car wash dilemma

[312InchMagnum]

hey everyone, i am new to the forum and have a couple problems/questions...i moved to a new city into an apartment over a year ago and have not been able to wash my 04 civic by hand in way too long...i have just been spraying it off at the car wash...i just got my wife a new 07 nissan xterra...i definately need to give my car a very thorough wash, clean, polish, and wax...and i want to keep the xterra in tip top shape...most all spray car washes i know of wont let you hand wash so whats a guy to do?!?!?!?

also another quick question...is it OK to wax windows as you would your paint?...ive heard lots of people saying they wax the windows and it works great?!??!

thanks in advance!!!!

[fmiller]

Re: car wash dilemma

We have the same rules here regarding the coin wash. I'm going ther now as a matter of fact with my 5 gallon pail 1/2 full of water, my wash soap and my lamb skin wash mitts. I rinse the car off then use the mitts and the bucket to clean it all off. If you look at the time for this post you'll see why no one tells me I can't hand wash, dry or do whatever I want to the car. To-day my only regret is that it's snowing a bit and therefore no golf for me. Our course opened yesterday. This is only one point of view, but my car always looks nice.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: car wash dilemma

Good luck. In your early morning car wash trips. Thats a brutal way to beat the system.

[johnyB]

Re: car wash dilemma

Ask the manager he will probly let you do it at a beter time if its not busy.

[CWM3]

Re: car wash dilemma

When taking a vehicle to those touchless car washes I usually wake up very early so when I take out the buckets there is nobody there to complain. I think the "no bucket rule" is only enforced if there is a wait and your in the stall detailing in the shade. Besides, it is easier to beg for forgiveness then to ask for permission. ( )

If possible find someone with a driveway and use theirs; it's less expensive!

Waxing the windows? Never heard of it. I would recommend maybe a claybar and some good glass cleaner used with a microfiber. Should do the job.

[TrufflePig]

Re: car wash dilemma

We have the same rules here regarding the coin wash. I'm going ther now as a matter of fact with my 5 gallon pail 1/2 full of water, my wash soap and my lamb skin wash mitts. I rinse the car off then use the mitts and the bucket to clean it all off. If you look at the time for this post you'll see why no one tells me I can't hand wash, dry or do whatever I want to the car. To-day my only regret is that it's snowing a bit and therefore no golf for me. Our course opened yesterday. This is only one point of view, but my car always looks nice.

freddy up to his old tricks again

[HagFan]

Re: car wash dilemma

If they've got any such rules here in the Cincinnati suburbs, I've never known about them, nor have a lot of other people. We just line up and wait or turn.

I have to admit that I got lazy this last winter and did run through the automatics. But no more of that, now that I've made my way here and learned about swirls. I've got two new ones and they'll be handwashed from now on. Perhaps I'll break out my little pressure washer in the winter. We can usually find some 40-degree days here most weeks, but not always.

Never been at 3 AM, but have gone around 10 PM and didn't run into any waiting lines.

[tunnelengineer]

Re: car wash dilemma

either late night or early morning is the only time I go to the bays. Even then, it's an initial spray down with soapy water, hand mitt wash, then rinsing. I avoid the bucket. An absorber/MF towel dry then a quick detailer spray and wipe, and she is good. That shine on an early Saturday morning is great.