Washing Your Z!

[tiborakos]

Originally Posted by godius

Or just find a local car wash station, and pay 1 euro per wash

1 euro??? u must be kidding...we pay a lot more here...at least 7-8 euros...and can go to 15! rich greece...

[riccis]

Originally Posted by tiborakos

1 euro??? u must be kidding...we pay a lot more here...at least 7-8 euros...and can go to 15! rich greece...

I think (and Godius will be able to confirm), he's refering to the Do It Yourself stations where you wash the car yourself. Not the hand wash ones.

Is this what you were thinking of? Because a simple hand wash here in London costs about £5/£6 (€6/€7). Not that I would bring my Z4 to them; they scratch they take the dirt of alright but ruin the paint work!

[msimon18]

Memphis - thx for the tip on the simple green but not quite sure of the ph.. I think I will stick with the McQuires wash and the Zaino products I have been using on my BMW's for the past 5 years.....

I just picked up my Z4 yesterday - ended up with Sapphire Black with Tan leather. In looking at a lot of the photos on this thread and others I noticed that mine has the BLACK grill vs. the chrome.. I wonder why ??? Is it a 2009 vs. 2010 difference ??

[Memphis1]

Originally Posted by msimon18

Memphis - thx for the tip on the simple green but not quite sure of the ph.. I think I will stick with the McQuires wash and the Zaino products I have been using on my BMW's for the past 5 years.....

I just picked up my Z4 yesterday - ended up with Sapphire Black with Tan leather. In looking at a lot of the photos on this thread and others I noticed that mine has the BLACK grill vs. the chrome.. I wonder why ??? Is it a 2009 vs. 2010 difference ??

30i has black grills, 35i has chrome grills

[mrboon]

Originally Posted by riccis

I think (and Godius will be able to confirm), he's refering to the Do It Yourself stations where you wash the car yourself. Not the hand wash ones.

yup you are correct.

[Micky Dee]

I've heard that excessive use of a jetwash can degrade the sidewalls of tyres leading to potential failure. Anyone else heard this?

[alan64]

Originally Posted by memphis2012

yup, clarkson is funny! BTW I wash my car every weekend.

clarkson is not only funny but after testing a bunch of cars, I find his reviews bang on. He has a way of being funny and very informative. they arent the top show for nothing.

[mrboon]

Originally Posted by alan64

clarkson is not only funny but after testing a bunch of cars, I find his reviews bang on. He has a way of being funny and very informative. they arent the top show for nothing.

Totally agree. And im glad he really liked the z4. His quote:

"honestly, if someone said to me, you would have to have one of these for the rest of your life, I would be delighted!"

I still cant get over Hamsters face when he's sat in the Z4 in the studio. He looks like a 8 year old boy, so happy in the new Z4.

[tranquility]

Didn't want to start a new thread. I spray wheels 1st, use carwash detergent on those w/ wheel scrubber; rinse wheels; spray the car; use car wash detergent on car w/ sponge; rinse/california blade the water/chamois the rest+dry the wheels; detail rest (plastics/leather/glass/lights/vacuum). It takes me 3.5 hours to complete!

My question is my chamois (generic brand) SUCKS! It doesn't suck up the water and is literally breaking up in little pieces on my car's surface. I want to know what is a good alternate material or product/other chamois brand you'd recommend to do the job right? Thx.

[ChuckB]

Originally Posted by tranquility

My question is my chamois (generic brand) SUCKS! It doesn't suck up the water and is literally breaking up in little pieces on my car's surface. I want to know what is a good alternate material or product/other chamois brand you'd recommend to do the job right? Thx.

Use a good micro fiber towel, soaks up TONS of water and doesn't scratch at all, they are great for eveything.

http://www.autogeek.net/microfiber-buffing-towel.html

I get mine here cause these are one of the few folks who will ship to an APO address.

[Dr Stig 2]

Rain - wash
Sun - dry

simple.

[Otago]

Some people treat your cars like a baby!

[Otago]

Originally Posted by Dr Stig 2

Rain - wash
Sun - dry

simple.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

I wash my car by hand (using a high quality sheepskin wash mitt, another (recycled/previous) wash mitt for the wheels), every weekend. I use a high quality dishwasher detergent. Every six months the car gets the full treatment using Zaino Products (I have all there car cleaning products and love them).

Once a year my car gets treated to a BMW spa treatment

As a brush for the wheels I use a good bottle brush, I stick the bottle brush into an old sheepskin wash mitt to get every inch of the wheel (I find doing it weekly keeps the wheel looking like new). I may get the BMW brush set, checked the price $59.95 Canadian before the 13% tax, I might get them in the US next time I'm down that way.

My pressure washer is with a friend, have to get it back and try it on my wheels.

I plan to remove my wheels 3 to 4 times a year while I inspect them for cracks then will clean them 100% before remounting.

Memphis, what you pay for your BMW brush set?

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

I found this thread .... the fellow really goes to town on his car something a rain and sun treatment can never accomplish ........................... here is looking at you Dr Stig 2

Looks like this fellow means business from the word go ... lots of pictures

[alan64]

Originally Posted by riccis

Yep....I have the same alloys too. 18" multispoke! Nice but what a pain!

