how often car wash

ArphaRima

jetwash it yourself 3minutes 2 euro / the same brush used all day

I'd love to wash it myself, but I live in an apartment block. Dont think they'd let me use the fire hose to clean my car... In fact I'm 90% sure that'd be pretty illegal.
I've no choice but to use the local TopWash. They have a stae of the art (in Ireland) conveyor belt washer that uses cloth "bristles" and then dries the car. I quite like it. But I've resigned to the fact I'll need a full valet once a year..

How damaging are they?

I saw the fifth gear. Very surprised!

CarCity

jetwash it yourself 3minutes 2 euro / the same brush used all day

I am terrible for washing it - is usually every couple of months! Though it is in an underground carpark so doesn't get as dirty.

DUBLINHITMAN

do it yourself @ home with what ever products you have

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

DUBLINHITMAN, Homer, Sugerraysarah

...and I have a hunch that the OP DUBLINHITMAN is thinking of offering this service...

your hunch is way of buddy .
it just shows how irish people treat there cars
i for 1 do it myself but still get it done once a month

HJL

Just washed my father's car there, it never gets done, last shampoo wash was id say about 9 months ago, ive ran a hose and a brush on it once or twice since, but it was pretty dirty.

Anyway my process was:
1. use my car wash brush along with a slow running hose to take the major dirt/muck of it.
2. bucket of wash/wax and sponge, hose down
3. another bucket of fresh wash/wax and done with my microfibre car wash sponge

Gave it a dry off too but as it wasnt cleaned in ages the drying it made it worse [its Black], so it will need a clay bar i think, ive never used one before so ill try it out on that car before i do it on my own!

Paint looks a bit dull but i did do a tiny patch with polish to see, and it made a big difference, so it should bring back a bit of the shine.
That will be another days work though, too cold and windy to be at it now, and would be more beneficial after clay bar anyway.

CrowdedHouse

drivethrough car wash 10 euro /damages paint

DUBLINHITMAN wrote: »

your hunch is way of buddy .
it just shows how irish people treat there cars
i for 1 do it myself but still get it done once a month

Grand - didn't mean any offence

Actually, looking to get one of those Mobile Jobby units that clean the car out properly.

Far too lazy to get it done myself, and have to return car to its owner in pristine condition. Anyone got any recommendations?

notahappycamper

Generally every 2 weeks / whenever it looks like it needs it.

I use the 2 bucket method with a Meguiars wash mitt and Meguiars NXT Generation shampoo. Dry it off with a waffle weave cloth then apply Zymol field glaze.

DUBLINHITMAN

do it yourself @ home with what ever products you have

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Grand - didn't mean any offence

no worries buddy

L1011

Just spent half an hour at it there, although quite a bit of that was cleaning off the adhesive left on my lights by the beam-benders from being in Holland there. Definitely needs a clay treatment next time.

biko

jetwash it yourself 3minutes 2 euro / the same brush used all day

A mix, used to do drivethorugh only but now I do jet a lot. Car is not new and has scratches and faded paint.

Voodoomelon

Must give this claybar lark a whirl, sounds good. Saw some interesting results on Youtube.

towel401

pay to wash a car? u must be having a laugh

over here there is no point. as soon as you go for a drive after washing it the bottom half of the car will be covered in a thin layer of mud. if the layer starts getting too thick i use a bit of water to wash it off but thats it

DUBLINHITMAN

do it yourself @ home with what ever products you have

towel401 wrote: »

pay to wash a car? u must be having a laugh

over here there is no point. as soon as you go for a drive after washing it the bottom half of the car will be covered in a thin layer of mud. if the layer starts getting too thick i use a bit of water to wash it off but thats it

i'm that much into my car that i actually dodge pot holes and puddles ,
i still pay road tax maybe i should dodge that untill the roads get better lol

its a nightmare having a decent car and trying to keep it in good nick .

HJL

DUBLINHITMAN wrote: »

i'm that much into my car that i actually dodge pot holes and puddles ,
i still pay road tax maybe i should dodge that untill the roads get better lol

its a nightmare having a decent car and trying to keep it in good nick .

