Humm, interesting topic.

Anyway, here are my $.02.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER (see the redundancy) use the "auto car wash" you're better off with a dirty car! The soap is harsh, it strips all the oils out of the car, the "wax" is nothing but silicones. Yea, it will look good for a day, then it starts to haze, & looks dull. Oh, it also scratches the hell out of the car! Any work you put into the car, was just taken away in 5min.

I prefer to hand wash, it's also a good time to inspect the car, for chips, dents, & other crap. I use the big boys Mr. clean. [:@]

Then I use a foam gun, that you load with soap, it spews a nice foam layer over the car. The more car suds the less likely you are to scratch. This is also another reason NOT to use dish soap, it doesn't have the lubricants in it! So after I foam the car down, I use a boar hair brush on the car, do the top first, then work you way down, doing the wheels last.

Then I dry it with a synthetic shammy.

A total real "pro" type car wash takes at least an hour. Wheel wells, back side of the wheels, brakes, door jams, hood & trunk jams, etc...

If you are drying the car, & the towel is making noise & not gliding over the car, it's time for wax! If you feel rough paint, it times for clay & wax.

 

The Mr Clean thing is nothing more than a filter that takes all the minerals out of the water...

Also dont use a spray when rinsing the car.. just use the open of the hose. The water will just sheet off the car.

 

I run the car threw the touch-less car wash during the winter to get the salt off, then jump on the highway. During nice weather i hand wash the car with a microfiber sponge thing, then dry it with micro fiber towels.The wheelsget sprayed with a rim cleaner then scrubbed with a semi-soft wheel brush. After the wheels are done and there is no more drips I pull the car off to the side where its dry and admire my hard work.

 

damn.. im going to have to try the Mr clean autodry stuff out...

 

I have a mr clean auto dry and was not impressed, ill try replacing the filter.... Jason, we need to get together and do a wash, claybar, polish, wax and vacuum of our cars. we can swap ecus and also see what my car is boosting at.... give me a call and we can work out adate...im 100% free this weekend.

 

The filter they give you in it only lasts 3 uses. It's like those 'trial' inks they give you in a new printer. The replacement ones last for 10 uses, though.

 

it takes me 2 damn weekends to clean mine, thats without cleaning the windows or vacumming it

 

Meguiars' system is pretty much what I use..

Soap it up with lotsa suds and real sheep's wool hand mitten thingies (forgot their name), hose down and let the water sheet off, then clay bar, then cleaner wax, then polish, then carnauba.

And then quick detailer in between washes.

 

I just run mine through the carwash at the dealer every other day. YEP SCRATCH-O-MATIC! O snap, ateurv8 is going to take my car away.

damn proud of it.

Looks good as new.

I also use alot of goodies on it from the dealer so its always nice and shiny and smooth, and other so on ..

 

In the winter months I run mine through the auto wash that doesn't use brushes just water and wax and soap and all the other neccessary things to wash a car but no brush so my paint doesn't get malled with scratches.

However, In the summer I keep my car bling blinging. I hand wash it nearly every Saturday. Sometimes I use a good ol' fashioned bucket filled with Carnuba car soap and water and another bucket full or regular water. I wash in sections when I do this and it normally takes 4 hours minimum with the windows and tires and interior and wax it and everything. I'm gonna start using that clay though since I got my Audi cause there are a few scratches and there's a rough area on the driver's handel that was patched up with touch up paint that I wanna try and smooth out. Clay gets all the rough imperfections out by smoothing them over correct? It's def. not going to get my car back to brand new but I was wondering if it can buff out surface scratches?