Cleaning The Box (I am Lazy!) - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

JCL12 · 06-26-2007, 04:59 PM

Hi all,

Sorry for this post, as I will assume it is partially redundant. However, I couldn't find what I was looking for with the search. Here is some background about my box (probably very different from many of you):

-I drive it about 4 times per week in rural NY
-The car gets lots of miles and loves to

attract bugs

-I have no bra
-I keep the car

outside 100%

of the time (no garage)
-I somewhat lazy and would prefer not to have to clean my car

-I cannot wash my car in my apt. complex

Advice/Q's I have:

1) Is sending the box through an auto-car wash a poor idea?
2) What about bringing the box to a DIY station (powerwash + whatever soap/crap wax they have)
3) If I pay a place to do it for me, what should I be looking for?
4) To wax or not to wax, that is the question!
5) Any suggestions for products (both exterior and interior)?
6) What is the best way to clean crud off from under the car after a nasty winter+ road salting? (I may winter garage the car)

Thanks for the advice!

djomlas · 06-26-2007, 05:05 PM

damn youre really not cleaning it if you have dirt and stuff from winter. do you know how long ago winter was here? heheh.

Boxtaboy · 06-26-2007, 05:22 PM

I too, cannot wash my car where it is kept. I live in NYC, and my car is parked underground in a parking garage. It cannot be washed on the garage premises, so I bring it to a hand wash car wash place that charges $10 bucks for the wash. Prob. take it for a wash maybe once a month, as I am also pretty lazy, and not anal about keeping it clean.

Luckily, because the car is silver, it doesn't show much dirt anyway, so I can get away with it. I do wax the car once a year, however, and also treat the soft top with Raggtop protectant prior to each winter. After a harsh winter of road grime/salt, take the car to one of those DIY coin operated car wash places and use the pressure spray nozzle to hose down the underbody of all the salt.

I've done this routine for the past 5+ years with my car here in NY, and the car still looks great.

husker boxster · 06-26-2007, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCL12

1) Is sending the box through an auto-car wash a poor idea?

Most forum members would tell you not to do this. I ignored them and used a nice touchless wash 1 blk from my house for 1.5 yrs. Worked great in the winter and those times I was lazy in the summer.

Back in Mar my Box started making a nasty groaning noise over bumps or turning. Took it in and it was diagnosed as a faulty bushing in the lower control arm - not covered by CPO warranty. I ********************ed to the dealer and to the forum members about low quality components. When I got the car back and looked at the service report, it said "Found lower control arm had a torn boot on ball joint letting water get in and rust causing groaning noise". Torn boot, hmmm I wonder if it got that way going through the car wash? I think I'm guilty of a self inflicted wound.

Long story, but you get the point. If you have to use a car wash, make sure there is enough clearance for your Box. Otherwise use the DIY one.

JCL12 · 06-26-2007, 06:28 PM

djomlas - the car has never seen a winter. I picked it up from the south. This was more of a future/what if question

Boxtaboy - I like the idea of a hand wash place but I am not sure where I can find one! All the car washes in my area are DIY crudholes. I will engage advice from the locals and broaden my search range.

husker boxster - in a DIY place, they have crappy soap and a "wax" setting from the power-wash nozzle. Do you advise skipping this "wax" step? Also - can I wax in my car in broad daylight/hot hot sun or is this bad?

Lastly, if I power-spray the undercoat, should I soap it or merely water it?

Thanks!

06-26-2007, 08:58 PM

Also - can I wax in my car in broad daylight/hot hot sun or is this bad?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

NEVER WAX YOUR CAR IN DIRECT SUN!!!!

rick3000 · 06-26-2007, 09:08 PM

QUOTE:
1) Is sending the box through an auto-car wash a poor idea?
6) What is the best way to clean crud off from under the car after a nasty winter+ road salting? (I may winter garage the car)

Answers:
1) Most boxster owners recommend against this.
6) A lot of the DIY places have a bar with holes you drive over slowly and it shoots water up into the undercarrage. Or you could slide one of those lawn sprinkers that moves left to right under the car.

I actually have a question of my own:
With a hardtop is a drive-through car wash okay?

denverpete · 06-26-2007, 09:31 PM

Don't do the auto wash. For one thing, you don't want to soap up your soft top. For another, they do a lousy job.

Try the self-wash places. I keep two synthetic shammies in my trunk. You can use one to wash (if needed) and the other to dry.

When I go to a car wash facility I always I get the hand wash. This ensures my top stays nice and, we'll, they really do a great job compared to running it through. At least once a year have the car wash place do a hand wax.

Boxtaboy · 06-27-2007, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCL12

Lastly, if I power-spray the undercoat, should I soap it or merely water it?

Thanks!

Use just the water spray when you rinse off the undercoat. You're just trying to wash off the salt. After you're done washing the car at the DIY place, it's ok to use a light spray of the wax, and then dry off the entire car.

FIG · 06-27-2007, 04:14 AM

Buy a house, move to the suburbs and WASH YOUR CAR!!!!!!!!

Perfectlap · 06-27-2007, 06:57 AM

If you can't wash your own car with a hose use Optimum No Rinse available at detailcity.com
Fill A bucket with warm water and drop in two ounces of No Rinse, mix it up. Dunk a sea songe or chenille sponge and wring out the sponge over the car for some pre-soak.
Dunk the sponge again and wipe down one panel at a time. While the car is still wet Spray the panel with a quick detailer (Try Chemical Guys or FK1, both sell by the gallon and cheap) and buff dry with a waffle weave towel (Pack Shack or Poorboysworld.com). Use the left over water to clean your wheels with a Meguiar's Gold Class wheel face brush.
If you can't get a bucket to wash use a 2 gallon pesticide sprayer from Lowe's or Home Depot. Same procedure, fill with warm water, drop in two ounces, close the lid on the sprayer, shake up and pump the sprayer. No Rinse leaves a very nice slick surface. If the surface isn't slick after cleaning the a panel you are using too much water or not enough No Rinse. I can do the whole car in under 15 minutes.

as for the bugs, If you use a good acrylic wax like Fk1 1000P, FK1 Pink Wax, Werkstatt Acrylic Jett Trigger, Rejex, Mezerna FMJ it should make the bug removal much easier.
1Z makes a great bug remover sold at openroadmotoring.com