[fcman]

I let my wife wash my car

[Hook3549]

How do people living in city area take care of your car ? I live in downtown Los Angeles, but all of the self car wash places do not allow bucket car washing.

[Tag]

Originally Posted by Hook3549

How do people living in city area take care of your car ? I live in downtown Los Angeles, but all of the self car wash places do not allow bucket car washing.

You can do a rinseless wash at home so long as the car is not super dirty. Otherwise, you're only other option is take it to a car wash or maybe you have a friend or family member that will let you wash your car at their place.

[c1pher]

I'll use a touch free wash in a pinch but typically hand wash now. One trip into one of those machine washes will have a noticeable impact on the paint. Will your car be clean? Sure. For a lot of people that works just fine. If you're a bit pickier, stay away. In most cases though, you can have the paint corrected after using one of those machine washes over time. But remember, when you're correcting paint, your have to remove some of the clear coat each time. You don't want to continually be doing that.

[M2siast]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Hand wash.
End of post.

As the manual states.

My dealer here runs "non-M" cars through a tunnel touchless wash. But handwashes mine... So I let them wash it, even request it. Comes out scratch/swirl-free.

I wouldn't run it through a touchless wash. But, your money, your convenience, your decision.

[KCuv]

just reloaded up on chemical guy products. I have an unlimited car wash plan with the daily so anytime I pass one I can just scoot in. the m2 however ill only do at home.

[M2siast]

Originally Posted by Hook3549

How do people living in city area take care of your car ? I live in downtown Los Angeles, but all of the self car wash places do not allow bucket car washing.

Just go at a time where there's no one behind you and use the bucket.

Or have a friend with you to rinse the half you've already washed while you are washing the other half, that way you are still using the machine and bucket washing at the same time.

If there's no lineup, and maybe 1 person shows up, they have options, you can always run a dollar through the machine just to keep the timer running while you wash it.

[kudos]

I pay a mobile detailer once every month or two. He comes to my place and I don't have to do anything. I only get exterior done because I don't eat or get the interior dirty.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by fcman

I let my wife wash my car

You know you are going to hell...

[Tag]

Originally Posted by apez

I have had really good luck with using a car wash diy wand wash bay to just rinse off the worst using the high pressure water only then using ONR pre soak and wash in the garage at home.

I use hot water during winter and it is nice to be able to hand wash the car year round.

I do the same in winter, warm water with ONR pre-soak for about 5m before I start the wash. I'm lucky enough to have a heated garage so don't have to worry about freezing my ass off or water freezing the doors/locks.

I've never had to take my car to a wash bay, even if it's really dirty. Instead, I wash it like I normally do with shampoo etc. but use a pressurized sprayer with hot water to rinse the car off. I only do that on the really filthy sections. It's enough water to wet the garage floor but being I'm using hot water, humidity levels are super dry in winter and with the heater on it dries up pretty quick. I then use ONR to wash the entire car. YMMV.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by AZG87

I'd be leary of those DIY places as well. Many use reclaimed water with plenty of debris. Also wouldn't recommend the spot free rinse since many of those have chemical enhanced sprays that aren't great from clear coat or ceramic.

Just hand wash and you know exactly what is being used and what is touching your car.

Never seen any indication of any stuff in the water. If the water is reclaimed/recycled the filtering appears to be pretty good.

Also, have never seen any signs of negative affects on clear coating -- I've never had a car treated with any ceramic -- using the no spot rinse.

What I do notice is after a no spot rinse the car dries spot free as I drive the car to dry the brakes.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by fcman

I let my wife wash my car

While you do the ironing?

[DrewNewM2]

Wash in the driveway for a couple of years until I get lazy…Rinse with Powerwasher, then foam cannon. Let the foam slide off to remove any debris. Rinse again with powerwasher. Foam canon again and then 2 bucket method washing and rinsing individual sections, a final rinse and the leaf blower dry.

[Searay55555]

Originally Posted by DrewNewM2

Wash in the driveway for a couple of years until I get lazy…Rinse with Powerwasher, then foam cannon. Let the foam slide off to remove any debris. Rinse again with powerwasher. Foam canon again and then 2 bucket method washing and rinsing individual sections, a final rinse and the leaf blower dry.

I was wondering about drying with a leaf blower. How does that work?

[Cj1]

Ammo NYC is a boutique that has some great products and excellent how to videos if you're learning to detail correctly. Otherwise I use Chemical guys and Adam's products. I've (me and wife) used a method that has worked well, here it is...

