Who washes/cleans/valets/maintains your pride and joy?

mcs

Junior Member
Messages
446
Do you use a professional detailer, local polish/romanian/asian car wash or do you do it yourself!?
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
I do.....Wouldn't let anyone else touch my car....... I would have her detailed maybe once a year but I really enjoy cleaning my car myself. Like a good woman (or a bad one) you need to touch and caress every curve...........
 

Trev Latter

Member
Messages
1,213
I do all of mine myself because I enjoy doing it. I could be persuaded to let a detailer near the cars and bikes, but no way would I use the local "hand car wash" people (even on the old Jimny that spends most of it's life covered in dirt).
 

Ian3200

Member
Messages
841
Might occasionally clean it myself, but to be honest, given the choice between spending a couple of hours cleaning it, and driving it, there's no competition, driving wins every time... £7 down the local garage and it looks tip top... have a colour correction and full detail last year, may do that again... but can't afford to do that too often!
 

Parptoot

New Member
Messages
418
Bit of both for me but I've just been told something by a new starter here that scared me a little.

He's an ex valeter and said those 'side of the road' and 'Tescos specials' use a terribly fierce truck-wash rather than a simple traffic film remover and this has an adverse effect on window trims and the like.
I've now noticed that my once black front and back window trims/seals are a tad browner than they once were. I won't be going back.
 

drewf

Member
Messages
7,159
Both for me - professional detailer has all the kit and materials, can do a much better job than I could ever manage and charges very little.

Between visits there, I like to clean them myself. It's relaxing and there's no better way to inspect for any damage etc.
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
21,013
Always done it myself (for the same reasons as Drew) but planning a proper detail from a proper detailer in the spring, to get it back to where it should be. Mrs. N's Toyota comes up a treat after a blast from the Eurowash at the local petrol station but the Maser isn't going near one of those places!
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
20,759
The toys I tend to do myself but the mud plugger goes for a Polish polish about once a month.

I am looking for a local detailer as I am keen to get the toys all present and correct for the Spring car club events.
 

mcs

Junior Member
Messages
446
Has anyone used "over the rainbow" car wash next to the Ace cafe in Park Royal London? Apparently they do a proper 2 bucket method wash with snow foam...google brings up a lot of positives so may pay them a visit this weekend.
 

EnzoMC

Member
Messages
1,998
I do other cars but don't like bring work home so get my car done in a drive-thru..... :as002:
 

Almichie

Junior Member
Messages
799
Always do my own with a meguiars bucket and grit guard. My bmw and ford go to the local hand wash.

Likewise; I love washing the Maserati, lashings of wax. But the daily BMW gets washed by the truck wash and might get a coat of wax once a year.
 

hoyin

Member
Messages
1,842
Sorry. I really have better things to do than wash my car. There is not enough time in a week to spend a couple of hours washing.
 

rossyl

Member
Messages
3,312
Has anyone used "over the rainbow" car wash next to the Ace cafe in Park Royal London? Apparently they do a proper 2 bucket method wash with snow foam...google brings up a lot of positives so may pay them a visit this weekend.

They are not as good as they used to be I don't feel. I doubt the guys who work there know much about the "two bucket method" I may be wrong.
 

Yeti

Junior Member
Messages
635
Always wash it myself. Would never let a car wash guy touch it, I've seen the much in their buckets. Italian paint is so soft, one light brush with a mucky sponge will leave scratches and swirls. GP supposedly detailed to Strad but not to a very high stadard and I am not convinced they used Swissvax. When the weather gets a bit better I'll let my detail guy loose on it with his polisher and get a decent coat of wax on it. That way it will be fairly easy for me to keep it up to snuff. Incidentally, I use Swisswax Best of Show as it's ideal for Italian paint. I also use Meguires shampoo and detail spray.

One tip I was given and now use is to have a water filter on the hose, that way I don't have to dry her if I don;t have time or it's getting dark. Filter removes all the limescale so car dries without marks.