What's your car washing routine?

[greentouring]

As per title, what stages do you go through when washing your E30, and what products do you use?

I've just begun using a mitt with the two-bucket method ( instead of a sponge - which I used for years), and am now looking to replace my old chamois and considering some specialist drying towels.

[fuzzy]

i leave it outside when it rains. thats clean enough for my liking.

[greentouring]

i leave it outside when it rains. thats clean enough for my liking.

lol

[johnl320]

Dunno i haven't washed it yet

[Ollie_bwoii]

Clean & Polish when you have just brought it, and when you are trying to sell it! Thats the way it should be!

[don-king]

Clean & Polish when you have just brought it, and when you are trying to sell it! Thats the way it should be!

+1

[e30topless]

I pull up to what was once an Esso petrol station,
wind the window down hand over a fiver,
and watch 4 imigrants wash my car while i try catch their fingers in the wipers (much more fun in the winter)

[Alex]

Wash, i'am using zymol auto wash at the mo

Throw a few buckets of clean water over, (cannot be botherd getting hose out, yes i'am lazy)

shammy

then polish

then wax

then some auto glym vynal and plastic care stuff on black bits

bmw glass cleaner

auto glym tyre foam or spray stuff

clean wheels, i'am using these cheap wheel wipes at the moment, basically like baby wipes, there perfect for getting the the spokes

the above is when i give it a major clean i usually miss out the polish, back to black bits and wheel wipes off

[dazleeds]

leave it filthy till the mrs goes out and washes it

[Alex]

I pull up to what was once an Esso petrol station,
wind the window down hand over a fiver,
and watch 4 imigrants wash my car while i try catch their fingers in the wipers (much more fun in the winter)

[minicooper172]

Drive into the car wash once a month.

[Blitz]

Local pressure wash place. I have not even polished it yet.

[gareth]

two bucket method here. one bucket of TFR to remove a years worth of road grime and greasy fingerprints from the matt while paint, then another bucket thrown over to rinse it off

[Cook318IS]

Use the hose on the car to get the crap off,
Clean the wheels with muc off wheel cleaner and a toothbrush
Wash the car with zymol car shampoo,
Polish with muc off miracle shine / zymol wax depending on how much energy i have!
Back to black everything with meqiures high endurance gloss stuff

I use a meqiures microfibre chamois thing, very good although they do cost about £15. the muc off wheel cleaner is awesome stuff to use - infact i bought about 4 litres of the stuff when it was offered in a group buy with another forum And the mircle shine polish is very good - better than autoglym imo! Meg's high endurance gloss stuff is the best back to black ever and its lasts a long time too. ( you wouldnt guess that i havent washed my car in 3 months and is supporting brake dust grey wheels with a clean lip for the fake nogaro silber / polished lip look )

[TheHeap]

rinse, wash, rinse, dry, polish, cruise

[Cloggy Saint]

drive into car wash, wait, drive out. Polish it twice a year. Life's too short for messing around with multiple products etc.

[George]

Depends on how lazy I am.

Lazy method...

1) Rinse
2) BMW all in one wash/wax
3) Dry with Meguiars Drying Towel.
4) Clean vert hood with lint brush.
DONE


Proper keeno method...
1) Clean vert hood with lint brush
2) Autoglym cabrio hood cleaner & protector
3) Rinse bodywork
4) Meguiars Gold Class shampoo.
5) Rinse
6) Dry with Meguirs drying towel

The next part is dependant on laziness, weather conditions and what I have done in the last weeks but the full method involves:

7) Clay (maybe every 3 months)
8) Meguiars Step 1 Paint Cleaner
9) Meguairs Step 2 Deep Crystal polish
10) Meguiars Scratch X (as required)
11) Finish off with Meguiars Gold Class wax

12) Wheels cleaned with car shampoo, if keen, will be waxed.
13) Tyres dressed

14) Windowlene, Chrome polish and bumper back to black to conclude

15) Gliptone Liquid leather on the interior.

The vert looks super when clean, especially with shining chrome. Can't get the same depth of shine as I do on the E36 (diamond black though...)

Some 'reflection whoring':





Boot lifted up - you can see a reflection of the whole street

[StuBeeDoo]

Hose it thoroughly to get all the loose stuff off.
Wash it with a propriatory wash & wax.
Hose it again to get all the suds off.
Chamois it.

Twice a year it gets wax polished and all the black trim cleaned/waxed.

Life's too short for messing around with multiple products etc.

Preeeecisely.

I don't bother wasting my hard-earned on the likes of Meguairs either - the car's nearly 20 years old FFS and it's meant to be driven, not stared at.

[Cotty]

I hose mine off with some Meguiars Shampoo Plus in one of these. Ok its not a foam lance but it puts some suds on the car before washing


Two bucket method also with Meguiars Shampoo Plus with a lambswool mitt.
Dried with a Microfibre drying towel.

