How often do you detail your vehicles

How often do you detail your vehicles

  • After every use

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • one to two times per week

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • every month

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • every 6 months

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
Well since my car is a daily driver, it gets a good detail once a week on the exterior. I also wipe out the door jambs, etc. and clean the door panels and wipe down the dash if it is needed.



My interior stays pretty clean (except for the driver's side floormat), so I only vacuum or shampoo carpet when it needs it.



I also use gummi-pfledge on the seals as needed.



In the winter it's more like every chance I get!!!

:eek:
 
Like blkZ28Conv as far as garage-queen vs. daily drivers, only a bit less frequently on the dailies. But the Volvo wagon only gets a FULL detail about twice a year, and it's outside 24/7! That Collinite is virtually self-cleaning. Note: poll response refers to Volvo, I get compliments on IT all the time :nixweiss



But note that even a "quick wash" includes the wheel wells, door jambs, undercarriage, under hood, QD'ing, dressing tires, etc., etc. Fastest I've ever done the S8 was 3.5 hours. Full details take days or even weeks.
 
I fully detail my Saab about 3 times a year. It gets washed every 7-10 days. I used to work on my cars daily but now its just to get them decent by my standards.
 
I don't tend to do a full detail type thing on my car. It's sort of a little at a time continuously. I probably polish it 2-3 times a year, and have thus far only clayed the whole car once (though that will likely be an annual thing). I try to wash it once a week or so, and I usually QD it every day unless it has gotten rained on or something. I probably apply something to the paint about once a month, and do the interior a few times a year. I am very neat with the interior so it rarely even needs a vacuuming. But, I'll clean the interior or leather more often if it got at all dirty from anything. I need to get off my butt about the engine bay as it is starting to get a little bit gritty.



My wife's car gets the interior treatment probably about twice a year, though it is really just when the mood hits me since she doesn't really care. I try to wash it at least once a month, though generally it's every two weeks or so. I also try to put something on the paint every month since it sits outside more. I used to use Klasse on it, but now I just use whatever I feel like at the time (from GC wax, #26, Klasse, Power Shine, old formula Blackfire, MPPP...) Hell, I might have to start using Souveran on it just to use it up before it goes bad... :eek: I am really content with BF on my car, and don't want to top it and prevent future apps of BF...
 
Aurora40 - Heh heh, be careful about using Souveran on your wife's car. I used to use it on MY wife's Audi. She was commuting every day and applying it every other week got old, so I switched to something more durable. OH MAN did she notice the difference! Took me a while to find something (durable) that she liked as well as the Souveran.



bretfraz- I know exactly what you mean. "Decent" by some standards is "show quality" by others.
 
I give my car the full treatment when I'll be entering a car show that's judged, probably every 3 to 4 months. All last week, my car went without any QD or being washed because it rained a good amount of time 3 days of the 5. My car was dirty, so this morning I washed it and wouldn't you know it there are now swirl marks on the hood. I finally resolved - F it. I'll layer Z5 on it like there's no tomorrow, but I absolutely will not take the PC to it again. It's a black car that, while kept in a garage at night, is driven daily and parked outside all day. More than likely it will be the last black car I own. If I can swing the '05 Mustang next year, rest assured it will most likely be yellow:cool:
 
Aurora40 said:
I probably polish it 2-3 times a year, and have thus far only clayed the whole car once (though that will likely be an annual thing).
Click to expand...

Aurora40, you've been here lots longer than I, and I sense you're lots more scientific about this detailing than I am, so I hesitate to offer you any advice. But ... I had clayed in late fall, then clayed early spring. Last month, getting ready for a concours, I assumed surely I would not need to clay again (since it had only been a month-6 weeks). Boy, was I wrong! I tried some clay on one section, and then the "feel" compared to the un-clayed sections was awesome. I'm starting to think that every serious detailing outing oughta start with claying. It's so cheap and low-effort compared to the procedures you all use with PCs etc.
 
Z3 - after every use



Suburban - as infrequently as possible



ML320 (wife’s) - company car, goes through car washes



Sebring convertible (wife’s) - as infrequently as possible
 
Girlfriends, she just now started asking so about every 3-4 weeks. She really know's how to make a mess of the interior so I try to keep on it a bit more.



