How do you wash your car?

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I hear the giant automatic car wash places are bad because the sediment that builds up in the big cloth spinners will cause abrasions over time in your paint coat

But hand wash is expensive and I have no will to do it myself so I'm looking for some peer pressure
 
Depends how bad it is. Will usually do the wand wash, but I use the automatic probably every 3rd or 4th wash because it hits the undercarriage and from an angle that I usually can't without substantial effort.
 
Hand wash in spring/summer automatic car wash in autumn/winter. I'm a pap and cold weather does not mix with me a shiny my car.

Edit when hand washing I have a bucket of clean water and use foam devil which clicks onto my outdoor hose, it's pretty awesome. Like the 2 bucket method but better.
 
Washing it yourself takes like 15 minutes, doesn't really bother me

I've been known to pay for it occasionally but it's so expensive for how little time it saves me, and my car is too cheap to make it worth paying for a better job than I can do myself
 
Two bucket method with grit guard and quality car care products.

The Car Wash places fuck your paint up something fierce.
Goldenroad said:
Must be nice to live in a climate where this is usually an option. I'd be washing my car with two buckets of ice.
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I live where it's frozen from right now through March. I just fill up the buckets with hot water inside. Then of course empty out the hose when done.
 
I go to one of those self serve places. $1 to vacuum the inside and $3-4 for 4-5 minutes on the hose for the exterior. I pre-rinse for about 1 minute, use the high pressure hot water w/ soap setting for about 2 minutes, and then do the spot free rinse for the remaining time. I don't do any of the tire foam crap or bother with a brush. I'm sure it can be done better but I only drive a Corolla so I don't really care if it's not spotless.
 
mkenyon said:
Two bucket method with grit guard and quality car care products.

The Car Wash places fuck your paint up something fierce.

I live where it's frozen from right now through March. I just fill up the buckets with hot water inside. Then of course empty out the hose when done.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the combination of living in a 2nd floor condo (no hose), and the -40 weather makes paying for a car wash well worth it.
 
I alternate automatic car wash and hand wash (station I go to has both options). I usually save the hand wash for when I want them to vacuum inside too.
 
When I can't see through the windshield anymore I take a rag and clean a 20cm wide viewport. Sometimes I clean off all the grass and leaved glued to my rear bumber.

But seriously, in Germany it's forbidden to wash your car in on publice roads and I think even on your own land, so people have to go to the gas station to put it through the machine. You have to find a machine with a water gun where a Euro lasts more than a minute, or you'll be paying three Euro to clean it properly, or you buy the cheapest machine wash which is 5 or 6 Euro. It's a weekend ritual for people to go and get their car cleaned, huge lines are common. In Spain, I'd just wash it in front of my house. Microfivber cloth and a bucket full of water, no soap. Works perfect and doesn't smear when it's hot.
 
I wash in those automated ones. Never noticed any wear in the paint layer. Maybe it happens but it's not noticeable.

Another option is the self service "garages". If I wasn't this lazy I would use them because there are powerful vacuums to clean the inside of the car as well.
 
I have started using the drive through car wash. I used to not do that but my time has become more valuable to me than the condition of the paint on my car.
 
two bucket method. Once a week and takes me about 20 minutes. Getting a foam lance soon which will make it even quicker.

Car wash places tend to use strong soaps that strip wax to a degree so I avoid them.
 
First get out your AH DANGIT-

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my neighborhood has a rule where the runoff has to go into the grass and not into the nearby creek. My driveway would work fine but I don't want to take a risk or deal with it. I just go to the automatic car wash
 
I just use a touchless car wash at a gas station now. It doesn't do a particularly good job, but it saves time and get the big stuff off.

Every few months, I'll apply Wet Paint glaze, which really is as good as the site claims.
 
Two bucket method with grit guards, quality wash mitt, and a foamaster hose attachment or if you have a pressure washer, foam cannon. After you are done, if you haven't detailed in a while, use clay bar after you're done, clay your vehicle, then whip out your DA or Rotary polisher, get to work on any swirls or scratches. Then finish up with a nice sealant or wax.
 
Ok well it has rained plenty and my car don't care. It is hanging onto that dirt real strong now
 
I wash it myself. I also don't have a high maintenance car, so a bottle of car soap is all I need and that lasts me several washes. Cheap as chips.
 
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