I never do everything in one go just do a bit here and a bit there keeping things topped up , so every few months give it a clay if it needs it using Meguiars quik clay kit. Polish with Meguiars and wax with more Meguiars

Sometimes use some Meguiars High Gloss Tyre gel or do the windows or treat the black trim, you get the idea. Little bit here and there to keep on top of it.

[Cotty]

About once a year I will take off all the wheels and clean them inside and out. Then treat with Chemical Guys Wheel Guard. You might think that is over the top but the wheels cost £200 to refurb and if a little effort and elbow grease saves me another £200 refurb then fine.

[George]

I don't bother wasting my hard-earned on the likes of Meguairs either - the car's nearly 20 years old FFS and it's meant to be driven, not stared at. [/b]

Plenty of 20+ year old cars out there that look great polished up.

No shame in making your car look nice imo.

[StuBeeDoo]

Plenty of 20+ year old cars out there that look great polished up.

No shame in making your car look nice imo.

Yes, you're right. But I can't see the point in spending a whole day polishing my turd when within another 2 days it's usually filthy again. It's on the road 365 days a year.

[Z3I]

Quote Yes, you're right. But I can't see the point in spending a whole day polishing my turd when within another 2 days it's usually filthy again. It's on the road 365 days a year.
unquote

Bit like saying there's no point in washing your underwear when theres only going to be more skidmarks by the end of the day!

[StuBeeDoo]

Bit like saying there's no point in washing your underwear when theres only going to be more skidmarks by the end of the day!

My point is that if I spent all that time keeping my car nice and shiney, I'd never have time to do anything else. I actually have a life away from my car, believe it or not.

[Z3I]

Bit like saying there's no point in washing your underwear when theres only going to be more skidmarks by the end of the day!

My point is that if I spent all that time keeping my car nice and shiney, I'd never have time to do anything else. I actually have a life away from my car, believe it or not.

Yeah, I know what you mean, and no problem at all being that way. Its just that I've always found it odd that people (not us of course!) spend thousands on cars, expect them to serve us without any default, but then keep them in a worse condition than ourselves, clothes, house etc. Just washing a car and cleaning out thecrap from inside takes 30 mins a week, thats all, the other 167.5 hours can be spent fully on the life away from the car! i don't mean waxing the wheelnuts, just a quick wash.
Myself, yes, I like cleaning the BM, a real way to relax for me, but I know it doesn't suit most.

Vive la difference etc!

[greentouring]

Thanks to those who gave me constructive replies......lol

[Z3I]

Greentouring, sorry mate, my routine is at least once a week, wash/wheel clean, then every 3 months, rub over with Zymol wax. My car always looks mint, but then, its not my daily driver, the M reg Astra estate gets similar, but without the Zymol!

[greentouring]

I try to do mine a couple of times a month, depending on weather, etc. I actually find it quite relaxing and usually break it into stages, avoiding doing it all in one day as I have other projects on the go.

After the touring's clean and shiny, and also getting admiring looks from others, I do tend to stand back and stare at her proudly, yes. Each to their own, eh?

Sidenote...Today just did a 150mile round trip to La Rochelle and she didn't miss a beat, so I enjoy the driving aspect, too(still 3/4 of a tank left) ;)

[d6dph]

Erm, Think of everything that most would say is completely ott and that's what I do.

I'm a bufty and not afraid to admit it.

[toecutter666]

I daren't in case i lose my fingers on the rust, if i throw a bucket of water over it i will end up spending the day bailing it out me footwells

[Z3I]

Greentoring, you're the same as me. After a session with the car, say 2 hours on a sunday evening at this time of year, I can quite happily sit back with a glass of something and just admire the clean lines of an E30. Its a pleasure, that in IMO, others miss. I love the driving and everything else too, but a mint E30, shiny after a couple of hours lovemaking, is a thing to behold. Uh oh, I've gone too far!!

[StuBeeDoo]

Thanks to those who gave me constructive replies......lol

Ooops - sorry!

.... and I should have added in my first post that I wash mine at least once a week - even in winter.

[greentouring]

Thanks to those who gave me constructive replies......lol

Ooops - sorry!

.... and I should have added in my first post that I wash mine at least once a week - even in winter.

I was only joking, Stu.....lol Sometimes my sarcasm can get mistaken as a strap-on.......er, I mean a strop-on!!

[gooner1]

Tend to do mine thouroughly about once a month.
Usually do it on a day i,m not going to the gym, so i treat it as a sort of workout.
Agree with greentouring, very relaxing. Especially good with top down and radio on loud
enough to annoy some of my neighbours.

[Jay07]

Wash the wheels first then use the hose to spray the whole car down. Next shampoo then wash again. wet wax. shine. job done!! twice a month, very relaxing! Also clean and hover the inside.