I got my car(5 year coat) and wheels(3 year coat) professionally ceramic coated, which helps.

For quick washes I usually just hit up a local touchless wash. When its nicer outside I prefer to do hand washes, and get around to it every 2 weeks unless I am really busy. If my car gets dirty between I just hit the touchless wash, or spot wash for things like bird poo. I like to hit the wheels every weekend just because brake dust(especially on the front wheels), but the ceramic coat makes cleaning them a breeze.
Every 3ish months I do a hand wash and detail with the brand of my ceramic coats maintainer.

I stopped using touch car washes after some exceptionally bad micro swirling on my Focus years ago. I have never had an issue with touchless washes. The thing about touchless washes, is if you have really bad goop, bugs, poop, ect, it won't get it all off, so you are best to do a quick prewash/rinse by hand on the affected areas even if you don't want to do a full wash by hand.

 

I try to hand wash as much as I can, using a foam cannon, grit guard, ceramic wax, all that good stuff. Eventually something stupid happens to my car cosmetically and I give up lol. Last week my front end got absolutely ruined by an oncoming truck dropping road salt. Now my car is all full of chips and scratches so I'll probably take it through automatic washes more often because it looks horrible.

But when I get a new car I try to touch it as little as I can. I give it one good wash, clay, and protect it as much as I can. Then just do touchless washes for light dust and hand wash for tougher messes.

 

Agreed. Take care of it the best that you can but it is a car that lives in the wild so don't expect it to stay perfect forever.
I baby mine and 2 at least 2 full wash/clay/graphene wax/rain x/ under hood and door jamb clean and wax, spray under the car, etc each year, spring and fall. Otherwise, during nice weather wash every other weekend, wipe all painted parts in door jambs, trunk and under hood. Interior gets vacuumed often.
Then, winter hits and all bets are off. Road salt getting pelted at the car when parked or driving on roads/highways, scraping snow/ice off the car, salt and dirt debris covering every possible part of the exterior. The abuse the exterior takes in the winter is insane vs what happens the rest of the year. I rarely bring it through an automated wash, in fact I have not yet in 1 year/20k miles but I have almost no hesitation in doing so based on how bad the car takes a beating in the winter, it can handle the swirling brushes, a scraping snow brush as your concern for the paint finish drops to a lower level of care vs getting as much snow/ice off the car while swearing at how much of a pain it is to do this, especially in the dark, early AM, freezing cold. With some of the more ice than snow storms we have seen recently, I am out in the driveway or parking lot banging my hand or snow brush to flex the body panel enough to let the ice layer crack. Oh, and under that ice layer is weeks of salt/dirt/road grime. AAAAhhhhhhh! Spring will be here soon.

Here it is, nice and washed on a warm winter day on a Saturday, first wash since around Christmas. Snow fell for 24 hours (not a ton of accumulation, only around 8") starting later that evening and by Monday when I drove it, covered in salt and a lot of dirt that is hard to see all over the front end. At least the white color helps hide a lot of the salt. When I had black cars in the past, it was impossible to keep it clean looking all winter.

 

The car washes will eventually put swirls and marks in your clear coat. Also sometimes they can contribute to loosening or breaking parts like the shark fin antenna, spoiler, mirrors etc.

I hand wash and use a foam gun, 2 buckets of clean water and sponges or mitts. hose the car, foam the car, scrub with sponge and rinse the sponge in the 2 buckets, first to get the main dirt out of the sponge and second bucket to be sure. This was it is not likely you will be wiping a dirty sponge on your cars finish

Also every 2nd or 3rd wash I use the Mothers Speed Clay with the foam gun

Speed® Clay 2.0

Mothers® Speed® Clay 2.0 is our fastest, most durable and versatile paint restoration and surface prep tool yet. This next generation contaminant removal process is so quick and easy, it’s as simple as washing or spray waxing your way to a perfectly clean, smooth and restored paint surface...

mothers.com

Ive also started to use Maguire's wet spray ceramic coat after each wash before the final rinse.

