What's the best way to keep exterior clean during Michigan winters?

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[NoxRox]

As winter quickly approaches I am trying to figure out how I'm going to keep my baby clean.
I know I can't keep her spotless but want to be able to get the road salts and yucky slushy grime off her perodically.

Anybody have an opinion of the best way to do this and not damage the finish?
Are most soft-cloth automatics okay or should I stick to the touch-less, drive through type.
Will the touchless type get all the guck off and give the undercarriage a good rinse?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[wrusprod]

Michigan winter for me too!...I have the carbon black, and went through last winter..

I have found a car wash that sprays the car down, then goes through the auto wash with the soft-cloth..never had a problem..car still looks new..though I dont use it very often..only when you get that film that the regular touch-less can't remove at times....I find myself at the touch-less (pull into the bay..sprayer goes around the car..then drive out through the dryers)..a couple times a week during the winter months when its really nasty out....

[Terra-Nox]

Give it a good wash, park in garage, put on on blocks for 6 months      But if you must drive it, I would go for completely touch-less  car wash.

[Dark Age53]

Do what I do, head south for the winter. If that's not in the cards for you I'd stick with the touch-less car wash, worked great for me.

[wrusprod]

I wish i could always do the touch-less wash...but around here...salt,snow,mud...doesnt just spray off....

[fireman591]

Strip off all the old wax with a good hand wash using dawn dish soap and then put a coat of rejex on the vehicle.
Nothing sticks to it. You will love it. Easy on and easy off with no powder. I have been using it on my corvette for years.
http://www.rejex.com/

[NoxRox]

Thanks for all the responses.  Sounds like the touch-less is preferred.  I'll have to find a good soft-cloth place for an occasional winter film erradication though...thanks Russ.

fireman591 - the rejex sounds great.  I wish I would have started this topic sooner as it's a bit late in the year to order it, get it, then give her a good hand wash and dry and apply.  I'll consider this for next spring though.  Tell me...once you've put a coat of rejex on, and 6 -9 months later when you need to reapply, do you need to do a polish or anything to get rid of all of the original coat or do you reapply over it?

DarkAge53 - I'd love to draw that card that would allow me to head south for the winter.  Maybe someday I'll draw that King...instead of always getting stuck with a joker. 

Thanks again guys!!

[eeks and knocks]

Being an automotive detailer I never take my vehicle through "soft cloth" washes... There is no telling who and what has been through there before your vehicle.  Those cloths are typically dirt and grime magnets that then proceed to "washing" your car with abrasive contaminants.  Prior to long winter months I recommend a GOOD thorough hand wash top to bottom followed by a gentle hand dry with a jelly water blade and BLOTTING the residual water up with a microfiber towel. I recommend a good coating of a name brand trustworthy synthetic sealant wax to prep your vehicle to be well protected when you don't have the time to wash it in the winter due to the cold/snowy weather.  Sealant waxes will hold up much longer than most traditional carnuba waxes available on the market to assure you that your vehicle will remain "protected".  The great thing about most syn waxes is you can not only use them on your painted surfaces but also clear plastic surfaces such as headlight and tail lights and yes, I even use them on all of my windows on occasion to help keep those clean and repel water better.  A great syn wax sold OTC is Mothers FX syn wax.  without a doubt it is one of the easiest on/off waxes i've found for the consumer market beating IMO even my beloved Meguiars brand equivalent Meguiars NXT wax.   You can do the entire vehicle without having to worry about beginning the wipe off process because this stuff doesn't cake up like a lot of carnubas.  Additionally, it virtually eliminates the worry about staining exterior plastics like found on the bottom of the nox's like a carnuba would.  This stuff literally just towels off with ease.  It doesn't produce the depth of a good carnuba but I've found it protects it about twice as long. 

As for when you just need to run it through a quick wash stick to the touchless laser washes... They might not get all of the junk off your car but its better than nothing and you don't run the risk of swirling/scratching up your finish. 

[wrusprod]

I will have to try the Mothers FX Syn wax...Im always up for trying new products!   

[teetertotter]

I have Ziebart detail my cars every Fall.  Then run through car wash that provides under body flush during the winters and summers.  My 06, Black Stang has no swirl marks or scratches and drive year round, snow, slush, and ice.  $80.00 Ziebart exterior treatment tough as nails.  This is what I have done over the years.  No finger nail scratches around door handle either.