I am curious as to what I should expect to see of my truck with my current comittment. I mean like: Response A - "After a year your truck won't be shinning, donate more time." Response B - If you keep that up as often as you do it, you should be fine, but a manual wax job will be needed every so often to keep the shine." etc, etc. I'm not interested in products, as there are plenty of threads on that. I just want to know if I'm being harmful, helpful or nuetral to my truck with the below committment.

Due to my schedule (I basically work two jobs but only get paid for one), I only give myself about a half hour at the manual car wash a week. I see that most everyone spends about 2 hours doing very detailed, detailing; so I'm sure I am the bane of responsible vehicle owners.

Here is what I have been doing while keeping to once a week schedule since I purchased the pre-owned truck (about a month ago):

(estimates)

1. 6 mins - High Pressure Soap
2. 8 mins - Brush Soap (it does have bristles but they appear to be new and soft).
3. 5 mins - High Pressure Rinse
4. 4 mins - High Pressure Wax
5. 2 mins - high Pressure Rinse
6. 2-3 mins - Spot Free Rinse
7. Whatever left I have on the clock, i use to degrease the tires/rims and then High Pressure Rinse.
8. Then I spend about 2 minutes using the vaccuum.

When I say times are estimates, I basically spend $9.25 on the water gun thing, and $0.75 for vaccuuming.

I don't have to worry about snow; just rain and muddy drive ways. Right now it's also stupid moth migration season or something. The front of my truck is more effective than 100 bug zappers (I may be exaggerating, but only just a bit).

 

It sounds like you are going to a car wash place.

For the paint to stay shining, it has to be clean and free from marring, swirl marks, etc. These can be added during washing or drying process. This will cause a gradual dulling effect.

The best routine is to do a complete detail (clay, use a paint cleaner as a minimum) then maintain it using safe washing practices. You can use foam guns, paint safe brushes (many are not), and good drying techniques.

Does your truck get real dirty? If you are washing once a week, you can use a rinseless wash process to speed the wash process up.

 

Yep, they are building a Pump House in town so I plan on going there as soon as it opens. Basically same thing but for trucks from what I hear.

Can marring happen due to using high pressure water?

I've been hearing folks talk about clay. I've never heard of this.

Not from mud, just bugs and dirty rain.

Now, I do have a primarily White truck. Will dulling be of significance?

 

The clay is used to get the paint contaminant free which helps in the look of the paint as well as provides a clean surface to work on. Usually any brush used for washing swirls will instill swirls. The best way to prevent marring and swirling is to use the two bucket method. One bucket with your wash solution and the other with clean water. You can wash one section at a time and then 'rinse' your wash media in the clean water. This way you are not putting any dirt back on the surface of the vehicle. A high pressure rinse helps a lot before any washing takes place.

 

So if I cut out the brush, will the high pressure washing be fine?

 

f you take it to a car wash, it will get scratched and swirled. There is a Cleantown car wash down the street and all the employees are 18 year old girls and boys. Do you think these kids care if they dropped the towel on the floor and then use it to dry off your car? I would go to www.autogeeek.net and see their tutorial.
FF

 

These are all manual High Pressure car wash places (including the new Pump House they are building).

From what I'm gathering, if I quit using the brush and stick to the high pressure my truck should be fine since nothing other than clean water/soap is ever touching the clear coat.

 

I like to use the high pressure washer (wand) to get the heavy dirt off before I hand wash my vehicles.
FF