Washing your Ferrari without water..Do you?

i am going into my 9th year of 512bbi ownership. i have never washed it i have the same cleaning program as you do.

 

I've always wondered about this. Don't you risk scratching the paint buy not at least flushing off the surface grit? There's always some, even if not apparent to the eye.

 

I use Meguir's Ultimate QuikDetail and microfiber towels. I've never actually washed it with water.

The QuikDetail plus the microfiber does a wonderful job of 'picking up' the dirt and 'stuff' without swirling, etc. Kind of like those old-skool California dusters or maybe a bit like a Swiffer. I also think the QuikDetail stuff protects and acts like a dirt repellent...my car just never looks dirty at all (and I drive it at least 300 miles a month).

Anyway, I'm pleased as punch and don't plan to ever wash it with water.

 

No offense, but you guys are crazy.
I would much rather rinse the dirt/dust/grime off, and not risk scratching the paint by "marring" the finish - trust me I have seen this happen before.
California dusters work well, and are typically more than sufficient for minor dust.
But I certainly would wash the car every so often as well !!

Ferrari's are still "normal" cars and water will not hurt them (especially when done by a qualified detail individual.) It's only water people !!

To each his own....

 

This subject really intrigues me. I have to admit I personally don't believe it would work on a car that is used and dirty. Even our cars that get little use have a fine film of "sand" on them. I believe it would be fine for garage queens but I wouldn't be comfortable trusting a microfiber to magically lift the sand/dirt etc.

I've spoken with a few high end detailers and restorers who think it's just a marketing ploy so I tend to lean that way but I admit that I could be wrong. It's going to be interesting to se what everyone here thinks.

 

I have owned Ferraris for almost 25 years and only taken a hose to the front bumper/grill area a few times to get some bug bodies off. Other than that California duster workes fine.

 

You guys are nuts.

I wash my cars with water, and they have yet to melt. In fact, I'm off to spray the old horse off right now.

 

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of those cleaners are poly-urethane based. It lifts the dirt off the paint and the micro takes it all off. I've used them before, but still prefer the traditional wash.

 

Uhh...

I dunno about all the speculation on swirl marks, etc., but I just get a real basic sense of satisfaction after I spray the suds off.

It's like cutting the grass. Sure, I could buy a cow, but that wouldn't give me the sense of accomplishment I get from mowing it myself...

Anywho.

 

Ive got a mate who is a panel beater and he told me, in an 'ideal' world.............you shouldnt wash your car.

You should use spray on cleaners and wipe them off with micro-fibre towels.

Now, I live in a hot and dusty hell hole. So it is unavoidable not washing the car with some water.

But in saying that, it takes a few months of my car sitting in the garage to actually collect some dust on it. So I probably could keep on top of it once a week or so if I wanted to.

But I wont and I will stick to hosing the old girl down.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Washing with water always ends with a cleaner result--especially with windows.

I'll always use water.

 

LOL, we have this stuff here in Georgia, its called MUD.

you city-slickers can use the snake oil if you want to, but you are not getting Georgia red clay off with a wipee-towel and snake oil.

 

I was going to ask about that. Lots of mud down here in Louisiana, and puddles as it rains year round. I am curious if you clean that stuff off in the same way. I definately try to avoid puddles, especially after my car was just washed but water can run across a roadway a day after the rain around here. Lots of dust, dirt, mud gets on my car. I've gotten caught in the rain a few times as well on club drives. I'm guessing the cars that aren't washed don't get driven in the rain either?

 

I'm not afraid the car will melt - my preference not to use water is simply a product of wanting the most efficient and best result. It takes me maybe 1/4 the time to wash/detail my car if I don't use water.

As for risking scratching/swirling the paint with product + microfiber ... it's really a non-issue. Just need to use as directed and be careful (as you would with water, sponge, drying towels/chamois).

Call me lazy but don't call me crazy!

 

People need to remember paint is not a surface coating that is supposed to last forever.. It is just that.. a coating subject to all the environmental discharges of nature.. I suppose some of you non water guys are prolonging the inevitable but in 150 years of normal use; the finish will need to be replaced.

 

If you have a garage queen and/or pristine roads and driving conditions, then quick detail is fine. I use it only when the car has been sitting in the garage for a while and has collected dust and for some reason the large number of insects that choose it as their lay-down-and-die spot of choice.

