Seatbelt "shackle" damage

C

cmarkovits

New member
Ok first off i have no garage to wash my 2001 Honda CRV in. I cant do it in the drive way as i will make a undrivable ice rink. Am in Buffalo NY. I have a couple of choices and wanted to know which you guys think is best or least damaging. My car has 1 coat of Klasse All in One and 3 coats of the Sealant Glaze.



My choices are a ::

1) hand operated wash place with spray wand were you spray the soapy water on and rinse off.



2) Mobil touchless car wash the one at the Mobil gas station, never been through it my self but a freind says its good.



3) Delta Sonic car wash, one of those drive in kinds that drag your car through on tracks while you whatch them brushes "clean" your car, gulp!



I dont really have any other choices in snow land. WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO???
 
I'd prefer #1, but #2 or #3 would be better than road gunk and salt caked on the car waiting for someone to brush against and (ie grind) it into the paint.
 
Well, I would go with number one for starters. You have more control, and you can stop the wash if you see something that you don't like.



If not that, I would then try the Mobil wash. I have used it once or twice before. It is not too bad, but you run the risk of scratching your wheels, along with the fact that they use recycled water. So if there is any grit in the water, guess what, you have a sand blaster on your hands.



Good luck. I have been dealing with the same problems here in Maryland (probably not quite as cold).



Best regards.
 
I would still prefer to do it by hand with a nice chenille mitt, but if I had no other option I would go with #1. I would stay away from places that use brushes to clean your car......swirl city.
 
Go with #1 and if you don't like their soap (I don't) use only water to rinse your car and bring your own bucket with your favorite shampoo and luke warm water (resealable paint bucket works well) and hand wash it. It may sound crazy to hand wash it, but it is your safest way to get rid of winter dirt.



#2 will be your next and probably last choice.



Forget #3 unless you plan to practice scratch and swirl removal on your car next spring.



Good luck.
 
Thanks guys i kinda figured that the hand operated one would be best now my only problems is going there when there arent 10 cars behind me waiting to use the stall.
 
I feel for you in Buffalo! We got our city plows down there helping you guys out right now. And to think that I'm less than 1 hour north from you and we don't even have a dusting of snow. Its cold, but absolutely no snow!



Washing a car in the cold really does suck, although I would head out and do it by hand in your driveway on any day that gets above freezing. Yes, your neighbours will look at you like you're crazy, but its the safest way. I think I may try to get out there today, as its a few degrees above freezing.... I've become somewhat of a regular at the local touchless wash, although I'm sure the water is recycled. Nothing else I can do really, as there isn't a self washing place around here, and when its below freezing its almost impossible to wash in my driveway!
 
If I were you, I would go to the touchless wash. I went for the second time yesterday with my bimmer, and the Klasse SG is still there. You know how I know? Because I still have the haze. Going to a coin-op place, even in barely above freezing weather is not practical. You'll get sick. It's easy for people down south to recco something like that, but until they have actually done it, they'll never know how horrible it is. And you can't exactly take your time at those places. Rushing = swirls.



As for touchless washes using recycled water: Some do, some don't. Esso (Exxon and Mobil in the USA) in my area uses fresh water at thier soft cloth wash, so I'd imagine that their touchless would be the same. The one I'm going to now (Sunoco) uses fresh water also.



Touchless washes are the best compromise for nasty winter weather.
 
I'm in about the same situation. But don't the hand operated wash places use very warm (or hot) water? What does this do to the wax and paint job?

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by dc9mm [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>My car has 1 coat of Klasse All in One and 3 coats of the Sealant Glaze.

1) hand operated wash place with spray wand were you spray the soapy water on and rinse off.

