What if I didn't wash it?

[PT3]

So looking at my FILTHY car yesterday in the sun. (Makes me sick.)

 

It got me thinking...

What's going on at a molecular level with all that dry white stuff stuck to the paint?

Is it just sitting there on the paint as a film/layer... Or is it actively 'hurting' the paint?...and the longer it stays on, the more damage it will do.

 

I'm asking because I'm wondering if I 'need' to wash the car regardless of nice weather or not...just to ensure I'm getting this 'stuff' off so it doesn't cause any more damage than necessary.

 

Thoughts?

[Chonke]

Ive had waterspots on my previous car dry up for days and it really did some damage to my drivers side. I was able to clay most of it out, but after a while, the passenger side looked a lot newer and easier to clean than the drivers side. This was also noticeable on the rims.

 

But this car mostly sat down for long times since it was mostly a project car. My current car wont go a week without a wash or at least a waterless or rinseless wipe down. Not sure if that helps

[Gen9Rolla]

I think if it's sitting on paint then the only thing you're hurting is your LSP. The real problem is when you have a paint chip or exposed metal somewhere.

 

But I'm not entirely sure so don't quote me on that!

[Chris@Adams]

As long as you have a good layer of protection like say LPS, your paint will be fine...that being said the first chance you get I would still go to the coin opt and blast it off.

[JHL88]

That stuff is rough on any LSP.  Its just a question of how durable that particular LSP is.  IME Liquid Paint Sealant is pretty durable compared to others.  

 

It helps that Adams is located in a place that gets lots of snow and their R&D/testing shows they know how to make it durable.  But... next chance you get power wash that stuff off!

[TheBurninator]

So looking at my FILTHY car yesterday in the sun. (Makes me sick.)

 

It got me thinking...

What's going on at a molecular level with all that dry white stuff stuck to the paint?

Is it just sitting there on the paint as a film/layer... Or is it actively 'hurting' the paint?...and the longer it stays on, the more damage it will do.

 

I'm asking because I'm wondering if I 'need' to wash the car regardless of nice weather or not...just to ensure I'm getting this 'stuff' off so it doesn't cause any more damage than necessary.

 

Thoughts?

 

If it is too cold for a real wash for a week or two I just hit the coin op when it warms up just enough to not have my door jambs freeze shut. Just hit the car with high pressure rinse and knock off as much as you can.

 

Other option is a touch free drive through wash, but those tend to strip LSPs.

 

When it warms up enough do a rinseless or even a full two bucket wash. Something else to consider is everytime you touch the car you are inducing swirls. So you if you wash it everyday vs once a week trying to keep it spotless you'll end up with more love marks quicker.

 

Will you get it all off? No. But less salt sitting on your paint is going to do less damage in the long run. Keeping a clean car all winter long is impossible short of a garage queen that doesn't see the winter roads.

[TheBurninator]

That stuff is rough on any LSP.  Its just a question of how durable that particular LSP is.  IME Liquid Paint Sealant is pretty durable compared to others.  

 

It helps that Adams is located in a place that gets lots of snow and their R&D/testing shows they know how to make it durable.  But... next chance you get power wash that stuff off!

 

I've found the mag chloride out here will take off the LPS pretty easily. I always end up with the lower part of my doors needing constant reapplication after almost every snow.

[PT3]

Are you guys suggesting going to coin op and simply hose it down and then drive off without drying (of course)

 

Now what if it's below freezing? It will simply freeze on the paint. How will that affect the surface?

 

And then what about water spots? If I don't dry, I am asking for water spots. I've already dealt with that and it caused me a lot of work with the clay bar to get them off!!!

 

FYI - the car has a single application of LPS put on in late November/early Dec.

Edited February 18, 2015 by PhilT3 2014 BMW M5

[SYMAWD]

Are you guys suggesting going to coin op and simply hose it down and then drive off without drying (of course)

 

Now what if it's below freezing? It will simply freeze on the paint. How will that affect the surface?

 

And then what about water spots? If I don't dry, I am asking for water spots. I've already dealt with that and it caused me a lot of work with the clay bar to get them off!!!

 

FYI - the car has a single application of LPS put on in late November/early Dec.

You could always use a touchless wash or perhaps you have a coin-op that offers spot free water or a blow dryer.

