Car washing

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2021 Acura RDX
Just curious how often you all wash your CX-5? I had white, so Ive been doing it about 2x per week because of all the bugs. I usually go through a touchless automatic that does a great job. I then touch-up when I get home.

I use to hand wash, but I just dont have the time anymore. I am worried about trying a soft touch automatic wash, but I was thinking maybe that would work better?

So, Im just curious what you all use (unless you hand wash.)
 
I always wash by hand. The touchless washes do affect the paint but you won’t see the effects after just one wash. What if the car before you what a mud and stone covered 4x4?

If I do go to a car wash it’s for the hand power spray only during winter when washing is difficult. That helps with muck and salt build up.
 
If you only plan on keeping car for 3 years, twice a week is good. I wash once every 4-5 months. 12k miles a year. My wash includes wax.
 
If you only plan on keeping car for 3 years, twice a week is good. I wash once every 4-5 months. 12k miles a year. My wash includes wax.

Why just 3 years? Thats such a short period of time. I plan to drive both my cars into the ground.

Anyways, if you are waxing your car then washing roughly twice a month is ideal, but not less then once a month. In the winter, I suggest washing once a week if not more.
 
So you want all the salt dust, brine and other residue stuck back on your car as soon as you start driving it after wash, twice a week? Hmm...
 
So you want all the salt dust, brine and other residue stuck back on your car as soon as you start driving it after wash, twice a week? Hmm...

The roads where I live arent that dirty. I just drive 100km/h as soon as I leave the car wash and it dries off perfectly.

the whole point of the wax is so dirt and water easily just slides off the waxed paint.
 
I'm right beside you in Burlington. You and I know how's that in the winter when it dries out after they salted roads few days before. What do you think that white powdery residue that covers everything from roads to cars is? It ain't snow, it is salt. So while you drive 100km/h after a nice car wash, all that gets stuck right back to your car, and what's worse, the car is wet, and the salt makes a nice brine out of whatever water left on the car. Because the car is wet, the brine gets pretty much everywhere, cancelling the effect of the car wash immediately. But the owner is left with a good feeling, so it's not a waste.
 
I'm right beside you in Burlington. You and I know how's that in the winter when it dries out after they salted roads few days before. What do you think that white powdery residue that covers everything from roads to cars is? It ain't snow, it is salt. So while you drive 100km/h after a nice car wash, all that gets stuck right back to your car, and what's worse, the car is wet, and the salt makes a nice brine out of whatever water left on the car. Because the car is wet, the brine gets pretty much everywhere, cancelling the effect of the car wash immediately. But the owner is left with a good feeling, so it's not a waste.

yes, I know it is salt. I always dry the car off in the winter so it doesnt stick to my paint. while the weather is still relatively nice like today, all you really gotta do is drive off as soon as you wash the car going 80-100km on the highway and the car will dry nicely provided it's properly waxed.

obviously this is not optimal though. I want to buy some sort of air compressor to just quickly dry off the car when im done.
 
If I do go to a car wash it’s for the hand power spray only during winter when washing is difficult. That helps with muck and salt build up.

I live in a condo, so I have to go to a car wash like this year-round. I rinse the car, wipe it down with soap and a microfibre then rinse again with the wax spray. $6 and the wax at these places works well, better then some stupid touchless carwash that you often have to wait for (especially in the winter)
 
The painted surface is not a concern here. Salt can do nothing to it. Multiple layers of paint, primer and zinc protect pretty good. It's under-body, subframes, rockers, bumper bars, etc. That's where rust begins, and not on the outside. Say, rockers almost always rot from inside. And that's where the brine ends up after wash. Look under the car, you'll get the picture. I just did my own rust-proofing with Fluid Film, I saw what's going on there.
 
Just curious how often you all wash your CX-5? I had white, so Ive been doing it about 2x per week because of all the bugs. I usually go through a touchless automatic that does a great job. I then touch-up when I get home.

I use to hand wash, but I just dont have the time anymore. I am worried about trying a soft touch automatic wash, but I was thinking maybe that would work better?

So, Im just curious what you all use (unless you hand wash.)

I take it through the automatic wash every week or two typically. Use the coin operated hand-powered DIY wash every month-ish, and vacuum it out as well. I don't do anything special for it. The rock chips are far uglier than the swirls this induces, so screw it? It's an econo CUV, not a Ming vase. The paint is there to prevent rust (kindof...). My .02 on pedestrian SUV ownership.
 
To Uno: if I lived in your climate, I'd do the same, if I cared about appearance at all. I actually like day-long car wash/wax/detailing jobs, with frequent beer breaks, when it's hot outside. Well, by Ontario standards indeed. A dozen would do it for a day, and what a great excuse when wife looks at her shiny baby...
 
To Uno: if I lived in your climate, I'd do the same, if I cared about appearance at all. I actually like day-long car wash/wax/detailing jobs, with frequent beer breaks, when it's hot outside. Well, by Ontario standards indeed. A dozen would do it for a day, and what a great excuse when wife looks at her shiny baby...

And when you drove it down the driveway it would be filthy again. (In my case). I just can't invest a day in that.
 
The painted surface is not a concern here. Salt can do nothing to it. Multiple layers of paint, primer and zinc protect pretty good. It's under-body, subframes, rockers, bumper bars, etc. That's where rust begins, and not on the outside. Say, rockers almost always rot from inside. And that's where the brine ends up after wash. Look under the car, you'll get the picture. I just did my own rust-proofing with Fluid Film, I saw what's going on there.

Agreed, I was washing out the wheelwells today and tons of dirt came out.

But wait. How are you supposed to dry your subframe, rockers etc after you wash your car? You can dry the painted surface alright, but underneath the car will still be wet. So other then waiting, whats the best way to dry off the underside of the car so salt doesnt stick to the metal?
 
There's no way you can dry that. So don't get it wet by washing in the first place, when there's salt on the road. Get it sprayed with something decent and feel good until spring.
 
There's no way you can dry that. So don't get it wet by washing in the first place, when there's salt on the road. Get it sprayed with something decent and feel good until spring.

So just leaving the paint covered in s*** and salt is better then washing and letting salt stick to the subframe then?
 
So just leaving the paint covered in s*** and salt is better then washing and letting salt stick to the subframe then?
Your car, your decision... Whatever makes you happy, just keep the reality in mind. Dry salt is not active by definition.
 
The bottom of the car stays wet for long periods during the winter months. It’s designed to cop to some extent and a layer of spray on wax helps block it but you have to be practical too.
 
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