I'm terrible for not washing cars. Despite often doing more than a thousand miles in a week it can be months between the times when I wash my car. I do vacuum it out fairly regularly because that's where I sit and I prefer not to sit in a rubbish tip. But the outside, other than windows I need to see through, lights I need to see or be seen with and number plates which have to be visible I don't worry too much about it.Those I just wipe over when they need it but the body panels only get cleaned now and then. In the end it's just a posh van which I use for work.
When I do get around to it, I do a thorough job though, proper shampoo, hose off, chamois down etc.
However, sometimes I do get the feeling I should do it more often but rarely seem to have the time.
Occasionally, very occasionally actually, I've run it through a forecourt car wash if it has been properly filthy but I mainly resist that really on the basis that I've heard it can scratch paintwork.
Anyway, I've noticed there are more and more of these guys in car parks etc with a trolley with car cleaning stuff on it who will clean your car while you go off and do whatever you need to do. Now I've seen the results of their efforts and the cars they've cleaned seem shiny enough but what I don't grasp is how they do it without a water supply ( or apparently not anyway )
Presumably they work some sort of black magic with whatever's in their trolleys but I have a couple of questions. Are they using some kind of chemicals and does it harm the car in any way? Does anyone here use these types of guys to clean their cars and is it a satisfactory outcome?
Just curious really, I seem to use gallons of water when I do it myself.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 27 Nov 14 at 18:54
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You can use the no water cleaning stuff. It's in a spray bottle, but the car has to be cleanish to start with. I've used it a couple of times, it's pretty good. Maybe not good enough who cleans it every week with half a halfords worth of stuff but good enough for me.
Although I'm similar minded to you don't really bother with car cleaning too often. Mind you I'm down to a few thousand a year now, so it's doesn't really get dirty.
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>>Mind you I'm down to a few thousand a year now, so it's doesn't really get dirty.
My mileage is down to about 5000 a year, but the car is filthy from being parked outside my place. Even if I do wash it, its dirty again in a couple of days, so I don't bother. Currently about 2 years since it was washed. I believe a layer of grime protects the paint.
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>> o but what I don't
>> grasp is how they do it without a water supply ( or apparently not anyway
>> )
They do have a water supply, you may not see it but it is nearby (often they are not paying water rates, certainly not commercial rates!!!)
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When God thinks your car is dirty he makes water fall out of the sky.
You should not interfere in His work.
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>> When God thinks your car is dirty he makes water fall out of the sky.
>>
>> You should not interfere in His work.
He make mud too.
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>When God thinks your car is dirty he makes water fall out of the sky.
Yeah, about ten minutes after I've done it myself.
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Thank you Father Mark. I've seen the error of my ways, I will try very hard not to have such impure thoughts again.
;-)
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Oi you two!
What are you up to in that confessional?
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I dunno, but I think he's Dunfer.
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I'm going for a swim, I'll just drive fast through a puddle. That'll do.
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I am usually strictly a wash it myself kind of guy.
However near my work a car wash has recently opened with a load of non English speaking guys.
You can buy vouchers from a Groupon type site which is 3 washes for six quid. On certain days you can also get 25% off so £4.50 for 3 washes.
This is handwash, chamois dried wash.
Undoubtedly in my mind they are laundering cash but whilst they do then I wont be handwashing my car myself!
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>Undoubtedly in my mind they are laundering cash..
Won't it get mucky if they're using the same water?
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The European hand washes here are nowhere near that cheap, but they do a really good job. Paid £7 for a really good job on the Viano the other week. For that sort of money its far cheaper than my time
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>> with a load of non English speaking guys...
Not too unusual in Glasgow eh?
;-))
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Not cleaned the Vitara since our holibobs in July...sod that for a waste of what precious time I've got left on this Earth!
Not that I would do it anyway.......I take it to the local pole wash...and let the Poles do it. It is the duty of the wealthy man....etc. It's a lot less painful to drag a fiver out of me pocket than get all the kit out at home and soak the place and myself into the bargain.
I care little for swirls and scratches......once the front alloys are matt black then I might take it. Probably this weekend if I think on. I did clean and vac the inside before we went away though...it was resembling a skip.
Cheeky sod at the local East European wash said it was £1.50 more now, 'cos it was a 4WD. I asked him if he was going to wash the transmission as well...but he didn't understand me. Drove away and went to the other local one. It's no bigger than a LEC, after all.
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Tip for caravanners on here, the waterless car wash is excellent at removing the black streaks on a caravan.
We use a Flash bathroom magic sponge and it works.
Oooops sorry, I've mentioned the C word in the wrong thread:)
Pat
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"Dry" washing - sooty123
