k-man

Its starting to get cold up here in canada, I just received my UPP sealant in the mail but now its pretty cold out, regardless if i can even get my butt outside to polish and wax my car, whats the lowest temp that would be worthwile to even bother???

I think its too late now and just hope the the wax i applied last month goes as long as possible........

DDragon7

I doubt that there is any way for you to wax your car now, especially with the snow today. I wouldnt worry too much about the wax, since nobody waxes their car in the winter or some people dont wax there car at all. But if your that worried, you could go to a car wax and pay for the wash with wax once a while (but that's not cheap).

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i would not even try below freezing because the wax breaks apart. Even higher temps like 40-50 you will have a hard time with it. I personally would not wax below 65F.

dacali

If it's at least above freezing, you may want to check out Optimum Spray Wax. You just use a microfiber cloth to apply and buff until it's dried. Just spray on and wipe off. There is no drying or waiting time. It acts much more like a quick detailing spray than a wax. I'm just trying it out myself right now. Durability should be at least a couple months, but I'm testing it out right now.

There are several other waxes that don't require a hazing or waiting time too. As long as you keep the wax stored indoors, these should be fine. I like S100, but it may only last about 2-4 weeks in your winter. You can get S100 at Harley Davidson dealerships generally for around $15. I'd be more worried about not being able to wash your car! I do like QEW if you have a garage you can work in, and it's not freezing in it.

UPP *should* last at least 1-2 months in your winter. Just got in a bottle myself. I need more cars to try this stuff on... I wouldn't loose any sleep over not being able to wax your car over winter though. Your paint isn't going to fall off or anything. Just give it some extra time and detailing in the spring to bring it back to where you want it.

-Dacali

soonercivic

If you dont have a heated garage or a friend with one, take it to a reputable detail shop and tell them what wax to put on it. Its very important to wax your car in the winter for many reasons. 1: you cant wash it all the time. 2:The salt from the road will eat away at the paint. 3:If you survive winter without any problems, your spring detail will be a b**** to do. Decali, in the south we dont get winters anywhere near what they get in Canada. Ours in Oklahoma are even alot worse than yours in Texas.

dacali

I don't believe salt actually has that much of an effect on car paint. It will do a number on bare metal though (accelerating rusting). In my opinion, your spring detail will not be that much more difficult even if you couldn't wax it all winter. You probably will require more prep work (claying, polishing, glazing, etc.), but it shouldn't be THAT bad. For such a (relatively) short period of time, you're more likely to damage your car from improper washing, improper drying, sliding snow off your car, etc.

Although, I may have completely missed your point. What type of damages are you talking about?

-Dacali

eyegiant

iTrader: (8)

Always When Waxing Or Polishing You Car, Make Sure That The Surounding Temp. Is Warm....about 70-90 Degree's. Having Cold Temp. Makes It Much Harder To Take Off Wax.

soonercivic

Well salt sitting on the paint does make the paint corrode after a period of time. Plus, aside from salt sitting on it, there is salt and sand on the roads that your car will constantly be blasted with. So your its like driving in front of a light sand blasting machine, a good coat of wax provides a sacrificial layer over the paint. Plus, as you described, sliding snow and ice can cause damage as well, a coat of wax will limit that. Most paint defect, at least in places that have decent winters, are cause during the winter months. Your right though, you can cause significant damage by washing or drying incorrectly, but if it were my car i would rather prevent as much damage as possible than try to fix it later on, it will at least make it easier.

dacali

I still don't think there's any chemical reaction to cause corrosion from salt just sitting on paint (at least on modern automotive paints). Yes, cars do get blasted by salt and sand during the winter months, but I don't think any waxex are thick enough to significanty limit damage. I'd wax to protect the scratches and chips in your paint though.

I have to agree with you on one point. Preventative maintance is the way to go, and it will make it easier when spring detail comes. I'd rather wash every every week during winter than wait until the end, but it just doesn't happen.

I apologize if it just seems like I'm playing Devil's Advocate. I'm just offering a different view on things.

Paint damage is probably caused more in the winter months then any other time, but I don't think it's mostly from salt and sand. The problem with preventative maintance during winter is people generally don't do it correctly. I'm not saying don't bring it to a reputable detailing places as often as possible. It's probably one of the best things you can do if you can't do it yourself correctly. I personally wash my car because the price of a good detailer is just too high for me. The cheaper places tend to scratch up the paint sometimes.

I'd take a correct wash at the end of three months of winter rather than incorrectly washing my car every week (if I only cared about the paint). I've heard horror stories of people attempting to get snow off their car with shovels and brooms, using those blue wide brushes at do-it-yourself car washes, and trying to high pressure wash caked on dirt and sand off their cars. Those will all scratch up your paint much more than the sandblasting effects from winter.

Off topic: Since I live in Texas, I don't get exposed to the severe winter of other parts of the world. I normally see clear-cloat failure on horizontal surfaces (due to UV rays). For those of you farther off north, where do you normally see clear-coat failure?

