What do you use to clean wheels?

[Blitzkrieg]

1) A car, especially a mass-produced SUV, is not an investment. Something like a low quantity, 60's era Ferrari might maintain or go up in value over time, but a 4runner won't.

2) I'm all for cleaning the car and taking care of it. But fretting over what solution to use on your wheels is freaking stupid. Wash your wheels off with water and a little soap if they are dirty and call it a done deal. The stock wheels are aluminum so there shouldn't be much to do to keep them clean and relatively rust free.

I see more and more posts on here discussing how to 'make my 4runner look cool' or keep it 'all spic and span' and less posts about how to do transfer case oil changes or other mechanical topics....that speaks volumes about the type of 4runner "owners" who frequent this forum.

Seriously...this is a multi-page thread about wheel cleaning for a 4x4, utilitarian SUV. From the way some people on here worry and fret about their vehicle's appearances, you'd think we were talking about tricked out Cadillac Escalades:

Maybe some of us look at things differently than you do?

I see people driving a one year old vehicle that I know for fact has never been cleaned, the rims full of brake dust - often to the point of no return eating into the clear coat and just shake my head.

If you don't care about keeping your vehicle spotless, cool. I do. It has nothing to do with what type of vehicle it is. I keep my 4Runner just as spotless as I did my $90K Carerra 4S.

I don't allow food, drink or smoking in my vehicles. You can call me anal, doesn't hurt my feelings. I take care of my shit and that includes my TRD wheels which, yes, proper care of makes a world of difference. ;-)

 

[TeamLord]

I clean my wheels with mud, it's more fun.

 

[Brandonium]

You not giving a shit about detailing doesn't mean others shouldn't. Whether you consider it an investment or not means nothing. Unless you are paying for our vehicles in cash or paying our monthly payment it's not up to you how others feel about the subject.

If oil changes, transfer case maintenance, etc is your thing then fine. Go do the work, make a thread and do your thing instead of hitting up posts that don't really matter to you and shitting in them.

And FYI I know what my vehicle is for as do many others here. That doesn't mean that we don't enjoy caring for it..INSIDE and OUT!

1) A car, especially a mass-produced SUV, is not an investment. Something like a low quantity, 60's era Ferrari might maintain or go up in value over time, but a 4runner won't.

2) I'm all for cleaning the car and taking care of it. But fretting over what solution to use on your wheels is freaking stupid. Wash your wheels off with water and a little soap if they are dirty and call it a done deal. The stock wheels are aluminum so there shouldn't be much to do to keep them clean and relatively rust free.

I see more and more posts on here discussing how to 'make my 4runner look cool' or keep it 'all spic and span' and less posts about how to do transfer case oil changes or other mechanical topics....that speaks volumes about the type of 4runner "owners" who frequent this forum.

Seriously...this is a multi-page thread about wheel cleaning for a 4x4, utilitarian SUV. From the way some people on here worry and fret about their vehicle's appearances, you'd think we were talking about tricked out Cadillac Escalades:

 

[Dalko43]

Maybe some of us look at things differently than you do?

I see people driving a one year old vehicle that I know for fact has never been cleaned, the rims full of brake dust - often to the point of no return eating into the clear coat and just shake my head.

If you don't care about keeping your vehicle spotless, cool. I do. It has nothing to do with what type of vehicle it is. I keep my 4Runner just as spotless as I did my $90K Carerra 4S.

I don't allow food, drink or smoking in my vehicles. You can call me anal, doesn't hurt my feelings. I take care of my shit and that includes my TRD wheels which, yes, proper care of makes a world of difference. ;-)

You not giving a shit about detailing doesn't mean others shouldn't. Whether you consider it an investment or not means nothing. Unless you are paying for our vehicles in cash or paying our monthly payment it's not up to you how others feel about the subject.

If oil changes, transfer case maintenance, etc is your thing then fine. Go do the work, make a thread and do your thing instead of hitting up posts that don't really matter to you and shitting in them.

And FYI I know what my vehicle is for as do many others here. That doesn't mean that we don't enjoy caring for it..INSIDE and OUT!

Well like I said, I do believe in regular and sound maintenance. I wash my car periodically. I do a thorough wash, claybar and paint sealant 1x every year or so. I check the fluid levels. I do undercarriage cleaning and rust mitigation. I want my 4runner to be in good working order for at least 5-7 more years of ownership.

But there's taking care of your car and then there is being obsessive over trivial stuff; fretting over what solution to use on your wheels falls within the latter. They're aluminum. Wash them, rinse them and you'll be fine over the long term.

And if you truly believe that you need to care for and clean your 4runner the same way you would a sports car, you're simply confirming what I said earlier. The 4runner is a rugged SUV; if you drive it the way it was meant to be driven, some amount of dirt and wear is inevitable. If you just want to sit around and take pictures of it all shiny and clean, you probably picked the wrong vehicle.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

There is a saying:

If you think a thread is bullshit or a waste of time, nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to read it.;-)

P.S. - I have owned directly or for my kids six 4Runners. I know what a 4Runner is for.

 

[mikedege]

To each their own....
I personally prefer a dirty truck. It gets clean when it rains! (or sometimes more muddy!!!) lol....

But I did used to keep my previous Z06 spotless.... Ha

-Mike