What is a "reasonable " time that I can allow salt to stay on the SS? It is way to cold here to hand wash the Camaro. Hate to let the salt stay on too long. Thanks.

 

Automotive paint is very durable, so don't worry. To be on the safe side, don't let it stay on more than 3 or 4 days max. It will be better to drive it to a carwash than to let it stay on. Look for a hand car wash if possible.

Good luck.

 

Just wash it as often as you can in the winter... if you dont have a heated garage or other facility to wash it in, you are kind of at the mercy of the weather...

Just do your best, and you'll be fine.

 

Road crews rarely use plain old salt any longer, it is a chemical mixture of some type, might be salt based I do not know, but as long as you have a good coat of wax or polish it will not hurt anyting, could stay on for days or weeks and should just wash right off....

 

I wash my truck maybe 3 times a winter... I put a good coat of wax on b4 winter and then just drive it. usually I just let the salt layer on. The salt will almost form a protective coat (j/k). But it usually just washes right off.

Here it is after seeing 11 winters that way... (taken in the summer, no salt)

Its in its 12th winter right now, and is currently sitting in the barn completely salt blasted like usual... since MI salt trucks are known to lay a 1/2" of salt every 1/4" of snow we get.

 

Kevin is right. Here in Kentucky the road crews use a salt and chemical mixture, so you are not getting a 100% salt coating on your car. Besides, we're gonna get 3 days of rain this week, unless it cools down!!!

 

I agree w/ Kevin too. As long as you have a good coat of wax on the car, you'll be fine.

I have Zaino on the Jeep, and I've only taken it to the car wash once (not an automated one!) where I just used "the wand" w/ high pressure soap and spot free rinse, and the salt, etc., came right off I also spray the undercarriage to be safe.

 

It might not damage the paint, but it WILL mess up any chrome or ceramic coated stuff. Trust me, I learned the HARD way!

 

Also, it is not good for the underbody, rust city. My best advice is not to drive your SS in the winter weather.

 

As many said before witha good coat of wax the paint will be fine just be sure that you try to keep your underbody as clean as possible thats where it will evuntall get some rust.



-JOhn

 

What about salt on the underside / wheel wells/ wheels..?

 

Seeing as the Jeep sees the bad weather, I'll take it to a car wash and use the wand with high pressure soap to hose off the undercarriage, etc.

If the SS needed the undercarriage cleaned, that's be done at home, with me under the car

 

I take my car to the do it yourself wash, spray the undercarriage and wheel wells, and then take it to scrub a dub for a $3.50 car wash. My caddy, not the TA of course.

The salt will turn cars to rust so wash them as much as possibl.

At $5 a wash and maybe 10-20 washes a winter, that's only $50-$100. Well worth it.

 

That may be true but you will have alot more wear and tear on your vehicle than a garage queen. The people here who don't winter drive their nice f-body will be enjoying their car for many more years to come. If you can afford a nice Camaro or bird you should have a cheaper set of wheels (daily driver) for the winter.