Whats your winter prep routine?

The Driver

The Driver

Detailers Workshop
This year I'll be coating it right before winter/fall but just getting it ready for snow season. It's a bit more then I usually but at just over a year an half it's about time for a new coating/polish..

Assembling

1. Install new painted bumpers F & R
2. New windshield
3. Fix an re solder resistors

Full wash/decon

1. Apc Cleaning
2. Clay bar/poly mitt
3. Sonax WC plus - Wheels + Apc scrub Tires
4. Strip, brillow & polish Exhaust
5. Citrus soap strip

Correcting

1. Compound/polish heavy defects out (FG400/BF SRC Compound)
2. Final polish/fine correction (Menz or Sonax 3000+ rating polish)
3. Polish out tail lights + Sand & Polish Fogs
3. Citrus wash + IPA/Eraser wipe down

Coating

1. Paint - CQuartz UK or Modesta
2. Trim - CQuartz D-lux
3. Glass - Gtechniq C5/C1
4. Exhaust - CQ Dlux
5. Wheels - C5 Wheel Armor

Interior

Vacuum
Quick leatherqiue + Heat gun & sun lamp
Dash an Trim wipe down

Finishing touches

Roof rack
OEM Upper Tq mount (Poly is rough in the winter)
17 pegs W/ Blizzaks
 
I already have a good layer of Duragloss 105/601 and 111/601 on the truck. But I inherited some slight swirls on the hood and roof. This past WE after a wash and clay, I polished the hood. For the roof I used DG 652 Pre-Cleaner - both with the PC 7424 and an orange foam pad. I gave them both a coat of DG 105/601 and DG 111/601 - then the entire truck got another coat of 111/601.
For winter, I'll swap out my carpet floor mats for the rubber ones I have and I'll be swapping the wiper blades for (rubber covered) winter blades.
Since my truck sits out in the driveway, I'll need to fashion something for snow removal that won't mar the paint - perhaps a push broom with secured MF towels over the bristles.
 
I prepare my 2009 Jeep SRT8 for winter by:
  • Changing my front bumper to a spare I modified for 2inchs of additional clearance (cut the lower air dam off).
  • Change my wheels/tires from Nitto NT05's on 20x10 (315 wide) to some Bridgestone Blizzak's on 18x8 (255 wide).
  • Raise the ride height 3-5 inches for additional clearance and soften the damping on my coilovers (inspect suspension components)
  • Underbody detail and full rustproofing (grease not runny oily stuff).
  • Clean my CAI and relocate where it draws air from to avoid slush being sucked up (from a true CAI to a short ram air)
  • Extra coat of FK1000P during fall after the rustproofing
  • Most importantly... I make a wish list for Stana in hopes he brings me more mod's and detailing supplies!
 
Unless it's something really obvious, I don't do any correction at winter prep time. I'll save the correction for spring, since there will always be some kind of marring incurred during the winter.

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The orange Honda Fit has Opti-Coat, so it will just get a good cleaning and FK1000p on the wheels.
The Black Lacrosse and Red Cruze will get clayed or nanoskin, a DG501/601 cleaning, DG 111 or 105 topcoat and a Colli 476 topper.
Wheels get FK1000p, tires probably DG253. TW tire coating would probably seem appropriate, but ice and snow chunks abrade the coating and it looks worse than nothing at all. The El Camino at far left gets a battery tender and a closed door, while the other three stay outside. My DG,DG,Colli recipe has worked well for the past winters, so it's my go-to. I've got a fresh gallon of DG Rinseless, as well as some Aquawax and Meg's UQW when time and temps allow. Everybody gets winter mats, GG Glass Sealant and winter wiper blades.

Also important, IMO are weatherstrips. In previous years I've soaked 'em with silicone spray. Last year I tried 303AP and it was OK, but required a redo in mid-season. This fall, I'm going to try PERL or possibly 3D Trim Care.

Bill
 
4u2nvinmtl- I shudder to think of your new suspension bits getting all salted!

You gotta redo the alignment when you raise the ride-height?

Billy Jack said:
Unless it's something really obvious, I don't do any correction at winter prep time. I'll save the correction for spring, since there will always be some kind of marring incurred during the winter...
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I'm generally the same way, though circumstances have compelled me to to the '93 Audi (which can't take much in the way of correction any more, hope it makes it through the winter unscathed).

MiVor said:
Since my truck sits out in the driveway, I'll need to fashion something for snow removal that won't mar the paint - perhaps a push broom with secured MF towels over the bristles.
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Look up something called the "Snow Brum"... I think that's how their cutesy spelling goes. They even make one with a telescoping pole now IIRC. Wrap that thing's head with a *very plush* MF and try to leave a little snow on the paint if you can so you don't actually touch that paint any more than you have to. That's what I do with service loaners and rentals.
 
