Zenyatta

I am ready for the first car wash. What are some dos and don'ts?

Should I just take it to a dealer or other car-wash places or do it myself? I purchased out of state so hope the local dealer would still be ok after all he gets all my service business.

Thanks!

cidtek

I always go through the touch free car washes. Interesting enough I got my first tiny little swirls on the paint after the dealer hand washed it.

swagger_jacker

I don't do dealerships or car washes, I use a foam lance on the car. Foam it up use a nice MIT to wipe it down if needed and rince off. No swirles scratches, ect. I forgot to tell the dealer no was when I had it in and the car looked worse then when it went in. Couldn't see out the windows, paint was all streaked up. Was horrible, no dealer washes here.

ept55

Ditto

CO2010

I used to spend two-three hours every weekend hand washing it then realized I should be out enjoying my life rather than spending it with a bucket and a hose Lol. I just bring it to MB and take advantage of their free washes. They actually do a pretty good job. Besides, there is nothing more frustrating than hand washing and detailing only to catch every sprinkler and "passing rain shower" 5 minutes later.

rbrylaw

If I'm near the dealer, I let them wash mine. They have a very modern system and do an excellent job. But most of the time, I have a "guy" who comes to my condo every Saturday and does a fantastic job keeping my car clean. Only $20 and for a full detail, including hand waxing, it's only $50. Everyone should have a "guy" of their own. Yes they should.

I sip coffee and have breakfast and someone cleans my car. Perfect!

swagger_jacker

^ Baller status lol

MASSC450

I like your thinking! Heck, I'd even pay $30 for just the hand wash.

Wish I could find someone like that. I'm still detailing my wife's and my car myself in the nice weather, when it gets cold out, we take our cars to touch less car washes.

rbrylaw

I'm betting there is a mobile detailer near you. Just google your area and mobile detailers and give yourself a "guy" of your own!

mis3

For me, it depends on the color of the car.

For a black car, I would be more selective to who and how the car is washed because of the potential swirls. It will have to be the two-bucket wash with frequent rinses of the wash mitt.

I have a silver MB and it's much easier to maintain. Sure I have swirls but they are not too visible.

CornishPasty

Is this a worldwide thing that Mercedes dealers will wash the cars?

mis3

I know 3 MB dealerships in Toronto and they all have automatic car washes. They would wash the car after a service. My buddy used to be a service advisor there and he would wash my car most times I visited him. He had changed role 2 years ago to go to sales in the same dealership.

Not sure if the car wash is modern, I never saw it.

jbbeauso

Although dealer wash quality will vary, you should not trust that they will wash your car properly. I either hand wash using a 2 bucket method with grit guards, or I use a touch-less automatic car wash. For touchless carwashes to be most effective consider having a hydrophobic ceramic protective coating put on your car (ie. ceramic pro, opticoat, cquartz)

jolt8631

Every MB dealership I have used does car washes for Service visits. I used to be very grateful, thinking what good service it is.... Then I wandered down to the wash area, on one visit to find a couple of spotty oiks dragging themselves away from their mobiles to pull a sponge across someone's car....

Never again!

MASSC450

My Mercedes Benz dealership I go to is brand new...and has a brand new auto car wash built right in it.

The few times I've had my car serviced there, each time they washed it & put tire shine on the tires...all for free.

cidtek

Was it touchless?

MASSC450

No...but I've yet to see a swirl mark on my car. This dealership uses their auto car wash on all their vehicles.

When my wife takes her BMW 328i to the dealership, they wash her car for free as well, but it's by hand, they usually miss spots, they don't use tire shine...and she's received some swirl marks from these free washes to boot.