shell casings are one problem... cheerios, cracker crumbs, dirty napkins is another...

My dealer in Boston always washes the car when I take it to them for service. Although their wash is as crappy as it can be (the wheels still look dirty with lots of brake dust).

I live in New York City. Unfortunately the apartment lifestyle means you can't wash your own car. Taking the X5 up the elevator to the 18th floor and washing it in my kitchen just doesn't work.

I always take the car out to get washed. The dealership actually is hand wash and more reliable than the regular brushed carwash in New York City. I've never had a problem with the dealer and they do a great job washing the wheels and even the floor mats. At least if the dealership screws your car up, you know they can fix it and be held liable. Unfortunately, my dealership is about 40 minutes away.

I actually take it there not to save costs but because the local brush carwash put some scratches on my paint and pissed me off. Being complimentary is just an added bonus but I'd gladly pay double or triple for my local car wash if they did it right and saved me the 40 minute drive.

That's why I'm wondering if I can take it to a closer dealership. If someone has a good car wash place in NYC I'll take that suggestion as well.

I have thought about putting 3M on the entire car and then not caring about crappy car washes. Here in WI, you just cannot wash it enough.

Marc

Bucket wash it yourself at a manual car wash. It's the next best thing.

That's a good idea to tip them first, but my pre-emptive strike is to ask them not to wash it! It takes me less time to wash it, than it does to fix all of the stuff that they can do to the paint, but I do understand your thinking.

Our dealer just had a Free Service Clinic and the mechanics looked at me like I had three heads when I asked them not to wash it. It also cut an hour that I had to wait because I skipped the wash. That's a win/ win to me! :beerchug:

Optimum car wash products makes a product that is rinseless and it works as long as you follow the directions. I use that in the winter. It surprisingly works pretty well, that and we also have a Very Nice touchless car wash Very near our house that does a Great job for those times that I'm not feeling like washing it.

I agree, but when it's 20 below 0, I'm not washing a car no matter what products I have.

I'm the same way. Mine goes to the car wash, and every spring/fall I put a coat of rejex on it.

Just for the record, mine is a lease, if I owned it and it was smaller I might wash it myself more often.