This year I am going to try Blackfire wet ice combo. Never used it. I am guessing a coat or two then the wax topper. How does that sound to those that have tried it?
 
Accumulator said:
4u2nvinmtl- I shudder to think of your new suspension bits getting all salted!
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Yeah well, I'm going to clean them really well before and after adjusting. Luckily they have two coats of FK1000P on them so that should help, I also coated the threads with grease heavily to prevent anything from building up in the adjustment threads of the shocks.

Accumulator said:
You gotta redo the alignment when you raise the ride height?
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Yes and alignment is needed, might have to set up my own rig (with strings) or ask them to count how many turns they make for each adjustment. Right now it's "dog legging" a very little in the rear because I lowered it so much (about 3 inches lower than stock in the rear). An adjustable Panhard bar should get the rear back into line (purchasing in spring 2016).


Accumulator said:
I'm generally the same way, though circumstances have compelled me to to the '93 Audi (which can't take much in the way of correction any more, hope it makes it through the winter unscathed).
Click to expand...

I plan to correct each spring (touch up paint for the chips first, then correct any marring or scratches).



Accumulator said:
Look up something called the "Snow Brum"... I think that's how their cutesy spelling goes. They even make one with a telescoping pole now IIRC. Wrap that thing's head with a *very plush* MF and try to leave a little snow on the paint if you can so you don't actually touch that paint any more than you have to. That's what I do with service loaners and rentals.
Click to expand...

I refuse to clean the snow off my car. I'm well known as "Mr. Arizona" because I never shovel or wipe the snow off (remote start, 400+ HP and a winter car tent/tempo make short work of any snow that gets in my way).
 
I drive my daily all year round. Currently it is wrapped in gloss vinyl with opti-gloss coat applied a month ago.

Interior:
- Vacuum all cervices and dust air vents
- Inspect cabin filter
- Resolder connection to my touch screen (went haywire since last week)
- Wipe down dash and trim with ONR
- Use Sonax leather cleaner and four star leather cleaner (comparison review coming up) on leather bucket seats
- Dress trim with Poor Boy's Natural Look
- Dress door rubber molding with 1Z Einszett Rubber Protection Gummi Pflege Stick

Exterior:
- Dress sunroof molding and vinyl crowl with CarPro Dlux
- Polish all windows for deep clean and apply Opti-glass
- Use Four Star Tire Cleaner Gel and Turtle Wax Jet Black Endura Tire Cleaner (comparison review coming up)
- Apply Turtle Wax Jet Black Endura Tire Coating
- Wipe down engine bay with ONR or a mild cleaner

And lastly, swap winter tires a few weeks before snow hits.
 
It feels good not to have to do all that work............... But then again , nah don't miss it at all.............
 
WINTER :angry:

Several applications of prima hydro max
Wheels coated with DP wheel coat
Glass coated with DP glass coat
Exterior trim sealed with WETS

Get depressed that detailing is over till spring :blink:

And.....It's around the corner.....:snow:
 
4u2nvinmtl said:
I refuse to clean the snow off my car. I'm well known as "Mr. Arizona" because I never shovel or wipe the snow off (remote start, 400+ HP and a winter car tent/tempo make short work of any snow that gets in my way).
Click to expand...

As long as you let it melt off before pulling out into traffic ;) Having the vehicle ahead of me blow/dump snow all over *my* vehicle (and the windshield I clean every morning) and obscure my line-of-sight ticks me off something fierce. I'll pull over and sit for a while rather than drive behind somebody's snowstorm-emulator.
 
Accumulator said:
As long as you let it melt off before pulling out into traffic ;) Having the vehicle ahead of me blow/dump snow all over *my* vehicle (and the windshield I clean every morning) and obscure my line-of-sight ticks me off something fierce. I'll pull over and sit for a while rather than drive behind somebody's snowstorm-emulator.
Click to expand...

Agree'd in NY it's illegal and you can get ticketed. The worst is when ICE flies off the trucks, I've seen it do massive damage to cars and even pedis when making turns.
 
The Driver said:
The worst is when ICE flies off.....
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Two years ago a vehicle ahead of me (in another lane) hit a bump and a big ice-encased rock came loose from their (undoubtedly never detailed) undercarriage and it took out the front bumpercover/foglight/etc. of my wife's A8. Had to do field-expedient repairs just to continue on with our trip. [INSERT plug for how great Chubb insurance is :D ]
 
Ronkh said:
Why ???
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Gotta get the long underwear, sweaters and coat out, it could get as low as 65. I don't think the tanning lotion works to well under all of that. Gotta go now, still searching for that Sun shovel, can't remember where I put it last year

Dave
 
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