Snow removal

[Mike_Yi]

For those of you who driver you Boxster all winter long, how do you remove snow from the paint? I want to minimize scratching the paint, so I'm wondering if there are any really good brushes out there.

[Frodo]

Coincidentally, just did so for the first time today. (When I bought the car, 2 years ago in July, had planned on NEVER driving in the snow. You know what they say about things not always working out the way we planned.)

Anyway, weather reports indicated a good likelihood of snow, but the Camry was in the shop and I had no other wheels available, with errands to run. (Monday is my day off.) It was cold enough to snow, but the sky varied between threatening, on one hand, and patches of blue sky on the other. So I headed out. Went most of the places I needed to go, then went into the local Target, where I ended up spending half an hour or so. When I came out, there was a veritable blizzard goin' on!

Felt really weird brushing snow off the glass (and vinyl rear window), never having done so before.

When I got home, I got out the hose and sprayed out the wheel wells and under the car, just in case they had started spreading salt. (I'm pretty sure they had not.) Having the hose in my hand, I then proceeded to wash the snow off the car. (I figured "Why not"?)

Probably not that good an option once the temps start droppin'. But I don't plan on driving in the snow at that point...

Snow & ice scratching the paint
What brush to use so the paint doesn't get scratched

Two more reason I am very happy with winter storage

[Frodo]

Agreed.

Bottom line: In addition to the fact I hate exposing the Box to the nasties of winter, when you get right down to it, she's really not all that pleasant to drive in the winter. (Though I do have to admit, the heater works GREAT.)

[9eighty6]

I do have a garage so this isn't typically an issue for me, even as a year-rounder because the snow (if accumulated) will melt overnight. If it does get bad, any coinwash place with a powerwashing wand is great to gently melt the snow off. I don't use the detergents usually but when it is need of a good spray down, that's how I take care of the job. Water can't scratch the paint!

I only use a scraper on the glass windows. I wouldn't reccomend it on the plastic. Of course, this is what the hard top is great for (also for defrosting and insulating much better than the rag top).

Good luck ...

[Frodo]

Related question: For years, when I've had to clean up a car/van parked outside following a snow/ice storm, I've gotten my wife's watering can, filled it with luke warm (not hot) water, and poured it onto the windshield. Works great.

My wife always chides me: "You're gonna crack the windshield." Obviously, so far she's been incorrect in that assessment.

My question: Has anyone else used this technique? And, has anyone ever cracked the glass (or even heard of someone doing so) using this technique?

[mikefocke]

a hose for which I could regulate the temperature. Tended to use it to hand wash the car when it was above freezing but there was salt and sand on the car.

Rinse with cold from the hose, then use a warm bucket with soap not rubbing but mostly slopping the warm soapy water onto the surface, then another pass with a sponge and warm soapy water, then rinse cold with the hose and dry with towels.

And I used warm water, not straight hot lest I go broke. Easy on the hands as I wasn't using gloves.

Never a problem with perhaps a dozen cars and many windows/windshields.