What car wash do people use?

[Taymaishu]

Interesting about the Karchers. I have been using microfibres with a bucket and Mother's California - never really thought about a Karcher.

So, what model Karchers are people using, and where did you buy them from? I can definitely see the advantages Considering my girl always complains when i clean the car - this will half the time (and halve the time i'm being whinged at!!!)

[MFKN3]

I have a Karcher 2.99 from bunnings. Cost about $350 but has a bit more grunt and attachments than others.

It goes okay on the brake dust, but won't sparkle the paint; which still requires a microfibre mitt wipe-down with suds. I think this is because the dust clings to the carnubra wax and sealant on my paint, so it's not as simple as blasting the paint clean with a karcher.

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by xsboost

I have a Karcher 2.99 from bunnings. Cost about $350 but has a bit more grunt and attachments than others.

It goes okay on the brake dust, but won't sparkle the paint; which still requires a microfibre mitt wipe-down with suds. I think this is because the dust clings to the carnubra wax and sealant on my paint, so it's not as simple as blasting the paint clean with a karcher.

Thanks Boost,

Of course i would still wipe down and follow through with sealing & waxing. I use AmorAll Wheel Protectant which is absolutely fantastic at repelling the brake dust!! My wheels visibly go dark about 2 weeks after a wash, not a day as it would be without it.

I might try out the karcher. Must save!

[CT135]

hehe - I bought a karcher the weekend after the dust storm. That weekend i karchered everything that doesn't move!!! My concrete driveway and patio are actually concrete coloured now, not black!
I got the 5.20 model from Bunnings. Looks a bit sturdier than the other models so should last a while. Haven't tried using the detergent attachment yet - just use it for rinsing and cleaning under wheel arches etc
The neighbours give me a funny look when I'm using it on the car ... I'm waiting for one of them to say something so that I can point out that it actually uses less water than just a regular hose.

[janus77]

just got a call from Supercheapauto to tell me the items i ordered are not all available in their warehouse in QLD, so they will have to compile them with items in stock at stores to send to me. Should get them next week. Good of them to call and let me know/decide if i wanted to go ahead with the purchase.

Guess I have to wait till next weekend to do a proper clean on the car.

[zenderm3]

Originally Posted by CT135

hehe - I bought a karcher the weekend after the dust storm. That weekend i karchered everything that doesn't move!!! My concrete driveway and patio are actually concrete coloured now, not black!
I got the 5.20 model from Bunnings. Looks a bit sturdier than the other models so should last a while. Haven't tried using the detergent attachment yet - just use it for rinsing and cleaning under wheel arches etc
The neighbours give me a funny look when I'm using it on the car ... I'm waiting for one of them to say something so that I can point out that it actually uses less water than just a regular hose.

Classic.

[sparoz]

Originally Posted by jksgoh

sparoz,
what sort of foam bottle would you recommend? i have access to a karcher as well.

I am not happy with the Karcher foam bottle, but the best I have seen seems to be the same one that waxit have, which doesn't attach to the Karcher. So, might have to get the HP lance from overseas. Unless someone can point us to somewhere in Aust.

Snow Foam seems to have the best feedback and the best results from the video as per AussieRacer says.

[AussieRacer]

+1 for snow foam. Got my gun as part of another forum's GB. Landed at about AUD100. Worth every cent as it removes 70-80% of the dirt without having to touch the paint. Great way to keep the car looking fresh and avoid swirls.

[Taymaishu]

As an FYI for all Sydneysiders: I heard on the radio last night that this place in Wetherill Park have a big sale on ALL Karcher items, this weekend!!!!!!!!

http://www.nationalwelding.com.au/

[pech135]

Originally Posted by Taymaishu

Mothers.

Gold Class Wash + 3 stage prep, seal & wax.

Usually i'm only using the Wash + last 2 stages as the prep should only be done once or twice a year.

taymaishu, my car is AW and its the first white car i've owned. since ownership, ive cleaned it twice, once 2 days after purchase (come up brand new) and once 2 days ago after a slight patch of rain in syd.

ive noticed dirt/ grainy residue left behind which a spray, microfibre wash and leather chamois doesnt remove (anal i know, but its new )

have you been able to get rid of these little annoying spots on the AW? if so how? and, any preventative measures from the dirt/ rubber sticking to the lower part of the door sills?

im used to owning black cars and aside from paint swirls, i never used to see dirt/ rubber/ brake dust left behind!

any advise appreciated

[sparoz]

Originally Posted by Taymaishu

Interesting about the Karchers. I have been using microfibres with a bucket and Mother's California - never really thought about a Karcher.

So, what model Karchers are people using, and where did you buy them from? I can definitely see the advantages Considering my girl always complains when i clean the car - this will half the time (and halve the time i'm being whinged at!!!)

Bunnings . I've got a 3.97 I think.

Originally Posted by xsboost

I have a Karcher 2.99 from bunnings. Cost about $350 but has a bit more grunt and attachments than others.