-Dacali

soonercivic

Your comment about the "correct wash" is true. But keep in mind that this is a car enthusiast site not just a bunch of soccer moms, so i typically tend to give most members a little benefit of the doubt. We do in see clear coat failure Oklahoma, but we get hard winters and really hot summers so its a terrible mix.

dacali

If I implied that you (as in everyone) were clueless "soccer moms," I apologize. I didn't mean it that way!

About car paint though, I do find that most people don't know that paint is pretty easy to scratch. I'm talking about light scratching and swirls you see in many cars today. Most people don't know that drying their car off with a normal bath/beach towel (or worst, chamois) creates swirls in their paint. The truth of the matter is, most people just accept it because they don't know that it can be avoided. (Side story: I had a friend and his dad tell me on their completely overhauled '71 Mustang that the swirls were suppose to be there, and it was a sign up it being waxed correcty.)

(Not sure who came up with, "Let's drag this piece of leather along with small particles of dirt across our paint to dry it!" But... that's a whole different story.)

There's always a level of imperfection that everyone has to accept. Some people are happy washing with dishwashing soap and old towels/shirts. As long as their car is clean and running well, they're happy.

Oops! I meant where on the car clear-coat failure occurs.

What types of damage occurs from sand and salt hitting the car's paint? Is it more along the lines of scratches? Pits? Other? What would be more difficult in the Spring when you have to fix it? Touch-up paint? Agressive polishing? Claying?

-Dacali

soonercivic

True, there are alot of ignorant people out there when it comes to detailing. Salt on the paint can cause early clearcoat failure and seriously deprciates the quality of the finish by drying it out prematurely. Typically in the winter you will get some pitting on the bumper and hood aside from the typical rocks. People who dont care for their paint prior to and during the winter will usually have to reclear or completely repaint the car much sooner. Claying doesnt really have much affect on the damage, i have found that if you get a high pressure nozzle for a garden hose and spray downward parallel to the panel you get fewer pits and scratches because if you spray directly at it all your doing is sandblasting, this way the salt and road grime goes down and away from the paint. Depending on the preventative care taken prior to winter the amount of polishing varies, some require touch ups, and some need a panel repainted. Usually aggressive polishing with a rotary is sufficient enough, but not always. Im glad to have another person aboard that seems to be really into detailing though!

pon55

iTrader: (19)

I speak from experience,salt on paint re-activates every time it gets moisture and can eat right thru a clear coat!
I have learned to wax in the fall and wash often in the winters.

dacali

I'm curious as to how salt does the damage them from a chemistry point of view. This probably isn't the right place to talk about it, and I'm not a chemist by any means.

I do believe that more washing and waxing can help protect the paint through a winter or any other season. I just don't think damange is caused from salt just sitting on the paint though. We'll just have to disagree on this one.

-Dacali

soonercivic

Moist salt sitting on anything is corrosive and increases the likelihood of rust. When its on your paint it begins to eat the clear coat. Its really pretty basic. Salt dissolved in water is an excellent conductor of
electricity. In order for the underlying steel (iron) to rust, electrons must flow from the iron
atoms in the steel to oxygen from the air. Iron plus oxygen makes iron oxide (rust). When this
process is facilitated by an electrically conductive salt solution, rusting occurs rapidly.

The same process has a effect on your paint. Theres your chemistry perspective.

dacali

Everything in there sounds good to me except the part about the paint. Yes, the underlying metal will rust if there is a chip or deep scratch in the paint. The paint just doesn't rust since it isn't a metal. Paint also isn't a conductor either (lacks free moving electrons). So the part about saltwater making a good conductor shouldn't really affect the paint.

-Dacali

pon55

iTrader: (19)

Take a look at an older cars suspension bushings, the rubber part actually "rusts".
( I know not really, but the rust from the metal actually penatrates the rubber.)

soonercivic

Whatever dude. Believe me or not, i really dont care. But i have seen it many times and pon55 has experienced it as well. Heres to hoping you never get salt on your paint because youll just leave it there.

dacali

I'm not saying that damage doesn't happen. I just don't think it's from salt just sitting there. Anyways, fair enough.

-Dacali

pon55

iTrader: (19)

Its great to just respect other peoples opinions.

NoiSe

haha man, I'm in the same boat.. Don't think I'm gonna bother with real wax this winter. I think I'll just get one of these and then wax in spring

SinaloaCivic

iTrader: (1)

now i see why i had to scrub extra hard for the polish wax and the cleaner ........its 56 degrees here in fresno...haha

jerseydetailer

i waxed my car here in jersey yesterday ..high of 55 no problem at all..i did it in the shade, used liquid wax #21 followed by a paste wax called collinite, my porter cable with a finishing pad and applied the paste by hand. You can wax in any temp, its just that in colder weather it seems like a lot more work...dont let the wax dry to long(most ppl make this mistake) unless you are using a synthetic polymer sealant which you want to cure to allow it to layer

Johnold

Collinite Wax Is The **** Man!. Very Good Choice In Wax Man!. It's Way Strong!.