Tell me about it, 18" wheels and donegals roads are a bad combo!

But a clean car is easier kept clean, washing my car every week is a simple process because its clean underneath, whereas i described washing my fathers car today which never gets done was hard work, and is now technically clean, but paint work is dull, due to lack of wax/polish.

I can see why people dont wash their car very often, but for me i like to keep it clean. More so when i had my '98 Ibiza, as even though it may have been the oldest/lowest valued car in a carpark/traffic jam, id personally take pride in the fact that it was the cleanest and best maintained.

HashSlinging

mobile car valet 40 euro / comes to you

Surely the less frequency you wash your car the better for the paint work, I hand wash my car (with my own power washer) once a month and give it a good wax every summer and every winter..

L-M

HashSlinging wrote: »

Surely the less frequency you wash your car the better for the paint work, I hand wash my car (with my own power washer) once a month and give it a good wax every summer and every winter..

As apposed to having dirt sitting on it... Hmmmm

Anan1

philstar wrote: »

who are the three posh gits that get the mobile valet:rolleyes:

afraid to get your hands dirty or wha??

Some people clearly enjoy washing their cars. Me, I found the gloss wore off when I was about ten.:)

HJL

Limerick man wrote: »

As apposed to having dirt sitting on it... Hmmmm

Would a constant layer of dirt on a car protect the paint from sunlight?
Im just wondering, im not planning on trying it!

ucd.1985

Phew, just in from giving the car some TLC

Here was my process (a bit anal I know)

1. Cleaned wheels with Bilberry non acid wheel cleaner and agitated with wheel brushes.

2. Snow foamed the car with HD lance. (great craic, goes on like shaving foam!)

3. Rinsed off with pressure cleaner.

4. Washed car using the two bucket method with two cap fulls of Dodo Juice Born to be Mild (which is a fantastic product) and a Meguiars microfiber wash mitt.

5. Dried car with Microfibre drying towel and Meguiars Last Touch as a drying aid.

6. Dressed tyres with Meguairs Endurance Gel

7. Dressed trim with Black WOW (Very expensive, but as the MINI has a lot of trim I needed something that would look really well and last a long time).

8. Applied a coat of Dodo Juice Supernatural wax to the whole of car inc door and boot shuts and windows, excluding windscreen. (4th coat in two weeks).

9. Quick wipe down of interior with damp micro fibre.

10. Quick hoover of inside car.

Thats my usual routine. Really happy with how car looks. Its great now that the car stays a little cleaner now then the winter months. You get to appreciate your hard work.

Comments and criticisms welcome.
Any questions about the routine just ask.

Flesh Gorden

david wrote: »

You want to be careful with the pressure washer. I've a friend with a 24hp V-Twin (Sounds class!) Honda washer and it took paint/plastic trim off of his corolla! Seriously you could should pheasants with them yokes!

the first time we used it - we tried it on his van, aimed at the side window

BANG! bye bye window - shattered like it was hit with a bullet

he often uses that pressure washer to strip oils from decking - so that'll give you an idea of its power

we know how to use it now though - so no accidents since

Teh Noob

I would, probably, wash it sometimes if I only had a chance....my husband does it for me before I even notice it's dirty. That is when I have a car. Obviously he washes his car at least once a week.




Which reminds me of a time when we started dating and I dropped some ashes from my cigarette on the floor bit in front of passenger seat. Talk about Dr Jekyll!

Spunog UIE

ucd.1985 wrote: »

Phew, just in from giving the car some TLC

Here was my process (a bit anal I know)

.....

Comments and criticisms welcome.
Any questions about the routine just ask.

Where do you buy your stuff (including the pressure cleaner). Really have to get myself some of those drying towels too, water marks seem to pop up on my car and look really bad given any sort of chance (yes it's black)

I see that Lidl have a pressure cleaner on offer for Thurs Link, don't know if its any use tho.

