Spectro28

Hi All --

The '10 C2S is doing yeoman service so far as a DD here in the mid-Atlantic winter. As posted elsewhere, winter tires and wheels went on in mid-December. Drives well in the cold and light snow. I've had the car since late October, and will turn 2K miles today (1985 miles in the garage last night when I took my Escort 9500ix out to update the database, after getting Windows running on my Mac to do so).

Yes, I can start to be less self-concsious of not holding the engine above 4500 revs.

So -- after yesterday, I understand the purpose of the rear wiper.





See all that salt? It washes off the windshield pretty well with the washer/wipers (second photo). However, it just lands on the rear window (yes, less of it) and dries, obscuring visibility out the back.

I'm not overwhelmed with the windshield wash/wipe performance in the messy urban highway salt/snow environment. It feels like the wipers stiffen up a lot with the cold weather, and that they lose contact with significant chunks of windshield if used intermittently and with parsimonious application of wiper fluid. I think my BMWs were better at maintaining visibility in these conditions (esp. my 330xi, which was really a great bad-weather car). If I run the defroster heat pretty hard, and run the wipers pretty regularly, they warm up and work better. Others experience?? Any tricks?? Aftermarket wiper blades??

Ok -- next question: Brand new 2010 Atlas Grey Carrera S (a dream car for me)... all salty. Commercial Car Wash? Wait 'til a 40F day to hand wash at home? Should I put some kind of paint-protection finish on? I haven't done a clear-bra, but should I?

Cheers,
Marc

No HTwo O

Don't go through a car wash. Wait for a better day.

I have a heated garage and last year had my plumber add a line of hot water to the garden spigot that was in the garage. Cost was about $500. The Moen mixing valve spigot was about $120 of that total.

One of my cars had been sitting in the garage, fairly dirty, since Thanksgiving weekend. On New Years Eve in the Chicago area we had +40 degree temps (last year it was below zero!). Got her washed, finished my hibernation prep during the following week, and now have a cover on it till late March early April.

TerpsRED

Dont' forget that the underside will need a good washing once you get a chance. I don't trust most commercial car washes, but you can always find a good old fashioned do it yourself washing bay around the DC area. The ones where you pay coins and get a few minutes of hot water wash and was sprayed out of a wand in an open bay. Bring your own sponge and drying towels. This way you don't need to wait for warm weather (Water is heated) and you get a high pressure sprayer that can be used to blast off the road salt/calcium from the underside.

Frino

Never, ever take your black car to a car wash. If you can't wait to hand wash it at home then pay for a hand wash at your local detailing shop. PM me if you need some suggestions for a hand wash in the DC area.

TerpsRED

I should also mention that I've tried the product called Optimum-no rinse. It is a washing solution that you use with a very little water and don't need to rinse off. Many local detailers use it. It ain't cheap but it works WONDERS when you only have your garage to clean the car in. Very little water means you don't end up with a hockey rink in your garage when you are done. I have no affiliation with the product, but can vouch for it's effectiveness.

fjpdds

yes, touchless. Rinse out those nocks and crannies.

yemenmocha

I'm careful about removing DUST from mine. Sheesh, can't imagine the horror of scratchy salt on the paint!!

No HTwo O

Can a tunnel type touchless car wash even accommodate a 911's wide rear tires, low clearence, and what about the low profile tires and potential for a nick or something on the wheels due to the rails to guide the car through?

aaks38

You might just want to wait till the weekend as its supposed to hit 40 and you can just handwash it in your driveway.. I recommend you also put on a coat of wax if you havent already.

I would never attempt any sports car through a rail guided carwash as they can only accomodate up to a 225 tire and the you need about 4.5-5" min clearance

atr911

I happen to have 17 bays to tinker with and give the DD a good pressure wash every week including putting it on a hoist and hosing all the crap off the underside. I might recommend taking it to a shop and paying them $10 to hose it down. You really don't need to 'wash' it per say but a really good rinse will do the trick. Ultimately, you're just going to get all salted back up as soon as you drive it around the block but at least you'll feel like you're not neglecting it.

On another note, some people don't even suggest parking in a heated garage because the salt/snow/ice melt and flow that lovely salinated mixture into all kinds of nooks can crannies that wouldn't otherwise be exposed. I generally use copious amounts of water and just double check that the car is draining properly (not an issue for your 2010, but you'd be amazed at the crud that blocks the factory drain holes on 5-10 year old cars).

Either way, unless you're keeping the car for the next guy, drive and enjoy it! These actually make wonderful winter 'beaters'.

w00tPORSCHE

Handwash once temps are 40F or above. Pre-wash with a good pressure washer and use two bucket wash technique with soft good quality microfiber mitts. If the soap water is dirty you may want to change the water half way through the wash. Use separate mitts for upper and lower half of the panel and don't swipe the mitts in a circular fashion (always to and fro gentle movements). DO NO USE AUTO CAR WASH. Your's is not a forgiving color for swirl marks. Get nice coast of wax or even better a durable sealant before every winter to protect the surface. ONR is a great product (I have it) but I am still nervous to wash really dirty cars with ONR. Clear-bra is a must if you care about your paint and wish to keep it free of rock chips which WILL happen with regular highway travel.

alexb76

I'd only do touchless carwash. I do that in winters, it's fine.

No HTwo O

After washing on your driveway, blow dry with your leaf blower. Finish off the remaining 5-10% water with a quality waffle weave drying towel.

w00tPORSCHE

Alex, auto wash may be fine on several colors which will hide swirls not in dark colored cars. One problem with most touchless washes is that they use very powerful soap which will strip wax in one or two washes undoing all the money and effort spent by us owners. The other problem is that touchless car washes never get all the dirt and those kids waiting at the other end of the tunnel with their cheap microfiber towels will swipe the remaning dirt all over your paint. Hence if someone cares about their paint finish then auto wash is a no no in my books. Now many change cars every 3 yrs ... for those it may not be a big deal and I can understand why they feel that way.

BTW I too always use a blower for my drying needs. The less one touches the paint, the better. The funny part is I obsess so much about my car's paint .... and it does not even have any exposed paint. IT IS FULLY COVERED IN CLEAR BRA ( I guess I can't even call it a bra anymore)

CBejbl

Take mine through touchless washes all the time.