Its all fast and easy, 15-20 minutes to do my 2017 Sonata

 

We don't get much snow here in the Pacific Northwest lowlands and in Seattle they use anti-freeze chemicals rather than salt/sand on the roads. I usually hand wash using a Gilmour Foamaster II Foamaster II Cleaning Sprayer (Adjustable multi-ratio) - Gilmour and the "two bucket" method with The Rag Company microfiber products. Use P&A Brake Buster Brake Buster Total Wheel Cleaner – P & S Detail Products (psdetailproducts.com) to clean wheels and tires. I use Meguiar's Ceramic Wax for my paint protection Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax – Easy to Use Ceramic Wax Protection - G190526, 26 oz | Meguiar's (meguiars.com) I use my cordless leaf blower to do a final air dry of the wheels and vertical surfaces
I never ever subject my car's paint to a bush or brushless car wash. My local detailer, Dr Buff Dr. Buff Car Wash & Detailing Services - Dr. Buff (drbuffdetail.com) does a hand wash including wheels and air drying for $30.

 

Does the ceramic wax actually make a difference? How often do you apply?

 

I applied a ceramic coat myself soon after getting my car (early 2020). Pandemic had it sitting in the garage 90% of the week for over a year - working remotely - still barely use it. But - it does collect a lot of dust so I take it down to the automated car wash every 10 days or so. I hear that they can cause issues but I've never noticed any. Washing it in the driveway is discouraged here (but legal).

 

i checked into the ceramic. huge cost, like 5k for everything. then, it has to be redone yearly. i also bought a power washer, foam cannon, undercarriage sprayer, special brushes, and some other stuff. used it all twice. now i just take the car to the carwash, get the 7 dollar wash/dry. after the wash, i park it, and wipe it down, then go home, and zaino. i cant see any scratches. touchless will not remove a lot of the oils and other bad stuff you get on the car, especially if you drive it a lot. the best thing to keep your car clean? enclosed garage

 

Someone was trying to take you for a lot of money.

All said and done, three year coat on the wheels and 5 year coat on the car ran me $1500 USD, highest quote I got from another shop was $2300. The length of the coat is how long they are warrantied for, and part of why they do cost more than a standard detail. I have had a three year coat still bead water after 5 years with just washing and the maintenance spray a couple of times a year, though I usually just get it redone upon warranty expiration.

Ceramic coating just adds a long term sacrificial layer to the top coat that is usually far harder and thus harder to scratch(mainly pertaining to micro swirls rather than someone coming at your car with a key, the coatings are still only a thin layer), the SB3 on mine rates at 9H. It won't save you from rock chips and big scratches, or impacts, but I have had a few scratches that didn't go through the ceramic and saved my paint. If you want more paint protection than semi-permanent wax replacement PPF is the way to go.

 

i got quotes from 5 places. all about the same. even each wheel is 150. but cars are garaged. i like to polish them, got 2 da polishers, griot and ryobi. i still like zaino. it takes me a couple of days to do one car, but i take my time, and generally apply 2x. the big difference for me is heated/cooled garage, i can take my time. and i do

 

I never ever do one of them car washes! I kinda baby all my cars and hand wash them BUT again, I am in South Florida and it snows very little here ! Just kidding , of course.

 

It also helps to own a garage... Use that stuff for the polycarbonate headlamps (federal law allows no glass) 5x a year to keep headlights and tails from getting cloudy. Contrary to what you might hear, there is no medicine like prevention. Once those clouds form, your headlights look like crap. My 2013 headlamps look brand new.

 

yah, i can remember way back when i got out of the army, i bought a datsun 510. back then, it was datsun, not nissan. i used to wash/wax every week. then, my folks hired this old japanese guy to build a cinderblock wall. he had a datsun pickup, red, and it looked terrible. one day, i said to him, you need to wash your truck. his response? "i no wash truck. i paint em" he would get a can of red spray paint, and spray the dirty parts of the truck. i could see the chunks of dirt, now red, tires were red, some of the glass was red. parts of the chrome bumpers were, you guessed it. red. canvas tarp in the back, red. and, from a distance, it actually looked ok

 

I thought you told me they kicked you out because you were such a poor shot you couldn’t hit the side of a barn 10 feet away…..

