Do you hand wash or car wash your Tesla?

[Solar Windman]

What's the consensus? What do you do? Feel free to explain your answer.

 

[fholbert]

We should be able to choose more than one answer.

I hand wash, but every 60 days a detailer comes to our house and details both cars.

 

[Apprunner]

Rinse with pressure wash
Foam cannon
Rinse with pressure wash
Foam Cannon
1-bucket method (6 to 8 mitts using once)
Rinse with pressure wash
Dry with Opti-seal as drying aid
Happy

 

[Shelburne]

Rinse with pressure wash
Foam cannon
Rinse with pressure wash
Foam Cannon
1-bucket method (6 to 8 mitts using once)
Rinse with pressure wash
Dry with Opti-seal as drying aid
Happy

What is a foam cannon?

 

[Shelburne]

Living in New England, I hand wash my M3 from some time in May till some time in October. The rest of the year, when the car gets its dirtiest from road salt, I take it to a touchless car wash. But here, you're just wasting that money unless you can be sure of several days without rain or snow.

 

[blackT3$!@]

I hand washed it the first two years, then with all the rock chips and scratches it has accumulated in 82k miles I stated taking it to car washes. I do a better job hand washing and hand drying than the car wash, but when it is really dirty and I don't have time, I take it to the local car wash with brushes and an automatic dryer. It consistently misses the rear so I end up having to hand clean that part if I have time. Hand drying is really important to me because I can't stand water spots.

 

[PianoAl]

I bought a Sun Joe 3000 spx for pressure washing the car with a foam cannon and for cleaning the driveway. The thing was so messy to set up and put away, with the cord and two hoses, that I decided I would not want to wash the car frequently with it. I'll use the foam gun instead.

It was also not strong enough to clean the driveway efficiently, so I returned it.

 

[PianoAl]

I'm fortunate to be about a half mile from a four lane highway with almost no traffic. So, after washing, I just drive 65 mph for about 4 miles. After that there are just a few drops of water left.

 

[Apprunner]

What is a foam cannon?

It’s a pressure washer attachment that puts a layer of soapy foam to loosen up the dirt and add lubricity to prevent scratching during the wash process.

 

[carlosnunezhtx]

I only hand wash our cars. Optimum No Rinse and a trillion microfiber towels all day long.

 

[traubgator]

had no choice but to run it through a touchless car wash yesterday -- too much pollen in Atlanta, and can't hand wash it every day

but if really dirty I foam, rinse, foam - hand wash and dry
if light and weekly clean - using ONR now and have some ONR in a spray bottle for a quick waterless wash/detail spray.

 

[PianoAl]

If there were a touchless car wash in my area, I'd use it regularly. I had great results with one in Denver after a winter drive California to Colorado.

 

[Izzyz28]

The M3P and the Plaid both go through the gas station touch wash every 2-4 weeks or whenever they're covered in filth.

 

[derekmw]

I do no-brush soap/foam car wash. Then take it home and use the waterless car wash system in the garage. Here in San Diego, we cannot wash cars in driveway so this is my only option besides taking to car washes - which I watched in past and see them use the same clothes on wheels and painted surfaces, etc. So I never let anyone else wash my cars.

 

[carpe_diem]

1. hand wash
2. dry using electric leaf blower (faster than hand drying, prevents water spots)
3. apply XPEL ceramic boost

 

[ashegam]

Rinse with pressure wash
Foam cannon
Rinse with pressure wash
Foam Cannon
1-bucket method (6 to 8 mitts using once)
Rinse with pressure wash
Dry with Opti-seal as drying aid
Happy

You should Rinse with pressure wash after you Dry with Opti-seal just to make sure it's actually rinsed. jesus bruh!

 

[gcardona]

I wash once a week with Optimum No Rinse and dry with The Absorber. I've been doing this for over 4 years and the paint still looks new.

 

[PianoAl]

1-bucket method (6 to 8 mitts using once)

Some people freak when they hear "one bucket," but as long as you use multiple mitts or cloths, it's much better.

All hail ONR!

 

[Apprunner]

Some people freak when they hear "one bucket," but as long as you use multiple mitts or cloths, it's much better.

All hail ONR!

Yeah. I do ONR if the car isn't too dirty. One bucket is far superior to two bucket now.

 

[RSpanner]

Turtle Wax 53413 Hybrid Solutions Ceramic 3-in-1 Detailer - 32 Fl Oz.​

I have used a DIY car wash hi pressure unit a number of times. The above detailer works great.