LilBleezy

I talked to my detail guy the other day in regards to the best ways to clean your car. Obviously the two bucket system is the best. I've read on this forum that the free car washes offered by Lexus should never be utilized because they use the conveyer belt style car wash, where your car can get scratched up from the dirt/gravel on the brushes.

So, the guy tells me the order he recommends is:
1. 2 bucket system
2. touch free car wash (can be found at all kinds of gas stations), followed by 10-15 mins of you drying it with a shammy
3. automatic car wash (similar to the conveyer belt style mentioned above)

I live in the city so I'm limited on when I can actually do the 2 bucket system and I don't want to have to see this guy 2x/month. So I was curious if any of you have any experience with the touch free car wash. Does it leave any bad streaks/scratches that the automatic car wash does?

It obviously wouldn't be something I'd rely on solely, but as long as it's not destroying the paint it could at least keep the car looking decent (especially this time of year).

Thanks for the feedback guys.

jbkhat303

Your detailer is giving you great advice.
Just be warned that touchless washes will almost never get your car very clean. So towel drying afterwards could be very bad because you'll be wiping off leftover dirt, which will scratch and swirl the clear coat.
If you want to be very careful, dry the car by patting the towel and not wiping. This will prevent swirling on the clear coat. I use a large sized waffle type microfiber drying towel for this.
Also, you should have a coating like 22ple, mbquartz, or opticoat applied. This coating will protect the paint and has an amazing hydrophobic affect that will make washing the car much easier. I used 22ple and applied it myself. It's very easy to do and takes about 2 hours.

rgonza1

I would never allow Lexus to wash my vehicle. I also would never run my vehicle through a drive thru wash.

I'm no professional detailer but I consider myself a detail junkie.

How I was wash my vehicle:

Step 1

Before I put any water on my paint I always wash the wheels first. I use Einszett for the wheels and Griots Rubber cleaner for the tires. I have a few wheel woolies and soft mitt for scrubbing.

Step 2

Rinse the vehicle with high pressure sprayer. If you don't have one a firehouse nozzle works.

Step 3

Again, if you have a pressure sprayer I suggest a foam cannon and cover the vehicle entirely in suds. I use Chemicals Guys Mr. Pink.

Step 4

I'll rinse off all the suds (approximately 5-10 minutes) after applied Then I'll begin the 2-bucket wash system. Make sure your buckets have grit guards. I start from the top working my way down (never move in a circular motion. Even with the grit guards you don't want to risk scratching the paint.

** grab yourself a second wash mitt for the lower portion of the car. I have one specifically for this purpose since its dirtier at the bottom.

Step 5

Rinse off vehicle with pressure sprayer and then I'll grab my garden hose (with no nozzle) and allow the stream of water to rinse the entire car.

Step 6

Before touching the car with a microfiber cloth I dry it off with a high speed blower I purchased from Chemical Guys. Make sure you hit all the cracks, mirrors etc. I also blow out the wheels.

Step 7

I'll begin the drying process with a great white waffle weave drying cloth. I will generally use a detail spray from Adams and apply a generous amount to aid the drying and eliminate any streaks.

Like I said I'm no professional detailer but I take pride in cleaning my car and have tried many different products throughout the years.

Before you are ready for a wax I would suggest claying your vehicle, followed by a polish and then wax.

Happy detailing!!!!

Ricky

DreamAce7

I agree what rgonza1's method as well.

I'm a detail junkie myself. Here are a few steps when cleaning my cars (external).

1. Always wash cars on shaded area to avoid sun spots.

2. Use the two bucket system with grit guard and a premium wash mitt.

3. Start with the tires and rims.

4. Wash from top to bottom, and clean the windows last.

5. After rinsed, I used eco-smart spray to lubricate the water for easy wipe with soft microfiber towels, but make sure only wipe in one direction because don't want to leave some swirl marks.

6. Lastly, jet-seal, two layers, on the headlights to prevent UV rays from the sun.

I also Eco-Smart for a quick detail during the weekdays.

NTH

Avoid the automatic car washes with brushes at all cost. In the winter salty months, I use the no touch car wash. The rest of the year, I only use the bucket/sprayer method.