Washing the car

BGG

Good stuff that @LordOxygen , used to use that myself.

thomasross20

I've not got the time.

Flink_Poyd

ICBM said:

Flink_Poyd said:

You're meant to wash them?

With the amount of crap on the roads around me at the moment it's getting to the point where you can't read the number plates properly and the lights are noticeably less bright than they should be. You can actually get done for that...

That's OK then, I don't live near you

Garthy

I usually wash ours once a week but the pavement outside has a 2m x 2m x 18 meter hole in it so I can't use the driveway, both cars look like they've participated in the Paris-Dakar rally after 7 weeks. I am *almost* tempted to get one of those detailing places to wash it and give it a birthday.

ESBlonde

I have a jet washer and a hose and a long brush that goes on the hose a sponge and a chamois. What I lack is time and enthusiasm. I wash off when it's filthy especially at this time of year and have the eastern Europeans sort it inside and out once a year before spending lots of time in it for holibobs. Modern cars rot a lot less than older cars so the real need is lesser than in days of yor. 

Majorscale

I like a clean car but have young kids so I've come to accept that within 3 minutes of the car being valeted the back seats will look like the aftermath of a food fight by a post match rugby team. I take it to the Eastern European car wash every other month and apologise profusely!

RaymondLin

I don't LOVE washing the car but I get the satisfaction from getting it clean and knowing that it is clean.  A proper clean can take 10 hours from snow foam, clay, polish, sealant and wax.  Treating plastic trims, vacuum, glass polish, cleaning and conditioning leather seats, brushes to all the nooks and cranny.  Wheel cleaning, de-ironiser, sealant on the alloys and also tyre shine.  Also perhaps even some touch up stone chips.  It's way beyond washing, its detailing.

A minimum session is a rinse, 2 buckets, dry and a coat of Sonax BSD and it will still take an hour.

<a href="http://imgur.com/dW1e7mv"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/dW1e7mv.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Headphones

Isn't that why cars are serviced?

RaymondLin

Headphones said:

Isn't that why cars are serviced?

Nooooo, I ask them NOT to wash my car.  It's how you end up with scratches and swirls on the paintwork.

skunkwerx

skunkwerx

Used to be well into detailing. Few of the motors below from over the years..
No matter how clean or shiny, all of them suffered varying forms of vandalism, be it keying or doors being opened against them, some while I'm sat in it.. That, my serious lack of work and therefore money and my recent loss of confidence driving around here just totally killed my enthusiasm for cleaning the car .

Guitar_Slinger

That Beetle's lovely!

I'm in the group who only wash cars when they're filthy, in the car wash every winter.  Would love to do it for 'relaxation' but srsly, so many things I'd rather do in an hour.  Last time I washed mine for pleasure was about 7 years ago, at my granddad's when my he was still alive and we did it together, with him and his chamois on the windows.

In another life, I have a p/t job where vehicles have to be cleaned & refuelled after use, so once a month I'll use the jetwash and a brush.  A couple of times I've cleaned one to VIP standard (inside/out, door and boot sills, glass, insects off the front and wax etc.).  Amazing how you think the car's clean but the jet still get spiders out of the wing mirrors or crap from roof sills!

Last year I cleaned the wife's car properly - first time in 5 years and only, as @Paul_C said, beacuse there was green mold on the rear windows.

Wazmeister

Washed every week - by our local cleaners on a disused garage - £3

Full valet once a month - £10

LordOxygen

I used a road side car wash about 6 years ago, the guy's zip on this hoody fleece thing scratched the passenger's side window as he leaned over to do the roof, i saw it happen. We had a conversation about it and I left, never used one since. I'll be out at about 10 this morning to give my car a wash. 

Sporky

I used to get it cleaned once a month when I could put that on expenses. I have a loaner car now which I took to the local place. Turns out it's white, not a mottled grey/black. Who knew.

Emp_Fab

I used to have a mate that would obsess over his Audi (it was the '80's) and spent daft money and time on keeping it in mint showroom condition.  He actually used to change all the air in his tyres once a week - to "keep it fresh" !!

Like Sporky used to, I get mine done once a month on expenses or when the boot lid starts leaving black marks on my hands.  I take it to the local "Eastern European Immigrants" hand wash place.  They know how to graft.  Only £5 but no matter how stinking the car is, there won't be a speck of dirt on it when you drive away.  Best car wash I've ever had.  Hooray for Eastern European Immigrants.  The workshy local fuckers up by Tesco can barely be bothered to get their arses off the chairs, never mind clean the car properly.

paulnb57

I generally wash my Defender once a year just before the MOT........doesnt really need it, glass, lights and number plate get a wipe now and then....
Defenders look good dirty and the occasional dent helps!

57Deluxe

RaymondLin said:

Headphones said:

Isn't that why cars are serviced?

Nooooo, I ask them NOT to wash my car.  It's how you end up with scratches and swirls on the paintwork.

Indeed - you cannot clean a whole car with half a bucket of turgid water and NOT do damage...

Always start at the top and work down to... not just waist height cos is easier on your posture!

skunkwerx

Guitar_Slinger said:

That Beetle's lovely!

Cheers bud, was me mums that one! It had a heap of paint issues though, you can probably see some of it in the rear side panel, real hazy looking reflections compared to the drivers door for example. Just a piss poor respray at some point I imagine.. 

RaymondLin

57Deluxe said:

RaymondLin said:

Headphones said:

Isn't that why cars are serviced?

Nooooo, I ask them NOT to wash my car.  It's how you end up with scratches and swirls on the paintwork.

Indeed - you cannot clean a whole car with half a bucket of turgid water and NOT do damage...

Always start at the top and work down to... not just waist height cos is easier on your posture!

and the same towel used on 20 cars that came through that week.  You'd be better of just blast the car with pressure washer.