Washing my Model S - First Time

[benjiejr]

I never use anything other than plain water to wash my cars. I figure any chemical has the potential to damage something and I don't want the chemicals to remove wax from the surface. Most road dirt is just dirt and not grease so no chemicals are needed. Occasionally I have to use a "bug and tar" remover on, well, bugs and tar but that's about it.

I've definitely thought about this and what you say seems to make a lot of sense. I'll try it with just water one day and see if I can see/feel a difference. Or maybe even try a side by side for a very unscientific test! I'm excited for the results!!

 

[iadbound]

Current approach:

1. I use a pressure washer to get the car ready.
2. I use a foam gun with Refresh car soap (works well with coated cars).
3. I use a two bucket with this fun wookie wash mitt and Refresh car soap.
4. I use a leaf blower and microfiber waffle weave towels from The Rag Company to dry.
5. I use the Modesta quick shot to shine it up with a microfiber towel from The Rag Company.
6. I just bought the AmmoNYC Skin product, which I'm going to try since Modesta is sooooo expensive.
7. For the wheels, I use IronX and Refresh. I just bought the AmmoNYC tire kit, so I'm looking forward to trying that too.
8. Vacuum - After all, you sit in the car not on the outside.
9. I use Stoner Glass Cleaner, but frankly cleaning the windows is a real pain. Plus there is always too much water sitting in the wells of the door windows.
10. Doing all of the above takes quite a long time.

I've also used a touchless car wash from time-to-time, but I haven't found a really good one near me.

 

[Kbsilver]

Today's modern paints are pretty hard. I'm not a Tesla owner but I would expect the clear coat to be as hard as on my BMW's. I take mine though a regular car wash all the time (in the winter when my outside water is off) and have never had any issues. The dealer has an onsite touch (cloth brushes) they run brand new cars through. At our car club there are some people who do detailing on the side. They complain the new paints are so hard they are unable to polish out defects. I am not saying to clean your car with sandpaper, but standard good practices should keep it in good condition.

 

[NuclearPowered]

How do you protect the paint finish from the sun? After 10 years of parking outside at work in the summer, my Prius's paint is fading and peeling; avoiding that on Model S is very important.

 

[Joseph Torbati]

I've definitely thought about this and what you say seems to make a lot of sense. I'll try it with just water one day and see if I can see/feel a difference. Or maybe even try a side by side for a very unscientific test! I'm excited for the results!!

Hi Benji,

My name is Joe I own OCDetail and have worked on a TON of Teslas. Usually for washing these days I find the rinse less approach to be easiest way. Ultima or Optimum make great products to do this with. My process is pump sprayer(like for weeds) with ONR mix in it to presoak the car. Then follow with a bucket with ONR mix it in and microfiber wash mitt. Dry with a good waffle weave drying towel your good to go! Its very safe for minimizing wash damage with caution and after you do this a few times you can complete the entire exterior in 15 minutes or so. I'd plan an hour though because cleaning the inside of the front window takes major effort :tongue:. Hope this helps and if I can be of any assistants let me know!

 

[techmaven]

I rarely wash my car.

I invested in XPEL for the front and rear bumper but not the whole car. Then I put a nanosealant on it (in my case, Gtechniq products include C2 and EXOv2). The hydrophobic properties of the EXOv2 means that rain basically washes my car. I rarely even get water spots, even if I drive straight in from the rain into a garage. I really only hit a touchless car wash during the winter to get rid of salt and even then, I pay for the cheapest wash and let driving dry the car.

Basically, with a hydrophobic nanosealant, my black car looks great most of the time such that I really don't need to wash it much. I'll hand wash it for special occasions or for a car show - and even then, it's far easier since I don't have to wax it.

 

[gnychis]

Hi Benji,

My name is Joe I own OCDetail and have worked on a TON of Teslas. Usually for washing these days I find the rinse less approach to be easiest way. Ultima or Optimum make great products to do this with. My process is pump sprayer(like for weeds) with ONR mix in it to presoak the car. Then follow with a bucket with ONR mix it in and microfiber wash mitt. Dry with a good waffle weave drying towel your good to go! Its very safe for minimizing wash damage with caution and after you do this a few times you can complete the entire exterior in 15 minutes or so. I'd plan an hour though because cleaning the inside of the front window takes major effort :tongue:. Hope this helps and if I can be of any assistants let me know!

Hey Joe My method is basically what Joe described, however instead of the pump sprayer I use just a normal bottle sprayer (I have a small garage). I do each panel individually, first presoaking it with a dilution of Ultima mix in the spray bottle. Then I have a bucket with Ultima in it, soak a microfiber towel and wash the panel off. Rather than two bucket it, I just have a large pack of microfiber towels and use 1 or 2 for each panel (depending on how dirty the car is), then put the towel in another bucket to be discarded (i.e., washed later on). I grab a dry microfiber towel to dry the panel.

