ToddRLockwood
Active Member
My 2-cents:
• Touchless carwashes are great, especially in the winter, but they don't get all the dirt off your car's paint the way hand washing will.
• Before hand washing, I suggest rinsing off your car with a pressure washer (soap not required at this stage). This will prevent you from scratching the paint with fine dirt particles when you hand wash it.
• NEVER use a sponge to wash your car. Instead, use a lambswool wash mitt and high quality car wash soap. Keep as much soapy water between the mitt and the paint as you can. I recommend laundering the wash mitt after every wash, so you may want to buy several of them. Do not use fabric softener on the mitts and allow them to air-dry.
• I dry my car with a synthetic chamois. These are a fantastic invention and should also be laundered after each use due to microscopic abrasives you may have picked up while drying you car. The chamois can go right back into its container from the washing machine. They are supposed to remain damp. I also use a white towel to do door sills and jams, as well as the plastic surround in the frunk.
Thanks to these precautions, my P85 with 33K miles on it still looks brand new, even after two Vermont winters.
• Touchless carwashes are great, especially in the winter, but they don't get all the dirt off your car's paint the way hand washing will.
• Before hand washing, I suggest rinsing off your car with a pressure washer (soap not required at this stage). This will prevent you from scratching the paint with fine dirt particles when you hand wash it.
• NEVER use a sponge to wash your car. Instead, use a lambswool wash mitt and high quality car wash soap. Keep as much soapy water between the mitt and the paint as you can. I recommend laundering the wash mitt after every wash, so you may want to buy several of them. Do not use fabric softener on the mitts and allow them to air-dry.
• I dry my car with a synthetic chamois. These are a fantastic invention and should also be laundered after each use due to microscopic abrasives you may have picked up while drying you car. The chamois can go right back into its container from the washing machine. They are supposed to remain damp. I also use a white towel to do door sills and jams, as well as the plastic surround in the frunk.
Thanks to these precautions, my P85 with 33K miles on it still looks brand new, even after two Vermont winters.