How ofthen do you guys detail and wax your car

[alexzver]

I do it every 3 months at the shop they charge me 80.00 they do inside and outside and aslo they do the engine and the trunk.

[f1guy68]

Every three months is about right. Most waxes will evaporate in that period of time or sooner.

I give my car the best that I can. I wash at minimum once per week and up to three times per week depending on weather and dust in the area, or after a rain etc. Sometimes a quick shot of Instant Detailer is all that is needed.

I don't clay or polish or wax every single time i wash. I wax every two to three months and polish maybe once or twice a year depending on the condition of the paint with the machines.

Inside gets cleaned and vacuumed weekly (I have kids.. :D ), and interior windows done once a month.

Every wash results in all the trim and tires and wheel wells being freshly dressed and rims polished up, and other little things looked after.

My "Normal" wash takes only about 45 minutes max to do all that I do! Add the interior and add another 20 minutes or so. Keeping on top of it, makes the time needed to complete less and the efforts much easier.

[VTElantra]

I dont touch my car. I put it threw a touch free car wash probably every 2 weeks maby do the extra 2 bucks for the wax but that is about it.

[f1guy68]

I dont touch my car. I put it threw a touch free car wash probably every 2 weeks maby do the extra 2 bucks for the wax but that is about it.


Sorry to sound so forward, but do you think you car is really clean after a touchless wash?? I can tell you it is not clean. Save the extra $2 for the wax, no sense spraying a useless wax on dirt.

Your car is the kind of car I would love to get my hands on and show you the difference between what you think is clean and what it REALLY clean :)

It might look clean but does it feel clean, or do you really care....lol

Hey, it's your choice, I'm not slamming it, but I just know that the car is not clean. ;)

Did I mention it's not clean... :rolleyes:

[Gun5]

Every three months is about right. Most waxes will evaporate in that period of time or sooner.

I give my car the best that I can. I wash at minimum once per week and up to three times per week depending on weather and dust in the area, or after a rain etc. Sometimes a quick shot of Instant Detailer is all that is needed.

I don't clay or polish or wax every single time i wash. I wax every two to three months and polish maybe once or twice a year depending on the condition of the paint with the machines.

Inside gets cleaned and vacuumed weekly (I have kids.. :D ), and interior windows done once a month.

Every wash results in all the trim and tires and wheel wells being freshly dressed and rims polished up, and other little things looked after.

My "Normal" wash takes only about 45 minutes max to do all that I do! Add the interior and *** another 20 minutes or so. Keeping on top of it, makes the time needed to complete less and the efforts much easier.

hmm takes about hour for me, for that detailer stuff you talking about that spray crap?

[f1guy68]

hmm takes about hour for me, for that detailer stuff you talking about that spray crap?

Yes. but if it was crap I would not use it!

Move faster...lol You take too long :eek:

[2001GLS]

Every 3 to 6 months I go over the car with some NuFinish. I don't go babying my paint job. It already is almost 5 years old & doesn't look new anymore. This is a car to get to work in, not a show car. Hyundai paint isn't very durable anyways IMHO.

[2loud2k2xd]

Every three months is about right. Most waxes will evaporate in that period of time or sooner.

I give my car the best that I can. I wash at minimum once per week and up to three times per week depending on weather and dust in the area, or after a rain etc. Sometimes a quick shot of Instant Detailer is all that is needed.

I don't clay or polish or wax every single time i wash. I wax every two to three months and polish maybe once or twice a year depending on the condition of the paint with the machines.

Inside gets cleaned and vacuumed weekly (I have kids.. :D ), and interior windows done once a month.

Every wash results in all the trim and tires and wheel wells being freshly dressed and rims polished up, and other little things looked after.

My "Normal" wash takes only about 45 minutes max to do all that I do! Add the interior and add another 20 minutes or so. Keeping on top of it, makes the time needed to complete less and the efforts much easier.

you took the words out of my mouth. i always give it a full detail the day before car shows (about 2 hrs of tedious cleaning).

f1guy, have you ever heard or used "black pearl" products?

[f1guy68]

you took the words out of my mouth. i always give it a full detail the day before car shows (about 2 hrs of tedious cleaning).

f1guy, have you ever heard or used "black pearl" products?

2loud,

Don't you just love the 2 hour details....lol I feel like I need to buy a big glass cover for the car after I do those...lol

No, I have never heard of Black Pearl. Are they new? Do you use them?

[2loud2k2xd]

they came out about a month or two ago. from a company called "car brite". one of out detailing suppliers. this stuff is amazing. ask scott (oiml8) how the reflection was when i detailed his car a few weeks ago.
really slick to the touch when your done. kinda easy to use. little powder residue when removing. and a pleasant smell.

[Jlivan]

I go about 2-3 months between waxings. I just started using Black Magic's wax, it actually works pretty good.

[GTSTISL]

f1guy68- I have a guest bedroom if you want to stay over for a few months :) my car needs that kind of lovin. i used to wash it at least 2 times a week, but when i started working, i didnt have time to do all that. now i just do it about every month or so, or if it gets really dirty. i just spend a lot of good time cleanin it up nice.

[f1guy68]

they came out about a month or two ago. from a company called "car brite". one of out detailing suppliers. this stuff is amazing. ask scott (oiml8) how the reflection was when i detailed his car a few weeks ago.
really slick to the touch when your done. kinda easy to use. little powder residue when removing. and a pleasant smell.

I know of the Car Brite name. I know they make some darn good stuff.

Most products have a little powdering, so that's not an issue for me.

I will visit the web sight and read more on it.

Thanks for letting me know who makes it. :D

f1guy68- I have a guest bedroom if you want to stay over for a few months :) my car needs that kind of lovin. i used to wash it at least 2 times a week, but when i started working, i didnt have time to do all that. now i just do it about every month or so, or if it gets really dirty. i just spend a lot of good time cleanin it up nice.

Hehehehehe....

I eat a hell of a lot though, so make sure the fridge is full.

Yeah..it can be hard to take time out to do the car, but for me, it's a must. I can't go to detail a car and my car looks like ****, so it's part of the business and I have to do it. Good thing I LOVE doing it :)

[cclngthr]

I do about the same as 2loud and F1. I wash it weekly or more often and a complete detail before a show. I polish/wax with the PC at least one a year and do it by hand at other times. If the car does not need polishing every year, I can skip that. Usually by PCing it yearly will do the job. Tires, moldings dressed and wheels cleaned thoroughly (inside and out) is a requirement. I usually will remove the wheels and do those off the car. My front end cover also gets washed thoroughly and so do my car mats. If the inside of the cover isn't white everywhere, it is not clean enough. I remoe the top everytime I wash it and remove the entire thing every 3-6 months to clean everything.

Interior wise, on a full detail, I disassemble the whole interior and deep clean everything out of the car and clean the interior thoroughly. A plain vacuum won't work for me. This way, I can lube up the seat tracks and adjust things as I work on them. Any wiring is tucked in/down if it needs it and I can repair the panels as needed. Seatbelts get removed and cleaned as well as the retractors get inspected and cleaned up and lubed if needed. The jambs get taken car of as well, nothing is dirty when I finish. The engine gets a treatment (usually first thing) and detailed. Hoses, wires, chrome, and engine cover gets cleaned and waxed if needed.

A plain wash takes me about an hour, add 30 minutes for a basic vacuum. A complete detail takes me a total of 36 hours to do. 7-8 are spent on the paintwork.

[VTElantra]

Sorry to sound so forward, but do you think you car is really clean after a touchless wash?? I can tell you it is not clean. Save the extra $2 for the wax, no sense spraying a useless wax on dirt.

Your car is the kind of car I would love to get my hands on and show you the difference between what you think is clean and what it REALLY clean :)

It might look clean but does it feel clean, or do you really care....lol

Hey, it's your choice, I'm not slamming it, but I just know that the car is not clean. ;)

Did I mention it's not clean... :rolleyes:

oh I dont care, my car looks clean there for it is clean. You guys would **** your self if you took a 10 minutes ride with me down my road. I live on Dirt and Gravel and I drive it like a rally car keeping it up near 50 or 60 MPH running around corners throwing gravel and dirt all over my car putting it side ways. Hell last week I blew a tire :) good times had by all.

