Car Washing...what are your tips and tricks

[Volund]

Thanks! I think it was you that recommended those pink edgeless microfiber towels? They’re great. It’s funny my cleaning regimen has changed a lot since I got the car, now I mostly just wash with ONR, only break out the pressure washer/foam cannon every 6 weeks or so.

What's ONR?

 

[hmp10]

What's ONR?

Optimum No Rinse (same people who make Opti-Coat ceramic coating)?

 

[hmp10]

I find a far spot in a parking lot that doesn't have any or many cars parked there, and I park like an a$$---- and take two spots.

I get the reason for doing this, but be careful. This has caused more than one car to get keyed by people who take umbrage at the practice.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

What's ONR?

Yeah optimum no rinse. 1oz in 2 gallons H20 is good for the whole car. Just wash it with several microfiber towels then dry. It’s fast and looks good and uses way less water than foam cannon/pressure wash .

 

[Volund]

I get the reason for doing this, but be careful. This has caused more than one car to get keyed by people who take umbrage at the practice.

That's true too, parking in public keeps your car exposed, and parking away makes it more prone for damage or people eyeing you.
That's why I really let my DA and SA know about Sentry mode, should be a very big priority imo

 

[hydbob]

That's true too, parking in public keeps your car exposed, and parking away makes it more prone for damage or people eyeing you.
That's why I really let my DA and SA know about Sentry mode, should be a very big priority imo

I treat the car like any car and park my lazy ass in the closest spot I can find. It also means more people get to oggle my car. Win win!

 

[Volund]

Anyone have any gyro dash cams to keep an eye on the car when it senses movement or any bumps?

 

[Volund]

I know I had a wall of text, but can someone address this paragraph:

"I live in Utah where the water is really hard.
I think the manual car washes (with the hoses and you turn the knob to get what you want) have deionizers and stuff to help with the hardness of water, especially on spot free rinse.

I've always done this cycle:
Rinse, soap, wipe it or scrub it with towels to cover every inch, then wax wash, then spot free rinse to get it all off, then the wheel cleaner or acid for the wheels and brakes.

Please someone tell me if this is wrong or how it can be improved, or if I should avoid these all together and just use the rinse and soap and spot free rinse, but do everything else myself through online products that I bring with me to the wash? (if the car wash chemicals are too tough)"

Are these manual car wash stations safe? Or do they use harsh chemicals in their soap or something? Can they be trusted?

 

[davidliu]

Glad I don’t have an OCD and my GT is white. All I do is spend 10 bucks every week and wash it myself.

 

[hydbob]

I know I had a wall of text, but can someone address this paragraph:

"I live in Utah where the water is really hard.
I think the manual car washes (with the hoses and you turn the knob to get what you want) have deionizers and stuff to help with the hardness of water, especially on spot free rinse.

I've always done this cycle:
Rinse, soap, wipe it or scrub it with towels to cover every inch, then wax wash, then spot free rinse to get it all off, then the wheel cleaner or acid for the wheels and brakes.

Please someone tell me if this is wrong or how it can be improved, or if I should avoid these all together and just use the rinse and soap and spot free rinse, but do everything else myself through online products that I bring with me to the wash? (if the car wash chemicals are too tough)"

Are these manual car wash stations safe? Or do they use harsh chemicals in their soap or something? Can they be trusted?

If you get ceramic coating, then you also want to avoid the soaps that have any sort of wax in them as well. I'd say do it yourself, get a ph neutral soap. Rinse, soap, scrub, spot free rinse, dry is all you need.

 

[scharnhorst]

I know I had a wall of text, but can someone address this paragraph:

"I live in Utah where the water is really hard.
I think the manual car washes (with the hoses and you turn the knob to get what you want) have deionizers and stuff to help with the hardness of water, especially on spot free rinse.

I've always done this cycle:
Rinse, soap, wipe it or scrub it with towels to cover every inch, then wax wash, then spot free rinse to get it all off, then the wheel cleaner or acid for the wheels and brakes.

Please someone tell me if this is wrong or how it can be improved, or if I should avoid these all together and just use the rinse and soap and spot free rinse, but do everything else myself through online products that I bring with me to the wash? (if the car wash chemicals are too tough)"

Are these manual car wash stations safe? Or do they use harsh chemicals in their soap or something? Can they be trusted?

They absolutely use harsh chemicals. When i use them it is strictly for the high pressure rinse. I've also tried their deionized water... usually not great.
I'm a convert to the ONR or Mckees 37 rinseless washes. I love the stuff. I have a little foam sprayer, also a bucket with that stuff. Those two things together I can wash a car in about the same time could before using a hose. I also like I can work on a section of the car, clean it, and then stop if something comes up. If you use a hose you need to get it done, no real stopping if you dont want water spots.

My one caveat is, super dirty cars I still think pre rinse with high pressure better than just using rinseless without that step.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

They absolutely use harsh chemicals. When i use them it is strictly for the high pressure rinse. I've also tried their deionized water... usually not great.
I'm a convert to the ONR or Mckees 37 rinseless washes. I love the stuff. I have a little foam sprayer, also a bucket with that stuff. Those two things together I can wash a car in about the same time could before using a hose. I also like I can work on a section of the car, clean it, and then stop if something comes up. If you use a hose you need to get it done, no real stopping if you dont want water spots.

