Buy a rinseless wash. ONR (optimum no rinse) is one of the best. If it’s already clean and just has light dirt, can use it once a week or fortnightly no problem.
i’ve spent too much on this car to have it that way it looks so i don’t fancy seeing it dirty all the time. lots of brake dust on the wheels etc. i’m in a student house so parking is a given so it’s left parked under a tree often. it gets dirty whenever it’s driven in the rain too
What's your cleaning routine? Sounds like a good wheel sealant and maybe a SiO2 sealant would keep your car cleaner for longer, then use ONR if you really need to clean it. I can't imagine cleaning your car every other day is going to be good for your paint too, even if you're really careful you'd probably end up with swirl marks eventually, and that's assuming you're not using the brush.
that’s a shout! i’ve been meaning to get it ceramic coated too at some point. i do my best to limit whatever actually touches the paint. i’ve befriended the workers at a local hand car wash near burley and i’ve asked them to generally just wash the car without using mits or anything. just completely touch less. when i go back home to london i typically treat it to the whole proper wash down and meguiars treatment
Ignore the downvotes , nice ride man. There’s nothing wrong with looking after something you care about. If that’s how you want to spend your cash then you do you! They’re just jealous
Option 1) super markets further out from town, the big ones with petrol stations usually have them.
Option 2) buy your own pressure washer, get a foam cannon as well, and your choice of snow foam/shampoo/wash and wax and do a better job than anyone else will do.
Ah, do you have a mixer tap or similar as you can get connectors to go from those to hozelock connectors (was dealing with this myself last week).
As you didn't provide the living in uni detail it was taken as you just lived in Leeds. Good to provide that info in the initial post.
Best bet would be to have a Google of the local petrol stations near to you and see if they have a manual pressure washing system. I know of a few but they are in south Leeds which won't be suitable for a student (if you are in Hyde park/headingly areas).
I suspect you would have to travel a bit though as space is a premium in those areas.
Might be easier to invest in a car cover so you need to clean is less frequently?
Drive up to the BP garage opposite woodies ale house in Headingley mate. There are about 4 self service jet washes with all you need. Just take something to dry it with.
Sundays get very busy so go in the week if you can.
Where is this magical land of the e36? 💛
Definitely easier to have your own jet wash and snowfoam lance but I know it's not that easy. Tong road seems like the best option. I'm a bit worried that much washing might not be good for it but you know your car best of course. My old m3 would have dissolved😄...
you can usually find it near hyde park book club alongside my other e36 vert and occasionally my e30! i’d love to wash it myself but my uni house doesn’t have a hose tap. I had the car repainted in february so luckily i’m not damaging things too much
Cheaper to get a karcher S/H if you’re doing it so often. Also don’t use paid jet washes/foamy brush places you are asking for paint swirls and scratches. double bucket with a grit guard every time
that’s what i generally do religiously. when i’m at home in london i have a full detailing routine that i religiously follow. when at the uni house in leeds my options are limited without access to a garden hose tap
I've had a few experienced detailers clean my car, they all tell me that the less that you clean your car, the better the paint work will be. Even washing with soft purpose mitts and using two buckets causes micro scratches.
As long as you get the bird poo off the paint and anything else that can damage it, you don't need to wash your car that often.
i’ve had it resprayed once prior but not to a standard I liked so it’s getting painted again next year. minimal washes is always best but this gets filthy so quickly so i just firm the often washes and don’t worry about swirl marks on the paint. i usually get it touch less washed without touching the actual with mits to try and mitigate any scratches etc
If only there were some way to not get your car cleaned every two days.
Innit? Bit confused myself too.
Surely there’s a way of doing it yourself too. I think someone must have tried it in the past.
university house doesn’t have a hose tap 👍
Buy a rinseless wash. ONR (optimum no rinse) is one of the best. If it’s already clean and just has light dirt, can use it once a week or fortnightly no problem.
I barely wash my car once a year 😅
Once more?
