[WDE46]

So ClaytonL mentioned starting a thread about this.

What products/methods/routines do you guys use to wash your cars? Any special tricks for minimizing swirl marks? What products do you NOT recommend? Interior or Exterior things.

I use:

Wash:
Chemical Guys Citrus Wash
Blue Grout Sponge
Stoner's Invisible Glass
Waffle Weave microfiber drying towel

Protect:
303 Aerospace Protectant
Meguiar's #21 Synthetic Sealant

Detail Polish:

Meguiar's #105 and #205 with Orange and White polishing pads (Lake Country) respectively. Only use the cut if you really need it (first detail ever, buffing out a scratch).

Trick:

The only thing I do that most don't seem to use using a rinse bucket and a soap bucket.

Never use a dropped sponge or towel until it has been thoroughly cleaned.

Also, drying and buffing after washing is important for it to look its best.

 

[csa714]

I used "black wow" on my plastic black exterior mirror trim and black rear bumper "insert" and it worked as advertised. Went from faded/weather beaten to like new.

 

[Mango]

http://youtu.be/OEP8NlyVgW8

Exterior

Wash: high-pressure water/spot-free rinse once a week.
Protection: Collinite 845 IW
Maintain: Chemical Guys Hybrid V7

Interior

Clean/condition bi-annually:
Wagner 915 Steam Cleaner
Gliptone
Maintain/protect: 1Z Einszett Cockpit Premium

Engine

Wash: high-pressure water
Stubborn dirt: Wagner 915 Steam Cleaner
Protection: classified

 

[WDE46]

Engine

Wash: high-pressure water
Protection: classified

My bet is on the 303 for protection.

 

[Mango]

My bet is on the 303 for protection.

Nope. The only reason I am not saying what it is because I was asked not to. Otherwise I'd have no problem sharing LOL

 

[WDE46]

Nope. The only reason I am not saying what it is because I was asked not to. Otherwise I'd have no problem sharing LOL

Bacon grease?

 

[HacksawMark]

Wash: high-pressure water
Protection: classified

Nope. The only reason I am not saying what it is because I was asked not to. Otherwise I'd have no problem sharing LOL

I have a security clearance; you could tell me and you wouldn't have to kill me afterwards.....

 

[Mango]

haha! good thread though. i'm sure jake will move it soon

 

[jaymemaurice]

I use turtlewax in my engine bay... seems to work good...

 

[lszlszx]

Exterior: dishwasher liquid

 

[Mango]

Exterior: dishwasher liquid

dishwashing liquid or dishwasher liquid?

 

[Bavaryan]

Mango, on that interior pic I thought you had an auto??

To be honest, I don't do a whole lot special. Use microfiber towels, don't ever let them hit the ground, use a rinse bucket, common sense stuff.

Outside I use meguires NXT wax to protect it(about once a month or so), and bi-annually I will wash with dawn dish soap, clay bar, use some mother's(or meguire's, label has almost all the way worn off) polish that I still have from 8 years ago, and then wax. I use aerospace 303 on the outside trim.

Inside: Aerospace 303 and lexol leather treatment.

I get constant compliments on the car and I must admit it looks damn good for being 11 years old with 150k....

 

[Nerdy46]

wait.... you're supposed to wash it???

 

[Mango]

Mango, on that interior pic I thought you had an auto??

To be honest, I don't do a whole lot special. Use microfiber towels, don't ever let them hit the ground, use a rinse bucket, common sense stuff.

Outside I use meguires NXT wax to protect it(about once a month or so), and bi-annually I will wash with dawn dish soap, clay bar, use some mother's(or meguire's, label has almost all the way worn off) polish that I still have from 8 years ago, and then wax. I use aerospace 303 on the outside trim.

Inside: Aerospace 303 and lexol leather treatment.

