[nullptr]

I live in a condominium complex where they don't allow us to wash our cars ... something about drainage or something ... anyways, I'd like to just ignore the rule but I've already been warned twice about it. So I want to hear what you folks in the same situation do.

Right now, I take it to a coin-op place every once in a while, but it's expensive and I don't tend to get a very good cleaning done. I don't want to go through an automatic car wash either. I wash it at my 'rents whenever I get a chance, but I'm only out there every few weeks or so. What other options am I missing?

 

[carpenterm]

Go to a coin-op more often, they aren't that expensive

 

[BGReddy00]

when i was in VA there was places you could do it yourself with quarters but i take it to this brushless carwash oince a week in florida and its only 7 bucks and looks just as good....

 

[fuschnicken]

Don't drive your car in the rain. j/p I think your only option is taking it to the local DIY coin wash. I would not take it through a car wash, unless you don't care about your paint.

 

[ssutisna]

Not supposed to wash car in my ex appartment...

But since it's so expensive to wash car outside, and since I love washing my own car, I had to bring bucket of water up and down the appartment and the garage...takes awhile...but hey, what to do?

 

[AMB]

Same Boat

I'm having the same issues! Moved to SF in a large apartment complex with no wash bay. (What's up with that!) And I used to hand wash my car once a week back in Minneapolis and it was spotless. Now I'm out here and I have to use these crummy Coin Ops or let someone else wash my car for +20 bucks and it never gets totally clean! So frustrating! Not to mention all the door dings and steep driveways scraping up my car... I'm about to give up! Also had some A-hole back into my car parallel parking or something so that's a total MOD killer since I'll have to drop $500 deposit on fixing it (no I didn't catch him doing it) Needs a complete new hood for a small dent above the left kidney grille. THE FRUSTRATIONS OF OWNING A NICE CAR! :banghead:

...sorry, had to vent. Feel better now... ok, not really.

I think I'll try ssutisna's bucket routine until someone complains.

 

[PHAHEEM]

Aahh...the benefits of living at home...I can wash/wax my car daily if I wanted to! But I feel your guys' pain, I know I'll be in the same situation when I move out. I'd just take it to the coin-op DIY as often as possible. :dunno:

 

[withdrew]

get the best wax you can buy (zymol or zaino)
wash your whip really well
give your car a really good waxing (at least 2 coats)
this will protect it
this way you can wash it less frequently

you really don't have many options. i don't trust anyone to wash my car...machine NO! even hand-wash NO!

i'd rather go longer intervals between washings than let somebody fu*k up my paint job.

 

[simsima325]

:sad: i hate myself for it, but i take my car to an expencive automatic wash in the winter. call me a pussi but its too damn cold here, not gonna freeze my nutz off, or live with dirty car. car still has Zymol on it from summer, as soon as its warm again she will get a good 8hr cleaning session, claybar, wax, the works :thumbup:

-brendan

 

[Grey330ci]

Right now I live in a Condo and I'm in the same situation. It's a good thing my folks only live about 10 minutes from where I am and they have a 4 car garage. I wash my car on the driveway and wax all day long in their warm garage during winter. I have all my car wash stuff in their garage. BTW, would anyone recommend using an orbital buffer to wax ? Or should I just do it by hand?

 

[beauport]

get the best wax you can buy (zymol or zaino)
wash your whip really well
give your car a really good waxing (at least 2 coats)
this will protect it
this way you can wash it less frequently

you really don't have many options. i don't trust anyone to wash my car...machine NO! even hand-wash NO!

i'd rather go longer intervals between washings than let somebody fu*k up my paint job.

Good advice! And I do basically the same . Trust a $30-40K car to a machine or a human making $6/hr? No thanks.

 

[vinnymac]

Do you know anyone with a house and garden hose? I know it's a pain but it sure beats a dirty car.

 

[sanman10535]

Right now I live in a Condo and I'm in the same situation. It's a good thing my folks only live about 10 minutes from where I am and they have a 4 car garage. I wash my car on the driveway and wax all day long in their warm garage during winter. I have all my car wash stuff in their garage. BTW, would anyone recommend using an orbital buffer to wax ? Or should I just do it by hand?

Do it by hand:thumbup:

 

[PowerDrift]

when i was in VA there was places you could do it yourself with quarters but i take it to this brushless carwash oince a week in florida and its only 7 bucks and looks just as good....

The chemicals they use at those brushless carwashes are EXTREMELY harsh on you paint. Give it a few years of "brushless" washes and your paint will start to get dull. Oh, and in many cases, they will damage the finish on your wheels. :thumbdwn:

 

[dsifer]

i live in ny an its real cold so to the car wash it is,anyway by the time the paint gets messed up i'll already be in my 5series or 7 so no freezing 4 me............................i had a honda an used to go in in out of car washes all the time an it never screwed up the finish so theres no way bmw paint will fade or get ugly lookin cause the bmw paint is much better... i would think

 

[Ed328ci]

What about hand wash car washes?

Ed

 

[nullptr]

Sounds like a great idea ... don't know of any around here though (Seattle
area). I would definitely pay $5 to rent a heated, well lit stall with a
hose for 30 minutes. Hmm, maybe I should open one up

What about hand wash car washes?

Ed

 

[TalaKiss_Mwa]

automatic wash man

 

[PowerDrift]

i live in ny an its real cold so to the car wash it is,anyway by the time the paint gets messed up i'll already be in my 5series or 7 so no freezing 4 me............................i had a honda an used to go in in out of car washes all the time an it never screwed up the finish so theres no way bmw paint will fade or get ugly lookin cause the bmw paint is much better... i would think

With a white car, the fine hair line scratches are barely noticeable but on a black car, you'll have swirls galore. There plenty of places that will hand wash your car here even in the dead of winter, so not a problem for me.

 

[AMB]

Sounds like a great idea ... don't know of any around here though (Seattle
area). I would definitely pay $5 to rent a heated, well lit stall with a
hose for 30 minutes. Hmm, maybe I should open one up

Are there any of these in the Bay Area? :dunno: