Automatic Car Wash

[boyce89976]

Originally Posted by stockguru

Unless you are doing it in a heated garage, no one hand washes it themselves in the northeast. Also, with the dirty salt stains and snow we've been getting, I get my car washed twice a week. I'm not lucky enough to have that much spare time.

For those that zaino, do you use that on the running boards as well? Mine are beginning to show the whitish staining seen and discussed in other threads.

I put Zaino polish on everything: paint, plastic, running boards, glass, etc... it works great on glass, better than RainX, IMO, as you don't get that film with every wipe of the blades like you do with RainX.

[boyce89976]

Originally Posted by kck7

Nice. When you can tell details like the flat tire in a reflection that's a pretty good surface.
In fact I think I also see some rust on the brakes on that pickup

I'm of the 'minimal work' school. I'll wash and maybe even wax it myself if get the time and inclination, but of late those have been hard to come by.

Ha ha, you're right about the rust!

Putting coats 2 and 3 of Z5 on next weekend... then she'll be good to go!

[Kloogy]

Originally Posted by ard

I'd love to take a look at the paint on your car with the waxes and fillers stripped off


A

Ah yes Ard. I'd also like to see you in person. The know it all of the forum. You know the answers to everything there is. No one has any idea about anything. I just woke up last night and bought my first car. It's always fun to log on and read one of your condesending posts. Only YOU know what a paint job should look like and how it should be maintained. With all the wealth of knowledge you have on everything BMW related, I'm surprised you're not the CEO or CFO for them.

[BGM]

I think a lot of this is more about how long you keep your car, where you live and your willingness to do it yourself vs. having someone else do it.

1) I keep my cars a long time. If I was leasing I honestly wouldn't care too much who washes it. Kloogy--if you were to keep having someone else wash it week after week for 5-6 years there is a good chance their process is not as controlled as if you did it yourself and thus your paint will have blemishes.
2) If you live in a Northern climate your options are limited on where to wash it that is not an automatic wash.
3) Some people take more pride in washing their own car and some don't. No one way is right or wrong--it's personal preference.

[boyce89976]

Originally Posted by BGM

I think a lot of this is more about how long you keep your car, where you live and your willingness to do it yourself vs. having someone else do it.

1) I keep my cars a long time. If I was leasing I honestly wouldn't care too much who washes it. Kloogy--if you were to keep having someone else wash it week after week for 5-6 years there is a good chance their process is not as controlled as if you did it yourself and thus your paint will have blemishes.
2) If you live in a Northern climate your options are limited on where to wash it that is not an automatic wash.
3) Some people take more pride in washing their own car and some don't. No one way is right or wrong--it's personal preference.

+1 .

I keep my cars a long time, hence the work I put into the new one this weekend. My other car is a 2001 X5 4.4 that I've had for almost 9 years.

[Kloogy]

9 years ? I have a hard time making it through 2 years. I lose interest real quick. The only car I've kept a while is my Mustang, and that's only because it's my toy that I am constantly working on.

[boyce89976]

Originally Posted by Kloogy

9 years ? I have a hard time making it through 2 years. I lose interest real quick. The only car I've kept a while is my Mustang, and that's only because it's my toy that I am constantly working on.

Yep, hard to sell it for $12k when I just put a new tranny in it 3 years ago for $5k!

Besides, love the engine... plenty of power!

[Boston X5 4.4]

Originally Posted by BGM

3) Some people take more pride in washing their own car and some don't. No one way is right or wrong--it's personal preference.

+1....have never handwashed or hand waxed mine in 6+ years of ownership

Drive it through the local paint killer autowash joint (not touchless) once a month if she's lucky and once a year it goes to a friends dealership for a full detail.

...I'm sure some are cringing at my mistreatment....buf differen' strokes and all that

[SJCFlyer]

Originally Posted by Boston X5 4.4

+1....have never handwashed or hand waxed mine in 6+ years of ownership

Drive it through the local paint killer autowash joint (not touchless) once a month if she's lucky and once a year it goes to a friends dealership for a full detail.

...I'm sure some are cringing at my mistreatment....buf differen' strokes and all that

Absolutely the truth!
And some people have never had anyone eat (or wear shoes) inside their cars...or squeeze into tiny parking spots because they are close to the door (to the gym!). Others park in the farthest corners of the parking lot...or have enough crumbs from the rug rats to survive for days if they were ever stranded in the car.

To each his own!

[SJCFlyer]

Originally Posted by Richard in NC

How does everyone wash or wax the roof of the X5? With a step stool or just let it go most of the time? I could reach the X3 roof just good enough but not the X5.

It's easier than you may think. Someone else posted just standing on the door sills gets most of it. For the back, I just stand on the rear tire (after putting on the parking brake!) and I can easily reach every inch ~ including the entire windshield! All without dragging out a stool or ladder!