Truck Washing Counseling Needed

Problem: It's winter in Iowa, temps are below freezing, and I can't wash my truck in the driveway as I normally do 8 months of the year. Unfortunately, I don't have a 5000 square foot heated shop with a dedicated wash bay, only a standard domestic garage into which I can just barely squeeze my CM Tundra. I'm sure the purists would argue to always hand wash a vehicle, I'm more of a pragmatist. So should I run the truck through the local auto wash, with the underbody flush to keep my ride clean and salt free until temperatures warm? What has been your experience with your vehicle and the drive through automated car washes? Bad idea? Good idea? Desperate men do desperate things?

 

Move to Texas is the best I got!

 

Paging Dr. @War Machine

 

Its not ideal, especially ones with brushes. Even the touchless is sketchy.
You could load up a bucket with hot water and another with hot water and rinslesss wash like ONR or your usual wash soap. Add a bunch of mits or towels, and head to a car wash that has the a power washer wand bay. Just use the water from that and wash like normal. Yeah its cold but not terrible when you fill your buckets at home with hot water. Here is a pic of me doing a winter wash at home with no hose, just buckets and Carpro ech2o.

 

I’ve got the exact truck you have up in Alaska. No issues running it through a touch less car wash. Just take some microfiber towels with you to dry the door sills so they don’t freeze shut. I run mine through the wash almost weekly, unless we get a warm spell and have roads full of slush. Then I just wait for it to freeze up and hit the wash as soon as I can. And my truck lives outside, garage isn’t big enough.

 

I’d just go to a self-service wash place and spray it down with soap and water.

 

my experience has been...most of them do an ok job of cleaning...most do a poor job of drying....but the truck always looks way better after than before.

 

I wash mine in coin op washes, $3 bucks, bring my own mitt (2) and a handful of microfiber towels.

Usually wash it when I see a cold snap coming, otherwise it ends up dirty by the time I drive home.

 

Undercarriage sprayed with FLUID FILM , so now in winter I run it thru brushless wash and use cheapest wash , that way it doesn't spray under side. Also agree with Annohibian above , keep a couple towels in truck and wipe all door molding areas,and wipers, so doors won't freeze up.

 

Move to Texas, and miss all this?

 

Don’t move to Texas. It’s the next California.

I wash mine in the brushless washes with undercarriage all the time in the winter and have no issues. My paint looks great.
Don’t overthink it. Steer clear of the brush type, obviously. In the summer I hit the paint with spray on Griots ceramic wax and I’m good to go.

 

Touchless automatic if you're in a pinch I guess but I'm in the wand wash and bucket w hand mitt camp myself. Whatever you do don't use the brush at the wand wash for anything other than the tires.

 

I thought Nevada was the next California. They are spreading faster than expected.

OP, I just wash 2-3 times per year and only in warm months. I bought my truck in July and can’t recall if it’s been washed (this obviously is not best practice).

 

Were gonna build a wall to keep Kalifornia out!

 

This here. Avoid the brushes at all cost. On occasion I’ll do a touchless wash, followed by ONR or a detail spray. The touchless washes generally aren’t good for anything other than getting bulk dirt / mud off, so it’s best to follow up with something. I don’t have to deal with road salt, but I imagine it’s best to keep that washed off regularly.