dmx11523

My question is regarding car washes...I'm purchasing a White 2013 c300. I'm planning on washing it everyday..Was curious how often I should wax it with that much action in the car wash?
It's blown dry / hand towel dried.
So here in Detroit area, we have Jax Car washes that offer $19.99 to $29.99 a month exterior and interior car wash, unlimited visits a month.

I work next to one, so to get my car washed/vac'd and dash wiped down daily wouldn't be that much of a problem. I'd just do it on my way to work each morning...always fresh

Anything I should be concerned with regarding the paint job...?

Kevin82

I think everyday is too much because you will be eventually getting swirl marks from the towel drying. That's going to be a lot of water wasted too. Maybe once a week at most. Once every other week is more ideal.

I guess this is why the rest of the world hates us.

PlatinumEdition

Swirls do not accumulate from the towel used in drying, you should be worried about the dirtiness of the washing mits the car wash uses.

AV1

Once every day is definitely overkill IMHO

Although if you are going to carry it out or get it done that often, at least the MB ceramic clear coat will prove itself useful in helping to prevent surface damage.

Once a week is more practical or whenever it requires to be cleaned and washed without any set intervals is the way to go, no need to go crazy with polishes either, get a good one and once a month is more than enough, in fact a good product 'applied properly' will be good for up to 6 months or more.

Don't know how other people go about it, but I never let anybody touch my cars when it comes to washing them no matter how good or reputable or whatever the car washers are, I always do it myself as I know I'll take more care than any of them would and do it properly using all the proper items necessary - a very important thing noted in the post above is indeed making sure all materials used that make contact with the duco are absolutely clean even if you have to regularly replace with new ones.

I can always tell a car that's been either over or incorrectly washed/looked after - smears, swirls, light scratches, deteriorated rubber/plastic trims etc. etc. all over it is the tell tale sign.

BD-C63

Everyday washes are unneccessary, this coming from someone who spends a lot of time keeping his black cars clean. I use a duster (very soft cloth brush impregnated with wax) to keep the dust off between washes...

Showa

OP great deal for $30 buck. I would bring it in at least once a week. I hand wash my car once a week and I live near desert area. Nothing get rusted here. However, after 10 years the edge of the supension springs have still developed some rusted. May be some car wash water get into the springs or something.

Fung63

OPs situation is really unique. Great car wash deal and it is next door to work. We really cant use our own standards to compare with his

As long as the materials and equipment is clean and soft I see no problems with daily washes.

IMO OP will either start dropping his car off less or the local wash company starts getting pissed off way before his paint will show any signs of wear.

Steve Richo

Once a week should be fine, you have to look at the risk/reward, the more you wash the greater the risk that damage occurs as a result. Unles it rains everyday where you are, a weeks worth of driving won't give the impression you don't care.

andrew e coupe

i wash my car once a week and i'm quite the perfectionist. however, i do use a quick detailer for touch ups in between with a micro fiber towel. on a daily basis, i wipe the front end off due to the bugs & road debris (quick detailer product again) and find myself always cleaning the front windshield (hate looking through bugged or spotted glass).

Breitling65

one time in two weeks for me, every day is too much. nothing to wash everyday, car is clean. bad weather? my MB is in garage when weather is bad

mis3

+1 for the California Duster.
+1 for the once-a-week wash.

My car is always nice and clean but I wash only when I have to. This equates to about once a week. I use only Meguiars products and I wax about once 1-2 month.

If you wash your car everyday, you will have to wax more often. Every wash will remove a minute layer of wax. Also, will they use good car shampoo? Will they use the proper technic like the 2 buckets wash?

grane

In Toronto we had the cars washed and waxed once a week. The interior was vacuumed and engine compartment inspected also. The leather was treated as required.

In the winter we had the car, especially the radiator and under carriage, hosed down everyday.

Today we have 3M and Ventureshield, not that Simoniz nano silliness, to help protect from chips. We have better waxes too including a new MB treatment we know nothing about that require less frequent attention. Oh, we always touch up worn spots in the undercarriage with Wurths, 3M or Rustoleum. rubber, bushings etc, with 303.

Seems like you can vary the contract mentioned to accomplish something similar. The comment from the OP about technic is on point. M*grs no longer has a relationship with MB, but I like his tV show and teeth. Reminds me of S. Ormans.

FraKctured

Way too much. Wash it when it's dirty, or once a week, whichever comes first.

dmx11523

3 times a year wax job enough to protect me from using wash so much?

It def will be at a minimum 3-4 times a week. I like my car dust free, wheels shined and tires dressed and most importantly vac'd inside and everything dusted.

FraKctured

Yea wax 2-3 times a year is a good idea regardless, especially if you live in a zone that gets a real winter and the roads get salted. My body shop guy insists on twice a year--before winter, and in the spring--and I totally agree.

Still, you're fighting a losing battle--the car will get some dust on it no matter how often you wash it. My suggestion would be to starve the obsessive beast a bit and get comfortable with a little dirt on your car. I sure recognize the impulse, but it's a fight you can't win, but you can spend a lot of time and energy trying (while driving people around you crazy with your obsession).

texasC350

I can promise that is the worst thing you could ever do to your car. If your hand washing it your self with clean and proper equipment then it would be fine with wax about every 2 months.I used to do an unlimited car wash on my tundra and my girl friend X5 that was at a really good place with hand drying with microfiber towels and such but would never ever take any of our cars through any type car wash like that ever again. At first it will look really good and clean but after about 3 months you will find really bad swirl marks from the towels that are used all day. The strong commercial grade soaps will also dry out the rubber seals on the windows and rust the visable brake components with time. The strong air dryer also started to pull the rear break light away from the roof on my tundra. Trust me you do not want to use a car wash plan like that. If you do dont use it if you dont need it. Dont do it more than once a week if your planning on keeping your car longer than 2 years and keep it looking new. Once again this is from my own personal experience and am sure that it is not a good idea besides what anyone else has to say. I try to keep my everything i have in pristine condition and am particular about how to clean my car correctly after my experience with car washes. I hope this helps