Thought it would be interesting to know whether we washed our cars by hand or used a car wash? Might only apply to coupe owners !

I wash mine by Hand.
Cheers Al

 

You had to title it that way.

Hand wash.

 

always wash mine myself..seen bits of cars in car wash gutters..also hand car wash places scratch your car and help themselves to the contents..

 

Thats 3--0 so far.

I agree carwashes can whip bits off and dirty spongies scratch.Thanks Dennisw

Glad you liked the heading 80sRule.

Al

 

I wash all my cars by Hand... There are some touchless car washes the use high pressure water to wash the car and High Output High Volume blow dryers to dry the car,,, That might be safer... Would not put my Jags in one thou...

Besides with a Hand Job you know what you get EVERYTIME...

When I have the car on the lift for an oil change, I scrub the bottom, scrub the wheel wells and the backside of the rims as well... Jags ONLY.

I do wash it almost everyday...

 

the title is an eye catcher..nice one

 

Count Damonee I love your dedication the bottom scrub sounds good .
Do you take the wheel liners off to rustproof behind or is rust not much of a problem where you are?
Al

 

"Do you take the wheel liners off to rustproof behind or is rust not much of a problem where you are?"

You mean I can do that to????

OHHHhhhh Don't get me STARTED cause my OCD will Flare up and I will have to do it...

"I love your dedication the bottom scrub sounds good . "

NOTHING LIKE A CLEAN BOTTOM...

I do live on the coast and salt is in the air from the ocean. So I prefer to preserve my vehicles as best I can... A wash and oil change are inexpensive and extend the life and beauty of the car.

Besides what else do I have to do... LOL

 

I was sat on a wall opposite an automatic carwash years ago, a Jeep pulls in that came straight off the beach, covered in muddy sand. Owner pays and off it goes, the big brushes collecting all that sand.
Next car in, is an unsuspecting brand spanking new Mercedes SL in black. About 5 minutes later you could hear the cries from the Merc owner as he spots the damage - I would have warned him, but it was a mercedes. The paint was wrecked. From that day, I've always hand washed. Sponges are pennies.

 

It's a hand wash for me, then there's always a happy ending guaranteed.

 

Da Count
Sorry that I got you revved up!Have a few days off it is Christmas.
I am spraying my wheel arches with Dinitrol more like a water repellant wax.Can you get that product in the states.
Al

 

Thanks Norri we all seem to like the reassurance of doing it by hand.It's the safest way!

Al Glad I am not getting a yellow card this time!

 

"I am spraying my wheel arches with Dinitrol more like a water repellant wax.Can you get that product in the states."

I am not familiar with that... But I will see If we can ge it here... I use Back to Black,,, While listening to AC/DC's Back in Black...

So you like the Product??? It is for Plastic and rubber???

 

Thanks Sean B Frightening to think what could happen to our "pride and joy" I have used car washes in the past but no way would I put my Jag through the washer.

I have just bought a soft sheepskin mitten "SOUNDS BAD DOESN'T IT" easier than a sponge and easy to washout so no grit.
Cheers Al

 

Actually I wash my hands before and after.

In the US there are car washes that are high pressure, no brushes, air dry....used them all the time....including once when I was in a hurry in my convertible 5.0GT Mustang...I should have worn a bathing suit for all the good it did me to have the top up and the windows closed...it was hilarious....I got the inside washed for free and even my ears were clean.

No car wash will ever get a car as clean as doing it yourself by hand.

I realized this again a couple of days ago when I used the Karcher/home high pressure washer on the ISMW's Yellow Cooper S and noticed that even with warm water and the hi pressure nozzle it was not getting all of the dirt off.

Though I am not scrubbing bottoms like some folks or washing them every day...only ever had one black car and that lesson stuck with me the rest of my life....dark colors are very high, nearly daily, maintenance if you want them to look good.

Alag was just trying to get a 'rise' out of us, nicely done.

Al is that sheep mitten for 'bottom' scrubbing?

And what do the sheep say about the weillies?



cheers,

jj

 

No it's for metal to spray on the inside of the wings I think you call them fenders.If you do a web search it should come up. It puts a oily/waxy film that creeps into the hard to reach places and is supposed to stop rusting and unlike underseal you can see whats going on underneath.You can treat the bonnet,inside the doors and the chassis rails. Cheers Al

 

Hi JJ thought it wouldn't take you long!
You put the legs of the sheep into wellies to stop them running away......I thought that was a purely British Joke! How do you know that one?
Wet the car with the hose then get your hands wet

Al

 

Prior to getting my 1995 Corvette, I always went to car washes since I was lazy and thought it would be much quicker to just pay a few bucks (way back when car washes were a few bucks). When I got the Corvette I figured it would not be good to squeeze the tires through those tracks at the washes so I started washing the car myself. In pretty short order I found this not only enjoyable but relaxing. It was particularly fun popping the clamshell hood to get to all of the engine and suspension stuff.

Of course in SoCal it is pretty easy to go sometimes months between actually needing to wash the car. I have a garage at home and park subterranean while at work so basically using a California Duster regularly keeps the car looking good.

When I got the XKR I figured it would not be a good thing to take a convertible through car wash places and was already in the habit of washing myself anyway. It is a great way to spend "quality time" with the car and probably results in keeping the finish in better shape than using car wash places.

Doug

 

"You put the legs of the sheep into wellies to stop them running away......I thought that was a purely British Joke!"

That's not another Sheep Farmer Joke??? Is It???

Always wondered why they wore calf-high waders...

Over here the farmers take there Sheep Seriously...

 

I think most of us go the extra mile to give these cars special attention. Hand washing it. Leather treatment. Good maintenance.

The guy up the street from me is a little different. I have never seen someone so abusive to cars. All of his look beat up shortly after he gets his hands on them. Now he has an XK8. Black like mine. Curious that when I had a red Miata - he got a red Miata. I got a black XK8 - he got a black XK8.

All of his possessions including cars are neglected and beat up. When the XK8 showed up I figured it might get better treatment. Then...

Last week I saw him put a sheet or something on the convertible top. I wondered what that was about. Then he appeared with a ladder. Put it on top of the car. Didn't tie it down. Drove off with one hand on the ladder.

Wonder how long this one will last.

Jack