Posts: 93
Joined: 9/26/2003 From: United States Status: offline
i wash mine by myself....those animated ones never get the car cleanenough.....but i take my SHO through the automatic ones in the winter to get the salt off.
Posts: 431
Joined: 2/6/2004 From: United States Status: offline
Like to wash it by hand because it's the only way to really get it clean. In winter though, I'll run it through an automated one to get the salt off. Picky about which ones I take it through though.
Posts: 1974
Joined: 8/23/2003 From: United States Status: offline
In the winter I am forced to go through automated. BUT i only go through touchless. Come better weather I wash my atleast 2 times a week by hand. Nothing get beat the look of a professionally (sorry sp) cleaned car.
it still leaves a film on the car. I always wash my car no car wash if my infiniti gets real dirty I take it to the dealer for a free hand wash and int clean..all free
Posts: 61
Joined: 2/7/2004 From: United States Status: offline
I like to hand wash my own also. I had it detailed once and cost me $150 and it looked the same as when I do it. I like to take the seats out and vacum and wash the carpet and seats when it gets warm . It takes a while but atleast I know it's done to my satisfaction and it's a heck of alot cheaper.------besides my neighbors love for me to wash my own also, I think that might have alot to do with the bikini though. hehe
Posts: 22
Joined: 11/21/2003 From: United States Status: offline
Wash mine twice a week in the summertime...In the winter I wash it quick whenever there's a nice break from the cold. Don't trust the carwashes to do a good job, and I worry about the car gettin' scratched up from dirty washers. My car is black, and I can't belive how easy it gets to looking dirty, but nothing looks nicer than a really clean black (or dark color, ie blue) car.
In the summer time i once a day wash the car down before i take it out and cruise or hit the car shows and local strip (main strip in town not drag strip).We all usually meet at the car wash and hang out and detail the cars and then roll around to various spots.
It gets waxed 2-3 times a week as well.In the winter its in the garage covered up and once a month or so i go out and use meguiars on the car to take any dust that builds up.And how dust gets under a cover is beyond me but it does.
I only hand wash power washers actually inject water under the paint.Only time i ever use a power washer at all is on my daily drivers in the winter.But never on the stang.
well just to say its not as bad as most of you think. you just need to know the right times to go through
either very early in the morning when it opens up for business or right before it closes...
i'm usually done cleaning the tunnel of the carwash like 15-30 mins before i close the doors so all the dirt is off anything that could possibly scratch your car
however you MAY need to dry/scrub some parts by hand. it IS a helluva lot faster and looks the same as if you were to wash by hand anyways. I've also seen brand new cars go through all the time(dealerships etc). Also seen freshly painted cars go through as well. doesnt leave any scratches.
oh well, maybe the ones in your area's really blow :)
gonna sound stupid but i could never wax properly... no1 ever showed me how so it leaves like streaks i think it was last time i did it. i just remember that it didnt look good afterwards when i was done, there was still stuff all over it (after being washed of course). it was like the wax dindt work its way in all the way
Posts: 22
Joined: 11/21/2003 From: United States Status: offline
I usually only wax the stang once water stops beading up nicely on the surface from contact, which ends up being once or twice a month in pleasant weather. Should probably do it a little more often, but it sure takes a long time to wash/dry/wax/clean - not that I don't necessarily enjoy it or feel tremendous satisfaction when finished.
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When it’s time to wash the car - 
