GT Newbie

Although I normally never drive my (overly-pampered) baby in the rain or snow, one day last week it was unavoidable cause when I left home the roads were just fine- but when I was on the way back I got stuck directly behind a truck spraying rock-salt (what're the odds?!) even though it was NOT even remotely necessary at that time!
I actually WINCED at the "hissing" sound it made driving through it....
Naturally, I cleaned the front and sides immediately after getting home (even though I froze my sorry butt off doing it), but I'd appreciate any advice about detailing the undercarriage- cause that's the LAST time I ever drive through THAT crap again (when in doubt, I'll take the beater from now on).

Dastang01

I have the same problem, just got my car and wanted to drive it soo bad. After done driving it I took a buckey of hot water and a rag and crawled under as best I could to remove as musch as I could

GT Newbie

You must be in better (thinner) shape than me, cause there's no WAY I'd fit under the car.
.

cookiemonster

"When the temperature is below freezing, do not wash your car. The ice and snow will hold the salt in suspension and keep it from doing any major damage." - from about.com

GT Newbie

Thanks- good to know....!

raubt

-5. It might take 7 or 8 years for the salt to cause any damage to your car. You might be dead by then. Have a clean car today! Dirty Mustangs = Bad.

(If you're worried about rust eventually appearing, take it in and have it rust-proofed for a few hundred bucks.)

mygt500

There is a product that you can use to detail the undercarriage and the engine bay. I wish I could remember the name.. it is not CDC detailers advantage (which is a good product), it is greaseless and doesn't attract dust. Check with some detailing sites and the detailing sites on this web site...they are a great help. I will post if I remember the name...check with obsessive detail and poor boys they should have something.

GT4HUTCH

They salted the roads here the other day. I'm sure I drove through a bit of it. The next day I ran it through one of those brushless car washes. They have an undercarrige sprayer with a bunch of high pressure nossles and that thing made a few passes under the car. Should be good.

fairlane292

What the heck does that mean? When the temperature is below freezing ...if I wash the car, any moisture is going to freeze and then according to this the remaining "ice will hold the salt in suspension and keep it from doing any major damage".

What the water from the hose which turns to ice is worse than the slop that comes from the road and turns to ice?

I don't drive in rain, snow, etc but if I did, in the spring I'd get the car as high as I could "safely" on jack stands and use the powerwasher. That will do a great job. Carwashes will marr, swirl, scratch your clearcoat, glass, rims, etc.and they don't do "jack" on your undercarriage. Many carwashes recycle their water and it has fine particles, oil and who knows what else is in it. ...stay away. The guy that wrote that article has been in hibernation for 30 years, IMO.

cookiemonster

The advice from about.com sounds reasonable to me ... if I'm not mistaken, it's liquid water+salt+metal = rust ... ice doesn't nearly have the same effect as liquid water, and so washing the car will actually activate the rusting process ... at least that's what I understand.