M3 Car Wash?

[pch11rla]

Hello Everyone - newbie here! Took delivery 10 days ago of an M3P MSM and absolutely loving it!
Have been thinking about getting it washed and confused with the info in the manual.
It says no automatic and to avoid pressure washing around the sensors and cameras.

Has anyone got their recent cars washed ? Any tips? Thanks

 

[TheEVadvisor]

just rinse the cameras quickly should be fine. pressure washer use is fine they clean them in the service centre the same way

 

[AlternateFlux]

If you are brave enough to take it to an automatic wash, I would advise a little practice in getting the car into Neutral first.

A *friend* told me that it can be quite embarrassing if you are the reason that the whole place shuts down for 10 minutes because you don't know how to put your car out of gear.

 

[TheEVadvisor]

don't take it to an automatic wash it will scratch up your paint and will cost ££££ to put right

 

[MrBadger]

A lot of people have asked for a specific car wash mode - do a search in the main (non UK) forum area to find out the particulars.

[edit]Here you go - Car Wash Mode PLEASE!

 

[NorfolkMustard]

Tow mode will also put it in neutral

 

[AlternateFlux]

don't take it to an automatic wash it will scratch up your paint and will cost ££££ to put right

It wasn't right to begin with... Hard to see how it will do much more damage ;p

 

[Yev000]

I jet washed mine just fine...

Also applied ceramic on paint and a glass coating too so the whole thing beads. Makes it much easier and faster to wash later.

 

[pdk42]

Honestly, the big roller-style car wash machines will wreck your paintwork - whatever the car. Don't go near them!

 

[Rooster6655]

If your concerned about the pressure washer then just take a few steps back so its less pressure

 

[ACarneiro]

I jet washed mine just fine...

Also applied ceramic on paint and a glass coating too so the whole thing beads. Makes it much easier and faster to wash later.

What glass coating did you go for? Did you apply it yourself? Does it smear? Do you get any halo when driving at night?

 

[SalisburySam]

I’ve only hand-washed my Model 3 except after a 650-mile trip during which the vehicle got very, very dirty from rain and suicidal bugs. I took it to an automated wash, the kind you stay in the car and ride it through. The wash itself used rotating brushes, probably the worst case scenario. After returning home, I hand-washed the car again and I saw no damage whatever from the automated wash.

3 things to do: turn wipers off, fold side mirrors in, put car in Neutral and don’t raise your weight off the drivers seat as that puts the car into Park.

I still hand-wash but am not afraid of the automated washes when needed. But that’s me.

 

[Jason71]

Statistically hand car washes are more likely to scratch paint than automatic ones apparently. Good Automatic ones filter the water so there is no grit. You have no such guarantee with a hand car wash. One bit of grit on the cloth........

 

[Tatoo1]

I personally would stick to a two bucket method hand wash, but appreciated not everyone has the time to do this. Perhaps a good clean followed up with a spray on hydrophobic such as Gyeon WetCoat or similar will mean the dirt doesn’t stick on as much?

 

[Lx2m3]

Has anyone used the spray on waterless wash/polish?

 

[NeilG40]

Has anyone used the spray on waterless wash/polish?

It's not waterless but I clean my cars with Optimum No Rinse and use Optimum Opti-Seal as a drying aid/sealant, I find it cleans better than shampoos with the added benefit of being able to use it as an interior cleaner also.

 

[pgkevet]

You'll never get concensus on how to was a car - too many opinions.
For me I jet wash but not too close ( I once blasted a hand sized piece of paint of my 200sx). I;m too cheap to buya faom lance and anyway I dont like too much chemical crap getting into the local drainage (rural wales with plenty of mud and tractor tyre clods too).
2 buckets afterwards and then it depends- at the moment I'm playing with a really cheap sealant that has a lousy reputation (but only 'cos folk expect too much) - wipe on a panel at a time - leave depending on temp 3-15 mins and buff it (so in colder weather you can get several panels done). Next wash stops the dirt sticking and depending how often you have a need to clean you might be able to skip another application - good for a few weeks.
It's a clean shiny car but i'm not obsessive. Whatever you do it's going to get scratches specially when you have to hide in the hedge on a single track road while in a 'passing bay'

 

[Roy W.]

I’ve just managed to wash mine this afternoon, between the showers.

I usually snowfoam mine, hose it off, then snow foam again and gently rub down with a wash mitt.

Today, because I was short of time, and the weather was threatening, I just used the two bucket method. Autoglym shampoo. Then towel dry while applying Autoglym Aqua Wax. I actually use the bulk version, called Express Wax, in a 5 litre container, which is much cheaper.

 

[Tatoo1]

Looking great!!! The red just pops when clean and in the sunshine. I went for the blue but red was a close second.

my current method is:

1. Gtechniq Snowfoam or Bill Hamber Autofoam, if really dirty.

2. Gtechniq G-Wash Shampoo or Gyeon Bathe Shampoo depending on my mood. With a 2 bucket method.

3. Where I have PPF on the front half I apply Gyeon WetCoat and wash off.

4. Towel Dry.

will take pictures next time.

 

[pdk42]

A bit off topic, but... I'm personally somewhat sceptical about "ceramic" coatings. I've tried to find some technical information on what they actually are, chemically, and whether they really work (based on some proper experimental tests rather than anecdotal evidence). To date, all I find are endless posts by detailers and the companies who peddle the stuff. I reckon they are probably based on some sort of poly siloxane which isn't such an exotic chemical really and available quite cheaply. However, they get called all sorts of fancy names (like "crystal serum") to make them sound fancy and then sold at crazy prices. So, I'm sceptical! I appreciate that when applied by a professional detailer that you're getting a lot more than the coating (i.e. the surface polishing and defect correction), but even so.

Anyhow, I've used this stuff for many years and I think it works very well. It's not "ceramic", but it does chemically bond to the surface and offers good hydroscopic action (so nice beading of water on the surface). It's also cheap and easy to apply.

Klasse Sealant Glaze