 

My process is as follows:

• Ceramic coated using Turtle Wax Ceramic Spray Coating
• Wash at least twice a week
• During maintenance wash:
  • clean wheels/tires first
  • hose down car with pressure washer
  • foam car, let sit 3-5 minutes
  • spray off foam
  • foam again and perform a contact wash (i use 6 different wash mitts so that i don't have to worry about two bucket method..use each side, then move on to next sponge when soiled enough)
  • Dry using microfiber drying towel and Turtle Wax Wet Ceramic spray as drying aid
  • Every 6 months, check hydrofobicity (sp?) and use iron remover

 

My process is as follows:

• Ceramic coated using Turtle Wax Ceramic Spray Coating
• Wash at least twice a week
• During maintenance wash:
  • clean wheels/tires first
  • hose down car with pressure washer
  • foam car, let sit 3-5 minutes
  • spray off foam
  • foam again and perform a contact wash (i use 6 different wash mitts so that i don't have to worry about two bucket method..use each side, then move on to next sponge when soiled enough)
  • Dry using microfiber drying towel and Turtle Wax Wet Ceramic spray as drying aid
  • Every 6 months, check hydrofobicity (sp?) and use iron remover

I should add the iron remover to my rotation. I had a lot of yellow/orange spots on my old white Sonata, haven't seen them yet on this one, or just haven't looked close enough yet. Clay alone wouldn't take care of them all. I will check the next time I wash. Maybe the graphene turtle wax spray helps to keep it at bay.

 

I love my car very much, and that's why I don't trust people who work at the car wash.

I used to work at an automatic wash. Used to do pre-scrubs before you enter the tunnel and hand dry when you got out. Boy I could install swirls and scratches like no other!

My record was 950 cars in one day lol.

 

Any lazy guys in here want to share their experiences? I am realistically never going to hand wash my vehicle (apartment life, eh).

Had the rig 3 weeks now and haven't washed it, been tons of snow and salt so I probably need to get to it. I'm guessing touchless car washes are my best bet?

Anyone see an issue with this plan?:
Every 2-3 weeks run through a touchless car wash
Every 3 months take it in for a mid-range $200-250 detail
Every spring take it in for a full detail $300-400

My last car had never been detailed or hand washed and went through a car wash maybe 2-3 times a year at best. But it was a cheapo car.

Also.. ceramic coating.. I wish. Probably would work well with how often I plan to clean my rig, but the cheapest quote I've had so far was $3000 or so.. not sure I can justify it.

 

Any lazy guys in here want to share their experiences? I am realistically never going to hand wash my vehicle (apartment life, eh).

Had the rig 3 weeks now and haven't washed it, been tons of snow and salt so I probably need to get to it. I'm guessing touchless car washes are my best bet?

Anyone see an issue with this plan?:
Every 2-3 weeks run through a touchless car wash
Every 3 months take it in for a mid-range $200-250 detail
Every spring take it in for a full detail $300-400

My last car had never been detailed or hand washed and went through a car wash maybe 2-3 times a year at best. But it was a cheapo car.

Also.. ceramic coating.. I wish. Probably would work well with how often I plan to clean my rig, but the cheapest quote I've had so far was $3000 or so.. not sure I can justify it.

Haha this is what I’m looking for, I’m too lazy to hand wash 😜

 

Wow, you guys wore me out just reading everything you're doing to your rides. Had to go sack out on the couch for a couple of hours just to be able to finish reading this thread.

 

As far as I'm concerned, I had it ceramic coated when I got it.

And this is the reason that God invented Starving College Students! Got a lot of them in the neighborhood that will work for food!