Don't know about memphis but I can't reach the back. I use Autoglym's Hi-Tech Wheel Brush and Autoglym's Custom Wheel Cleaner (it's non acidic). Perhaps it's because it's non acidic that it takes more work to get the alloys clean.

I'll probably take the wheels off and clean the back of the wheels in spring. I'll also wax them before putting them back on. Only picked the car up 2 weeks ago and it's done little else but rain so haven't had the chance to do a proper detailing job on the car.

you know for the life of me I cannot figure out why you think these 18 inch multispokes are a pain?? I go to the carwash that is done by myself. Pick up the wand and pressure wash the wheels in 3 seconds for each one. They come out clean as a whistle. Yes, the wheels get brake dust on them over time, but it comes off in a flash. They certainly are not a pain to clean that way??

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by alan64

you know for the life of me I cannot figure out why you think these 18 inch multispokes are a pain?? I go to the carwash that is done by myself. Pick up the wand and pressure wash the wheels in 3 seconds for each one. They come out clean as a whistle. Yes, the wheels get brake dust on them over time, but it comes off in a flash. They certainly are not a pain to clean that way??

I guess it's a pain to ppl w/o access to a pressure washer. 20-spokes is a lot to clean though (vs 5 or whatever's the minimum spoke # for the Z4)!

[tot]

Originally Posted by ChuckB

Use a good micro fiber towel, soaks up TONS of water and doesn't scratch at all, they are great for eveything..

I second that. I used to hate drying the car until I found micro fiber towels, perfect result and fast. I use them everywhere, big ones for drying and small ones for detailing and wiping the interior.

[Horsedoc67]

I wash my Z with the Mr Clean device avail. at most auto stores in the US (Autozone etc and some supermarkets) It has a cartridge that deionizes the final rinse water and it also has a special soap that rinses clean and with essentially no water spots, the final drying is done with clean microfiber towels. I clean the windows with deionized water in a spray bottle and microfiber towels. Twice weekly I spray the car lightly with deionized H2O and wipe clean using several towels not allowing them to get very soiled. I then go over the car with Turtle Wax Spray Detailer and micro towels. For the wheels I just use the MrClean soap and the afore pictured BMW Brushes. The key to no scratches is using clean towels, avoiding wash mitts and chamois because they always retain grit that will scratch. Use a clean microfiber towel as a mitt. I keep a large quantity of towels on hand(cheap at Costco) and launder them with detergent and hot water. If they get badly soiled with grease,oil, etc I toss them.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Didn't want to start a new thread. I spray wheels 1st, use carwash detergent on those w/ wheel scrubber; rinse wheels; spray the car; use car wash detergent on car w/ sponge; rinse/california blade the water/chamois the rest+dry the wheels; detail rest (plastics/leather/glass/lights/vacuum). It takes me 3.5 hours to complete!

My question is my chamois (generic brand) SUCKS! It doesn't suck up the water and is literally breaking up in little pieces on my car's surface. I want to know what is a good alternate material or product/other chamois brand you'd recommend to do the job right? Thx.

Good friend of mine uses just soft bath towels to dry his car, works for him.

[zeez_Dubai]

Originally Posted by Horsedoc67

I wash my Z with the Mr Clean device avail. at most auto stores in the US (Autozone etc and some supermarkets) It has a cartridge that deionizes the final rinse water and it also has a special soap that rinses clean and with essentially no water spots, the final drying is done with clean microfiber towels. I clean the windows with deionized water in a spray bottle and microfiber towels. Twice weekly I spray the car lightly with deionized H2O and wipe clean using several towels not allowing them to get very soiled. I then go over the car with Turtle Wax Spray Detailer and micro towels. For the wheels I just use the MrClean soap and the afore pictured BMW Brushes. The key to no scratches is using clean towels, avoiding wash mitts and chamois because they always retain grit that will scratch. Use a clean microfiber towel as a mitt. I keep a large quantity of towels on hand(cheap at Costco) and launder them with detergent and hot water. If they get badly soiled with grease,oil, etc I toss them.

Originally Posted by Rolf-Dieter

I wash my car by hand (using a high quality sheepskin wash mitt, another (recycled/previous) wash mitt for the wheels), every weekend. I use a high quality dishwasher detergent. Every six months the car gets the full treatment using Zaino Products (I have all there car cleaning products and love them).

Once a year my car gets treated to a BMW spa treatment

As a brush for the wheels I use a good bottle brush, I stick the bottle brush into an old sheepskin wash mitt to get every inch of the wheel (I find doing it weekly keeps the wheel looking like new). I may get the BMW brush set, checked the price $59.95 Canadian before the 13% tax, I might get them in the US next time I'm down that way.

My pressure washer is with a friend, have to get it back and try it on my wheels.

I plan to remove my wheels 3 to 4 times a year while I inspect them for cracks then will clean them 100% before remounting.

Memphis, what you pay for your BMW brush set?

i just went through this thread and OMG if our wifes / partners just go through it we are soo screwed. lol

[tranquility]

^What do you mean?