[Chris@Adams]

It is important to dry your door jambs extremely well so your doors don't freeze, after the trip to the car wash.

[Team Adam's]

Really depends on what "IT" is... if its just road grime, for the mostpart its nothing horribly caustic. If its salt and/or magnesium chloride from the snow its not exactly delicate to your exterior. Rinsing it off at least would go a long ways to preserving your LSP and ultimately your clear coat.

 

The bigger concern is the underside of the vehicle. Even coated components of the frame and suspension can develop ugly surface rust if the salty gunk is left on too long. Just blast it off at the local pay n' spray or head thru a touchless wash if you don't have any other options.

[PT3]

Really depends on what "IT" is... if its just road grime, for the mostpart its nothing horribly caustic. If its salt and/or magnesium chloride from the snow its not exactly delicate to your exterior. Rinsing it off at least would go a long ways to preserving your LSP and ultimately your clear coat.

 

The bigger concern is the underside of the vehicle. Even coated components of the frame and suspension can develop ugly surface rust if the salty gunk is left on too long. Just blast it off at the local pay n' spray or head thru a touchless wash if you don't have any other options.

Thanks for chiming in DVK.

 

Fortunately, the M is my leased daily driver that I won't have for more than 3 years. Chances are much less than 3.

 

I was more just curious if the 'white stuff' caked on the sides, back and front was actually HARMING the finish. And therefore folks are washing more for minimizing the damage than to have a clean car to enjoy.

 

Thanks all for chiming in.

[Ricky Bobby]

Phil I know you were looking forward to hearing from me LOL

 

White caked salt, although unsightly (and trust me on a black car its laughable), in our areas its not terrible.  If the sun comes out and temps are up to the high 20s or so you can head to the pay n spray.  The key is the sun being out.  Take a dampened MF towel and some diluted rinseless and after you spray the car down (rinse only) at the coin op, just wipe your door jambs down with the MF towel so that the grime is removed and there isn't sitting water there to freeze.

 

If you have LPS applied, it may degrade faster on the lower portions in the winter but it should hold up fine.

 

FWIW, and I assume your M5 is garaged at night.  Even if you have some water frozen on your paint its not harming anything if it melts naturally.  It will probably melt off in the garage anyway.  Only harmful thing would be to try and mechanically scrape it off lol.

 

My local coin op is 15-20 min drive away and sometimes I get some frozen droplets on the finish when I arrive home, I just let it sit overnight and they melt off and I do a rinseless wash the next day.

 

Dylan is right though, everyone tries to keep the shiny stuff looking good, while I'm a A-hole who's on his knees and spending $5 in quarters to blast off the undercarriage and wheel well areas of the salt buildup in the winter before I even get to rinse off the shiny parts, thats the easy part of it all lol.

[ledger64]

Agreed whole heartedly about the criticality of blasting off the undercarriage and wheel wells.  Its bad here in CT here they don't use the rust inhibitors with the pre treating of roads here.   

[PT3]

Phil I know you were looking forward to hearing from me LOL

 

White caked salt, although unsightly (and trust me on a black car its laughable), in our areas its not terrible.  If the sun comes out and temps are up to the high 20s or so you can head to the pay n spray.  The key is the sun being out.  Take a dampened MF towel and some diluted rinseless and after you spray the car down (rinse only) at the coin op, just wipe your door jambs down with the MF towel so that the grime is removed and there isn't sitting water there to freeze.

 

If you have LPS applied, it may degrade faster on the lower portions in the winter but it should hold up fine.

 

FWIW, and I assume your M5 is garaged at night.  Even if you have some water frozen on your paint its not harming anything if it melts naturally.  It will probably melt off in the garage anyway.  Only harmful thing would be to try and mechanically scrape it off lol.

 

My local coin op is 15-20 min drive away and sometimes I get some frozen droplets on the finish when I arrive home, I just let it sit overnight and they melt off and I do a rinseless wash the next day.

 

Dylan is right though, everyone tries to keep the shiny stuff looking good, while I'm a A-hole who's on his knees and spending $5 in quarters to blast off the undercarriage and wheel well areas of the salt buildup in the winter before I even get to rinse off the shiny parts, thats the easy part of it all lol.

There he is!!! Lol

 

Thanks for the great info bud!