How Do YOU wash your Mazdaspeed?

[laptopheaven]

Once a week with dawn dish soap. Carnuba wax once a month.

No spots even in the sun, it's simple.

I don't care for the Zip waz soap, it leaves spots.

Dish soap strips the wax and clearcoat.

 

[AGR]

A little Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash (or Blue Coral) added to water is perfect. And; a bottle will easily last a year.

 

[No.5]

Awe, come-on, the automatic car-wash is sooo quick and easy though!

 

[mtbjedi]

Battery acid and steel wool! what else...

 

[cyomega]

Dish soap strips the wax and clearcoat.

Depending on the brand, of course. Dawn will strip off all wax, but not harm the clearcoat. I've read in several places that when detailing for the first time, you should use the blue Dawn dish soap, dry, then clay bar/polish/wax/etc. afterwards use a name-brand car wash such as Meguiar's, Zaino, etc.

 

[Bremmer]

The best thing for light rain stains on the windows is windex and steel wool, if they are deep stains, then they make a heavy duty compound s*** that takes em out, but it can't touch the paint. Anything will leave swirls, but I use a horse hair brush, works awsome, and then I wax my car with diamond sheild. Stereo glaze will take out the hair line scratches. and if they are bad, get someone to take a foam pad on a buffer and get em out. Not hard at all. And I always use a car wash with carnuba wax in it. Seems to last pretty long.

 

[krb1482]

Using a dual-action polisher, like the Porter Cable 7424 or7336 with some pure carnuba hardpaste wax will do wonders on taking out swirl marks. Or a swirl remover, then the carnuba. It is what we detail cars with at work. By the way, swirl marks will appear no matter what. I have waxed my car no less than 20 or so times since March, and there are still swirls. Its just every so often you need to start from scratch, use a buffer, and put some elbow greese into it. Anyway, thats my 2cents

 

[HondaToMazda]

You know what I find the best to wash your MSP? One of those Car wash's at a shell station that you get 2 dollars off after buying gas =X

 

[krb1482]

Automatic car washes are for people who don't really care. If you care for your car, then do it yourself and don't be lazy. Not to be a dick, but seriously, put some effort in to the cleanliness of your car. You are now (owned)

 

[HondaToMazda]

Automatic car washes are for people who don't really care. If you care for your car, then do it yourself and don't be lazy. Not to be a dick, but seriously, put some effort in to the cleanliness of your car. You are now (owned)

Hence the sarcasm =) I hand wash mine all the time. The part that gets me going is when I clean the inside of my rim. That by far makes it worth wild to clean. haha. I would never bring it through a car wash of any sort. Sorry for rattling you up.

 

[krb1482]

No problem, like I said before, just my 2cents

 

[laracroft]

How Do YOU wash your Mazdaspeed?

Very lovingly. lol

 

[WillisW555]

I learned this from time spent on another car forum.

It's a 2 bucket method. One has soap, the other is for you to rinse your wash mitt (I've heard sponges hold the crap and you drag it back across your paint). This way much less dirt ends up in your soap bucket to be reapplied to your car.

How to wash your car

 

[RyanJayG]

teams of half naked high school cheerleaders.

 

[iNeedSpeed]

wash in the shade.........turtle wax/wash&wax.........dry immediately with "the absorber".......and dry windows with newspaper....Yes! NEwspaper!

 

[Shorebroke]

As for hard water stains, i use this product called, "Nevr-Dull" Works really good, and gets it out fast. I use it on my 02 LX, and it works good everytime. I even tried it on my moms 98 accord, and it got out the stains since 1998, now that's some HARD water stains. Works on the trim around the windows too.....i never tried it on the body, a little scared of what might happen. But for windows, it's works great.

 

[oldzoomer]

I've been using the following Wash and Wax process for 20 years.
Oh, and just because I recommend a method or product doesn't mean that you have to do the same. I have just found that the below works well and doesn't take too much time (my wife's opinion differs). My goal is not to have a show-ready car, just one that is clean and well protected. Oh, and for some odd reason I feel better driving around in a clean car.
WASH
Wash once a week if possible. It takes me 1 to 1.5 hours to complete this.

