71.8 outside, 73.4 inside......Oh, a couple clouds too...

**58fury** · 01-24-2003, 10:29 PM

you lucky s... lol, im lucky enough to hand wash indoors once in a while, other than that, ill run through the touchless no problem:up just remember NO CAR WASHES WITH BRUSHES:scared

**Taxlady** · 01-24-2003, 10:30 PM

Originally posted by Patrick

Salt, Ice, whats that....?

Im in California, please elaborate.... !

Sorry guys, I had too......

BTW, its 71.8 outside, 73.4 inside......Oh, a couple clouds too...

Careful, you smart aleck Californians are begging for an earthquake....

**ragtopgolfer** · 01-24-2003, 10:48 PM

Originally posted by ryeh2o

I`m of the opinion that the car needs to be cleaned once a week for as long as i own it. So if that means me loosing some fancy wax (polymer) so be it. I will take care of the finish first chance i get when it warms up. A clean car last much longer than a neglected one.

Having the car is obviously important but... what about the clear coat... that is the question?

**jimmybuffit** · 01-24-2003, 11:07 PM

As long as it is very cold, the `reactivity rate` of the various chlorides (salts) is minimized. As the temps approach 20-25 F, they begin to react.

How `warm` is the garage?

Patrick · 01-24-2003, 11:32 PM

Careful, you smart aleck Californians are begging for an earthquake....

Ya had to say that didnt ya !!

I`d take the cold over the quake.........

TheOzzfather · 01-24-2003, 11:47 PM

Originally posted by stoneweed1

I placed a layer of blackfire polish and the polymer wax in sept and gave it a deep gloss spray quick detail two weeks later, however now my car is "COVERED" with white salt for almost a month.

I doubt i`ll be able to clean it at home this week due to the cold conditions, and then i`ll be out of town for about a month, which leads me to my question....

would one be better off taking it thru a touchless car wash in which the possibility of having a harsher soap remove my application of blackfire since the september application of blackfire has whithered away and is virtually nonexistent or......

the Blackfire is still on there and its better to let it stay on than to take it thru a touchless carwash?

Salt only hurts your car when it is wet. It needs the moisture as an acting agent.

**imported_Aurora40** · 01-25-2003, 08:02 AM

Originally posted by blackntan

since it`s 13F out, im afraid to do anything involving water with the car...

Don`t worry, all that salt on the car will give you freeze protection well below 13F... Just kidding. If you are worried about freezing, then how is a touchless wash going to help? Your car will be just as wet afterwards. I would go to a nearby spray wash, spray the car down, then wash it in the garage when I got home (actually, I do this). If you don`t want the drivers door to freeze up, coat the rubber weatherstripping with silicone grease first. No water will get past that. Then, any bits of ice that do freeze (much of the water will blow off first, especially if your car has warmed up a bit from driving) will melt off in the garage (so as long as you don`t open the other doors or anything, who cares if they freeze for a few minutes) and you can do your wash to complete the cleaning.

Stoneweed1, you didn`t mention whether you have a garage or not.