Well, it is a beater
vehicle that already has rust holes in the bodywork (especially
around the wheel arches), so I'm not too particular about keeping
it clean, just presentable. The "detergent" method works well when
it rains, but in winter, it goes through the automated car wash.
One thing I learned a long time ago: never, ever, send your car
through a car wash on frigid winter days. Sure, the car wash
facility and water are heated, but whatever water isn't blown off
during the drying phase, freezes on your drive
back. In other words, water in the keyholes, locks, and around the
door frames freeze, meaning you can't open the doors until the
water melts. I had this happen to me a long time ago, after I came
back from washing the car on a particulary cold winter day. The
doors were frozen shut and the windows wouldn't roll down, so I had
to exit the vehicle by folding down the rear seatback, crawling
into the trunk, and pushing the trunklid open (which, fortunately,
wasn't frozen shut).