 

[TexasEV]

Today's modern paints are pretty hard. I'm not a Tesla owner but I would expect the clear coat to be as hard as on my BMW's. I take mine though a regular car wash all the time (in the winter when my outside water is off) and have never had any issues. The dealer has an onsite touch (cloth brushes) they run brand new cars through. At our car club there are some people who do detailing on the side. They complain the new paints are so hard they are unable to polish out defects. I am not saying to clean your car with sandpaper, but standard good practices should keep it in good condition.

If you're not a Tesla owner I really don't see how you can comment on the paint. This is bad advice!

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Benji,

My name is Joe I own OCDetail and have worked on a TON of Teslas. Usually for washing these days I find the rinse less approach to be easiest way. Ultima or Optimum make great products to do this with. My process is pump sprayer(like for weeds) with ONR mix in it to presoak the car. Then follow with a bucket with ONR mix it in and microfiber wash mitt. Dry with a good waffle weave drying towel your good to go! Its very safe for minimizing wash damage with caution and after you do this a few times you can complete the entire exterior in 15 minutes or so. I'd plan an hour though because cleaning the inside of the front window takes major effort :tongue:. Hope this helps and if I can be of any assistants let me know!

You should follow this advice!

 

[JPP]

Hi Benji,

My name is Joe I own OCDetail and have worked on a TON of Teslas. Usually for washing these days I find the rinse less approach to be easiest way. Ultima or Optimum make great products to do this with. My process is pump sprayer(like for weeds) with ONR mix in it to presoak the car. Then follow with a bucket with ONR mix it in and microfiber wash mitt. Dry with a good waffle weave drying towel your good to go! Its very safe for minimizing wash damage with caution and after you do this a few times you can complete the entire exterior in 15 minutes or so. I'd plan an hour though because cleaning the inside of the front window takes major effort :tongue:. Hope this helps and if I can be of any assistants let me know!

...and Benji, if you want to make your life way easier, invest in some kind of coating like OptiCoat Pro or cQuartz, and then you can essentially just rinse your car once in a while. Search these forums for way too much information on this subject.

BTW, Joe is the local expert with detailing/coatings--he OptiCoated my S 18 months ago and it still looks fabulous (...no, I am not a paid shill, just a happy paying customer).

 

[Lloyd]

I have found this tool really helpful in cleaning the acute angle on the front windshield.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/window+cleaner+set.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=

 

[TaoJones]

There's a significant difference in value between a snowbelt car and a SoCal car. If you can't figure that out, you're not looking hard enough.

There's a significant difference in perceived value between an average car with swirls and scuffs versus a car that glows like a mirror in better than new condition half a decade or more after purchase.

Of course, if you sell to a non-private party, you're accepting less to begin with, so why bother with best condition, eh?

Earlier today, I washed my car for the first time in 3 weeks as follows:

1. Foamed using a manual pump foamer, 1 gallon of water, and 0.5oz Prima Hydrowash
2. Rinsed with a car wash wand mostly at low pressure. High pressure for the rims.
3. Dried, panel by panel with quite a few microfiber towels.

During alternate weeks/periods/as necessary, I use GlassWow (a Richard Lin/Show Car Detailing product), 303 Aerospace Cleaner for black plastic and other synthetic surfaces, a lemon oil variant for the wood, and Bick 1/Bick 4 for leather cleaning or conditioning.

I also have 2 buckets, ONR, and a dirt guard (not a grit guard) for 1-2 bucket washing should I be away from a DIY car wash for the wand rinse. Oh, and a drying towel, a funnel, and a measuring cup.

All of the above fits in the frunk with room to spare.

i spend approximately as much time as I used to at the busy best full service car wash in the area waiting for variable results from a variable staff, and I will save money over time with better results. So simple.

Waiting a few minutes more for the foam to drop off:

Glass versus paint afterward - gotta love it:

One more, also from earlier today after the wash:

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I plan to help protect my paint this way:

DipYourCar.com -Plasti Dip For Your Car - Glossifier Blaze Pearlizer Metalizers Pro Car Kits Peel Coat

I have the stuff, just need it to be warmer to apply it.

 

[Rheazombi]

Gosh, I'm pretty lazy compared to you lot.

I just take her to the self-car wash place and use the pressure washer + microfibers afterward. She always looks great (Love that Opti Coat!)

By the way, I wash the microfibers in a special detergent (Chemical Guys Microfiber Wash+). I guess it prevents build up on the towels so they work better.

I keep 20 towels in the frunk and as I dry, I try not to use a dirty side on a clean part of the car. Each trip to the carwash uses up maybe 5 towels.

During this past crazy winter, we've been washing her maybe 1-2 times a week. In the summer it was maybe every 2 weeks.