Items needed

-electric light duty power washer(1800psi) w/white tip (40°)
-2 buckets (both with warm soapy/foamy water) 1 bucket is for rims and wheel wells, other for car
-a foam cannon (like $15 on amazon)
-quality soap (I prefer Extreme body wash, Chemical guys)
-a quality hydrophobic spray to aid in drying (Afterwash, Chemical guys)
-quality, edge less microfibers (new or at least ones that have never been used on anything gritty and have NEVER touched the ground, even if washed after never use again on paint)
-heavy wieght/thick microfiber for drying
-a nice glaze and wax (Blacklight radiant finish, Chemical guys), or a Graphine Ceramic coating (adams) and a ceramic detail spray for after inital application.
-Adams hand applicator pads for any liquids to be applied
-more microfibers for removing product (again, I prefer 1 per panel as they can get loaded up with product and that can cause micro abrasions)
-A synthetic spray wax if you don't have the time or want to apply any of the above protection. It will provide a nice shine and some protection. It can be applied after every wash to help get rid of any water spots/streaks, and won't take away from the depth/radiance of your paint like waxes will if applied too often.

Steps

Car should be cool to touch and in shade (if you do not have shade, make sure once you start the wash, you keep all panels wet until you start the drying process)
*my favorite change from the 2 bucket system that others use is; instead of rinsing your wash mit in a separate bucket, just use a bucket with multiple clean, soapy, microfiber towels, using 1 per panel. The 2nd bucket can now be used as a wheel bucket.

-rinse wheel wells, wheels, calipers. Use 1 soap bucket for wheels only. Soap them up, use 2 microfibers from wheel bucket (1 for barrel of wheel, caliper, and wheel well, the other for the face of wheel, you can use a gerbil brush if desired for barrel). Rinse, repeat on all wheels.

Rinse car top down, use foam cannon and soak car with soap/foam. Let it run down for a minute or two, but do not allow to dry. Rinse.

Plan your wash, by separating the car into sections; roof/front and rear glass, followed by hood and front fenders, then drivers side door and rear quarter panel, then passenger side door and rear quarter, followed by trunk and rear bumper, lastly front bumper. You can go around car clockwise or counter clockwise if sun is on one side (wash that side last).

-Use foam cannon on the section/panel you chose to start with, then use the car wash bucket that is filled with soapy water and several clean microfiber towels (1 per 2 panels, turning microfiber to an unused section every 6 or so passes always top down, never in circles but back-and-forth.) Once done with the panel or two, place the used microfiber over the rim of the wheel bucket.
-rinse panel(s)
-foam next section and repeat step above using another clean microfiber from the car bucket, make sure to go back over last section(s) with rinse to keep wet.
-once car is done with wash, use a microfiber specified for drying and spray a hydrophobic spray on wet panel to create a slick barrier that helps displace water while providing a layer lubricity to keep the microfiber from making 'love marks' (fine scratches).
Once all panels are dry, your choice of sealant/wax

I think I am one of the only people that is against clay baring a car.
I would do everything I can to avoid a claybar and polish. I would recommend to start with the least abrasive product like a cleaner wax and glaze if it'd do the job. I understand claybar is needed sometimes, I have just seen people really do a number on their paint with a heavy clay kit like Mothers or Meguires.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Searay55555

I was wondering about drying with a leaf blower. How does that work?

.

[Searay55555]

I guess the right question would have been, how WELL does that work?

[Workodactyl]

I can't say for certain on the use of heavy chemicals, but I found a car wash near me that services a lot of high end cars and have never had issues. I'd trust them with my M2, but searching for a contactless wash myself. Either way, automatic washes never gave me issues with my paint or PPF, but I admit that's my personal experience. I bet some automatic car washes out there can be pretty rough.

[yuzu]

If you already have a leaf blower go for it, I would never buy one specifically for drying a G87 though. I can dry the entire thing with one big microfiber towel and it's faster, more comprehensive and easier than using a leaf blower

[Zatellia]

Originally Posted by Searay55555

I was wondering about drying with a leaf blower. How does that work?

I use a leaf blower for those spots that will keep dripping no matter how many times you dry them, mirrors, door handles etc.. After hitting them up I go microfiber towels. Again I only leaf blow because I hate wiping it then opening the door closing the door wiping again etc. Depending on your blower it could work pretty good to do the whole car but I like the relaxingness of hand drying

[Tag]

Originally Posted by Searay55555

I guess the right question would have been, how WELL does that work?

I only use a leaf blower to blowout water from seams and mirrors, the rest I dry with a MF towel. That way you don't get water streaks as soon as you drive away.

[apez]

Originally Posted by Tag

I only use a leaf blower to blowout water from seams and mirrors, the rest I dry with a MF towel. That way you don't get water streaks as soon as you drive away.

I have always assumed a leaf blower would just kick up dust and make the car dirty again...

Maybe I need to clean my garage then my car.