RazorGT

I used to just go to the 10$ automatic washes (touchless, people say the touch washes are bad but I'm 24 and I have never even seen a touch wash in my life :S )

But nowadays I go to the ones where you put in 10 quarters and you get a hose and can choose soap or water and etc.

So basically this is what I do,

1. I soak car with water

2. then spray with soap

3. then rinse with the water

4. then I dry the car with a special towel called "the absorber" from autozone

5. then I use spray wax from autozone and 2 microfiber cloths (1 for wax on, one for wax off) and one panel at a time I get the whole car clean and shiny.

What else do you recommend I do? what about wheels/tires? I got the stock wheels and just spray with soap and water while washing rest of the car then at the end spray the tires with "tire shine" spray.

ModBargains

You might want to start incorporating a clay bar into the process at least once a month (or whenever you see that it's necessary).

For the wheels, I try to void wheel cleaners because a lot of them are acidic in order to eat through brake dust, but the unfortunate thing about it, is that they typically make wheels fade over time, and can eat through clear coat, so be careful. I use a pressure washer on the wheels, and a couple soft brushes to get in there and clean everything up, but I only use the soap from what I use on the car's paint instead of wheel cleaners. A foam gun would probably help the whole process out too, but only if you have your own pressure washer.

Derf00

a light sponging between steps 2 and 3 is advisable. Anything left on the paint when drying the car is just ammo for scratches.

I worked in the auto parts industry for nearly 10 years. I have seen plenty of bad car wash cleanings, from clear coat being sprayed right off the car to long surface scratches or gouges caused by the non-touchless carwashes.

I agree with Modbargains to stay away from wheel cleaners. Rims are just like your finished paint. Well cared for, soap and water is all you need to clean them. If you have clear coated wheels, you should also wax them. Wax helps to fill-in/seal surface imperfections that keeps dirt and other crap from building up.

For Clay bars, I feel once a month is too often. I tend to go for once every 6 months followed by a good polish and wax.

wcgman

And as you're not familiar with living in cold weather, be careful about washing your car before cold temps roll in. You CAN freeze your doors and windows shut but washing it and then letting it cool and freeze. I've seen that happen at the car wash before! lol

dcarlinf1

Early Spring I use Dawn to get the car really clean. Then Turtlewax ICE soap the rest of the year. Turtlewax ICE wax (when I wax, maybe twice per year). Turtlewax ICE spray on touch up (once in a while). Clay bar (once per year, maybe). Meguairs Hot Shine tire spray every time. I avoid the car washes. But I go thru a touchless one in the winter some times if there is a lot of salt on the car.

dkpGTCS

Best purchase I did was a foam cannon. Soak it down and then go over with a soft wash pad from Adams. Rinse and then I use an air compressor with a small tip to blow air out of the tight areas and wheels. I try to limit how much I use any towels for drying. The air compressor is my cheaper version of the Master Blaster.

Regarding claying - after you wash the car and it is still wet, but your hand in a plastic grocery bag and use your finger tips to lightly feel your car. The plastic bag amplifies the grit still left on your car that a clay would get rid of. Clay if needed and repeat. If the car is smooth then there is no reason to waste time claying. Personally I have found 6 months is good.

Check out Adams and Chemical guy products if you want to pamper your ride. For washing and polishing tips check out Junkman on YouTube. That guy knows how to shine a ride & while long he has really good tips.

ghunt

Honestly, I'm lazy. I got a brush wand thing (the kind you can hook a hose up to, and put soap in it) a couple years ago, and it works very well (and saves me a ton of money over the car wash), but it's starting to leak all over the place and is probably gonna need replaced. It also never worked super well (put too much water through vs. soap).

Anyway I generally spray the car down, wash it with the brush wand, hose it off, squeegee the car off, and clean the wheels if they need it. That's about it. I haven't waxed the car since I bought it. I know I probably should but God, do I hate doing it.

jRaskell

I stay away from all forms of car washes as much as possible and only wash my car by hand. I do use a high quality wash mitt and I also use the double bucket method. 1 bucket with soapy water for the wash part, and the second bucket is just rinse water.

I drive my car year round. It's not just my primary means of transportation, it's my only one. In the late spring, it gets a full detail to take care of the winter grime. It also gets a thorough undercarriage check for signs of rust. Any signs get hit with POR-15. In the late fall, it gets a double waxing to help protect it as much as possible through the winter.

I drove a Trans Am year round for over a decade till I traded it in for the Mustang this spring. When I traded it in, the body was still in excellent condition. Underbody had 2 small spots of POR applied (smaller than a quarter). I was just getting tired of the constant electrical and mechanical issues that were cropping up with increased regularity.

whosniffedme

Depends on if I have time to detail it, but typically...

1. Soap/water bucket, grab a fiber sponge

2. Hose it down

3. Work from top to bottom, front to back hosing about 3 or 4 times inbetween

4. Apply rim cleaner

5. Hose it all down and clean with a shammy, once again top to bottom.


If I have time to detail it, then we're talking steel polish, glass cleaner, clay bar, wax, Armor All the plastics, tire wet the tires.

You don't even want me to go into depth with the interior, that's a whole regiment of stuff.

05xrunner

Sheesh ALOT of scary things posted about washing a car. Hate to see some of those paints
what i use to maintain my cars..if I tried to type everything out it would probably be way way way to long for anyone to wanna read