How do you keep your 996 clean in the winter?

I'm fortunate enough to have a large garage with a fresh water spigot and a drain, so I can wash my 996 in the garage. I just finished a nice wash and wax job... it's looking good. I'm interested to see what everyone else does when the weather gets nasty and washing the car in the driveway isn't an option.

i drive my suv truck. if i do end up driving it in the rain, then i get a handwash at a local detail shop. done.

First winter here (MN) for the C4S. I was going to drive as a DD, but, (I knew you smelled a big butt coming) BUT, after two snow storms, a road trip to Iowa and back, I just couldn't take. My seal gray baby was white with (oh nooooooo) SALT!! I took to a touchless car wash, parked it in the garage and bought a Cherokee off Craigslist. All is well now, but if there was that much salt on the outside, then what does the bottom and all the crevasses look like? It's sitting and waiting for the first decent day (June, maybe July?) when the slush is off the road and things won't freeze up immediatly, then off to the car wash and spend my quarters.

I don't drive the P-car(s) in the slop or rain, I use them in good weather only. When they do get dirty I hand wash only...

I live a little out of town, so even if I do wash it at a DIY carwash it is crusty by the time I get home . . . So I figured out a way to do a driveway wash if it is over 20F. Not bad actually, as long as you have a heated garage to pull it into. And some coffee! Happy holidays! For any fanatics that want the details, here is the link over on the Detailing forum: Driveway Detailing at 20F

Dont have a garage (life in the big city) But I am waiting for a decent day to give it a wash. its 43f today. most of the snow melted from the big fall last week but its raining cats and dogs. Maybe next weekend? I want to try that 2 bucket no rinse stuff. I know I will look like an idiot washing my car in the driveway with a hose @ 40f. Anyone know if autozone sells any?

You have no idea how much I wanted to check the second box. But anyway, I do wash my other cars in the driveway if the temp is even close to 40 degrees.

I've been thinking about the waterless car wash stuff too... but so far washing in the garage is working for me. I have a big floor squeegee to push the excess water towards the drain.

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Good thread! I don't know how I missed that one! I could actually do the same thing, or just use the cold water spigot in my garage. My garage normally stays at about 48 degrees during the winter with the overhead door closed. I used a small portable heater today, and it was plenty warm enough. I opened the door quickly for this photo with my phone. The drain is just under the 996, by the driver's side door.

There was no option for non-auto car wash. I used the autos last winter to get a good undercarriage wash, but found it chipped some paint on my door pull. So it's the manual wand for me. Give it a bit of a shammy before I hit -20C and away we go. That gets done pretty much weekly.

Wait for a warm-ish day, then wash all the salt off!

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Glad to hear of another Porsche owner who isn't sweating a dirty, salty, 911 while enjoying driving the car in the winter months.(I keep reminding myself that my 996 will soon be 11 years old...who am I saving it for?) I feel better after each and every inclement drive.

I just wash it by hand. I even do wet shami wipe downs. I like to drive the car in the rain. It's a performance car and good in rain. No way to get away from salt spray in the air so the galvinized body hopefully does its job. 4Scargo I hope you give your buddy a say in the choice of drive it or not.

I have 2 days in a row of weather over 40 degrees. It's out and I'll go to the self serve car wash tomorrow. Next week it's highs in the 30s and back to the truck.

Just a tip based on experience . . . After any wash, but especially a winter wash, don't set the handbrake when you put the car away . . .

Move to San Diego & you won't have to worry about that, or storing your car for winter either.

I can do an outside wash with hot water in the 20/F range and then in the garage to dry. The rotors always bind up even with the parking brake off. It's worth the enjoyment driving in the snow.

I wait till first heavy rainfall and drive fast.

ONR (optimum no rinse) in the garage.

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I bought ONR, but have not tried it yet. I just cant bring myself to get the car wet with a mit. To me, the spraying of the car with a hose is what gets most of the dirt and grime out of all the nooks and crannies. Rubbing a wet mit on salt and dirt can't get all the stuff off the way a good wash and rinse would, IMHO. I wait till a day like today (48 and sunny) to sneak a wash/wax in during the winter.

I get really drunk and wash it at night.... seems to work great.... I guess

same as andy, 48 & sunny. wash, dry and a quick ride. supposed to be getting more white stuff this w/e so who knows when it will be out again. how many months till spring?

mines in storage until the winter is over, some days i regret it, most days i dont, since i have had the money to be able to buy a car that i just own for pure fun at the weekend or a sunny day with no client meetings i have been treating them like they would be instantly destroyed if they saw rain or snow adn just cant briong myself to take it out on wet/sand/salt covered roads

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I have been known to shami wash a car when it's raining. For too many years I have been washing using an old time eagle1 product that will take some of the wax off. I think I am going to change to a non wax stripping solution. The soap does clean good but now I feel I want the most wax build up as possible since the sun melts the stuff off anyway.