[UncleWede]

Mid-week last week, the wife said she wanted to take her car to a BRUSH wash.
Honey, you have a dark BMW X3, it WILL be scratched. Please don't

Then you will have to wash it this weekend.

Please, just make sure I can have it on Saturday, it's needs a good layer of Zaino as well.
Sucks, I simply can't reach the top of the X3, gotta use a step stool

[shoei]

Mobile detailer comes to house once a week. I don't even have to be home - just open garage remotely.

Plus it's limited water and can do waterless if need be depending on location.

I hate swirl marks, can't stand it. Will not use those car washes with brushes.

[N55forever]

Hand wash from a local carwash for the M40i. My cars are washed by myself only. Too much time polishing!

[eliphil]

I take my wifes truck which is white and ceramic coated to our local car wash that uses a soft foam. Its not perfect but I dry it myself w my own towels and when i go to the detailer every few months he makes it look new again. Not sure what I am going to do w my new car Berdina Grey, maybe to pretty for the car wash..................

[wdanysh]

Have to hand wash and dry .

[Our03z4]

Well I guess i might have to change my thoughts on the brush wash. Been going to a high end place and actually have the unlimited plan. Been using it twice a week since I have a black car. Unfortunately I've noticed a massive amount of swirl marks yesterday in the full sun. That said I also think the place I bought the car had detailed the paint pretty well hiding the swirls.

Spent all day today clay barring, lightly compounding and waxing the car. Looks tip top again. Might still use the wash as I'm not sure if it truly was the cause or just the waxing wore off. Love the look of a black car but I'm quickly remembering why I don't buy them.

[Mosaud1998]

How do you guys go about dealership? I usually tell them to wash the car I'm coming coming look at before I go see it.

Obviously, they run it through the automatics they have. If I tell them to hand wash it, 1. I highly doubt they'll do it 2. It's the same thing as running it through the wash. The stuff they'll use to dry the car will be all messed up same with the brushes or whatever

Do you guys just not have them wash it?

[bobowar135]

Rinse off with a water blaster, a foam cannon job and rinse. If really dirty, I finish with a hand wash.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by Our03z4

Well I guess i might have to change my thoughts on the brush wash. Been going to a high end place and actually have the unlimited plan. Been using it twice a week since I have a black car. Unfortunately I've noticed a massive amount of swirl marks yesterday in the full sun. That said I also think the place I bought the car had detailed the paint pretty well hiding the swirls.

Spent all day today clay barring, lightly compounding and waxing the car. Looks tip top again. Might still use the wash as I'm not sure if it truly was the cause or just the waxing wore off. Love the look of a black car but I'm quickly remembering why I don't buy them.

I feel your pain. I normally flip back and forth between black and some shade of grey. I love black cars for the 5 minutes after a wash and hate it the rest of the time. But when I have a different color, I have black envy whenever I see my model in black. My current Marina Bay Blue is brutal. If possible, I think it's worse than black. I found a new hand wash place over the weekend. I went Saturday and of course it rained Saturday night. At least, maybe, we're done with snow and salt. I must admit, I do miss my Donington Grey. That color hid lots.

[Kowalski2011]

Black and gray cars here. I do an annual paint correction, polish and sealant. I only ceramic coat my winter vehicle, RAM truck. I found Wolfgang products to be very good. Then I will either hand wash or use the car wash self serve bay. Always spot free rinse and dry. When properly sealed most crap just flashes off. I will sometimes use a touch-less automatic when I'm on a trip, but never the brushes.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Mosaud1998

How do you guys go about dealership? I usually tell them to wash the car I'm coming coming look at before I go see it.

Are you talking about used/previously-owned vehicles? If so, I want to see it dirty! Lets me see how the previous owner cared for it, spot signs of leaks on the undercarriage, etc.

Nothing annoys me more than seeing a detailed engine compartment when looking to buy a used car, since I always assume that the seller is hiding something.

On the last new car that I bought, part of the deal was that the dealership even skip PDI and just hand me the keys exactly as the car came off the truck.....

[Mosaud1998]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Are you talking about used/previously-owned vehicles? If so, I want to see it dirty! Lets me see how the previous owner cared for it, spot signs of leaks on the undercarriage, etc.

Nothing annoys me more than seeing a detailed engine compartment when looking to buy a used car, since I always assume that the seller is hiding something.

On the last new car that I bought, part of the deal was that the dealership even skip PDI and just hand me the keys exactly as the car came off the truck.....

I mean, a used car at a dealerships been detailed before they put it on the lot.

But obviously, it gets dirty over time. When you set an appointment up go see the car, do you have them wash it or leave it as is?

[its55]

Hand wash 9/10 times. Saves a lot of cash, esp. w/ owning 6 vehicles.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Mosaud1998

I mean, a used car at a dealerships been detailed before they put it on the lot.

But obviously, it gets dirty over time. When you set an appointment up go see the car, do you have them wash it or leave it as is?

The only time that I ever bought a used car at a dealership, the previous owner had literally just gotten out of the driver's seat and handed the keys to the salesperson as a trade-in. I test-drove that sucker while the seat was still warm, and left with it that day. Total impulse buy, as I was only at the dealership for a part to fix my soon-to-be former car.....