Bill B 1

So, dumb question. Being a future first time Vette owner I was wondering how most of you wash the Vette. Do any of you use a touchless automatic car wash or do you mostly do it the old fashion way....good 'ol elbow grease?

george vee

I go to the local hand wash

Glenmcp

I have always hand washed. If the car is kept clean on a regular basis, washing is very easy. I am sure a bunch of others will tell you what they use and how they use it.

Rich427

I also hand wash. None of my Vettes go through any sort of machine, nor do I allow someone else to wash it. As I get older, I might change that practice, but for now I would prefer to do it myself. Just my opinion!

Rad22

This will be my first Vette but I've owned a number of exotic and semiexotics in the past. I've lately only used Zaino products, hand-washed and blow-dried with an electric leaf blower. It gets the water out of all the crevices and cracks and keeps everything looking fresh and new. Final wipe with Zaino Z-6 Gloss Enhancer.

On the road, when traveling, I will whip it into a high pressure wash to knock off accumulated grime or nastiness (mud, bird droppings, bugs, etc.) using water only.

Edit: With the above noted...I have a daily driver Mercedes now that I run through the local AutoBell car wash (a local chain) very regularly. Their flagship is near my house, where they try out new and upgraded equipment all the time. That car is 3 years old, has only seen the AutoBell at bath time and doesn't have a swirl mark or scratch anywhere. It looks fully detailed when they are done and only takes about 15 minutes. My wife's 6 year old Tahoe looks like the day it was purchased with the same treatment.

GOLD72

Hand only for me.

Big Dan 427

This thread must be moved to the C1-C6 section, no one has ever washed a C7...LOL.
Joking aside hand wash with clean materials only, it's what is best for the cars finish!

WaxWeekly

After several different experiments and talking with professional paint correction detailers, I'm currently using the following method:

Generally, I use a pressure washer with a foam lance. The foam sheet does a wonderful job of getting into cracks and creases as well as softening up bug spots and other dried on contaminants. Here is a rough outline of my usual routine:

• apply wheel cleaner
• soft brush rims and then splash guards
• rinse wheels and splash guards
• pressure rinse entire car
• foam cannon entire car allowing foam to dwell but not dry (excluding wheels)
• microfiber wash mitt the entire car, rinsing/changing mitts after each body panel or earlier if the car is very dirty. (grit guard in bucket is a plus)
• re-foam car thoroughly and allow to run off but not dry
• pressure rinse entire car
• use leaf blower to clear rims, lights, logos and seams
• dry car with microfiber towels and wax booster
• clean door jams, trunk lid, gas door and under hood paint with spray detailer and green microfiber towels
• use damp towel to dust off dashboard and console
• apply black products to tires and black plastic trims (about once a month) usually Meguirs hyperdressing
• apply leatherique to leather surfaces about every 6-9 months
• and always last, wash windows

Roughly 60-70 minutes, but longer on really nice days. I also use an easy-up if it's sunny, since direct sunlight can make water into water spots really quickly in SoCal. On my black vette, I did this about twice a week. On my cyber gray GS, I do this about once a week, but sometimes a bit longer. Inclement weather always changes my washing schedule.

Sorry for being so verbose...

gthal

Hand only (two buckets) and blow dry. Auto washes, even touchless, aren't good. Touchless won't mar the paint but the harsh chemicals will strip wax and sealant. You can spot a car that is washed improperly (by the owner or by the dealership) in sunlight a mile away!!

mike100

Two bucket wash and best detailing practices as practicable. Even on my used cars.

Big Dan 427

My friend Larry Kosilla. He has many youtube instructional videos and his finished product is unreal.

Process Black

Can he be my friend too? I've been watching him work since his first video on the Drive channel on youtube. He's great at what he does.

Currently I go to the Premier Auto Spa, hand wash and detailing. Wool mitt washing, microfiber drying, no tracks so you can take a car with steamrollers for tires and $10k wheels and not have to worry.

Big Dan 427

@ Process Black, Larry is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet! I'm sure you have a great place in Premier but if you ever want to let Larry do your car you won't be disappointed.

http://www.ammonyc.com/detailing/basic-car-wash/

Bill B 1

thanks for all the info guys....I figured hand wash would be the most prevalent answer. I have gotten so I hate to hand wash my cars but I'll bet the Vette will make the job a whole lot more fun.

Larry/car

It is a car. I use a wash and wax product and rinse with a hose (no particular wash & wax brand). I remove the water with a shammy and paper towels.

-CM-

Touchless auto wash for me. I have never hand-washed my C6, but I think I will have to do more with my C7. I have the very forgiving Cyber Gray now, and I'm thinking that the Lime Rock Green is going to require more effort to look good.

Hot Rod Todd

It depends on the level of finish you desire. For a perfect show car finish with no fine spider scratches you should never run through a car wash, never wipe when dry, never use anything but a clean wash mit with clean soapy water... the list goes on.

Also, if you use a carnauba show car wax like Wolfgang Fusion or Pinnacle Souveran (my favorite) you have to use soap that will not remove the wax, and I never use a pressure washer unless I'm out of town on a road trip.

I'll spend a couple days with an orbital buffer getting the fine scratches out from the factory before applying the final polish, then multiple coats of show wax.

Go to AutoGeek.com to see everything you want to know about how to detail a car properly.

gthal

It depends on expectations for the finish... take this approach with a black car for a few months and then look at it under the sun. It will have swirls, marring and other nasty stuff going on. Those things can't be totally avoided even with the very best technique but the car will look better for longer.

On a light car it isn't as important as you can't see this stuff as much anyway.

lawdogg149

hand job only here!!!!

Bill B 1