[cclngthr]

That is baaddd for the paint. Not to mention rock chips. You need to pay attention to those because not doing the repairs can cause the panels to rust. Once rust starts, there is no stopping it other than blasting that and sealing the metal. I have seen new cars that are rusted out because the owners did not pay attention to that.

Not cleaning the paint thoroughly also will cause cracking, dulling and chipping. It dries out the paint by not cleaning it thoroughly.

[f1guy68]

oh I dont care, my car looks clean there for it is clean. You guys would **** your self if you took a 10 minutes ride with me down my road. I live on Dirt and Gravel and I drive it like a rally car keeping it up near 50 or 60 MPH running around corners throwing gravel and dirt all over my car putting it side ways. Hell last week I blew a tire :) good times had by all.

I gather that you don't care too much....lol

Perhaps in another year when your paint is totally fcuked, you will be able to get a few tips here on how to repair and care for it.... :rolleyes:

my car looks clean there for it is clean.

Ah...I never knew it worked like that..... :tongue:

Just razzing...again..your car..your choice.

[shapu]

Wash it once a week. I rent an apartment, so I don't have an outdoor water connector - I take a bag of towels with me to the DIY car wash.

Wax every three months, like clockwork. I use Liquid Glass myself. Good stuff, lasts forever.

Every six months, it's to the professional to have them do the work for me ;). I guess it's more accurate to say I wax on the up beats, and have it done on the downbeats.

[yamaha]

I wash my car every week and atleast vacuum it out. If I have the time I do a full detail which takes me about 3 hours.

[jeffv1970]

Take the time and detail it yourself. Not only will you enjoy it, but you will save yourself some money. Plus you can stand back and say you are the one who made your car look so dammm good. :D

[900Z1]

Owned my Elantra 5 months.Waxed it at least 10 times.....Vacuum every week.... Nothing worse than getting around a trashy car.

[XTRAWLD]

I do a thorough wash, engine cleaning, wax and interior cleaning in the spring (as soon as it's warm enough to do so) and in fall (just before it starts getting too cold). This usually coincides with putting on or taking off my exterior parts for the winter/summer season. I try to clay bar it and put a coat of wax on it once in the summer but that's about it. I use to have time to wash it every week but now I'm down to once a month. I think that's still better than any of my neighbours on the street that don't believe in any maintenance on their cars.

[mrhoaf]

I don't remember the last time I REALLY washed my car..... an automatic car wash can't get it really clean... it's probably been 2 1/2 years....

I've never waxed my car..... unless you count wax from a carwash.....

[Estopatitiana]

you know a good way of guaging how much wax is still on your car? if it beads of real nice then u still have wax on it, if it spreads out not in droplets like u see on some old beater, then wax it. And that spray on wax is worthless... it may say im a newbie, but im only "new" to driving an import...i used to wax a show van, that was a beotch especially the roof, sometimes the wax will only last a month if u have no garage and u drive alot like me.

by the way i totally agree with 900z1, i despise nasty dirty cars with a passion

[blupupher]

Detail it, on the outside I have never done it in 15 months. I did detail the inside about 2 months ago for the first time.
I wash it about once or twice a week because of all the crap in the air where I work just coats my car. No point in detailing it when it will get filthy again almost immediatly. I probably should wax it, but I'm lazy.

[1995stockcivic]

my car gets washed AT LEAST once a week, I use mostly Mugiures Products (sp?) and found that theyre better in almost everything but clay bar.... wax every 1-2 weeks, full detail every 2 months

Every 3 to 6 months I go over the car with some NuFinish. I don't go babying my paint job. It already is almost 5 years old & doesn't look new anymore. This is a car to get to work in, not a show car. Hyundai paint isn't very durable anyways IMHO.
that stuff is crap, thats why your car doesnt look new anymore, NuFinish is bad for clearcoats.

BTW- I just posted the guide i use to do my car, Its similar to the one already up by f1guy, its a little more detailed, clearer, plus has some of the facts and myths in it too. enjoy LINKY (clicky) (http://www.elantraxd.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10701)

[05GTMADNESS]

I WAX My ELANTRA EvERY TWO WEEKS..... DO THiS ARE YOU CAR WILL SHINE LIKE NO OTHER!!!