Materials
sponges - 1 for tires, rims, undercarriage, seams, gutters, and engine compartment, a different sponge for the rest of the car.
Throw the sponge out if you drop it!
soap - Use plenty of car wash soap (I like Turtle Wax or Meguiars). I think the recommended 1 oz/gallon is insufficient. I have to use more or my sponge feels like it is dragging. Do not use dish soap because it strips your wax off.
bucket - 2-3 gallons. Do not use the same bucket you use for gardening, taking out the trash, painting the walls (yes, I have seen people do all of this.)
towels - chamois, microfiber towels, water blade, terry cloth. Terry cloth can leave swirl marks if not clean and 100% cotton.
nozzle - one that can do stream, full, and shower settings

Process

1. Park car in shade. Make sure paint is cool before washing. (Yes, I know this is impossible for those of you in apartments.)
2. Remove loose dirt by using the stream or full settings on nozzle.
   - undercarriage
   - radiator - make sure you get all the bugs off
   - wheel wells
   - wheels
   - rest of car top to bottom
   - If the engine bay is dirty hose it off as well
3. Wash tires/rims first - behind each spoke plus the entire inner section of rim - toss water when done.
4. Wash rest of car from top-down using a different sponge and a new bucket of soapy water.
   - 1 section at a time (top, windows, hood, trunk, left side, right side, bumpers)
   - If the water gets dirty dump it - soap and water are cheap.
   - Do NOT allow sponge to drag across surface, use plenty of soapy water to float dirt away.
   - Do NOT the wind or sun to start drying the soapy water.
   - Keep everything else wet while you are washing each section if you are washing in sunlight. This prevents spotting.
5. Rinse each section thoroughly as you finish washing it. Set the nozzle on shower.
6. Drying
   - windows first, wheels last
   - top to bottom
   - Make sure you dry places where dirt will collect (gas cap area, water channels around hood and trunk, bottoms of doors)
   - If you drop the towel or get it dirty continue drying with a new towel.
   - Ring the towel out once it won't pick up water.
7. Use the damp towels to wipe off your interior.
8. Rinse your sponges and bucket and put everything away for next week.
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   Wash your towels every week in hot water. Don't use fabric softener.
   Throw your materials out if they don't come clean or you will scratch your paint.
   
   RAINX
   • Apply after washing car.
   • Every 4-6 months or whenever it quits working.
   • If you have hard water clean your windows with Windex before applying.
   
   In between washes
   If you drive at night keep a squirt bottle of water in the garage. Use it to spray dead critters off of the front bumper, headlights, and side mirrors. This will prevent the bug juice from eating through your wax, clearcoat, and paint. It only takes 2-3 minutes. Use warm water if possible.
   
   
   Wax
   
   When beading is uneven or water doesn't bead at all or you just have time to waste playing with the car. Yes, you should do it sooner but most people don't have the time to wax more than a couple of times a year.
   It takes me a few (2-4) hours to do everything below.
   
   Materials
   
   stripper - paint cleaner, wax stripper, clay - All of these products help remove old wax, oxidation, stains, and crap that make your paint look dull.
   polish - conditions and nourishes paint
   wax - pure carnuba, zymol, zaino, liquid glass - whatever you feel gives the best shine - I love Meguiars products!
   polish bonnets - for applying and removing polish
   micro-fiber bonnets - for removing wax - you can also use terry cloth
   applicator pads - I always end up using a few because they get dirty or dropped
   orbital buffer - can be a pain but generally speed things up and do a good job
   cheesecloth - because there are always little spots of wax in cracks and curves that need to be removed.
   100% cotton cloth anything - use for removing polish, wax, etc. Must be clean!
   
   Process
   
   1. Make sure your paint is COOL to the touch, parked in a garage or shade, and ensure you have plenty of light and ventilation.
   2. Use whatever stripper product you like to remove whatever is stuck to your paint. I do not do this every time but probably should.
   3. Use the orbital buffer or a cloth to apply polish.
      - Don't apply to much or it will smudge when you buff it off.
      - Apply only to a couple of sections of metal at a time.
   4. Use the bonnets or other cloths to remove polish once a light haze forms.
   5. Apply wax with applicator pads.
      - Use a new applicator pad when the first one gets dirty or dropped.
      - One section at a time because wax is a real pain in the ass to remove once it gets too hard.
      - Use the top-down method.
      - Do the roof, hood, trunk, sides, and bumpers 1 section at a time.
      - Let each section dry to a haze. You can wax the next section while the first section is drying.
      - For extra points wax every part that is painted - engine bay, strut bar, inside the trunk, inside of door frames. Anywhere you can put the wax will help protect the metal and makes it easier to remove dirt when washing.
      - Wax your rims last. I find it easier to get dirt and brake dust off when I keep them waxed.
   6. Use the orbital buffer with microfiber or terry cloth bonnets to remove wax.
      - If it smears you didn't let it dry long enough.
      - If it won't come off with the buffer you let it dry too long.
      - Do NOT press down hard with the buffer. You are NOT trying to grind the wax off.
      - Shake your bonnet or towel or cheesecloth frequently.
      - Change bonnets when they start to drag or leave streaks.
   7. Use cheesecloth to remove wax the buffer won't remove.
   8. Use towels to remove wax from crevices, engine bay, trunk, doors, etc.
      [/list=1]
      
      Wash all of your materials in hot water. Do not use fabric softener.
      
      JUMP IN AND FIND SOME TWISTY ROADS TO TERRORIZE!