SoCal-NSX

haha...ok

SlickxAC

Up by ACH overlooking Rosebowl.

UncleDude

Chicken Humps

Scrounger

manifold danger

I really have to figure out a way to clean my cars during the winter without running them through an automated wash or freezing to death.

I used to use a really good automated wash that actually didn't mess with the paint but now I'm worried about the PPF so that's out.

I also bought some Optimum No Rinse wash based off some forum reviews but lord help me I just can't bring myself to put that stuff on my car's paint...

So I continue to wait until at least a 50F degree and sunny day, so my cars continue to spend 4 months looking like this...

thunderstrike

I use warm water & car soap in the bucket and wear a pair of thick dishwashing gloves. Helps.

Scrounger

Temps here in the UK are set to rise to 10C on Sunday so it'll get a wash Sunday/Monday.

BoxKing

ONR is a decent product if you’re doing a quick detail wash, but I wouldn’t trust it to clean your car in its current condition.
I’m also not sure why you’re concerned about your cars paint work if it has PPF, unless you only had it applied to 1/3 of the car.

Have you applied any sealant to your vehicle prior to the winter months? If not, do a quick wash with a decontamination soap, or a Strip Wash. Wipe down all surfaces with 50/50 alcohol solution (premixed is perfectly fine). Then choose the type of sealant you want to apply to the car based on the properties/results you desire. Doing this will aid you during the winter months by making your surfaces easier to maintain, all while adding protection from salt, and or chemicals from the drive-in style automation washes. With this applied, simple maintenance washes should take no longer than 30 minutes (invest in a electric pressure washer around 1800-2000psi max).

Pro tip, get your car ceramic coated before next winter, or plan to keep up with “winterizing” the paint each year by applying a liberal coat of quality sealant; I’d do this every 6 months if you choose to not go the route of a longer lasting coating i.e.: ceramic.

Flexipino

It's a plug in

BoxKing

Which brand PPF Stealth/Matte did you go with? Seeing this example has pushed me to get my soon to be CWM with similar PPF; either Xpel or Kavaca.

Flexipino

Xpel Stealth for everything except
Xpel Clear on intake scoops, mirror caps and wing.

Ceramic coat whole car, wheels calipers as well.

manifold danger

Good advice; I've actually done most of this stuff. I do have PPF on only the front (full hood, fenders, bumper) and rockers and a section of the rear bumper behind the wheel well, so it is the rest of the car I'm concerned about and also why I can't run it through the wash I used to go to.

I went with Ammo Reflex Pro as the ceramic/sealant for this winter, and it actually works quite well. I have a pressure washer also. I'm probably just being a little bitch, but I literally got sick for 9 days after the last time I washed a car, and it was only about 53 degrees F. I just remember kind of not being able to feel my hands, and probably have an associative allergy now. I'll try the heavy duty kitchen gloves, see how that goes...

Ironically, I too went with Xpel Stealth for my wife's Macan, also coated in ceramic. I imagine this one will be a little easier to wash now too.

drive95

sonicworld

Any interior pics? Did you get standard, brushed aluminum or GT Silver trim?

drive95

Graphite blue/brushed aluminum, and the exterior actually Dolomite, but the lighting here is very warm...