I never really put much thought to washing my car before got the latest one, a brush and hose down every few months was enough but now love giving it a wash and a wax and getting it spotless and shiny...actually find it very relaxing so doesn't feel like a job at all

L-M

HJL wrote: »

Would a constant layer of dirt on a car protect the paint from sunlight?
Im just wondering, im not planning on trying it!

Dirt? Sunlight? Never... Clean the car and be done with it:D

DUBLINHITMAN

do it yourself @ home with what ever products you have

Limerick man wrote: »

Dirt? Sunlight? Never... Clean the car and be done with it:D

lol
has anyone notice how clean northen ireland cars look compared to some of ours '

fugazied

When I was driving it to work every week (600 kms a week!!) I would wash it every weekend.

I think it varies depending upon how far you drive, the environment in which you drive and how much your car is worth I have a 2007 Subaru wrx so I like to keep it 'very' clean.

I always wash it myself. I don't trust other people and high powered jets.

Seperate

fugazied wrote: »

I think it varies depending upon how far you drive, the environment in which you drive and how much your car is worth . I have a 2007 Subaru wrx so I like to keep it 'very' clean.

I don't believe it has anything to do with how much a particular car is worth. My car wouldn't be worth alot the scheme of things, but i like to keep it looking nice. I know alot of people with the same frame of mind.

It's defeinitely down to the individual in my opinion.

I've seen a fair few filthy scooby's in my time

ucd.1985

esSpoono wrote: »

Where do you buy your stuff (including the pressure cleaner). Really have to get myself some of those drying towels too, water marks seem to pop up on my car and look really bad given any sort of chance (yes it's black)

I see that Lidl have a pressure cleaner on offer for Thurs Link, don't know if its any use tho.

I never really put much thought to washing my car before got the latest one, a brush and hose down every few months was enough but now love giving it a wash and a wax and getting it spotless and shiny...actually find it very relaxing so doesn't feel like a job at all

Me too! Cleaning the car is kinda my, "Me Time".

Have come up with a number of by best ideas while cleaning the car.

Drying towels really are a must if one is to avid water spots.

I get my stuff from a guy called Tim at cleanyourcar.co.uk.

Most of the Megs stuff I mentioned can be picked up at any well stocked halfords although they are quiet expensive compared to cleanyourcar.

I picked up my Karcher pressure washer from DID.

Voodoomelon

Washing the car is a great way to relax. It gives me an hour to get away from everything.

Drummerboy08

I've just noticed something about this thread.

It's lasted 6 pages and i dont think we've had one argument!

I think we've found the cure for heart attacks - clean your car once a week!:D

L-M

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Washing the car is a great way to relax. It gives me an hour to get away from everything.

+1 actually. Nice bit of ceol on an MP3 and happy days.

DUBLINHITMAN

do it yourself @ home with what ever products you have

ok fella's thanks for all thats voted so far , and thanks for no bs replies lol
seems like you lads that are into cars and like cleaning there own car
either @ home or in a garage are sound and , i actually spent hours cleaning mine today
here's a pic .,
now who would want there car this clean and who would have the patience

[IMG][/img]

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DUBLINHITMAN

do it yourself @ home with what ever products you have

pics taken with sony ericson mobile
and my hat is the business lol

Voodoomelon

My engine looks like it just rolled off the assembly line.

L-M

You call that clean? This is clean, lol. Six hours + cleaning! :pac:

DUBLINHITMAN

do it yourself @ home with what ever products you have

yeah dude there both clean lol

pred racer

I clean my car when I cant see out the windows anymore, does that count?

I live in the arsehole of nowhere and farmers delivering bales of silage up the road all winter is not condusive to car cleanliness.:rolleyes: car is filthy again after .02765mins of driving so I dont bother.

Thoie

jetwash it yourself 3minutes 2 euro / the same brush used all day

How do you clean the engine? I've always fancied doing it, but no idea where to start.

I avoid the issue by keeping a box of latex gloves in the boot and pull one on any time I need to open the bonnet instead

Joey the lips

I wash mine at home. But I have a question. Does anybody think nothing looks better than watching a fine looking women washing her car!!!

