How long do you spend cleaning your car?

[Jason1145]

Is it mainly the older cars that get treated to such lavish and time consuming detailing?
I've just spent an hour washing, drying my car... I am struggling to find time to do more planned detailing like Polishing and claying etc.
I thought I was OCD about car hygiene but some of the guys put me to shame... Driving around it's really only noticeable to other road users if your car is clean or dirty, one or the other.... I don't know if a £5 car wash cleaned car looks noticeably different from a car that's just been washed, clayed, washed, polished and waxed for 6hrs .. To the passer by I mean?

Of course the owner will know it's totally different and the feel of the car will be silky smooth ( like after using Autoglym Super Resin Polish - my only experience - or a car that's been clayed) - but who else touches other people's cars to know that? Visually in passing is it really that noticeable?

I know it can instill great pride for the owner knowing their car is really clean and protected ( resale value too)

I do miss the times when I could spend such time on my car, then taking it for a drive... And being annoyed the next day when it started to get dirty again... Rinse repeat.

 

[rlowy]

Weekend minimum 3 hours, mid week wash and dry 1 hour.

 

[BandyAndy]

I spend too long ....... ask her indoors

 

[Martyn1993]

I wash my 190 every weekend and generally spend 2-3 hours on it. Usually a 2 bucket wash, dry and a good coating of Sonax sealant. Then wheels washed and sealed, tyres dressed, interior hoovered, glass cleaned and a quick clean up of the engine bay. If I haven't got time it's sometimes only about an hours wash and dry.
I will be doing a spring/summer clean soon though which will be a whole weekend effort!

 

[Bewva]

I've just spent about 4 hours on a Wash, Clay mitt, Dry, Wax & window clean on my new C350e picked up on Wednesday. It looks the dogs danglies. I have the wheels to wax tomorrow weather permitting.

 

[geraldrobins]

Ive just spent about 40 minutes. The wheels seem to take about 20 though.
I didn't dry it as rain is forecast and the sun wasnt out and drying it and causing smears.

 

[Dickie Fix]

I've washed my all cars by hand for the past 47 years and it has always taken me about an hour. I don't detail, just make sure they're clean and respectable. They get polished about 4 times a year with whatever wax polish I've got in the shed.

My current car is white which I find needs washing more often than any of the other colours I've had (black, blue, green, red and silver), especially on the sills as you open the front doors.

Washing my cars has never a chore. I've always taken care of my cars, both mechanically and cosmetically, and always thought it was the ideal time to check for stone chips or tar spots.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Less time than I spend cleaning my ****.

 

[StuartK]

Saturday's usually about 3 hours. Maybe 4-5 if I polish and wax which is a once a month.

Then quarterly/seasonally I'll removed wheels, clean engine etc. Which is an all day job.

 

[AMGeed]

^ As Stuart above. Maybe 2hrs at a time but a good half a day when polishing and waxing.
Afraid the wheels only come off once a year.

 

[StuartK]

^ As Stuart above. Maybe 2hrs at a time but a good half a day when polishing and waxing.
Afraid the wheels only come off once a year.

To be fair I get a bit OCD but with wheel woolies now they needn't come off its more I like to give the Caliper a pukka clean and the arch liners

 

[Sanke]

Maintenance wash is normally 4 hrs perhaps 3.5. The full monty will take around 10-12hrs and is a complete strip down of all wax and sealent throughout the whole car, wheels off, interior, full decon, 2 stage Polish and sealent etc etc. Then on day two, rewax or reseal after the previous days machine polish and decon.

Steve

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[moonloops]

I know it can instill great pride for the owner knowing their car is really clean and protected ( resale value too)

"Over cleaning" a car makes zero difference to resale value.

 

[Jason1145]

"Over cleaning" a car makes zero difference to resale value.

I meant more the protection aspect, stopping the colour and brightness fading over time etc.


Once the weather improves and I can guarantee a decent 3 hour time slot I'll crack on with my first clay mitt attempt followed by a AutoGlym Super Resin Polish and lastly a protective wax... Brand to be decided.

 

[Sjmw]

Indulged myself yesterday- other half, kids and dog all away til tomorrow, so spent 8 hours on the 928 inside and out, and that didn't include the wheels. Sadly, cotton buds were involved.

Ordinarily a quick wash/wax of the daily driver is 2 hours but doesn't get done that often

 

[Simon_M]

Never enough, the list of things I wish to do and blemishes I notice that need fixing grow, but time runs out.

Yesterday was 3 hours just doing a pair of front wheels with GTechniq C5, but it is the prep that takes ages.

S

 

[Smw]

I meant more the protection aspect, stopping the colour and brightness fading over time etc.


Once the weather improves and I can guarantee a decent 3 hour time slot I'll crack on with my first clay mitt attempt followed by a AutoGlym Super Resin Polish and lastly a protective wax... Brand to be decided.

Their HD wax is great.

 

[Jason1145]

Their HD wax is great.

Hmm that's about £45 from Halfords and £32 on EBay... Does it give any dust residue when buffing off?
Wondering if I could use my Poorboys Wheel Sealant as a wax for the bodywork as I have lots left over.

 

[Jason1145]

Interesting wax review test here... Indeed Autoglym HD is in there.
Best car wax and car polish - 2015 product reviews | Auto Express

 

[tanuie]

This post is the reason to buy a car off a forum member if possible, as the effort that are put into there cars.