Better to use a wand wash. You have more control of where and how
long the high pressure spray goes. Wash out the wheel wells for
sure.  Before you leave use the "dryer" (blower hose)
to blow out your locks and add some lock deicer (alcohol).  Also, set
all your doors to the first catch (not fully closed) and drive home
with the heaters on high to dry out the door seals so they won't freeze.

One of the best ways to rust out a vehicle is to park in a heated
garage over the winter. Especially in an area where salt is used.
Daily driving loads up the wheel wells and hidden niches with fresh
salt laden ice and snow. Parking in a heated garage melts the ice to
a salt slurry which acts on the metal causing rust. Next day you go
out and reload the reactor with fresh chemicals.  Parking in a cold
spot will at least keep the "solution" frozen and essentially inert.

On 29-Jan-07, at 10:31 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

> Date:    Mon, 29 Jan 2007 06:33:45 EST
> From:    Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
> Subject: Re: Automatic car washes in winter?
>
> In a message dated 28/01/2007 7:38:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
> Anyone  have experience with these Northern automatic car washes  that
> advertise"undercarriage wash" in addition to the other whistles  and
> bells offered?  Are they effective in getting the salt out of  the
> wheel wells and other areas?  Will the water tend to freeze up  brake
> cables etc or do the air blasts dished out at the end sufficient  to
> dry that stuff?  What is the lowest temp you'd recommend having
> this done?
>
> Well. the stupid questions are the ones that never get  asked.
>