It goes okay on the brake dust, but won't sparkle the paint; which still requires a microfibre mitt wipe-down with suds. I think this is because the dust clings to the carnubra wax and sealant on my paint, so it's not as simple as blasting the paint clean with a karcher.

Only if it's that simple. . May be I should try a sealant on one side and a wax on the other to see if it makes any difference. The thing is I prefer the look of wax.

Originally Posted by pech135

taymaishu, my car is AW and its the first white car i've owned. since ownership, ive cleaned it twice, once 2 days after purchase (come up brand new) and once 2 days ago after a slight patch of rain in syd.

ive noticed dirt/ grainy residue left behind which a spray, microfibre wash and leather chamois doesnt remove (anal i know, but its new )

have you been able to get rid of these little annoying spots on the AW? if so how? and, any preventative measures from the dirt/ rubber sticking to the lower part of the door sills?

im used to owning black cars and aside from paint swirls, i never used to see dirt/ rubber/ brake dust left behind!

any advise appreciated

Try P21s Total Auto Clean.

[janus77]

Karcher is too hard core for me. Have to draw the line at this point.

[sparoz]

Originally Posted by janus77

Karcher is too hard core for me. Have to draw the line at this point.

lol - I actually bought my Karcher to clean the walls . Now I have it for my car.

Edit --
May be I did buy the Karcher for my car, cleaning the walls was my excuse of getting the Karcher.

[alik01]

Sparoz, so do you think picking up Karcher is worth it or should I try locate something for snow wash? I live in the NT and the dust here is crazy. On a side note, sparoz, how are PZeros treating you, looking to swap from the REO50s.

AussieRacer, what product do you use for snow wash? Really interested in getting something to clean the muck before I touch the paint.

Thanks guys.

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by pech135

taymaishu, my car is AW and its the first white car i've owned. since ownership, ive cleaned it twice, once 2 days after purchase (come up brand new) and once 2 days ago after a slight patch of rain in syd.

ive noticed dirt/ grainy residue left behind which a spray, microfibre wash and leather chamois doesnt remove (anal i know, but its new )

have you been able to get rid of these little annoying spots on the AW? if so how? and, any preventative measures from the dirt/ rubber sticking to the lower part of the door sills?

im used to owning black cars and aside from paint swirls, i never used to see dirt/ rubber/ brake dust left behind!

any advise appreciated

Hey Pech,

Sorry i hadn't seen your reply until now.

I use Mother's Gold Class California wash and then the 3 step prep, seal/glaze, wax.

I always wash using a microfibre and dry using microfibres.

I use a microfibre to apply and to remove. I then washing machine all the microfibres with NapiSan only and no softener.

I find it works really well! As for the dirt build-up in the lower door, I can't prevent that. I just clean it every time i wash the car, and all around the door jams.

I recommend Mother's, and you only need to do the prep once a year or so, so it's pretty much the shampoo then a 2-stage glaze and wax. The protection is fantastic!

For the wheels, i wash them first (before car), and clean them right down with a wheel brush (get em for $10 @ Autobarn). Once the car and wheels are completely dry, I spray on Armorall Wheel Protectant and leave to dry for at least one hour. I swear by it and is an easy applicant: spray on! But you have to do it on dry, clean wheels and leave for at least an hour before driving.

Any other questions, just fire them at me!

Cheers

[ncutinelli]

what do you guys think of this CARWASH ???

http://www.grandwashauto.com.au

http://www.grandwashauto.com.au/news..._care_tips.htm (check out the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas - STUDY)

iv used it a couple of times now on my mothers & brothers & the MRS 120i vert .... its is AMAZING it even drys the car and puts tire shine on

Have a quick brows through the site (if you have a spare 5 mins)and see what you think.

The guy told me that it is a German company and that the BMW X5 factory have a similar one installed ??? i don't know if this is true?

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by ncutinelli

what do you guys think of this CARWASH ???

http://www.grandwashauto.com.au

http://www.grandwashauto.com.au/news..._care_tips.htm (check out the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas - STUDY)

iv used it a couple of times now on my mothers & brothers & the MRS 120i vert .... its is AMAZING it even drys the car and puts tire shine on

Have a quick brows through the site (if you have a spare 5 mins)and see what you think.

The guy told me that it is a German company and that the BMW X5 factory have a similar one installed ??? i don't know if this is true?

I try as best as possible to not go near any machines - just a habit that i know a few people here share.

Personally, I prefer to have full control over what goes on my car, most importantly how it goes on my car, and how it is removed.

On top of this, nothing beats the satisfaction of spending 2-3 hours sweating over the car and having it look better than any machine could ever do.

Just my thoughts though, but I can definitely see why people prefer machine washing.

I reckon it looks pretty stock-standard, but the towel/washing process looks like it won't damage as much as your local servo car wash.

If you really want a machine wash, then by all means try it out - just watch those swirl marks appear

[ncutinelli]

Originally Posted by Taymaishu

I try as best as possible to not go near any machines - just a habit that i know a few people here share.

Personally, I prefer to have full control over what goes on my car, most importantly how it goes on my car, and how it is removed.