My one caveat is, super dirty cars I still think pre rinse with high pressure better than just using rinseless without that step.

Yeah agree on all counts. ONR is great cuz you’re not foaming the whole car then having to scramble if you get interrupted. But if the car is filthy then I’ll make time to do proper foam cannon wash, looks better than ONR if you’ve got a lot of crud to get off the car (mine is black so the dirtiness is more noticeable).

 

[Electrified]

Ah too late to edit the post, but I did have one other thing.
For those of you, especially with luxury or expensive cars..
How do you park your car at every day places? Any tips or tricks to make sure my vehicle is always safe, avoiding someone scratching it, opening their doors too close to my car or hitting the car, or even bumping it, etc?

Maybe I'm just being super paranoid, but so many people especially kids obviously don't care and will just open their car doors all the way out even in tight parking and hit your car, I've seen it happen to other people's cars from afar.

What are some recommendations?

Hello Volund, on Saturday I had my GT coated with Ceramic Pro Sport which is a six month to 12 month coating vs my Jag and MB which have
Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra and that's a 9 year coating. My reasons for going with the CPR on the AGT is it's my daily driver which will face much abuse driving in Chicago winter traffic, and there will be times the car will be going to the car wash three times a week, some of those washes will touchless, handwash or soft machine wash, it all depends where I'm at when the car needs a bath.

As far as parking I try to park as far away from others as possible, yesterday I parked in a garage and it was tight getting out of the car but I had no other choice, I have valeted a few times with the AGT and it does get parked up front for display.

Winter has already started.

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Urable is an all-in-one business management application designed for service-based businesses. With a cloud-based infrastructure and dedicated mobile apps, it allows you to run your entire business from multiple devices in real-time.

app.urable.com

 

[Volund]

Hello Volund, on Saturday I had my GT coated with Ceramic Pro Sport which is a six month to 12 month coating vs my Jag and MB which have
Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra and that's a 9 year coating. My reasons for going with the CPR on the AGT is it's my daily driver which will face much abuse driving in Chicago winter traffic, and there will be times the car will be going to the car wash three times a week, some of those washes will touchless, handwash or soft machine wash, it all depends where I'm at when the car needs a bath.

As far as parking I try to park as far away from others as possible, yesterday I parked in a garage and it was tight getting out of the car but I had no other choice, I have valeted a few times with the AGT and it does get parked up front for display.

Winter has already started.
View attachment 6791

Urable

Urable is an all-in-one business management application designed for service-based businesses. With a cloud-based infrastructure and dedicated mobile apps, it allows you to run your entire business from multiple devices in real-time.

app.urable.com

Urable

Urable is an all-in-one business management application designed for service-based businesses. With a cloud-based infrastructure and dedicated mobile apps, it allows you to run your entire business from multiple devices in real-time.

app.urable.com

Thank you, I will keep those in mind, and look for the coating.

You don't have PPF just Ceramic Coating? Or full PPF as well?

And I'm glad you have a Zenith Red one too, that's mine as well and so it helps to see how winter affects the specific color

 

[Electrified]

Thank you, I will keep those in mind, and look for the coating.

You don't have PPF just Ceramic Coating? Or full PPF as well?

And I'm glad you have a Zenith Red one too, that's mine as well and so it helps to see how winter affects the specific color

No PPF, just ceramic. I figure for the price of PPF I can have a hood painted twice, and I think a chip or two gives a car character

 

[Volund]

Anyone have any tips for making it across the country while maintaining the exterior of the car? Especially with no ppf or ceramics until I get back home to meet my appointment and get in with my detailer. Until then, I'll have to probably hit up local car washes along my trip.

I'll probably take some micro fiber towels with me as well as rinse and soap every 500 miles or so to get rid of bug splatter

 

[hydbob]

Anyone have any tips for making it across the country while maintaining the exterior of the car? Especially with no ppf or ceramics until I get back home to meet my appointment and get in with my detailer. Until then, I'll have to probably hit up local car washes along my trip.

I'll probably take some micro fiber towels with me as well as rinse and soap every 500 miles or so to get rid of bug splatter

If you don't mind the look, throw a track wrap on the front surfaces

 

[Volund]

If you don't mind the look, throw a track wrap on the front surfaces

That is an excellent idea and just overnighted me some Track Wrap 3M PPF and Squeegees, I can take it with me on the flight and apply it before I take off.
great suggestion! Only like $30

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

Anyone have any tips for making it across the country while maintaining the exterior of the car? Especially with no ppf or ceramics until I get back home to meet my appointment and get in with my detailer. Until then, I'll have to probably hit up local car washes along my trip.

I'll probably take some micro fiber towels with me as well as rinse and soap every 500 miles or so to get rid of bug splatter

I must have been lucky, car arrived with finish in tact.

I did hand wash it in Denver.

 

[Volund]

I must have been lucky, car arrived with finish in tact.

I did hand wash it in Denver.

I'm flying out to get mine used, so he's already put like 2k miles on it, so that's why I'm being paranoid. Originally I was going to have my Touring delivered directly to my detailer for a full body PPF lol