Johnny G Pipe

Now me ABS is fixed, time to think about the worst thing about UK winters - ROAD SALT

I am planning to use the C4 through the winter, and want to protect her underside. A few places down south offer Steam Clean and waxoyl protection for 911's.
If anyone has any experience of this (nothing I can find in the 964 archive) - my questions are:

1. Does steam cleaning do any damage? -am I better removing all the wheelarch liners and getting in there with a washing up brush instead?

2. Does removing the front wheelarch liners give good access to the top of the front fenders/behind lamp bowls? Is it worth removing engine/tranny undertrays and spraying up around there?

3. Anyone DIY'd it? For the price these guys charge, I'm sure I could buy a compressor from Machine Mart.

I'm sure UK listers would benefit from this - do you have road salt across the pond?

George Stevens

Johnny

In principle what you are considering is an excellent idea.

The main weaknesses in the design of the 911 body is behind the the B & C posts and the headlamp bowls, this is because mud and salt collects in these areas and over time if not cleaned out corrosion will set in.

Personally I feel steam cleaning on an older car can be a bit severe, a warmish pressure wash and as you suggest some elbow grease with a brush is probably a better option.

Ideally it helps if you can hire a ramp and get the car right off the ground, I did this years ago with my old Carrera 3 and thoroughy cleaned underneath and pumped plently of Waxoil into all the venerable places including the brake lines etc.

I also made sure I touched up any areas of the floor pan and underneath the front and rear valances which had become damaged by grounding or rocks.

Underneath is probably the most neglected part of the car yet is the most prone to damage and deterioration so I think your idea is an excellent one!

John Boggiano

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Johnny,
I really like that avatar picture.

I think I recognise the location - isn't it just off the A9 at , erm... damn, I can't remember, put me out of my misery!

joey bagadonuts

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Yes Johnny, great pic! I also noticed the stunning wallpaper you contributed to Mr. Miles' website. Very nice.

Roygarth

Hi Johnny

Great result on the ABS fiasco - well done you and Adrian!

I think it's well worth it, I'm about to get clean and wax done by Autofarm at £225 + Gordon Browns bit.

Just got 2CV cleaned waxed plus complete underseal by specialist for £150!! Gordon got nothing as I paid with crinkly!

BR
Piers

Johnny G Pipe

Get back on topic and answer my questions you horrible lot!
Thanks for the flattery - especially from Joey B who I understand knows a thing about photography, and John B, owner of that tremendous 170mph shot.

John B, the location is North Fife, looking at Dundee via the Tay Rail Bridge.
This is infamous for the horrific Tay Bridge Disaster of 1879(worst UK rail accident in history), which in turn was subject to an equally horrific poem by William McGonagall. The poem is worth a read, if only for the closing words of wisdom.
<a href="http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/pgdisaster.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/pgdisaster.htm</a>

The closest A road would be the 90. You may have seen any number of reminiscent bridges along the A9, which reaches from Perth to Thurso.

Piers - do they take off your undertrays and wheelarch shields for £250 - I would be interested to know.
I used to get my Deuches sprayed underneath with waste oil: messy and smelly but cheap...

Christer

How long does a 'waxoyl' treatment last? Is it an annual thing?

anil999

Don't know if any one has used this company before :

<a href="http://www.before-n-after.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.before-n-after.co.uk/</a>

He is based in Newbury and gets a lot of good press. He is also a lot more pricey than £225 + VAT but looks as though he does a pretty thorough job.

Cheers

Anil

Ruairidh

[quote]Originally posted by Johnny G:
<strong>which in turn was subject to an equally horrific poem by William McGonagall. The poem is worth a read, if only for the closing words of wisdom.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Nah, much more fun staying off topic

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I had to learn that wretched repetitive doggerel by heart (and Hopkins' Wreck of the Deutschland) as a punishment for disruptive behavior in my Upper Fifth days!

You do have some great driving roads around you!

Ruairidh

Oh and while I don't know about steam cleaning underneath cars I will never steam clean an engine again. I steamed the engine bay of a Citroen BX GTi I had and the darn thing was never the same again.

Johnny G Pipe

Thanks for info, guys.
Looks like I will avoid the steam cleaning thing.

Christer - waxoyling the underside of wheelarches etc. I would say would be worth repeating every 2-3 years, unless you do high miles.
Some of these prices quoted I suspect (hope) include cavity injection e.g doors and sills, where the really nasty rust happens (from the inside of an enclosed space, unseen until it eats its way thru the exterior paint!). This latter is a once a decade treatment, IMO.

GMS

Steam cleaning is rare nowadays, most shops use high pressure hot water with traffic film remover.
If you want to keep your 964 in good condition it's a good idea to get the underside clean throughout the year. Make sure you drive the car afterwards to dry everything out.