scrub'em up.

[lloyd3]

Driving (and general use) of any vehicle means that grunge slowly accumulates, even when you're being careful. Road grime, bird poop, water marks (from the occasional sprinkle and even from the car in front of you using his or her windshield washers), human sweat, dust, and even dog-spit are simply unavoidable out here in my part of the world. I used to really enjoy the process of handwashing and then drying them, but now it just seems like work(!). Maybe I'm doing something wrong here or maybe the materials I'm using are causing some of the problems? Water spots are way-worse than I ever remember them now. To do it right anymore, I have to set aside some time in the cool of the morning and work on each specific section of the car or it looks like crap to me. Any suggestions?

[dreamcatcher]

Some of the new soap for cars has some amazing anti spot products in them. I like the ones that have the wax in them. I still buff and wax once a year but it helps through the year.

[lloyd3]

I've tried several of them. Used McGuire's carwash soap yesterday (which I believe includes wax in the mix, and is supposed to minimize the loss of previous wax jobs), and even tried the spray-on Turtlewax wet wax & wipe after (might not be the exact product names). Still looks wrong to me when I'm done.  I did go for quick drive right after washing (getting it up to a short burst of speed, maybe 60mph) to minimize the amount water I have to wring out of the towels I use to dry it after. Is that what is messing me up here?

Pretty nice car-porn shots, eh? Wet women in bikinis don't even look that good to me sometimes.

[Birdflu]

Mineral spots can be a bitch! I'm installing a by-pass loop with valves on my hose spigot in my shop so that I can run my rinse water through a deionizing filter. A friend of mine put one on his spigot and it works beautifully! Just be sure and install one with by-pass valves so you don't burn up the filter with general hose use. An internet search regarding that type of filter will get you hours of reading material! 

[INTMD8]

CR spotless water deionizer helps a lot.  I use that and do most drying with a leaf blower.

[Back N Black]

I have been driving my charger for 15 years and never washed it with a garden hose. Its never been rained on. I use a spray bottle with soapy water, just wipe and spray, then use Mothers spray wax.

[RTSE440]

The all new trend seems to be ceramic coating either do it yourself or get it done professionally but not cheap 

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I used to really enjoy the process of handwashing and then drying them, but now it just seems like work(!).

Perhaps you need to let someone else wash it for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNd0V-Sa4U0

[lloyd3]

Before I even opened your attachment, I knew what it was...

Odd looking chain gang. Everybody's white and clean cut.

[472 R/T SE]

I bought the purple car back in '04.  I washed it right after owning and have never washed it since.  Adams or Zainos for spray.

Most car wash detergents strips the wax off so you have to start over.

[6pkrtse]

Washed mine this weekend for the first time in years. Usually,  just dust it off. It was covered in dust from grinding and welding on my Roached Runner welding in new floor pans and exhaust system.

[DownZero]

If you have water spots that won't come off, try using a clay bar then a good paint protectant.

[MGBRingo]

I also haven't washed my Charger with water in over 30 years.  I use Zainos on all my vehicles and just dust it and spray it with Zainos Gloss Enhancer to freshen up the shine. 

[tan top]

I also haven't washed my Charger with water in over 30 years.  I use Zainos on all my vehicles and just dust it and spray it with Zainos Gloss Enhancer to freshen up the shine. 

haha  me neither , never washed it   ,  last time mine saw rain was  april 89 also