Harry L

My car is my daily driver and, even though it is garaged both at home and at my office, I wash it once a week.

I just met a detailer who works primarily on vintage Porsches and Ferraris, etc. - i.e., very collectible/valuable vehicles.

He inspected my finish and said that it is arguably in the "excellent" category.

However, he expressed a view that I have heard others express: Unless your car gets really dirty (e.g., after you have driven it in the rain), you should not use the traditional hose/bucket method to wash your car, but, instead should use Griot's Speedshine or Spray-On Car Wash (or perhaps a similar waterless cleaner) - the theory being that you will introduce fewer (if any) scratches and avoid rust and other issues associated with using water.

So the question is this: How many of you have gone "waterless"?

I'm not sure that I can do it, but I would love to hear the RL consensus.

Thanks.

Harry

P-daddy

Since I only drive on nice days, meaning no rain, the car doesn't get dirty. I use California duster to remove road dust, then Speed Shine or Quick Detailer Spray periodically. Polish and wax 2x/yr.

Harry L

...and your car looks spectacular. Food for thought. Anyone else?

Ed Hughes

I use spray on detailer when needed to get the odd goop off-usually my dog getting slobber on the car when he walks past it (), but the California Duster is used every time I drive it-Midnight Blue is a beyotch. I maybe wash with water every 2 or 3months. My 911 hasn't been washed since late last year, and she is quite shiny.

vincer77

I have not gone completely waterless, but I do not "wash" my car more than once every couple of months. I use a Callifornia Duster (still not sure if this is good or not) to keep the dust off and I use detail spray about once a week. The waterless is good, but the car does seem to sparkle more after a good traditional wash.

Quadcammer

wash the car maybe 3 or 4 times a year. rest of the time its duster and quick detailer.

P-daddy

It's not the quick detail, Ed. It's the enzymatic action of the slobber that makes Ruby shine

Ed Hughes

Maybe you're on to something? He drools enough, I can bottle it in quantity.

Ed Burdell

I wash mine about twice a month with water. I'll do the detailer too if I'm waxing (about 1-2 time a year), or if I need a clean car but don't have the time to do the hose and bucket routine (or if it's raining outside). I make sure to lift the corners of the front and rear window seals to get excess water out. I've only polished it once - it's long overdue for another, but it looks pretty sharp as it is.

Steve 96C4S

Wow, I've never even heard of the methods you guys are describing. My car gets dirty as sh*t (pun intended) driving it here in Maryland with the rain, dust, pollen, etc. I am VERY lazy so I clean it with just water most of the time. I spray it with a hose with my finger over the end to get a spray, then I just let the hose slowly dribble water over the car when I'm done so spots don't form and more water gets off. Then I wipe it with a towel and that's it. Sometimes I'll wax it - usually twice a year. Sometimes, if it's been a while, I'll use a bucket of soapy water instead of just rinsing it with a hose.

Yeah, I know. It's not suggested to do it this way but I get compliments on the car all the time and I can't see swirls marks on it, primarily since it's silver - the ultimate hider of swirl marks.

tommyg

Optimum No Rinse

Leejai

Quick Detail after most drives (once she cools down a bit). Wash 3x a year when I'm reapplying wax/sealant. I do use Sonax on the wheels and hose them down every other week though. Some reason they get dusty fast.

Bearclaw

I recently went to a demo session with the PCA local at Griot's HQ in Tacoma, WA. They pulled in a volunteer's Midnight Blue 993 as a test subject for the paint correction demo. It had been raining off and on that morning and the car had some road film on it, most seriously on the lower aft. The detailer started out by saying that municipal restrictions did not allow them to wash any cars on site, so they would be using spray wash. My initial reaction was, "????!!!!!". Seemed like it worked fine, but they only did the hood and upper fenders, and later, the upper part of the rear flanks. They did not do the heavier-soiled lower sections, and I don't recall whether they said it would be inadvisable and avoided that area, or they just weren't working on that section. I remember thinking, "I certainly wouldn't try that".
I only use my car on nice weekends, it's covered in the garage and has a heavy coat of Zaino on it. Of course, I wouldn't re-cover it without washing. I'm a two-bucket-wash guy (looked into the 'pure-water' systems - Griot's sells those too - but can't justify the cost), and it will be hard for me to change my ways without a lot of convincing, but I do see the advantages of the spray wash. If you're into the 'garage queen' mentality, then the less water on the car the better - it's not a boat. They did convince me that day to can my 'Absorber' fake chamois. They sell proprietary waffle-pattern drying towels that have a lot less potential to scratch.

No HTwo O

I wash each car about once per month. Each car sees about 2 drives and over 700 miles each month. No rain. Garage kept. My front end, mirrors, and windows (windshield gets cleaned before each drive) are always splatered with bugs. If it were not for the bug splatter, my cars are spotless, and would not need washing for a couple months.

I use a bunch of water. One bucket of soapy water for the wheels, one bucket for the car's lower half, and the 3rd and final bucket for the top half and once again all over wash. I use a foam cannon too. The water supply from my garage also has hot water. Great for those spring and fall time cleanings when it is chilly/cold outside.

Dry about 95% with a leaf blower and finish with a quality waffle weave drying towel. Next day, after fully dry, I Spray Wax Quick Detail with Adams. And usually reapply RejeX wax to front bumper and mirrors (bugs come off easier). My car wash routine, start to finish, tools/supplies out and then put away, is right about 2 hours. I'm in no hurry, and enjoy the process.

A couple times per driving season, I pull the wheels off to get the barrels, calipers, and wheel well liners & area.

I condition the leather 1 or 2 times per year.

Prior to winter hibernation, I do a full wheels off, inside & outside, Concours quality job. Takes over 40 man hours. Working a few hours, here & there, over a 2 week period.

NP993

I wash my car once every few months. The rest of the time it's pretty dirty.