Motoring Discussion > Pre trip cleaning Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bobby Replies: 15

 Pre trip cleaning - Bobby
We are off down to deepest Cornwall for a wedding on Wednesday.
So yesterday I washed the car, gutted and hoovered the inside. All glass done.
Car dried off and I clayed and then waxed the front of the car (to help make it easier to remove insects on my return)

Missus said to be t, why are you doing all that, Car is just going to get dirty as soon as we hit the motorway and eating lunch inside it etc?

She has a bit of a point but this has always been my pre “big drive” routine. Maybe if I was doing it every week or month it would be different.

What’s your routine for similar??
 Pre trip cleaning - Falkirk Bairn
Pre trip checks - tyre pressures, water, oil etc etc
The car is never filthy inside but a modest 5 mins with the Dyson, empty any odds and ends..
If car is "clean" , as it usually is, the car is left as is.

Thorough clean is left until we comeback.

IMHO no point in spending more time than necessary prior to the trip. Invest the time on the return.
 Pre trip cleaning - sooty123
Not much, fluid level check if i was away for a while if not nothing.
 Pre trip cleaning - Dog
>>We are off down to deepest darkest Cornwall for a wedding on Wednesday.

My ole woman thinks the same as your missus. I would give the car a good rub down with The Sporting Life,
but pass on the clay bar. I would focus my attention more on fluids/tyres/belts etc. etc.
 Pre trip cleaning - Bobby
Ha ha Dog, we are going to be very close to Port Isaac so watched Fishermen’s Friends and the whole of Doc Martin in preparation!
 Pre trip cleaning - Dog
>>we are going to be very close to Port Isaac

North coast, nice. Decent weather down here of late - Enjoy!
 Pre trip cleaning - Fullchat
Long trip = cleaned and fully checked car.

Then it rains when you set off :(
 Pre trip cleaning - Runfer D'Hills
Always check fluids and tyres before a long trip and indeed clean the lights and mirrors, but I wouldn’t clean the whole car before a long drive as it’d just be dirty again at the end of it.
My car does long trips most weeks of course, so it doesn’t get washed much. ;-)
 Pre trip cleaning - legacylad
As above

Inside of my car is always fairly clean. No one is ever allowed to eat in it. Or leave the smallest peace of detritus.

Muddy footwear changed and put into a plastic container in the (small) boot.

Outside a different matter...because of where I live Cow poo and mud often liberally applied down the flanks.
Outside is cleaned as often as I mow my lawn...first cut will probably be July.
It may even be 2024 because I hate gardening. In any shape or form.
 Pre trip cleaning - Zero

>> What’s your routine for similar??

I get in, and drive off. If there is anything needs doing the systems will tell me.
 Pre trip cleaning - Bromptonaut
Off for our annual pilgrimage to Harris a week on Friday. No 'van this time and need to fit Grandson's car seat mean well be in the Fabia.

Quick wizz round with a vac to get the crumbs etc up. I'll make sure the glass is clean and that critical liquids are as they should be and tyre pressures AOK.

Not washed it externally yet this year.
 Pre trip cleaning - Runfer D'Hills
Yes, as LL, inside is kept very clean because that’s where I sit, but the outside gets a wash appropriately in line with the solstices and equinoxes. Or every ten thousand miles whichever comes first. I regard my vehicles as tools not ornaments.
 Pre trip cleaning - tyrednemotional
...when I finished work the lease car was 2.5 years old with a good mileage on it. I left the keys with a work colleague for the pick-up driver. When he climbed in he apparently asked my colleague whether I'd ever driven it!

I did like to keep my cars (company included) clean and in good condition; another colleague however had cars where you would have felt cleaner sitting in a wheelie bin just before collection. (You know who you are, Phil!)
 Pre trip cleaning - Dog
Between 1978 - 1992 I tuned and road tested c10,000 cars, vans, even some Bedford lorries with straight 6 petrol engines.

One thing I'll never forget is the unbelievable amount of fag ash in some vehicles footwells.
 Pre trip cleaning - Dog
>>Not washed it externally yet this year.

I've only washed my wife's metallic silver car twice since I bought it last summer, and it lives outside.

Black is the worst car colour IMO - they need cleaning twice a day :)
 Pre trip cleaning - Boxsterboy
I drove down to the French Alps last week with a pal for a spot of cycling (Alpe d'Huez, etc.).
Torrential rain all the way down - glad I hadn't cleaned the B'lingo beforehand.
Blue sky all the way back - so it now has a fantastic collection of French flies on the front. Definitely needs cleaning now!
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