But if you drive it regularly on all manner of roads, then no, you can't just detail the resulting road grime off without doing serious damage to your paint. Roads in Alabama aren't that great, even when brand new. The amount off crap that collects on my car after a few weeks of fair weather driving is not suited for quick detail.

 

Fair points. We're blessed with pristine roads and hardly any real 'weather' to speak of in SoCal. Pretty easy to keep it shiny around here.

 

Notice all the "no water" guys are in CA? Anywhere else and you can't use quick detailer, just doesn't work period. All you have to do is drive on a nice day and you'll accumulate crap all over the back that will scratch the paint. And yeah the red clay is insidious, soapy water is required.

 

I have taken my cars (360, California, Maserati QP, 997TT) through the no touch water car wash. OH THE HORROR!
I simply don't have the time to do it and there are no decent detailers where I live. The way I think, it is better to get them clean rather than delay to do it right.

 

Water's not going to hurt your car! Neither will soap and a clean, good quality (read: premium lambswool) wash mitt. Actually you'll need a couple of mitts, and a couple of buckets. This isn't rocket science, so let's get to it:

Do the wheels/wheel wells first, with a separate bucket of soapy water. If your car doesn't have carbon ceramic brakes, use a good wheel cleaner, P21S Wheel Gel is great, Chemical Guys makes a good one as well, apply it, let it dwell, then clean. A detailing brush like a Daytona brush is great for wheels and wheel wells, get a couple different sizes of them for the tight spots. Rinse the wheels and then it's time to get started on the rest of the project.

Make sure the car is in the shade.

For the car: Use two buckets of water, one with plain water for rinsing the mitt, one with soapy water. Meguiar's Gold Class soap is a fine, commercially available wash product... plus it smells good and that's important!
Change the rinse bucket a couple times during the wash process, use a separate, clean mitt for the lower side of the car... wash the top part first: the top side down to about midline.
Don't "Mr. Miyagi" the wash mitt on the car, NO circles! ...use horizontal arm movements on the horizontal surfaces of the car, vertical movements on the vertical surfaces. This will lessen the chance of swirling your paint.

Wash your car in the shade. Did I mention that before?

When your finished, take the nozzle off the hose and "sheet/stream" the water over the car. If your car's paint is protected/waxed properly, the water will run off and leave you very little in the way of drying to do. If everthing's correct, the paint, the rinsing method, you should be able to dry your car's paint with a hand towel no problem.

To dry: stream the water off the car, then follow with a clean, soft, fluffy, PREMIUM 100% cotton towel for the windows(no fabric softener or dryer sheets though... they streak) and then a microfiber towel designed specifically for drying automotive paint. If you're feeling adventurous, use a leaf blower to blow the remaining water off the car, compressed air is good too, if available. The whole idea with drying a car's paint is to touch it as little as possible.

Properly done, washing your car will NOT scratch it.
One surefire way to scratch a cars finish is to take a QD (quick detail spray), a microfiber towel and "clean" the paint surface. Same deal with a Cali duster... you're sanding your paint. Sorry, but it's the truth.

If your car isn't dirty enough to warrant a full wash, pick up some ONR (a no rinse wash solution made by Optimum). Using ONR is a quick, easy and safe way to clean a dusty car.

Best of luck and have fun!

Gary
http://beauxartdetail.com/home

 

I used to be a 'water guy'. I liked the whole process. The washing, soap, wax, etc. But a few years ago I got an injury that has made it challenging to wash my cars in the usual way. I tried the quick detail, microfiber towels, followed by Finish First, and the occasional clay session. I have to say that the results are better without water, and that includes cleaning after a drive in the rain.

The cars are cleaner, no swirl marks. Just about perfect. I am sure that if I managed some mud, there would have to be a water session, but the waterless is better. Hands down.

 

The correct answer may be somewhere in between. I "dry wash" the Enzo if it is just dust from driving around in otherwise good weather. If I get stuck in a rain shower and it dries on the car then a regular wash is in order. Any mud or dried road grunge must be double washed with 2 buckets and water/detergent.

aehaas

 

Maybe this discussion should be divided up into those who have cars made pre-galvanization and those who own cars made post-galvanization. In fact some of us do have that cars that melt when they get wet.

I wash mine every time I take it to Concorso Italiano. That's twice so far, and once when I fist bought it, so about every 1.5 years on average.