OK going to a DIY car wash for the first time. Any tips?

[picorrect]

Well the water shortage in Jersey is killing me, so I decided I need to take my car to a DIY bay.



Well here is my plan:



Pack up all my stuff :rolleyes: and head to the DIY bay



1) Wet car with spray nozzle in bay



2) I am planning to fill a 5 gallon bucket with some water and Zaino wash out of my hose for washing.



3) chenille mitt....of course



4) Rinse with spray nozzle in bay



5) Dry with my favorite Absober...wish I could shlepp the leaf blower over there, but I don`t think they have any outlets available.



6) Z6...I`ll wait to do the tires and everything else till I get home.



Any other tips?

[JasonC8301]

http://scripts.cgispy.com/forums/forum.cgi?action=display&num=9&user=yosteve&cat=MainDetailingPage (`http://scripts.cgispy.com/forums/forum.cgi?action=display&num=9&user=yosteve&cat=MainDetailingPage`)

I hope that link above works.

You have a pretty good plan, just remember don`t let the water hit the paint at a 90- degree angle, keep it shallower at around 45 so the water just glides off.

Go during an off peak hour so cars don`t line up behind you :0

Jason

[imported_BretFraz]

I`ve been washing at the DIY jionts for many years now. My processes are the same as I`d use in my driveway except that I`ve got to work a little quicker. I don`t think you need to change much.



You`re gonna fill a bucket then take it to the wash bay? Why? Just fill it there. Takes a minute or two is all. No big deal.



It`s best to find one that`s not too busy or a time of day that`s slow. Usually I go in the late PM while most people are done with chores and are making dinner or whatever.



Take lots of quarters. Trust me, don`t count on the bill changers at the car wash. Get the quarters ahead of time and stack them next to the little panel so when the buzzer starts beeping you don`t have to dig them out of your pocket.



Find a shady place to dry the car. Take lots of towels and all your cleaners. Might as well use the space to climb all around your car instead of waiting to get it home.



Only thing I suggest doing at home is vacuuming. Cheaper and more effective.



I typically go thru $6-8 in quarters each wash. I always keep the meter running. If someone pulls in behind you be a nice guy and tell them your a slow washer so they can go to another stall.



Have fun!

[DETAILKING]

I went home to my parents placelast weekend and to my surprise no one in the neighborhood cared much about the drought. People were powerwashing their decks, washing their boats down,etc,etc. SO I washed my car quickly. Z7 handled the drought pretty good. It was the dirtiest my car ever was, no being washed in about 5 weeks. It stayed clean till yesterday, when the pollen dust started. Tonight we had a HUGE DOWNPOUR, with wind,etc,etc....and now it looks like it was just washed again! I love it! As soon as the drought ends, I will do my spring claying, cleaning, and continue to layer on ZFX!

[Lone Wolf]

I have been using a spary bottle filled with QD and water and just spray each panel until it is soaked. Then dry the panel and QD..Works great..Next time Im gonna try some Z7 in a spray bottle and see how that works..



As far as trying to wash during the drought...My neighbor 3 doors down got caught and he was fined 1000$!!!!

[TortoiseAWD]

I fill a five-gallon plastic gas can (never used for gasoline, of course) with water and haul it with me to the blast-o-matic to use as my wash water . . . there`s less chance of spillage than if I were to fill a bucket at home (most lidded buckets I`ve seen don`t seal all that tightly), and it`s much quicker than filling your bucket with the wand.



Tort