What's your bodywork maintenance routine?

DD265

I won't lie I'm a bit lax, and want to get into better habits.

I have various Autoglym products but I think I've applied polish to the car once in the year I've owned it, so currently they're just wasted. I understand that my Golf won't fall apart if I don't polish it, I'm just thinking it'll be easier to keep clean in between times having recently decided to wash it myself and not pay somebody else. Plus I do like keeping my things looking new!

If anybody has any recommendations for safely getting bugs off paintwork and tar spots off alloys I'd love to hear them.

EssexExile

My cars get washed about every three months, whether they need it or not, by the nice gentlemen just off the local roundabout. I tend to keep them for about ten years & they look fine when sold.

[Deleted User]

ASDA Jet Wash every week.

Carrot007

Ignore the bodywork and only bother cleaning bird crap off.


Maybe wash it once a year if I can be arsed or the number plates are no longer visible.

System

Mondeo gets taken to the Eastern European hand car wash place a few times a year, I use my pressure washer and a brush inbetween when I can be bothered.

MX5 gets washed every few weeks depending on how much I've been out in it with said pressure washer and then gets Autoglym Resin Polish every few washes.

Never could get into keeping them like some do and polishing them every week.

[Deleted User]

Taking mine for a weekly supermarket jet wash is just a recent thing. I got photos of my cars years ago where they are still caked in winter muck in the middle of the summer etc. And my previous car never got washed once or vacuum out in the 2 years I had it.

Lomast

I clean Windows, lights and number plate when they get dirty otherwise i have not washed it in the 3 years i have owned it

neilmcl

OP, judging by the replies so far your clearly in the wrong place for asking about car cleaning advice

I'd pop over to the forums on detailingworld.co.uk if your serious about keeping you car's exterior in good nick.

daveyjp

Lomast wrote: »

I clean Windows, lights and number plate when they get dirty otherwise i have not washed it in the 3 years i have owned it

I too have never washed my cars.

When it is serviced and 2-3 times a year if the car wash is quiet, but only when I think its a while since it was last done.

FreddieFrugal

It's pointless with the route I drive to work. Looks as if it hadn't ever been cleaned after one drive.

My Wife's car was also never cleaned - I gave it a really thorough clean inside and out before p/x'ing it - looked brilliant.

By the time I'd driven it to the dealership was completely filthy again!

motorguy

Both cars washed, dried and tyres slicked every week.

Hoovered out usually every other week.

Polished every 2-3 months. Usually a two or three stage polish.

Any stone chips touched up as soon as i spot them.