what do you do to keep your beast clean????

[400 fan]

wash it at work every week with a truck jet wash and then wax it when i get home

[StuE]

Use Autoglym shampoo, dry off car, use Super Resin Polish followed by Extra Protection Gloss Wax to make it nice and shiney!

[bobby_t]

Currently im using Turtle Wax Quick Dry Shampoo, to dry im using a turtle wax blade and a Meguairs Terry Towel, then use Autoglyms colour restorer and then Wonder Wheels Polish, also using Autoglyms Tar Remover, Wonder Wheels (for the wheels) Brasol, Turtle wax interior Cleaner, Meguiars Stratch X from the rear plastic window, Meguiars Trim Detail (for exterior and interior plastics) and gunk degreaser for the engine bay, mostly i do everything once a week and clean the car minimum twice a week depending on the weather, the worse it is the more it gets cleaned !

[RoverAlex]

I wasn't very impressed the other day when I went out to wash my car I found that the neighbour had helpfully decided to stain the fence and the bonnet of my Silver R.25 in the process. Luckily enough it all came off ok with a little bit of white spirit first and then standard car shampoo.

[onemilehigh]

In Germany it's almost prohibited to wash a Car in the Yard or in the Streets, so i'm forced to drive through a ordinary Car Wash. It's only allowed to do dry Cleaning in the Interior, or wash the Windows with just a little clear Water, but no exterior Cleaning with bigger amounts of Water and Chemicals, like Shampoo and so on. I never wash my Seventyfive, because i just own it about a fortnight, but my Stomach is aching, if i imagine the hard Brushes, which will scratch over it's Racing Green Skin. My only Chance to reduce, or repair any Damage to the Paint is to wax and polish him up afterwards. I'm really not one of those mad Guys, who clean their Cars every Weekend, or even more, but i will do it if i think it's necsessary.

[lm25]

rinse car, shampoo, rinse, shampoo again to get rid of the excess dirt (the dirt you dont see until the car dries!). wait til car dries, polish, put back to black on rubstrips etc, wet look tyre dressing, and alloy wheel cleaner on wheels. never take it through car wash as it just messes the paint up too much for my liking!

[longbridge lad]

i got this diamond brite stuff, when i brought her, and you pop a capful in to a bucket, and pop some polish into the bucket too, and wash, and chamois dry, she looks beautiful, then give the inside a damm good clean/vac and she looks like shes just rolled out of longbridge.

[Ice D]

I normally get the missus to give it a good lick, oohhhhhh you mean the car

[ExGeordie]

I used to take it through an automatic car wash, until the day it ripped off my drivers wing mirror. I managed to stick it in again but it's not really clipped-in, just wedged in (anyone know how to properly reattach them?).

Waxing is annoying if you don't have a garage... you're not supposed to do it in direct sunlight or if it's going to rain, at this time of year the weather seems to be either direct sunlight or threatening rain.

The more my car devalues, the less I care about the paint. Also, my parking space is under a bl**dy tree which drops its payload every night onto my car, and then there's the neighbours' cats leaving paw prints on the bonnet - I've lost motivation to keep it clean, so I just turtle-wax shampoo it when it looks quite bad (rinse & sponge first). I've also tried using a squeegey once I've washed a panel, but my bonnet has *the bump* on it which makes it impossible to squeegey properly.

[ZR120]

anyone else use a jetwash? i have heard these are pretty bad for ur paintwork.

Everycar i have had i have handwashed it every sunday mornin (not the best of chors when feeling fried) and they have always looked pristine. I like to handwash as it gives me a chance to notices the weeks build up of car park clunks! (from other drivers!!!) and hopefully get the touch up out!

[pshuttle]

I try to wash mine once a week and wax it with Autoglym stuff about every four weeks. I keep my interior immaculate but I dont go mental on the outside, mainly because I live out in the country and by the time I have got to the end of the road there is ***** all over the sides

Bloody farmers

Pete

[kelvin1971]

Every other week its just a hot water and sponge clean, but at least once a month it likes to have a full blown valet!

[Dave]

I tend to use what ever shampoo i can find in my dads garage when ever i go over there to clean the car.

Mind you, i have only washed the car 3 times in 18months. Don't wanna risk the paint getting worn away do i!!!! lol

Cheers
25tdi

[Greg]

Did mine today - rinse, wash (AG Bodywork Shampoo & Conditioner) including door shuts, fuel cap and under bonnet, AG Hydra Flexi Blade followed by chamois to dry, then AG Super Resin Polish followed by Turtle Wax Colour Magic (Dark Green) and then Turtle Wax Colour Magic (Mid Blue) over the stone-chips, then AG Extra Gloss Protection, then Turtle Wax Bumper Grey (lasts longer than AG Bumper Care), wheels off in turn for internal and external cleaning with Turtle Alloy Wheel Cleaner and Pennzoil metallic sparkle blue Tyre Shine - while the wheels were off I also repainted the inside of the wheel arches with stonechip protect. AG Car Glass Polish on all the glass surfaces, AG Super Resin Polish on the plastic rear screen and finally AG Metal Polish for the exhaust box and pipe.

[parsec]

Originally Posted by onemilehigh

In Germany it's almost prohibited to wash a Car in the Yard or in the Streets, so i'm forced to drive through a ordinary Car Wash. It's only allowed to do dry Cleaning in the Interior, or wash the Windows with just a little clear Water, but no exterior Cleaning with bigger amounts of Water and Chemicals, like Shampoo and so on

Why is that? The car shampoo I use is lovely stuff it's not a real "chemical" - is it to do with using less water?

[onemilehigh]

Originally Posted by parsec

Why is that? The car shampoo I use is lovely stuff it's not a real "chemical" - is it to do with using less water?

No, not directly with using less Water. It should be a known Fact, that any Shampoo is full of Detergents, no matter if it's called mild, Ph neutral, or whatever and it produces an unhealthy, poluting Mixture with Grease, Lubricant Oil, and Petrol.

Because of that Reasons, Car Wash at Home (Yard/Street) is fully prohibitted in Germany since mid Nineties-as i remember-to protect Waterressources, no matter if you would use additional shampoo, or just clear Water. It's Law, and violation will cost a fine.

You are only allowed to do full Cleaning at home, if you own a special waterproof Ground with an Oil absorbing Unit. I only know about one of my Neighbours, who has got one, because he is the Owner of a small backyard Workshop.

Normal Customers like me have to use next Car-Wash, or go to special cleaning Facilities, consisting of several open Boxes, where you can wash your Car manually.

As a Result of this environmental Protection Actions, you are able to swim in River Rhine, as it was usual 150 Years ago.

[georgiansoccer]

i use the power washer normally. rinse the dirt off first with water then fill the little bottle with car wash detergent and apply to the car. use a wet sponge to quickly rub the car all over. then i wash the shampoo off. then chamois it dry.

should you polish the car eveytime you wash it as some people seem to do here?

[flame220]

Autoglym bodywork shampoo conditioner

Cant find anything better

After a chamois off a good coat of Autoglym super resin polish, yet again cant find anything better

[gmax]

Shampoo, then wax.

You cannot get a combined shampoo and wax that has the slighest lasting effect, so don't be fooled by these claims.

[Kate5919]

I use a shampoo and wax combined then chamois it down! Once a month I give it a good polish!