 

For those of us that DIY car wash be aware that the thin rubber gasket that runs along the rocker panel is a dirt catcher. Did a wash yesterday and ran my yellow drying cloth along the underside if this gasket and it came back dirty black.

 

Good to know, thanks! i think if you have a pressure washer that should work, otherwise a boar's hair brush should be able to get majority of the dirt out!

 

Well, fellow lazy people. I have landed on a solution to keep my car snazzy while not hand washing my car every dang week.

I've got a spot applying some Gtechniq's Crystal Serum Ultra ceramic coating (9 year warranty) and then doing a layer of their EXOv4 hydrophobic coating on top of it. Running me about $1800 all in.
In theory, this means I shouldn't feel as bad taking the car through a TOUCHLESS wash maybe every couple of weeks or so, and then in 2 times a year for a decent detailing job alongside a once a year check-in on the ceramic coating.

It was a little pricey, but I feel like I'll be saving money vs. weekly washes and all that jazz. Will let you all know how it goes!

 

I forgot where I read it, but they said it’s recommended to select the lowest option wash at the automated washes as the higher ones are not PH neutral and can possibly eat away at your coatings.

 

I watch Pan the Organizer on YouTube. He has great tips on products and techniques.
I got a ceramic coating on my 2021 Elantra Hybrid Limited and the guy told me NOT to use a car wash but hand wash it at least every two weeks. I also saw on line when you use your wash mit you wipe front to rear not in a circular motion or a side to side motion. He explained that’s how dirt goes on your car and it helps against getting scratches.
Get a good microfiber mit and towels it’s best for your paint. There is a specific way to wash microfiber too.
Watch the videos it will help.
Congradulations on the new car!

 

I watch Pan the Organizer on YouTube. He has great tips on products and techniques.
I got a ceramic coating on my 2021 Elantra Hybrid Limited and the guy told me NOT to use a car wash but hand wash it at least every two weeks. I also saw on line when you use your wash mit you wipe front to rear not in a circular motion or a side to side motion. He explained that’s how dirt goes on your car and it helps against getting scratches.
Get a good microfiber mit and towels it’s best for your paint. There is a specific way to wash microfiber too.
Watch the videos it will help.
Congradulations on the new car!

I'm a big Pan the Organizer fan too. He must be doing well financially with his YouTube channel and product endorsements based on his new Porsche and state of the art garage. In his defense most of his product reviews are not company sponsored.

 

I watch Pan the Organizer on YouTube. He has great tips on products and techniques.
I got a ceramic coating on my 2021 Elantra Hybrid Limited and the guy told me NOT to use a car wash but hand wash it at least every two weeks. I also saw on line when you use your wash mit you wipe front to rear not in a circular motion or a side to side motion. He explained that’s how dirt goes on your car and it helps against getting scratches.
Get a good microfiber mit and towels it’s best for your paint. There is a specific way to wash microfiber too.
Watch the videos it will help.
Congradulations on the new car!

get 6 total microfiber mitts, so that you use once, and toss in dirty bucket. No reason to worry about rubbing dirt from other panels. They're like 2 for $12 on amazon. well worth it.

 

I use the Rag Company Cyclone Ultra mitt Ultra Wash Mitt | The Rag Company also available on Amazon. For many years I used a lambswool mitt by Mary Mobbins Amazon.com: Mary Moppins Pure 100% Lambswool Wash Mitt : Automotive but find the microfiber mitt easier to rinse and keep clean and more absorbent than the lambswool. If you value your paint finish, never use a chamois or a squeegee. Don't ask me how I know

 

I use the Rag Company Cyclone Ultra mitt Ultra Wash Mitt | The Rag Company also available on Amazon. For many years I used a lambswool mitt by Mary Mobbins Amazon.com: Mary Moppins Pure 100% Lambswool Wash Mitt : Automotive but find the microfiber mitt easier to rinse and keep clean and more absorbent than the lambswool. If you value your paint finish, never use a chamois or a squeegee. Don't ask me how I know

Lol, it’s okay, we all gotta learn somehow!