US 'Detailing' vs UK 'washing the car'

MoZ · Jun 13, 2015

Hi all,

I'm wondering if its just me on this side of the pond that has been surprised by the amount of products many of our US 'brothers in stangs' (I'm copywriting that lol) use and time they spend cleaning their cars. I generally wash my car with shampoo / water and on the odd occasion give it a bit of a polish but generally it's a 30 minute job.

Our buddies stateside seem to do things I've never even heard of and the list seems endless (claying, jet seal, wax. polish, glaze, spray etc etc) and some will spend a weekend on it. I would probably do this if I was entering my car into a show but not for daily driving as no matter what you seem to do, after a couple of days it looks like another wash is in order. Maybe the nicer weather stateside means they get more longevity out of their efforts.

Just an observation but I'm wondering if the rest of you guys in the UK are more like me (splash and dash) or if some of you out there spend days washing your cars?

Twin Turbo · Jun 13, 2015

I'm with our US brethren..........you can't spend too much time detailing your Mustang :headbang:

I had a paint correction carried out on my S197 last year........the most expensive "car wash" its ever had

SteveS · Jun 13, 2015

I live in the north east of Scotland on the coast and we have a healthy sky rat community that can smell a freshly washed car from several miles away.

So for normal usage i just chuck a bucket of water over the car once in a while and usually dry it off to minimise streaking.

Might give it a good going over prior to something special but that would be it.

That's one beautiful car you got there though TT :thumbsup:

Kristian87 · Jun 13, 2015

Hmm interesting point, I sit somewhere in the middle I guess...my car is black so always a bugger to clean, I start with the normal soap etc, dry properly & finish with a wax all over to get rid of the streak marks, protect the paintwork & give it a good ol shine

polish once or twice a year is always worth it, especially for colours that can fade.
"Claying" is new on me too but probably something I will invest in if it helps protect the paintwork...
Intend to wash the stang at least once every couple of months.
Sure you can pay £10 for a decent 30 min car wash these days but no one is touching my mustang but me, even if I do take 3 hours doing it!

Twin Turbo · Jun 13, 2015

Claying doesn't protect the paint, rather it removes contaminants from the paint, making it smooth as glass. You then wax n seal to protect the paint

But black cars are a full time job. I always said I'd never have another black car, but I've just changed my silver (sooooooooo easy to keep clean) BMW 330i for a black BMW 535d. At least my Mustang stays clean as its just a toy, the BMW looks dirty within an hour or so of washing, as it lives outside.

66coupe · Jun 13, 2015

I think it's a situation where the people who are most enthusiastic about a topic tend to be most vocal and visible. Plus, this is a site filled with people who are passionate about cars, so it's not really representative of the population as a whole.

I'm in the US and I love cars and I love driving (particularly rear wheel drive cars), but I don't have the same passion for cleaning my car. The people who love to detail will start threads about it and post back and forth about what they do. People like me usually won't post in those threads because ... well, we don't care. So you only tend to hear from one camp.

I usually "wash" my car two or three times in the summer (usually it's more of an excuse to go out on a hot day and squirt my kids with the hose, so the benefits to the car are limited), and then run it through the car wash every month or so in the winter to get the salt off of it.

And I agree, TT your car is stunning. I appreciate a beautifully detailed car, but I can't make it enough of a priority in my life to devote the time to it. To each his own.

croyde · Jun 13, 2015

MoZ said:
Hi all,

I'm wondering if its just me on this side of the pond that has been surprised by the amount of products many of our US 'brothers in stangs' (I'm copywriting that lol) use and time they spend cleaning their cars. I generally wash my car with shampoo / water and on the odd occasion give it a bit of a polish but generally it's a 30 minute job.

Our buddies stateside seem to do things I've never even heard of and the list seems endless (claying, jet seal, wax. polish, glaze, spray etc etc) and some will spend a weekend on it. I would probably do this if I was entering my car into a show but not for daily driving as no matter what you seem to do, after a couple of days it looks like another wash is in order. Maybe the nicer weather stateside means they get more longevity out of their efforts.

Just an observation but I'm wondering if the rest of you guys in the UK are more like me (splash and dash) or if some of you out there spend days washing your cars?

You've not spent time on a UK Porsche forum then

My cars go to the Russians at Homebase. Nice and shiny for £6 and will do the interior for another £6.

Might be a few years before I let them at the Mustang tho'. Mind you there are always lots of expensive and almost new cars in the queue.