My car: haven't replaced my write-off as of yet.. hopefully in the next few weeks. My personal vehicle, about every 2-3 weeks.
 
blkZ28Conv,



I like to think of my black BMW is in a constant state of detail! :D



I am doing something to it almost every day. I probabaly wax at least every 14 days, wipe down the wheels and windows daily, and dust with CCD and QD every day. The interior gets done at least once a month.



I love to keep my car looking great!



Cheers,

My Black 7 Series
 
AMP99 said:
blkZ28Conv,



I like to think of my black BMW is in a constant state of detail! :D



I love to keep my car looking great!



Cheers,

My Black 7 Series
Click to expand...



LOL:D So true AMP :o



That's what I meant by daily. I wish I had thought of that option description.:bow



Nick, everyone needs that "never detailed" vehicle. I am looking for a replacement for mine. I love driving and not worrying about the weather, bird bombs, pollen, spilled coffee, etc, etc.....:wavey
 
What is considered a detail?



I wash my truck twice a week. Wax it every two months and actually polish it probably every 6 months. I just keep my truck clean. It is really never in "perfect condition." I already realized it would be too much work to keep a daily driven/work truck in the condition some of you all like. I also don't have a garage or carport to put it in.
 
Lynn said:
Aurora40, you've been here lots longer than I, and I sense you're lots more scientific about this detailing than I am, so I hesitate to offer you any advice. But ... I had clayed in late fall, then clayed early spring. Last month, getting ready for a concours, I assumed surely I would not need to clay again (since it had only been a month-6 weeks). Boy, was I wrong! I tried some clay on one section, and then the "feel" compared to the un-clayed sections was awesome. I'm starting to think that every serious detailing outing oughta start with claying. It's so cheap and low-effort compared to the procedures you all use with PCs etc.
Click to expand...



Good point Lynn. I think if I notice a big difference I will clay more often. I clayed my hood about 2-3 months after I first bought my car and I noticed no difference at all. I'll have to see how it goes. This last time I did it, I noticed a huge difference. But, like anything done to the paint, I am concerned about overdoing it. I know clay is quite safe, but really anything is an opportunity to scratch the car. I'll have to see how it goes as far as claying is concerned. If it seems to be required more frequently, I'll up the dosage. ;) :wavey
 
Hey, Aurora40, I'm just addicted to The Old Dominion. (Emigrant southerner that I am.) But, yeah, I found the clay to yield amazing improvement. Friends dropped by as I was finishing with clay, and they thought I had done a full detail. Appearances aside, I sure could feel the difference. :up
 
Define 'detail'.



If you mean completely clean my own car top to bottom, inside and out, maybe once a year at the most. I do wash and vacuum it at least weekly, wax it about once a month and touch up the interior, but after cleaning everyone elses cars during the week, I'd rather go to the park and skate than spend 3 hours continuously on my own car.



It still looks better than 99% of the cars on the road though since my interior may look cluttered at times, but it is clean.
 
Intel486 said:
What is considered a detail?



I wash my truck twice a week. Wax it every two months and actually polish it probably every 6 months. I just keep my truck clean. It is really never in "perfect condition." I already realized it would be too much work to keep a daily driven/work truck in the condition some of you all like. I also don't have a garage or carport to put it in.
Click to expand...



Intel..excellent question!



I wash and detail my vehicle as often as necessary. I like to wax a panel or two after every wash, and I keep my vehicles as clean as possible. For others, they consider their vehicle detailed if it rains! :shocked
 
My detailing is dictated by the season. In the winter months, I can only wash the truck once every 2-3 weeks. I could wash it more, but I feel that washing it too much in the winter is worse in terms of damaging the finish from the local coin operated car wash. (my pressure washer is put away and winterized during those months!).



But once spring hits, watch out!!!:bounce I will wash the truck once a week if possible and wax it every 3-4 weeks. I will do a complete polish/wax /detail 2-3 times a year. This summer, I plan on putting a coat of S100 on after every wash(it is so darn easy; why not?)



I am concerned however that I may start polishing a little too much. I wonder how much the paint can really take?? I do not want to have to buy a paint thickness gauge, but I may have to.



What are some of the thoughts on polishing too much by my fellow Autopians?



Tim
 
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