My neighbour Jasus!!!!!!!

samhail

I cleaned the car a few times with a good ould car brush and hot soapy Shampoo&Wax water. full wax after.
We got one of those karcher pressure washers and its crap !
it leaves like specs of water all over the car which makes the black car look crap !
had to get the good ould reliable brush out again.

and how often... since we just got the pressure washer which takes like 2min to clean the dirt for the car i have been doing it nearly every night

NiSmO

This post has been deleted.

vectra

david wrote: »

r an attended hand job for a tenner on Clonskeagh Rd.

Has she got a phone number??

Back to topic

People think I am nuts

Twice to three times a week in the winter and polish/wax as often as the weather allows.
If I wash it and drive it I would rinse it off again if it got dirty in the rain. I have when it dries in dirty.

During the summer I would have no problem washing it every day and polish/wax once a week.

Then again I mead ethe mistake of thinking Black cars look nicest. ( forgot how bad the look when dirty)

pburns

drivethrough car wash 10 euro /damages paint

I'm sorry but to those who spend HOURS washing and polishing a car by hand -

:eek:

Do ye not have better things to do with precious down time - family, friends...even a sane and/or productive hobby like gardening or DIY or watching some sport??? Apart from anything else the car starts getting dirty again the next time you bring it out - especially in Irish weather. 5 mins with a power-washer every couple of weeks is fine, if you're really pernickity you could maybe do this once a week but hours of your life spent polishing and preening? All seems a bit OCD to me...

Is it some sort of suburban thing for those living in shoe-boxes with postage-stamp sized lawns who have absolutely nothing better to fill their lives?

vectra

pburns wrote: »

Do ye not have better things to do with precious down time ..even a sane and/or productive hobby like watching some sport???

How in the name of good god could you call that productive.
At least cleaning a car is an Activity which is a form of excercise :rolleyes:

L-M

pburns wrote: »

I'm sorry but to those who spend HOURS washing and polishing a car by hand -

:eek:

Do ye not have better things to do with precious down time - family, friends...even a sane and/or productive hobby like gardening or DIY or watching some sport??? Apart from anything else the car starts getting dirty again the next time you bring it out - especially in Irish weather. 5 mins with a power-washer every couple of weeks is fine, if you're really pernickity you could maybe do this once a week but hours of your life spent polishing and preening? All seems a bit OCD to me...

Is it some sort of suburban thing for those living in shoe-boxes with postage-stamp sized lawns who have absolutely nothing better to fill their lives?

Errr... What? I think you have just insulted a good few million car enthusiasts who like to have there car clean, and take pride in what they drive. I'm not even going to justify my reasons for spending hours on cleaning my car. I do hope that post was sarcastic.

Stevie Dakota

I enjoy cleaning and having clean cars, and I have more stuff for doing so in my shed than is healthy. I do enjoy driving a clean car, BUT, at times I do wonder what I am doing and find myself thinking about cleaning parts of the car that I really should not be cleaning. If you do find yourself fiddling in an engine bay with a toothbrush then you should question what the hell you are doing with your life.

Voodoomelon

Joey the lips wrote: »

I wash mine at home. But I have a question. Does anybody think nothing looks better than watching a fine looking women washing her car!!!

My neighbour Jasus!!!!!!!

I don't think i've ever seen a woman wash a car.

Pics!

Sean Quagmire

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I don't think i've ever seen a woman wash a car.

Pics!

I have ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_sl_bj4z0A

BlackWizard

I seen my neighbour come out with a yard brush and bucket to clean her car :eek:

Stevie Dakota

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

I have ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_sl_bj4z0A

LOL! That's wonderfully insane!

Rovi

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I don't think i've ever seen a woman wash a car.

Pics!

In the interests of furthering your education, I give you the Cool Hand Luke 'Car Wash' scene:
(NOT SAFE FOR WORK, so copy and paste at our own discretion)
[noparse]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kliy32YWFcU[/noparse]