On top of this, nothing beats the satisfaction of spending 2-3 hours sweating over the car and having it look better than any machine could ever do.

Just my thoughts though, but I can definitely see why people prefer machine washing.

I reckon it looks pretty stock-standard, but the towel/washing process looks like it won't damage as much as your local servo car wash.

If you really want a machine wash, then by all means try it out - just watch those swirl marks appear

yeah i know what u mean I'd love to do it myself as i have done in the past but we down here in MELB arnt allowed to wash our own cars.It's either a hand wash or this machine wash which IMO looks pretty o.k

[JMH1983]

I actually paid for the paint protection etc from A & M Hamadache in Brookvale. they do all the dealer delivery detailing for Col Crawfords in Brookvale and even apply all the paint protection shit for them.

Spoke to Armin and he takes good care of me (in pricing) and especially my car.

With the paint protection i never have to cut/glaze/wax my car and i use a special mild detergent he supplies. I use a foam pad as per his recommendations from T Wall and Sons in Brookvale, a Dunlop Luxafoam supplier. Armin said that in all his years nothing does a better job, or does less damage then good quality foam pad. Not the shit you buy from supercheap etc, but a high quality foam pad as they do not pick up dirt and can be rinsed out well.

I always hand wash, but also use the Karcher to rinse before and after my hand wash. I clean my car 1-2 times a week since BSM is a bastard to keep clean and my car is free of swirl marks and i can wash/chamois it in less then 30 minutes including getting all the black crap off my wheels. For my wheels i use a mild acidic cleaning compound and it makes it easy to clean off.

[Taymaishu]

Hamadache whore. I'm beginning to think you just dont like them - you get PAID for plugs on these forums

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by ncutinelli

yeah i know what u mean I'd love to do it myself as i have done in the past but we down here in MELB arnt allowed to wash our own cars.It's either a hand wash or this machine wash which IMO looks pretty o.k

Water restrictions never stopped me Just did it early in the morning in a spot on the driveway nobody could see

[sparoz]

Originally Posted by alik01

Sparoz, so do you think picking up Karcher is worth it or should I try locate something for snow wash? I live in the NT and the dust here is crazy. On a side note, sparoz, how are PZeros treating you, looking to swap from the REO50s.

AussieRacer, what product do you use for snow wash? Really interested in getting something to clean the muck before I touch the paint.

Thanks guys.

Karcher is good still even after the snow foam, the extra pressure really make it easier to clean the car. (And you can clean your walls with it too!). There is also a lance for the karcher. Snow foam is the pick - available through waxit.com.au or various overseas websites.

OT: PZero are great, sticks very well, and the first thing I noticed was the increase of power, the reduction in unsprung make a huge impact. Other things is the better ride, and better grip. I know MattyV noticed the noise level decreased as well, but for somehow my car came with Dunlops Runflat, which has a better noise level than the Bridgestones.

Originally Posted by JMH1983

I actually paid for the paint protection etc from A & M Hamadache in Brookvale. they do all the dealer delivery detailing for Col Crawfords in Brookvale and even apply all the paint protection shit for them.

Spoke to Armin and he takes good care of me (in pricing) and especially my car.

With the paint protection i never have to cut/glaze/wax my car and i use a special mild detergent he supplies. I use a foam pad as per his recommendations from T Wall and Sons in Brookvale, a Dunlop Luxafoam supplier. Armin said that in all his years nothing does a better job, or does less damage then good quality foam pad. Not the shit you buy from supercheap etc, but a high quality foam pad as they do not pick up dirt and can be rinsed out well.

I always hand wash, but also use the Karcher to rinse before and after my hand wash. I clean my car 1-2 times a week since BSM is a bastard to keep clean and my car is free of swirl marks and i can wash/chamois it in less then 30 minutes including getting all the black crap off my wheels. For my wheels i use a mild acidic cleaning compound and it makes it easy to clean off.

If you can get someone to seal the car and correction done, that's great. What I found is that most dealers doesn't do paint prep before sealing. Also, you can still create swirl marks on the actual paint protection. Just be careful with the foam pads though. Dirt on foam (even the finest) = potential for swirls. Foam doesn't hide the dirt in the pile like microfibre wash cloths; for foam which is coarse, it holds the dirt in its pores and increase the cut to the paint; for foam which is much finer, the dirt still seats on the foam pad. This is how polishing works - no foam pad will behave any differently to this. So, when you wipe the paint with grit on the surface, it will create marks - but the fact that you karcher before it, washing it twice weekly, and using back and forth and not circular strokes will help.

Also, paint protection sealant, still only last up to 12 months that's why you have to top up. Once the water stop sheeting and beading, that paint protection is basically gone - you can tell from the surface tension of your paint. Don't let the guarantee and god customer service give you a false sense of security. Looks at the physics and facts of the paint. I have so many "never have to wax" paint protection which eventually developed swirl marks and I still got one sitting in my garage at the moment.

Originally Posted by Taymaishu

Water restrictions never stopped me Just did it early in the morning in a spot on the driveway nobody could see

Install a water tank.