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  1. #16
    Ancient_1's Avatar
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    Re: Winter washing... again....

    Thanks it`s too bad the garage is only a single car tho.

  2. #17

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    Green Bay, WI
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    Re: Winter washing... again....

    True story about an Audi:
    Back in 1990, my wife and I were in Appleton and, on a whim, went to the Audi dealership (the now defunct Behm Auto) after an afternoon winter ride between Christmas and New Years, since our workplace we both were employed by at the time shut down between those holidays. I wanted to drive a new Audi and see what the anti-lock brakes that were just becoming standard equipment on higher-end vehicles was all about. At the time I was driving a Toyota Camry All-Trac with a 5-speed manual transmission, so I knew about 4-wheel drive vehicles.
    I do not remember the exact model, but it was a larger sedan, and I do remember the MSRP on the info sticker was almost $30,000, which was a goodly sum in 1990 for a new vehicle.
    The salesperson came along for the test drive as required by their dealership (and I am sure, their insurance company). I told him I wanted to try out the anti-lock brakes, so he directed me to some back roads that had iced over during a recent thaw. You know the roads where the slush forms ruts from vehicle travel and then it freezes over in the cold weather. I tried the brakes on the ice and they worked admirably as engineered IF you kept your foot on the brake pedal, as the salesperson told me BEFORE I tried to do this. I I was instructed to turn the car around in a driveway and return to the dealership. However, on this icy road with ruts was a large, sweeping corner going up a slight incline or hill. I guess I was going too fast when the Audi got out of the rut, the back end starts to fish-tail, and I hit the brakes HARD, thinking the anti-lock brakes would "save" me. I hear the salesman in the back seat hollering "Whoo, whoo, WHOOOO!!" during the 270° loop, and end up in someone`s sloped lawn that formed the road-side ditch, wheels completely off the road at a 90° to the road, but the front end sticking out. Missed the mailbox and driveway culvert just behind where the Audi went in. I am as red with embarrassment as the red-colored Columbia winter coat I was wearing. The saleperson gets out, takes the driver`s seat, locks the Quattro differentials, as attempts to drive out without my assistance pushing in the rear. I know we are just hung up on the snow that was lodged under the vehicle. SO I run the house that we are near, ask the home owner for a shovel, give him my wallet as collateral, return back to the stuck Audi to dig it out. Try again with me and my wife pushing the back end, and accomplish with success with getting the Audi back onto the road. Return the shovel and take back my wallet, offer my apology to the home owner and his lawn (he laughs!!), go back to the Audi for a VERY awkward ride with the salesperson driving back to the dealership. After an apology to the salesperson, my wife motions with her head to leave and get going. I get into my Camry and my wife states, "Well, we are not going to buy THAT car!" We laugh somewhat, knowing I had escaped smashing or seriously damaging new Audi worth $30,000 or worst, injuring ourselves. TO THIS DAY, my wife will NOT let me look at an Audi just because of this one "incident".

    In retrospect, I should have tried to power my way around during the slid/skid, much alike a dirt track or ice racer does in a corner to bring the back end around, but I panicked and hit the brakes. I had a similar "incident" happen on an icy curved overpass when driving the Subaru Outback I currently own. Learned my lesson and let the All-wheel drive system work its magic and missed the car that had looped itself on the overpass and the police squad car that was stopped to assist it. It happened SOOO fast, but I did notice the all-wheel drive system "kick in". Which is why I prefer to have an all-wheel drive vehicle in the winter.
    GB detailer

  3. #18
    Nizmo's Avatar
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    Re: Winter washing... again....

    Guys be aware that salt and a heated garage is a bad combo; it`ll make things rustier alot quicker.


    But back to the topic on hand. I`ve found today if you go to the coin-op before touch-less the results will be better. I`ll shoot the wheels/tire/wells with a 50/50 dilution degreaser first. Start blasting the car with rinse only, don`t have to be perfect, I mainly focus on the bottom panels. Get the wells and wheels last, then it`s off to the touch-less bay. Turned out pretty well.
    2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD OR 4x4 6MT - 2023 Toyota Camry SE

  4. #19

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    Re: Winter washing... again....

    Quote Originally Posted by Nizmo View Post
    Guys be aware that salt and a heated garage is a bad combo; it`ll make things rustier alot quicker...
    I had worried about that as none of my garages ever get down to freezing temps. Fortunately, it`s never been a problem; the vehicles I keep in those garages have been no more prone to corrosion than the (few) vehicles I kept outdoors.

    I always wonder about the practical aspect of that advice..what, do people`s garages typically get so cold that whatever liquids they have stored there freeze? I honestly don`t know...I mean, never in my life have I lived any place where that`d happen. Not at my parents` house, not at any of mine, not at any garage facilities I`ve ever had...freezing temps are one of the things that buildings are there to help avoid IMO. All my friends IRL have garages attached to their homes and those never get down to freezing AFAIK (never are when I visit or do house-sitting visits in the dead of winter when the thermostats in the house are turned way down).

    Discuss....

  5. #20
    jatleson's Avatar
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    Re: Winter washing... again....

    My garage isn`t heated, but attached to the house. Insulated garage doors, partially insulated ceiling (bonus room above), none of the exterior facing walls are insulated. In the winter it will be about 10 degrees warmer than outside, and no wind. In Chicago, when I gets down to 0, stuff in the garage will freeze. In the recent warm up we are experiencing, it is a nice 45/50 degrees in the garage.

  6. #21
    Coleroad's Avatar
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    Re: Winter washing... again....

    Not washing anything today here in Colorado. Winter decided to show up today. Over 20 mph winds gusting over 50mph. Just wait until it`s back in the 50`s later this week.
    Attached Images Attached Images

 

 
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