I get constant compliments on the car and I must admit it looks damn good for being 11 years old with 150k....

lol why on earth would I have an auto? or what would give you that impression? dafuq? :hmm::hmm::hmm:

 

[ClaytonL]

this is awesome! makes me feel honored! I was going to start one once I got to my laptop but yours is well written and better than I could have started it.
I'll update on my ways once I get home tonight from work.

 

[ClaytonL]

haha! good thread though. i'm sure jake will move it soon

I hope not. more attention here.

 

[Bavaryan]

lol why on earth would I have an auto? or what would give you that impression? dafuq? :hmm::hmm::hmm:

My bad, I was thinking of SolidJake. All of our 02 TiAG 330i's confused me.....

 

[fiveightandten]

Exterior:
-2 bucket method
-Any decent car wash concentrate with wax in it
-Collonite 845 on paint and wheels
-Poorboy's Natty's Paste Wax and EX on paint
-Gummi pflege on window and door seals

Interior:
-Gliptone on the leather once or twice a year
-Einszett Cockpit Premium on the plastics whenever it needs it
-Also use Aero 303 from time to time on plastics
-Bissell little Green proheat with straight water on the carpets once a year. Use small amount of the Bissell detergent on a brush for any stains. Though, there are no beverages allowed in my car outside of water, and I have Weathertech floor liners. So this hasn't been an issue since I got the car.


I do Dawn > clay > car wash > Collonite 845 > Poorboys EX > Natty's paste wax once a year in the spring and follow up with Natty's paste wax throughout the season.

Then in the fall it's Collonite 845. I layer that on to get it through the winter.

 

[ClaytonL]

Outside

Meguiars Gold Class car wash
100% lambswool wash mitt
Two bucket method
Always start with the wheels first and have a separate wash mitt for that
Microfiber towel for drying

Usually protect my car with Chemical Guys v7 hybrid wax every time.
Waxes:
Meguiars NXT for touch-ups every other wash.
Chemical Guys Black Light, Klasse AIO, and Collinite 845 usually twice a year.
About to buy the 3-step Wolfgang waxes and do a full detail with a DA buffer come Spring.

Tires

I usually just clay bar and wax these twice a year when I do my car.
About every month the tires will come off and I'll clean the inside rim and inner fender. (This gives me a time to inspect my car)
Dress my tires with BMW tire shine

Inside

Clean with steam and a wet towel. BMW interior cleaner for real dirty areas.
Second cleaning with Einszett Cockpit Premium.
Protect everything with BMW vinyl care. This includes my seats. Got a bottle of 303 for christmas and have been trying that but only problem is it seems to make a shine. :thumbdwn:
Do the inside every 2 weeks.
Gummi twice a year.
For the glass, I just use a glass towel and water.

Engine

Simple green on engine block
Garden hose wash
Protect with a 60/40 mix of Sonus Trim/Motor Kote and 303.


TRICKS

Always, always, always wash the mitt after every panel.
90% of the time I wash my car at night.
Sonus Trim and Motor Kote or 303 is great for the outside trim that's black, including wiper arms. All cars in Texas heat have faded black plastics so I prevent this with mine.
Water shed with the hose so I do not have to dry the car as much.

My main tip I tell people when washing is, "The devil is in the details." The more time you take washing the nooks and crannies, the better it will look. I've been guilty of spending a good 15 minutes on just the kidney grills.

Friends and family think I'm going crazy when they watch me wash my car.


I wish I had some quality photos but I do not. Just my iPhone ones that I have posted before. One day this month I will take some.

 

[WDE46]

My main tip I tell people when washing is, "The devil is in the details." The more time you take washing the nooks and crannies, the better it will look. I've been guilty of spending a good 15 minutes on just the kidney grills.

Friends and family think I'm going crazy when they watch me wash my car.

I don't understand this about other people who have nice cars. I know plenty that just soap it up, rinse it off, and they think they're done. They don't clean out crevices and all that. I don't get how you can own a nice car and not go down to the small details like wheel grooves and grills. Some people are just plain bad at cleaning too. ELBOW GREASE!