SteveS · Jun 13, 2015

66coupe said:
I think it's a situation where the people who are most enthusiastic about a topic tend to be most vocal and visible. Plus, this is a site filled with people who are passionate about cars, so it's not really representative of the population as a whole.

I'm in the US and I love cars and I love driving (particularly rear wheel drive cars), but I don't have the same passion for cleaning my car. The people who love to detail will start threads about it and post back and forth about what they do. People like me usually won't post in those threads because ... well, we don't care. So you only tend to hear from one camp.

I usually "wash" my car two or three times in the summer (usually it's more of an excuse to go out on a hot day and squirt my kids with the hose, so the benefits to the car are limited), and then run it through the car wash every month or so in the winter to get the salt off of it.

And I agree, TT your car is stunning. I appreciate a beautifully detailed car, but I can't make it enough of a priority in my life to devote the time to it. To each his own.

:amen:

Mr Monte · Jun 13, 2015

I do a major detail once a year that takes about 6 hours that includes claying, a full buff, seal & polish then about once a week I wash, dry with leaf blower then use detail spray which takes about 1 hour. Every 3-4 months I will take the wheels off to detail the wheel wells.

When I sold my 13 year old Suburban the paint still looked as good or better than new. While in hi school (70s) my Dad & I did a frame off build of my 1957 Chevy Belair and the under body was painted to show finish so once a month I would do a full detail underneath the car. The was my daily driver and it was amazing how many people would notice how detailed the underneath was. Guess I'm a bit OCD.

Twin Turbo said:
black cars are a full time job.

But they look so good when clean. Here's my 2014 SS Sedan after 1 year & 14K miles.

MoZ · Jun 13, 2015

SteveS said:
I live in the north east of Scotland on the coast and we have a healthy sky rat community that can smell a freshly washed car from several miles away.

So for normal usage i just chuck a bucket of water over the car once in a while and usually dry it off to minimise streaking.

Might give it a good going over prior to something special but that would be it.

That's one beautiful car you got there though TT

Oh how I know your pain SteveS. Those sky rats definitely have a thing for fresh paintwork.

MoZ · Jun 13, 2015

croyde said:
You've not spent time on a UK Porsche forum then

My cars go to the Russians at Homebase. Nice and shiny for £6 and will do the interior for another £6.

Might be a few years before I let them at the Mustang tho'. Mind you there are always lots of expensive and almost new cars in the queue.

I sure haven't :lol:

There some Russians at a petrol station beside me that are similar - £15 inside and out and always do a pretty good job. I'll take a lot of pride in doing the mustang myself but I'll see how long it lasts - it's hard to get motivated in the winter months and oh so easy to let someone else do it.
I'll definitely look into clay etc just out of interest.

Lone Survivor · Jun 13, 2015

I like to give my car a 'medium' detail now and then, clay, polish, wax, seal, all by hand. I plan to learn how to use a porter or similar and experiment with a few compounds, on my wife's car, obviously!!

The leaf blower is a revelation to me for drying :cheers:. Saves touching the car with a drying towel/microfibre.

The trouble is, it can get seriously expensive :crazy:

Monty · Jun 13, 2015

Planning on getting mine detailed and coated ("cquartz" whatever that is) as soon as I get it. Looking on this forum and others, if you're going to go to this level, people recommend you instruct the dealer not to wash it beforehand (with a gritty sponge!). Anyone else going to fo something like this?

I fear the Mustang will usher in an another level of obession.

Lone Survivor · Jun 13, 2015

Monty said:
I fear the Mustang will usher in an another level of obession.

Too far gone now, no ushering required

slowhand99 · Jun 13, 2015

Lone Survivor said:
Too far gone now, no ushering required

Best we don't watch the shipping video that shows the Mustangs going through a mechanical car wash between getting off the train from Flat Rock and getting on the ship! :eyebulge:

US 'Detailing' vs UK 'washing the car'

MoZ

MoZ

Twin Turbo

Super Moderator

SteveS

...Bon Scott Land...

Kristian87

Super Moderator

Twin Turbo

Super Moderator

66coupe

Well-Known Member

croyde

Well-Known Member

SteveS

...Bon Scott Land...

Mr Monte

Well-Known Member

MoZ

MoZ

MoZ

MoZ

Lone Survivor

Banned

Monty

Well-Known Member

Lone Survivor

Banned

slowhand99

Well-Known Member