keeping paint clean

[haverford59]

I'm an old guy (84) who wanted to drive an electric car before I died, so I leased a 3. Although it's a lease, I want to keep the car looking good. I know the paint is thin, and I know I shouldn't take it through a car wash. Where I live, I'm not able to wash the car myself. I also read that waxing the car gradually removes a layer of paint. Getting the car wrapped with a paint protection film for $8000 is out of the question.

So what are my options, if any? I hate having a car that loses all its luster.

jimlee

 

[UncertainTimes]

Waxing doesn’t remove paint unless it’s an abrasive wax, which isn’t common nowadays. Hire a decent mobile detailer and schedule a weekly wash at the convenience of your own home.

 

[BierNut]

Compounding/polishing removes a surface layer, wax does not as it is designed to create a layer over the surface for protection and shine. There are some "cleaning" waxes with light abrasives, however it would take longer than your lease period to have any measurable effect on the clear coat.

Touchless car washes should be fine, you want to avoid anything that touches the paint, as that introduces swirling and micro-scratches. Note the soaps these washes use tend to be fairly aggressive, so keep up with regular waxing (every six months or so). Avoid all the extras they offer, and be especially sure to avoid any rainbow-colored foams/cleaners, as thoses will stain the stainless trim on the car. Get the most basic wash you can, just soap and ideally a spot-free rinse.

 

[Madsen203]

DIY ceramic coating and use rinse less wash methods.

 

[Candleflame]

if you are tight for cash then use spray sealant.

 

[TesToTheMoon]

Would suggest ceramic coating, probably done by professional since it is labor intensive

 

[oreobbq]

You could try finding a touchless car wash near you. Enjoy your car and I hope you outlive your car lease.

 

[joebruin77]

As others have mentioned, if you want to keep the car looking great but you don't want to do it yourself, your best option is to find a mobile detailer who you can trust, have them come to your home, and have them clean and protect your car on a weekly basis.

The problem with touchless car washes is that they do not clean nearly as well. Yes, you don't induce scratches or swirl marks, but you also don't clean the paint as well. To compensate for this lowered cleaning ability, a lot of touchless car washes use soaps that are high pH. High pH soaps do clean better than pH neutral soaps, but they also degrade or even strip waxes or sealants.

If you want to a higher level of paint protection beyond a wax or sealant that a mobile detailer would provide, you could have a professional install a ceramic coating, which will still cost hundreds of dollars. Or you could also do a partial PPF, which just covers the most vulnerable areas of the car, such as the front bumper, hood, and rocker panels. That will probably cost around $2,000.

But since your car is leased, you could skip those and just invest your money in weekly professional mobile detailing.