need tips for new car

[Joe1]

I recently purchased a new Toyota. I live in a condo and cannot wash my car and generally need to take to a car wash.

Should l go to a hand car wash only? What about touchless?

I want to keep it shiny, but l have no desire to go through an elaborate process. What "easy to use" products are recommended? I want to keep it cheap and simple. l want the car to look "good", but not looking for the perfect shine.

I've read good things on here about turtle wax sprays that can be purchased at walmart? Is that a good place to start?

 

[JoelB]

Optimum no rinse. Mix it in a bucket in your kitchen and bring it down to your car. Requires a wash mitt and a drying towel. It's called a rinseless wash, no hose required. Safer than using a quick detailer or waterless wash.

You can mix a QD ratio in a spray bottle and pre-spray dirty panels to be more safe also.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Make sure you get the undercarriage wash too. Sometimes they do it; sometimes they don't. Car washes often have several different packages (basic, gold, platinum, etc). Make sure you get one that includes the underbody.

 

[rob1715]

It depends on what you consider an "elaborate process" and "good". Auto car washes will keep the car clean, however, you're going to get helluva scratches in short order. Your best bet is to take the car to a car wash that has self-serve bays with power washers using multiple wash mitts or microfiber towels. It depends on what you're after. You get out of it what you put in to it. Minimal effort and cheap = clean car but scratches. TW Ice spray wax is good, flashes quickly, and is very hydrophobic.

 

[AZjeff]

We both used to go to the self wash car wash, she'd run the wand and I used the mitts and brushes. This way you aren't burning time while using a mitt. Once she understood what to do and when to change from rinse to soap to rinse we could get a good safe wash in the first time limit. I took a bucket of soapy water along.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I recently purchased a new Toyota. I live in a condo and cannot wash my car and generally need to take to a car wash.

Should l go to a hand car wash only? What about touchless?

I want to keep it shiny, but l have no desire to go through an elaborate process. What "easy to use" products are recommended? I want to keep it cheap and simple. l want the car to look "good", but not looking for the perfect shine.

I've read good things on here about turtle wax sprays that can be purchased at walmart? Is that a good place to start?

Any no-rinse car product (Make sure you have shady spot available) or just use touchless (Wand) car wash and be happy with the results. The vehicle is going to parked outside 24/7 so obviously it's going to get dirty fairly quickly. Just have to accept that.

 

[RooflessVW]

3.5 gallon bucket
Optimum No Rinse
36 pack of Costco microfibers

Research and follow the "Garry Dean Method."

Add your favorite spray sealant and tire shine and you're all set.

That's all you need to keep a car clean, barring mud/sand. In that case, hit a touchless wash beforehand.

 

[ecotourist]

I agree with AZjeff's suggestion above. That's what we used to do during the winter when washing the car outdoors (with our usual pail, brushes and hose) was out of the question.

I've had good luck with Meguiar's Gold Class Liquid Wax. It goes on easily, makes for a good shine and lasts about a year. One tip - don't apply wax in direct sunlight. A friend did that on his first car and then couldn't get it off. It looked really bad for a few years.

 

[gofast182]

Just want to reiterate that rooflessVW's approach is the right one. Multiple microfibers are going to be key to a successful rinseless wash regimen. And if the car has caked on dirt that looks abrasive, don't even attempt the rinseless wash, go right to the touchless automatic wash.