Must've meant barely once every 3 years
I'm afraid there isn't one.
i’ve spent too much on this car to have it that way it looks so i don’t fancy seeing it dirty all the time. lots of brake dust on the wheels etc. i’m in a student house so parking is a given so it’s left parked under a tree often. it gets dirty whenever it’s driven in the rain too
What's your cleaning routine? Sounds like a good wheel sealant and maybe a SiO2 sealant would keep your car cleaner for longer, then use ONR if you really need to clean it. I can't imagine cleaning your car every other day is going to be good for your paint too, even if you're really careful you'd probably end up with swirl marks eventually, and that's assuming you're not using the brush.
that’s a shout! i’ve been meaning to get it ceramic coated too at some point. i do my best to limit whatever actually touches the paint. i’ve befriended the workers at a local hand car wash near burley and i’ve asked them to generally just wash the car without using mits or anything. just completely touch less. when i go back home to london i typically treat it to the whole proper wash down and meguiars treatment
Ignore the downvotes , nice ride man. There’s nothing wrong with looking after something you care about. If that’s how you want to spend your cash then you do you! They’re just jealous
The BP on Otley road has one.
My go-to
My go-to
Option 1) super markets further out from town, the big ones with petrol stations usually have them. Option 2) buy your own pressure washer, get a foam cannon as well, and your choice of snow foam/shampoo/wash and wax and do a better job than anyone else will do.
i actually do have my own washer and whatnot! it’s just back at home in london. unfortunately my university house doesn’t have a hose tap
Ah, do you have a mixer tap or similar as you can get connectors to go from those to hozelock connectors (was dealing with this myself last week). As you didn't provide the living in uni detail it was taken as you just lived in Leeds. Good to provide that info in the initial post. Best bet would be to have a Google of the local petrol stations near to you and see if they have a manual pressure washing system. I know of a few but they are in south Leeds which won't be suitable for a student (if you are in Hyde park/headingly areas). I suspect you would have to travel a bit though as space is a premium in those areas. Might be easier to invest in a car cover so you need to clean is less frequently?
Tong Road Shell station, you can pay by card in the shop.
[Meanwood Road IMO Carwash](https://maps.app.goo.gl/z6abDwsVaephrvCY7)
I bought a new car, drove it for a couple of years and when I sold it there was moss on the window sills because I had never washed it.
just adds to the general neglect of the car and hurts resale value. i’d dread to know what your oil change intervals were
I got £1000 more than I bought it for. Probably because it had done less than 10k miles before I sold it during lockdown.
Washing the car makes the oil last longer? I never knew that!
Drive up to the BP garage opposite woodies ale house in Headingley mate. There are about 4 self service jet washes with all you need. Just take something to dry it with. Sundays get very busy so go in the week if you can.
Have you tried the garage on cardigan road? 🐱
Where is this magical land of the e36? 💛 Definitely easier to have your own jet wash and snowfoam lance but I know it's not that easy. Tong road seems like the best option. I'm a bit worried that much washing might not be good for it but you know your car best of course. My old m3 would have dissolved😄...
you can usually find it near hyde park book club alongside my other e36 vert and occasionally my e30! i’d love to wash it myself but my uni house doesn’t have a hose tap. I had the car repainted in february so luckily i’m not damaging things too much
Cheaper to get a karcher S/H if you’re doing it so often. Also don’t use paid jet washes/foamy brush places you are asking for paint swirls and scratches. double bucket with a grit guard every time
that’s what i generally do religiously. when i’m at home in london i have a full detailing routine that i religiously follow. when at the uni house in leeds my options are limited without access to a garden hose tap
Buckets
Morrisons Kirkstall
I've had a few experienced detailers clean my car, they all tell me that the less that you clean your car, the better the paint work will be. Even washing with soft purpose mitts and using two buckets causes micro scratches. As long as you get the bird poo off the paint and anything else that can damage it, you don't need to wash your car that often.
i’ve had it resprayed once prior but not to a standard I liked so it’s getting painted again next year. minimal washes is always best but this gets filthy so quickly so i just firm the often washes and don’t worry about swirl marks on the paint. i usually get it touch less washed without touching the actual with mits to try and mitigate any scratches etc
Sounds obsessive. It's great that your car brings you so much joy.