| New X Owner, question/inquiry
- Click HERE for Original Thread
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| XOwner23 |
We finally got our X, a brand new 2007, one of the very few left in the midwest - base model. I got a great deal on it (or at least i think) at 1500 under invoice, $35,400. It is dark cherry and we absolutely love it! Especially considering our previous suv was an Envoy!
The only problem is that it is FILTHY already (living in the Midwest we have received snow, ice, rain etc...in the last week)! I want to clean it up and polish using Zaino but I am not quite sure how to approach this in the cold weather. (20's this weekend) My garage will get to 40-45 degrees if I am lucky. I want to get it protected ASAP before subjecting it to the elements. Any ideas/thoughts?
I want to try and get to a manual car wash and do it myself then polish in the garage but with it so cold i am not sure if i should. Maybe it will warm up slightly around Christmas time when i am on vacation.
A generic pic of my baby!!!
Thanks, this is a wonderful forum that is chock full of info. |
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| Fabvsix |
| Welcome to the club! Drink a few dress well and wash and wax her! |
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| XOwner23 |
Got the drink part down...18 year Glenlivet, neat!!
Later,,, |
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| SharpOne |
Hey, hey!!!
Welcome to the club. I am also here in the midwest and my car is currently pretty dirty as well. Although, the all day rain we had yesterday helped to rinse off some of the salt and dirt.
To get to your question, there should be a minimum recommended usage temperature on the product or on the Zaino website. This is usually good to adhere to as curing/drying take longer at colder temperatures. If you can't find anything on the website, try calling Sal himself for some direction.
Off the top of my head I would almost say do the manual car wash and put some of that Z-CS (clear seal) on there and leave it be for the winter. Then do some proper work come the Spring/Summer...dawn wash, clay bar, Z-5, Z-2 whatever.
Unless of course you have access to a heated garage, then get it all done now.
What are your thoughts Fab? Have you ever spent any time trying to keep a car clean in the cold Northlands? |
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| SharpOne |
quote:
Originally posted by Fabvsix
Welcome to the club! Drink a few dress well and wash and wax her!
The biggest problem with trying to do that is keeping your hands/fingers warm. Body temp is not too much of a problem to keep up, it's just that your fingers will become numb very quickly. |
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| XOwner23 |
I am only 90 minutes from Chicago! Yes, the rain helped but it is still quite dirty. I think Sal recommends no lower than 40-45, not sure if i can get my garage that warm this weekend!! we'll see. if not, i will try to get something on it to protect when it warms up.
thanks, |
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| Fabvsix |
Nah I live in Sunny California! :cool:
Let's not forget that wax is made to make your vehicle look good, but it main function is PROTECTION! The more Z layers, the more PROTECTION ! |
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| SharpOne |
quote:
Originally posted by Fabvsix
Nah I live in Sunny California! :cool:
Let's not forget that wax is made to make your vehicle look good, but it main function is PROTECTION! The more Z layers, the more PROTECTION !
Definitely agreed on the protection. That's why I think his best bet may be to slap some Z-CS on for now and wait for warmer weather for multiple layer applications. Unless we have one of those freakish warm spells where it's 50 - 70 degrees.
If you've ever tried to wash or even dry off a car when it's cold, your hands lose feeling very quickly. Maybe you're garage will be warm enough, or if you have a space heater you might be able to use that to keep your hands warm and do a normal application.
Good luck either way. |
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| midnightMDX |
| :welcome: Dark Cherry is a great color. Another owner from the midwest. :cool: |
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| theOldMan |
What I do is wash it at a local automated 'touchless' car wash. This is the type that just sprayes water at high pressure. It does a pretty good job of cleaning. As I live in Montreal, a city where winter is present from December to March, the car wash happens at least once a week.
I take the car from the car wash directly to my garage. The garage is typically as cool as yours. When I am going to work on the car, I will plug in an electrical heater and warm up the garage. It takes an hour or so and the garage is warm enough to work in. This will dry out the MDX and get the garage warm enough where I can wax/wash it or perform other maintenance.
The heaters are inexpensive and you only pay the energy cost when you need to.
One tip is to block your drivers side key hole before going in the wash. This will prevent water from getting in and eventually causing your lock to freeze. |
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| kingmdx |
| :welcome: I am in the same situation ...most waxes have a minimum teperature to meet ...but I do the same thing as above ...I put a heater in the garage and do my best .....it's still cold ..but at least it's not freezing. If I can't get the temp above the minimum I just don't bother....wash it and use a wax as you dry just to give it some sorta protection until it's warm enough to get it done right. |
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| XOwner23 |
Thanks for the advice, i will probably go buy a cheaper portable heater just for this cause. Glad to see all the 'midwesterners' here in the forum. How far from IN are you into MI? I play a lot of golf up in the Southern parts of MI? you have some GREAT courses located all throughout your state.
Thanks again, keep the posts coming... |
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| kingmdx |
| I'm about an 1hr drive north from the the state line... I've not seen any michigan people besides me on here ... but there are lots of chicago people that's for sure :29: |
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| cybulman |
I would save myself all that grief and trouble, if I lived in Chicago...and drive it into the nearest full-serve car wash...get home and then have that Glenlivet Naduraa.
Tis the SEASON !
Cy |
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| XOwner23 |
Now you are talking!! The Naduraa is really good, different. 16 year correct?
I am going to get this from Lowes today http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?acti...l=cr&lpage=none for this weekend, this should suffice for my garage to do detailing of both cars, particularly the X. |
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| SharpOne |
quote:
Originally posted by cybulman
I would save myself all that grief and trouble, if I lived in Chicago...and drive it into the nearest full-serve car wash...get home and then have that Glenlivet Naduraa.
Tis the SEASON !
Cy
Only problem with that is you have no control over what they use to wash and dry your car with. Dirt laden rags just waiting to scratch your car up.
In spite of that possibility, I may do just that. I just find it a bit hard to justify spending that money frequently for something like that when I can do a much better job myself.
In regards to the Glenlivet, sounds like a good plan. Isn't that stuff ridiculously expensive though? What does a bottle of that Naduraa go for or even "low end " Glenlivet for that matter? |
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| XOwner23 |
the Naduraa is not as expensive as you think, 50 bucks a bottle or so. the 15 year around 45. once you get into the 18 year +, yes it gets quite expensive but well worth it!! the 12 year is my main drink, i can get it for 27-28 bucks/bottle (on sale).
we can turn this into a single malt scotch forum if desired!!
later, |
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