For quick touch ups (since it's a bit of a trek to get to the carwash) we use the Optimum OptiClean Cleaner/Protectant spray.

 

[SteveS0353]

At the risk of getting people mad at me I'll say it again...

It's a car. Get over it. Drive it through a touchless car wash and be happy.

It's not a priceless piece of art. It will not appreciate in value. Actually, it keeps it's value over time about as well as cream cheese. The resale values of Teslas are terrible, and the state of the paint on your car has nothing to do with it.

Your logic is unassailable - it is indeed a car, a depreciating asset. However, for me, my decision to look after my car has nothing to do with resale value. At my stage in life, I will likely not sell my Model S, so the resale value is unimportant. For most folks, a good touchless car wash will suffice, particularly in areas of the world where there is snow and ice with salt and sludge on the roads in winter. I take pride in ownership of a game changing vehicle, and enjoy spending the time to make the car sparkle. I get plenty of positive comments on the car's finish, including the "how do you keep it like that?" question from time to time.

To address the OP's original question, a local car detailer taught me how to care for the car with one pint of water! It involves an express detail solution in a mister bottle with the pint of water, which when sprayed on the car, dislodges dust and road grime without damaging the surface. I simply wipe the muck away with a plush microfiber cloth, and then polish it with a clean one. No micro-swirl marks, spider web scratches, ..., a mirror-like finish.

 

[dirkhh]

Granted - that looks spectacular @SteveS0353

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

So much pretty! I also take pride in hand washing my car, I only got the unlimited wash pass for the winter. at 30 degrees outside, i'm too old and too cold for this crap. But it's almost spring

 

[caddieo]

Very interesting back and forth on car washing/cleaning rationales and techniques. Regarding the techniques, I cannot seem to find any comments as to whether they are being applied on wrapped or unwrapped surfaces - and whether or not the wrapping makes any difference in the attitude/approach to the washing.

 

[SteveS0353]

Very interesting back and forth on car washing/cleaning rationales and techniques. Regarding the techniques, I cannot seem to find any comments as to whether they are being applied on wrapped or unwrapped surfaces - and whether or not the wrapping makes any difference in the attitude/approach to the washing.

My vehicle is not wrapped, but I did have the local detailer (I highly recommend Wez at Elite Finish Detailing in San Diego) apply CQuartz-Finest when the car was new. Because the car is manufactured in California, there are legal restrictions on the use if Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which ultimately means that Telsa's paint is not very hard. I took delivery at the Fremont factory, drove it home, and within a few days, had the CQuartz-Finest coating applied. The mist wash is so easy with the coating as nothing much sticks. Rain (when it happens in SoCal) simply sheets off, taking a lot of the road grime with it. I spend maybe an hour a week in my garage to maintain that finish. Even today, 9k miles later, there are no swirl marks, spider-web scratches or other marks in the finish. I think it's better than when I picked up the car brand new.

 

[Kbsilver]

If you're not a Tesla owner I really don't see how you can comment on the paint. This is bad advice!

I am using simple logic that a $100K+ Tesla should have at least the same if not better quality paint as my $50K BMW. In reality pollution regulations very much dictate what can be used in automotive paints. Here we are talking about the clear coat and my understanding is they are all very similar, regardless of brand. People should also be aware that a repaired panel will not be as tough as an original factory finish. The base coat is still water based and is dried, but the clear, which I understand is still solvent based, is different for the repair as it cannot be baked at nearly as high a temperature as in the factory when it's a bare metal shell.

 

[middly]

Wow...well thank you all for the insightful discussions. I had meetings all day (gotta pay for this bad boy somehow), and wasn't able to check the thread til today. A lot of great suggestions which I appreciate. This is not "just a car" to me, and I will spend the extra effort to keep it clean. I realize I can run it through a touchless wash and be done with it, but there is something about spending a couple of hours to give it a good wash and keep my Model S clean and sparkling. Like someone else said, to me, I don't plan on selling this car. I keep my cars til the very end. I sold my 2001 Acura CL-S with over 205k and even that, it was hard to do since it ran great! BUT, to each their own. If it's just a car to some, that's their business.

Anyways, back to the topic, sounds like I need a couple of buckets, a dozen microfiber towels, some good wash and wax (that I can grab from CG), window cleaner, tire shine, and call it good. I'm not sure I need the industrial buffer and 20 bottles of chemicals. I want to do more than a wash and dry, but less than a full-on detail every week.

I remember reading somewhere that I can get a water softener attachment to my hose and I'm interested in that. Does anyone have any recommendations? The water where I live is EXTREMELY hard. I plan on getting a softener system put in, but in case I don't feel like walking in and out to the kitchen and back, a hose attachment with some softener additive would be nice.

Great discussions. I'll like give it a wash this weekend or next.