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How often do you clean your vehicle(s)?


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Seeing my older 4 Monte Carlos literally covered in dust, and sadly STILL not "on the road" for 2007, made me realize I don't have a lot more weekends to really give them a cleaning. Heck, last year, I only washed the older 4 MCs (all 4 on one Saturday) ... didn't even wax 'em. Since that isn't the "norm" for me, I hope to change that this year...we'll see. I managed to get the '87 MC LS waxed 3 times, though, last year. So far, I've cleaned and waxed the '87 MC LS once this year.

Normally, I wash, wax and clean the interior of the older 4 MCs once a year. I just dust them off every so often during the rest of the time that they are out ... unless they get caught in a rainstorm. The '87 MC LS, however, gets that "whole" treatment at least 3 times a year. I try to wash it in between "cleanings", but don't always manage to accomplish that as much as I want ... or, perhaps, should....

So ... how many times in a year do you clean your vehicle(s)? You can mention it by washing only, washing and waxing, interior cleaning ... or whatever combo you want. And ... no ... this is not meant to be a contest. As "impeccable" as I try to keep my MCs, I know I don't clean 'em near enough ... and they look it, too :(.

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"It could've been different somehow" ... Doug Stone ... 'Why Didn't I Think Of That?'

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When I used to drive to Tampa daily, I'd hit the Olds with a spot-free rinse from a cheap $1.00 open-bay carwash just to prevent accumulation of road crap. Now, I rinse/wash about once a week, polishing and detailing when I feel like it. I need to do the interior, though, and definitely going to put another coat of Poorboy's on the Olds before I get my cosmetic project car!

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I'd say about every other week on average. I have an orbital buffer that I use to wax it; I get water to bead on every inch of the car even after a month of so after a wax. Usually I try to wax it after washing but it all depends on how much time I have; if I know I don't have time to wax I make sure I don't get the wash too soapy or it will strip the wax.

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I used to wash everything once a week, but now since the Camaros are kept inside 90% of the time they only get washed maybe once a month and get dusted the rest of the time.

The Focus gets washed once a week still, unless I'm off at school. In that case, it gets washed roughly every 2 weeks since I usually come home for the weekend every 2 weeks.

I TRY to wax every 2 months, but usually that doesn't work because I have to maintain 6 cars. When I wax I use a 3 stage system from Meguiars (Cleaner, high tech polish that can be layered and Gold Class yellow wax) and I do it all by hand. Sometimes I even do multiple coats -- I did 5 (1 cleaner, 2 polish, 2 wax) on our Silverado once and almost went crazy; it was too much work. I apply the cleaner and wax in a straight line motion and the polish in a circular motion because of the nature and different purposes of the chemicals. I also use either Meguiars Quik Detailer and/or Meguiars Quik Wax when I detail or when I'm prepping for a show.

Don't feel bad about not getting the Montes out. I've been home since mid May and haven't had the Camaros out but once --- it happens.

Edited by FUTURE_OF_GM
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I usually run the truck through my favorite automatic touchless wash once a week. Seven bucks a pop, I get "the works". I usually spray down the wheels with Simple Green just before it goes through, and wipe it down with a towel afterward, keeps it nice.

Right now, it's downstairs in the garage with a severe case of bug splatter, sigh, from coming home from the beach last night.

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The inside I vacuum and dust a few times per year. The exterior, well, it's rare I touch it. I'm afraid to or I'll wipe off the paint. The paint job is HORRIBLE on my car... which is amazing since the paint job on my brother's 94 is like new and never wore/faded like mine.

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Bi-weekly. I think interior can hold on without cleaning pretty good for 3-4 of months, provided if I do not drive with windows down, otherwise, I may have to do it once a month.

I use the Turtle wash/wax combo. I dunno if it gives a good wax like the wax only liquids.

Love Bug-guts are a pain in the rear to clean, especially during start of spring and fall. The entire front looks like a war-zone after you come back from a long trip.

Once, while I was driving on I-75, near Gainesville, it was a like a cloud of Love-bugs, that flew over, and my Lumina looked like a rice mobile with a black hood and front and different colored rest of the body.

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Well before the saturn was put away it was washed once a week and cleaned out once a month.

The breeze is washed once a week and cleaned out once every 2-3 months.

The Sebring, well, since it's new I find my self washing it every 4-5 days and cleaned out every 2 weeks.

These 3 get a waxing when I notice water not beading on the car.

The electrea gets cleaned out every 2 months and washed every....well I've washed it twice since September.

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Guest YellowJacket894

Twice a month I try to clean up the interior and wash the exterior (sometimes I kill the two birds with one stone, sometimes I'll just do both separate). I don't bother waxing my truck; sure the paint has some sheen left, but it's still chipped, nicked, scratched, peeled (from where the pinstripe stripped away the clear coat when I removed it), and even cracked. My truck needs paint bad.

Come to think of it, I'm going to take some time out today and clean it up a bit.

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In the summer I hand wash it at least twice and week and vacuum/clean the inside (condition leather, scrub mats, clean windows, dash, etc.) once a week. Usually gets wax at least monthly. In the winter when I had unlimited works washes I was running it through at least 3-4 times a week. I can't stand a dirty car.

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I wash my Bonneville once a week in the summer and nice months. In the winter once every two, if I have extra time maybe once or twice a week in the summer/nice months. I detail it monthly wax it at least 4 times a year, closer to 6-8 times. My Impala wash once a month and wax 2-4 times a year. My Grand Prix wash it every two months and wax twice year, once a year I vaccum the GP. I vaccum the Bonneville twice a year and the Impala once a year as well.

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Right now, it's downstairs in the garage with a severe case of bug splatter, sigh, from coming home from the beach last night.

Heh....bugs are a PAIN.

When I went out and started the older 4 a couple weekends ago or so ... I noticed some of 'em had bugs on the front of 'em from last year. But, not too worried about it ... they usually are easy to clean off, given the wax that is on them ;).

And, FOG ... not sure that feeling bad is what I feel ... just weird, since I'm used to having them out no LATER than mid-May.... This is VERY unusual for me ... maybe I should sell 'em ... I don't know :(.

OK ... how about cleaning methods?

If I'm doing everything, I wash the car and clean the interior (including trunk) in the morning. After a lunch break, I wax the car in the afternoon into early early evening. Yes, it takes me longer than most people ... because I have to take my time.

So, what is your "cleaning routine"?

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"It's only a matter of time" ... Mariah Carey ... 'Always Be My Baby'

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I wash once a week and sometimes more since my neighbors tree covers most of my driveway and there's a family of birds that like to crap on my car so I have to get that off as soon as I see it. I vacuum every few weeks, there's nothing I hate more than a messy interior and if its raining or people have dirty/wet shoes then the mats have to be flipped over and those passengers are told to keep their feet on the mats and not to step on the carpeting. My wife thinks I have brain damage and she's probably right. For the body I use mothers wax 3 times a year.

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How could you people vacuum the interior so rarely???

I can't even stand sand or pebbles on the carpets. I get angry when I see water spots on the exterior. I keep our cars VERY clean.

*sighs*

I wish I could say the same thing ... that my MCs are VERY clean, but they aren't.

But, I do get unhappy with water spots and the like on my MCs (though, that only happens on the daily driver '87 MC LS). I keep the interiors pretty much immaculate by not having food, etc., in my cars ... that right there is a BIG help in keeping the interior clean ;).

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"I could never get enough" ... Eddy Raven ... 'I Could Use Another You'

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