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Is the car wash making it worse?

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    #1

    Is the car wash making it worse?

    I'll preface this by noting that yes, I should've just bought a cheap rusty 4x4 to drive in the snow, but that won't be an option this year.

    When I run my LTD through a car wash, I can hear water trickling. In the B-pillars for sure, as the seat belts get a bit damp afterwards, and there's probably some in the cowl area and no doubt into the doors, although with the drains on them I'm not too worried there. I'd assume any water at the cowl is draining somewhere like it's supposed to.

    I park in an insulated garage that's more or less heated (attached to the heated basement, and the ducts for the living room above run through it) so the water does have a chance to evaporate - I think.

    I'm wondering if the water getting places it shouldn't is a greater risk of promoting rust than the road salt is, and that I might be causing more problems getting the car washed than I'm solving. Thoughts?
    1985 LTD Crown Victoria
    1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
    1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

    Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
    Tags: None
    #2
    it will promote rust, but it's still nowhere near as bad as road salt. I'd still run it through the car wash just to get the salt off and be saving to buy one with a better body (re: rust free, no leaks).

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment

      #3
      It could be making it worse if the car was isn't using much water. But I believe it's better to keep it as clean as possible, using lots of water to rinse off the salt rather than make brine which gets into crevasses that solid salt or dirty ice can't get in to.
      Wash with lots of water and wash it often. It's good that you're parking indoors.
      Summer car-> 1988 Lincoln Town Car, triple blue, 335,xxx km. New HO 5.0 in and running. Bought 2006/08/22. June 2017 PotM!
      Winter vehicle-> 1995 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCab 4x4, 284,xxx+km. AKA "Brutus" 460/E4OD/4.10 axles and 12 MPG. Bought 2019/08/14

      Originally posted by phayzer5
      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

      Comment

        #4
        fix the leaks if you can, but wash the salt off. That stuff is a sure-fire way to rust a car. The liquid evil they use now is just horrible shit.
        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

        Comment

          #5
          Water does less harm than salt. Gotta pick the lesser of two evils for a winter driven car.
          1990 MGM: $50 E7 heads, HO cam, Holley SysteMAX lower intake, HO upper intake with an Explorer TB. LSC ECM. Lincoln logs into stock dual exhaust. K&N drop in air filter. Wide ratio AOD, 2400 converter with a 3.08 one tire fire out back. Car is less slow now. Then there's the '92 Beater. Dual 2.25" exhaust with shiny tips. Rumbles nice. Super slow. Burns oil too.

          Comment

            #6
            leave the car outside in the cold if it's salted, worst thing you could do is park a salty car in a heated garage.

            1986 lincoln towncar signature series. 5.0 HO with thumper performance ported e7 heads, 1.7 roller rockers, warm air intake, 65mm throttle body, 1/2" intake spacer, ported intakes, 3.73 rear with trac lock, 98-02 front brake conversion, 92-97 rear disc conversion, 1" rear swaybar, 1 3/16" front swaybar, 16" wheels and tires, loud ass stereo system, badass cb, best time to date 15.94 at 87 mph. lots of mods in the works 221.8 rwhp 278 rwt
            2006 Lincoln Town Car Signature. Stock for now
            1989 Ford F-250 4x4 much much more to come, sefi converted so far.
            1986 Toyota pickup with LSC wheels and 225/60/16 tires.
            2008 Hyundai Elantra future Revcon toad
            1987 TriBurner and 1986 Alaska stokers keeping me warm. (and some pesky oil heat)

            please be patient, rebuilding an empire!

            Comment

              #7
              Just how unsalted is the water used in a car wash? Most recycle their water how do they remove the salt? Are you realy spraying salt water with tire , engine cleaner, soap etc when washung and rinsing your car especaly during the winter.
              Scars are tatoos of the fearless

              Comment

                #8
                If there was salt in the wash water the cars would get horrible waterspots

                85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
                160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
                waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

                06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

                Comment

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Lincolnmania View Post
                  leave the car outside in the cold if it's salted, worst thing you could do is park a salty car in a heated garage.
                  This is very good advice. A snow shelter is better, since its not heated and just blocks any wind chill. Every time you park back in a heated garage, the salt goes to work.

                  1981 Mercury Marquis Brougham 2-Door 302/ 5-speed -special blend (GMGT)
                  1987 Lincoln Mark VII 5-speed (Errand runner)
                  1989 Mercury Grand Marquis (Base Runner)
                  2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited (Hustlyn)
                  2011 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (Down with O.P.P)

                  Comment

                    #10
                    I look for the cheapest wash with an underbody spray.

                    Pete
                    Originally posted by gadget73
                    For other types of inquiry, more information is required. Please press 4 to speak to a representative who can help you with your question. This call may be monitored for quality assurance purposes.


                    2003 Grand Marquis Ultimate, the "Stealth Bomber": http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...-Grand-Marquis
                    1991 S-10, 'Bulldog', 2.5l 5 speed: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...375#post698375
                    1985 Town Car, 'Faded Glory', gone but not forgotten. 84/87/91/97 MGMs too.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Originally posted by johnunit View Post
                      If there was salt in the wash water the cars would get horrible waterspots
                      I have water spots in my paint from car washes. Have rarly used one except maybe the under side since then. Did use one in indy before a car show that I had to travel 200 mi to get to. It was leaking either tire cleaner or engine cleaner through the piviot in the cealing on to the roof of my car. It dammaged the paint was I PISSED.
                      I hate car washes.
                      Scars are tatoos of the fearless

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Touchless car washes are possibly the best. Except NOT for cars with vinyl sides.

                        I don't know if they have them with bottom washers.

                        I started taking my old 93 in when it was new to keep the salt off the bottom as it was my DD. Always paid the extra $ for bottom rinse. Then one day I checked and the bottom was still salt covered. Complain rewash, no good. It was "broken". Ok so next time guess what? It was always "broken" they were just charging for nothing. Just check to see they actually wash the bottom.
                        03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
                        02 SL500 Silver Arrow
                        08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
                        12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                        Comment

                          #13
                          If you can find a good one near you take it to a hand car wash. I rather pay the extra money and not let an automatic touch my car nor the nasty ass brushes of the do it yourself ones


                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Originally posted by chitownvic View Post
                            If you can find a good one near you take it to a hand car wash. I rather pay the extra money and not let an automatic touch my car nor the nasty ass brushes of the do it yourself ones


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                            I go to the car wash for the water. I bring my own car wash kit equipped with a sponge. So as to not use the crappy stuff there.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              I take my '96 through the Delta Sonic regularly. For what it is it does a pretty good job. I use my spray wax and some towels for a once over when drying and it shines up pretty good for what it is. Also its nearing 20 years old with no rust so I don't think ill be able to cause too much damage in one winter lol
                              1986 Mercury Grand Marquis "5.0" (160,000)

                              2011 Ford Crown Victoria "4.6" (54,000)

                              2015 Jeep Wrangler JK Willys "3.6" (48,000)

                              Comment

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