I dont really have any other choices in snow land. WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO??? [/b]</blockquote>
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by BillNorth [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>If I were you, I would go to the touchless wash. I went for the second time yesterday with my bimmer, and the Klasse SG is still there. You know how I know? Because I still have the haze.
[/b]</blockquote>
Now that is what I call DURABILITY!
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by BillNorth [/i]
<strong class='bbc'> Going to a coin-op place, even in barely above freezing weather is not practical. You'll get sick. It's easy for people down south to recco something like that, but until they have actually done it, they'll never know how horrible it is. [/b]</blockquote>
I have to disagree. It gets plenty cold most mornings in the Dallas area, and it is still often near freezing when I start on my first car in the morning. I've been sick exactly once (the flu in 1999) since the early 80's. I do wear some skin tight neoprene gloves (with knit gloves underneath), a t shirt, sweatshirt, another t shirt and a water resistant wind breaker. I stay plenty warm and dry.

Still, a touchless car wash is probably the best bet, especially one with an undercarriage wash. Faster and most of them rinse with ionized water, so you don't get spotting.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by Scottwax [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>

I have to disagree. It gets plenty cold most mornings in the Dallas area, and it is still often near freezing when I start on my first car in the morning. I've been sick exactly once (the flu in 1999) since the early 80's. I do wear some skin tight neoprene gloves (with knit gloves underneath), a t shirt, sweatshirt, another t shirt and a water resistant wind breaker. I stay plenty warm and dry.

Still, a touchless car wash is probably the best bet, especially one with an undercarriage wash. Faster and most of them rinse with ionized water, so you don't get spotting. [/b]</blockquote>
I'm sorry, but living in Toronto and living in Dallas, Texas are NOT the same. If I had Dallas winters in TO, then I'd probably hand wash my car like you. Zero degrees is nothing. That's child's play. Try -15 or -20 with the windchill. Hard wind no less. No latex gloves will save you. Your hands will freeze even if they are bone dry. And yes, I DID get sick from hand washing the car in the month of Dec.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by BillNorth [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>

I'm sorry, but living in Toronto and living in Dallas, Texas are NOT the same. If I had Dallas winters in TO, then I'd probably hand wash my car like you. Zero degrees is nothing. That's child's play. Try -15 or -20 with the windchill. Hard wind no less. No latex gloves will save you. Your hands will freeze even if they are bone dry. And yes, I DID get sick from hand washing the car in the month of Dec. [/b]</blockquote>
Come on Bill,
I'll agree that are T.O. winters are nothing like Texan winters but we are Canadians i.e. hockey, skiing, snowmen, dogsleds etc.etc.

Seriously as long as it is above freezing I have no problem hand washing in the wash bays, they use warm water so freezing is not a problem, whip out the Cali waterblade and then get back to your garage lickity split to QD.

You also get sick from coming in contact with germs or viruses not getting physically cold, that is a old wife's tale.Winter sucks but you got to take it in stride,get outside and thicken up your blood after all We Are Canadian!
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by Every Little Detail [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>

Come on Bill,
I'll agree that are T.O. winters are nothing like Texan winters but we are Canadians i.e. hockey, skiing, snowmen, dogsleds etc.etc.

Seriously as long as it is above freezing I have no problem hand washing in the wash bays, they use warm water so freezing is not a problem, whip out the Cali waterblade and then get back to your garage lickity split to QD.

You also get sick from coming in contact with germs or viruses not getting physically cold, that is a old wife's tale.Winter sucks but you got to take it in stride,get outside and thicken up your blood after all We Are Canadian! [/b]</blockquote>
How many days is it above freezing btwn Dec- end of Feb? You get serious. Were you here last winter? Did you witness mother natures relentless snow assault? I'll admit, the last couple of weeks have been warm for January, but this weather is an anomoly, not the norm.

And I'm not going to argue with you about getting sick. I got sick. And I don't believe in old wives tales either. But know how I was feeling, and when I started to feel that way.

So in short, you can do whatever you want. Have fun. My skin is thick enough BTW. Cold is cold. Period! Throwing around cliches doesn't change reality.
 
I few little disctinctions between winters up north and south despite the recent similarities in temperature.



We sorta get a little more precipitation in the form of ice and snow we have to deal with and road trucks spread cinders and salt all over the place. I got pelted by a cinder truck last winter, luckily there were no kids in the car to hear my reaction ;) The salt dries right up and has to be dissolved to come off.



It's a tad more difficult to wash a salt encrusted car in 32 degree weather with a foot of snow on the ground with the wind blowing up north.
 
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