96redLT4

Alex's concours winning thread below got me thinking....I'm always curious what other folks do to keep their cars nice. Do you wash your car every time you drive it? I have this theory that doing that is hard on the clear coat/ paint, but maybe I'm just lazy. I always try to use a quick detailer or similar to wipe the bug splatter, bird dropping etc. Sometimes I'll wipe down the wheels with an armor all wash wipe. I find I don't really wash my car that often. Here in Kalifornia the water police freak out when they see people washing cars, especially if you do it often. I'm curious what others do?

Jim

Carrera2RS

I wash once a week or every other week.

pressure wash>snow foam with agitation using soft brush>rinse>2 bucket wash- lambswool pad>rinse>towel dry> detail spray with very soft cloth

whiteducktail

Once a week, I use Optimum rinse-less wash/wax on the car and wheels. Requires 1.5 gallons of water and 30 minutes (plus 0.5 gallons water and 5 min to wash mitt and bucket/screen).

Penn4S

I wash usually once a week depending on the weather and if the car is gritty.
I spray the whole car down first and try to get all of the loose dirt and grime off. I use a 2 bucket method, one with a high quality soap and the other for rinsing the mitt. I have a foam canon filled with Gyeon foam shampoo. I canon one section of the car at a time with a healthy amount of foam and wash with a micro mitt. When done I spray the car with Gyeon Wet Coat and Power wash off. Dry it quickly and blow out all of the seams. Have PCCB's só wheels are a breeze.
I drive it daily until the snow flies.

LexVan

After every drive, I clean the windshield, since that's what I see the most. Vacuum the Porsche rubber floor mat, and wipe down quickly with very diluted Simple Green and a wet rag. Sticky roller the cabriolet.

With the CQuartz Pro on the paint, and Armor All Outlast on the wheels, the car stays amazing clean for very long stretches of time. Last year, in over 12,000 miles from March till October, I washed the car about 4 times, and the detailer washed it once.

But I do go through a crap ton of home-made glass cleaner (1 part denatured alcohol to two parts distilled water).

Often times I get into a quandary, the car is starting to get pretty dirty, and I'm getting ready for another +1,200 mile road-trip. So why wash it, just to get it all dirty again from another long drive?

The Fat Kid

Gary JR

Me too but Optima wash/shine not wax in 10 minutes. Ceramic Pro coatings make it easy.

alex_c

I try to wash it every week. I take it as part of my exercise/relax routine right after running 10K.

I do the wheels first with Sonax and wheel woollies.

Then I rinse the whole car and use a foam cannon with Wolfgang's car wash for the roof and glass, and a very soft lambs wool mitt. Always keeping the movement of the mitt in one direction (front to back).

Then I do the hood the same way. For the bumper and lower sides I use a different micro fiber mitt and a different bucket.

Finally I do the sides and the back of the car.

Rinse and drive into garage, where I blow dry it using a 120 MPH electric blower. With PPF and ceramic coating the water just flies off the car!

Then I go over each wheel to clean any rust spots that may have dropped from the rotors. Going to start using Hyde's serum to see if that solves that problem.

Finally I spray it with Wolfgang's rinseless carwash diluted to be used as detailer spray and apply it with a waffle-weave microfiber towel.

I only clean the interior every other week as it is normally spotless, with Chemical guys leather cleaner (for the leather) and Dr. Beasley's leather cream. Then use Nextzett matte Cockpit Cleanner for the rest of the areas. Love that it leaves them looking like new, not shiny at all.

Finally vacuum the interior. And go clean over the glass.

Doug H

DaveGee

subshooter

I drive my car 4 times a day so if I were to wash it after every drive, I'd be living at a car wash.

I'm not a museum guy and while I do get pleasure out of looking at my car, I prefer to get enjoyment from my other senses..... to drive it, feel it, hear it. I haven't washed my car in over a 1000 miles......that's been about 3 weeks now. It does need a bath.

To each his own.....I'm glad we are all different.

LexVan

Just these, not the car you silly Gee:

911boy

I wash min twice a week. Spray, foam, 2 buckets etc.Mostly Chemical guys stuff. Angelwax on wheels. Neighbors think I'm nuts but I find it relaxing. Spent about 90 mins last night and will again Thursday. I love looking through perfectly clear windows and at clean wheels and dressed tires. Sometimes i go to U do it wash and air dry on highway between 90 min washes. I may have a problem.....................

vodkag

i prob wash the car every 2 or 3 weeks since i dont drive it much. hose down meguiar's wash and wax. then a spray detail wax Zymol.

full clay bar and wax every year or less depends on the condition. I use a Japanese product called Soft 99 for wax. Been using them for about 20 years with great results.

CSK 911 C4S

I'm in this group.

I did find a nice touchless automatic in town I use when I need a quick clean or after a good run when I have a spattering of dead bugs.