Car wash: A survey

[RockyMountainT4R]

Our Toyotas have been our Tonka Trucks.

We used/use for going exploring in dirty places, hence it is usually dirty. Off pavement almost every day. To keep it pretty, I’d be washing it every day! Occasionally, it gets hand washed with lots of car wash/wax and well water. It is never run through an automatic car wash.

As an aside, I try to keep the hatch window cleaned as we have seen them scratched pretty bad if lowered and raised when covered in dried crud.

4R is always garaged.

 

[RockyMountainT4R]

...being retired the 4runner just sets in the garage 98% of the time collecting dust.

Now that's depressing.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Now that's depressing.

It is. I just bought a new atv and have been riding it a lot instead of using the 4runner off road.

 

[JayceeP]

For those of you who have a garage and are using the coin washes in the winter months: You should try Optimum No Rinse if you haven't. I wash my 4Runner with this stuff year round in my garage. Winter is obviously a little tricky because the roads are often messy. After the roads dry, I first go to the coin wash and just use the rinse to get heavy salt off + the under carriage. Then usually every 3 or 4 weeks I'll do the hand wash in the garage to help avoid letting stuff embed into the paint. Coming up on 3 years in March and the paint still looks new and it definitely makes the spring clay bar/wax session go a little easier.

In the spring/summer/fall I'm washing weekly or bi-weekly.

 

[lilsid112]

I hand wash every couple of weeks, and get a full detail every six months. Usually some slight paint correction will take place during those.

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

Hand wash outside when its above 50º, and hand wash it inside the shop when its not!

I love my heated/cooled shop, and even more, the shop's floor drain!!!!

 

[ECUDrummer]

Hand wash every 2-3 weeks. If I get it dirty on trails I'll take it to a coin operated place and hose all of the dirt off so I don't trash up my driveway. Charlotte doesn't see much snow, maybe a few inches per year.

 

[Dalko43]

Do you let the rain clean your 4Runner or do you do it?

Where is the survey?

Rainfall doesn't really "clean" a vehicle...it just pushes the dirt, grime and contaminants around.

Best bang for your buck in cold weather is to take it into a touchless or or low touch car wash...they'll usually get most of the gunk off, rinse off your undercarriage (which is key to mitigating rust) and use some sort of wax-enhancing soap (which isn't the same as actually waxing the vehicle, but its better than nothing).

Otherwise, I hand wash maybe once a month, with a full clay bar and wax treatment 2x or 3x a year. I used to have fun cleaning and waxing my coupe, but with a 4runner it gets old real fast, so I try not to do anything more than what is necessary to preserving/protecting the paint.

 

[lowcel]

I'm hooked on Optimum No Rinse. I just washed my 4Runner and my wife's Scion TC. It took less than 30 minutes and less than a gallon of water. That stuff is awesome!

 

[pauldavis]

I am like other Californians, we cant wash our trucks out front or we get fined and scolded by our neighbors. Only option is to go to a car wash. I would prefer to hand wash since I enjoy the process.

 

[lowcel]

I am like other Californians, we cant wash our trucks out front or we get fined and scolded by our neighbors. Only option is to go to a car wash. I would prefer to hand wash since I enjoy the process.

You really should check out Optimum No Rinse. Less than a gallon of water you can wash two vehicles. I know I sound like a salesman but the stuff really is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7LiR1l9ZVk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15cMHR0a0Ok

 

[Ron4RNevada]

A rusty truck must be a happy truck too then, right?

Hand wash when the weather is nice(Spring and Summer). Touchless car wash when it is shit outside(Fall and Winter).

Not around here - typical precip for the whole year averages 5 inches.

Typical relative humidity averages about 7% - unless it is actively raining or snowing...... I can place a glass of water on the table and within a half hour it has gone down an inch......

 

[Saker]

Hand wash only!

Right now it is at my detailer getting "The Treatment".....
Wash, touch up rock chips with Dr. ColorChip, clay, paint correction, and coat with Beeds...then detail inside!

 

[cbreze]

Either hand wash in my driveway or do it yourself spray at the self serve place. No way anybody crawls around inside my rig but me.
And, never, ever do I get the "free" dealer wash.

 

[Saker]

Either hand wash in my driveway or do it yourself spray at the self serve place. No way anybody crawls around inside my rig but me.
And, never, ever do I get the "free" dealer wash.

I concur with the never , ever get the "free" dealer wash!

My detailer is the same Toyota Tech that works on my T4R that also has a detail business and he is the only person that I would let inside my truck....NO taking it to joe blow detailers to do it.....

So, I am particular as well about my 4Runner!

EDIT: When you own a black vehicle, whether it is a bmw, porche or a T4R, it still requires a lot of attention to keep up the surface.
Look at the photos of before and after even when hand washing with quality products at home.... This is why I bring it to a professional from time to time.
The 3rd photo is a reflection off of my T4R of a banner on the wall.

I guess I just like to take care of what I own.

 

[T4R2014]

Not around here - typical precip for the whole year averages 5 inches.

Typical relative humidity averages about 7% - unless it is actively raining or snowing...... I can place a glass of water on the table and within a half hour it has gone down an inch......

Well not everyone has such privileges.

 

[Dalko43]

Some real nervous nancy's who are very particular about who cleans their 4runner....I mean if this was a porsche or bmw, I might be particular as well in finding a good detailer or spend a little extra time when I clean it myself, but its not....its a Japanese, body-on-frame SUV.

Use the damn thing, give it a functional cleaning every now and then, and everything will be okay....just saying.

A car wash, while not the preferred method, is definitely better than nothing. And for people living in an arid, water-restriction state or living in a cold climate, it may be the most viable option.

 

[4Runnin4Fun]

Vote for hand wash, a clean truck looks so much better

summer: hand wash in driveway
winter: hand wash at coin wash

I do the same thing.

 

[cbreze]

No "nervous nancy" here, just prefer doing my own detailing. Much of the enjoyment of owning a vehicle is having pride in it's appearance no matter how much we "enjoy" it off roading. Whether one goes to a detail shop or does it themselves. To each their own methods.
Thought I read on here sometime back about a dealer that forgot to close the sunroof before sending it thru for the "free" wash.

 

[lowcel]

Not a "nervous Nancy" but if I'm paying for something I intend to take care of it. A 4Runner may not be that expensive to some people but it is to me.