YACT: How long to wait after driving to wash/wax car?

[LiQiCE]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how long should you wait after driving your car to wash/wax the car? I was always taught that the car needs to be cool before you can wash it since a hot car being hit with cold water is bad, not to mention cold water on hot rotors can cause warping of your rotors (I did it once before when I was in a rush and my rotors started sizzling and smoking from the cold water coming in contact with the hot rotors).

Then my friend asked me a good question ... "What happens when it rains then?" ... To which I have no good answer. Just curious what your take is on it!!!

 

[Ryan]

Arg, just wash the damned thing!

 

[WinkOsmosis]

I usually wait a few minutes because I wash my car at my brother's house and spend some time playing with his kids.

 

[conjur]

Oy vey

Well...just don't wax it in the hot sun and I think you'll be ok.

 

[LiQiCE]

Guess most of you guys think its a dumb question huh? ... I just want to try to ensure that my car isn't put through any un-needed wear and tear. If waiting an extra hour or two before I wash my car will extend the life of my rotors overall I think its worthwhile ... Guess you don't agree.

 

[conjur]

You worry too much.

Heck, I've 140k miles on my car and I've replaced rotors twice. Both times were due to cheap brake pads that. The ones I have on now have been on there at least 40k miles and I can't tell you how many times I've washed the car (hot and cold) or driven through puddles on a long highway drive and whatnot.

 

[jjessico]

Just don't wax your car in the sun. As far as I know that's it. I never have to worry about the brakes thing as I have Centerlines on my car so I don't have to worry about hosing down the rotors.

Jason

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: jjessico
Just don't wax your car in the sun. As far as I know that's it. I never have to worry about the brakes thing as I have Centerlines on my car so I don't have to worry about hosing down the rotors.

Jason

Centerlines??

 

[Ylen13]

Originally posted by: LiQiCE
Maybe this is a stupid question, but how long should you wait after driving your car to wash/wax the car? I was always taught that the car needs to be cool before you can wash it since a hot car being hit with cold water is bad, not to mention cold water on hot rotors can cause warping of your rotors (I did it once before when I was in a rush and my rotors started sizzling and smoking from the cold water coming in contact with the hot rotors).

Then my friend asked me a good question ... "What happens when it rains then?" ... To which I have no good answer. Just curious what your take is on it!!!

go to auto car wash and let them wash it for you, they will know how long it have to be before they can wash it

 

[DannyLove]

I would say a good 3 weeks, depending if it rains. I'm a little overdue though

danny~!

 

[jjessico]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: jjessico
Just don't wax your car in the sun. As far as I know that's it. I never have to worry about the brakes thing as I have Centerlines on my car so I don't have to worry about hosing down the rotors.

Jason

Centerlines??

Pics of the car and the wheels I spoke of. Kinda hard to hit the smoking rotors with the hose through these wheels.

Jason

 

[amnesiac]

Actually if you go to some places with hot, dry climates in the summer, i.e. Colorado, the drive-thru car washes have warnings about washing your car when it's hot because people's windshields haev been known to crack from the cold water.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
Actually if you go to some places with hot, dry climates in the summer, i.e. Colorado, the drive-thru car washes have warnings about washing your car when it's hot because people's windshields haev been known to crack from the cold water.

No sh!t? Just outright crack?

I dunno about that. I mean, I know it can propagate cracks that are already there, but even if it was 110 out... That's not very hot.. to glass, lol. I don't think the shock of going from 110 to 40 is enough to make it crack....

I have to stick non-tempered glass into a fire(in the coals), and then pour water on it to make it shatter.. It would surprise me if auto glass will crack that easily from shock stress..

I could totally be wrong though.

 

[LiQiCE]

Originally posted by: Ylen13

Originally posted by: LiQiCE
Maybe this is a stupid question, but how long should you wait after driving your car to wash/wax the car? I was always taught that the car needs to be cool before you can wash it since a hot car being hit with cold water is bad, not to mention cold water on hot rotors can cause warping of your rotors (I did it once before when I was in a rush and my rotors started sizzling and smoking from the cold water coming in contact with the hot rotors).

Then my friend asked me a good question ... "What happens when it rains then?" ... To which I have no good answer. Just curious what your take is on it!!!

go to auto car wash and let them wash it for you, they will know how long it have to be before they can wash it

Last time I took it to the car wash and let them do it for me, the car came out with dirt all over it still! I only goto the car wash in the winter when I want them to wash the underbody of the car to get rid of some of the salt/sand.

I would say a good 3 weeks, depending if it rains. I'm a little overdue though

3 weeks? Very funny. Maybe you thought in between waxes, but I meant after driving a car because its hot how long should you wait for it to cool off

In the end, I went out about 1 1/2 hours after I got home, pulled the car out of the garage and washed the car. No smoking rotors, although the engine was still pretty warm. Only bad thing is that there's so much freakin white pollen outside right now that the car looked like it had tons of dust on it after I finished washing it! ... oh well.

 

[kchacha]

You should wait at least half an hour, unless it's hot outside, when you should wait longer. You're absolutely right that it will cause your rotors to warp, in which case you'd have to deal with the whole refinishing/replacement process.
For the guy who's replaced his rotors 2x in only 140k miles, that's because you weren't aware of what exposure of cold water can do to hot rotors (it happens. Just educate yourself.)
And, of course Autozone would happily wash your car for you, because you're giving them money and they don't have to worry about a rattling car later on down the road!

As for rain, it's inevitable and uncontrollable. For washing your car, however, you do have the opportunity to prevent unnecessary wear-and-tear.

Hope this helps!

-GirlWhoChangesOwnOil

 

[EagleKeeper]

If water is going to hurt the car when hot; then there are serious problems with the drive through car washes.

And then a CA car will be a POS.

So, the stories about washing a hot car is probably a POS.

 

[jagec]

You're absolutely right that it will cause your rotors to warp, in which case you'd have to deal with the whole refinishing/replacement process.

OK, this guy:

will want to wait a while before washing his car.

Your average person driving back from the grocery store, not the racetrack? Unless you're washing your car with liquid nitrogen, your rotors will NOT warp.

 

[Schfifty Five]

If water is going to hurt the car when hot; then there are serious problems with the drive through car washes.

And then a CA car will be a POS.

So, the stories about washing a hot car is probably a POS.

OK, this guy:

will want to wait a while before washing his car.

Your average person driving back from the grocery store, not the racetrack? Unless you're washing your car with liquid nitrogen, your rotors will NOT warp.

Look at thread date.

/thread

 

[Jeff7]

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