Some advice needed...

[Velociraptor]

So I'm a HUGE noob when it comes to detailing/washing cars. My previous car (an Accord) was well taken care of, but washed only at automated car washes (my dealer has a free one).

Now that I have a CR-Z, I'd like to take good care of it, especially since it's black and harder to keep clean. The automated wash at my dealer is actually fairly decent at keeping it looking passable, but I want to wean myself off it because I'm scared the mechanisms will break my rear wiper (they managed to tear off the front number plate on my Accord). There's two wash places nearby that do good work, but that'd get expensive quick, so I'd prefer to wash it myself and save some quid.

I live in a very confined area with assigned parking spaces. My space is out in the open and under a tree (which means constant bird droppings/leaves/pollen), and near some lawn sprinklers (which means nasty water spots).

Alas, a busy work schedule with odd hours means I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to very intensive detail work. I'm looking for a way to keep my car looking good (not museum-quality but passable) and well-protected, that's quick and (most importantly) cheap. I do have access to a hose, but I don't have much else, and I'm not sure where to start.

Any tips? I did look into several methods on this forum and others, but it's left me more confused than before, so I'm wondering what people with more knowledge than I would do in my situation.

Cheers for any info.

[namtaB]

If you're just looking to keep the car clean then follow the 2 bucket method and get a good wool wash mit and a $30 leaf blower. Use the pooling method to dry the car - meaning when you're finished washing disconnect the nozzle and just let the hose run water freely. Then using the gentle steady stream of the hose, run it across each panel. The beaded water will collect and sheet off. You'll get 75% of the car dry this way. Then use the leaf blower to dry the car off. I've found that Honda clear coat is very swirl sensitive so this method will keep the least amount of contact on the paint and prevent those swirl marks.

Sealants will give you longer protection than waxes, but waxes will give the paint more depth. Depth means nothing to me b/c I have a white car so I am strictly sealant. But if you're looking for protection duration and can give up depth, sealant wins. There's a lot out there that's affordable. I'm a Zainophile and although its slightly costlier, the amount you actually use is small. But there's lots of other options out there.

[3Vtec]

Just to add to what namtaB said, i also have a black cr-z, if you plan on waxing it yourself i would youtube some diy vids so you get the idea of how to do it properly. The first thing i would say to get is your prefered brand of wax and a wash and wax kit. As he said it very swirl sensative and waxing kits have some very nice microfiber cloths used to buff out the wax by hand, its important they are fine soft microfiber so that it doesnt scratch the paint and leave swirl marks, learned the hard way on my prelude.
Do the wax job in the shade, not in the sun it will bake the wax on and make it hard to buff out as well as possibly messing up the paint. Not saying will but could, and i like to do it in section by body panels. be sure to wipe excess wax off your rubber seals and plastic trim (somebrands will stain them if left on too long).
Last thing is when you wash your car go the auto store and get the soap for washing cars, certain brands of dish soap will eat away your paints clear coat, i also learned this one the hard way with my prelude. Other than that be prepaired to sweat a little and enjoy the work you put into it!

[Klasse Act]

OP, I'd like to suggest you get your self the 2 buckets like previously mentioned, along with a pair of grit guards to keep the dirty at bay, you don't wanna rub dirty water onto the car, that's just not a good idea with any car, especially black, its a magnifying glass when it comes to swirls, along with its partner in crime, red! Now here's the thing though, you'll wanna get a rinseless wash.....found here We Are Car Care -- Car Wax, Car Polish, Auto Detailing Supplies, Car Buffers & Car Accessories Store There's several brands to chose from, you can't go wrong with Optimum No Rinse (ONR), Detailers Pro or DuraGloss, all quality brands for sure. This is the easiest way to wash your car, all of these products not only clean your car well but also apply a slight amount of protection to your paint finish, 2 birds with one stone. Now, to wash the car with you'll wanna get a quality grout sponge, yes a grout sponge, check Amazon.com for the Aqua sponge, they have the best prices for sure. Its so easy to use the rinseless wash and I must say is the greatest thing to ever come out for washing your car, seriously, its that great! Now lastly, make sure you've got a good drying towel, no terry cloth and no cheap ass microfibers, Griot's Garage has a great, large quality MF towel for drying, its not cheap but it gets the job done VERY well. If you place an order with Auto Geek they carry Griot's products but so does Advance Auto Parts, so if you've got those stores in your backyard, check em out.

Oh yeah, then there's maintence after you wash you car, if you've got the time every so often, wipe the car down with a quality quick detailer and get this, if you buy a large enough size of the rinseless wash, it can make a good quick detailer as well, saves you money right there.

At some point you'll need to wax your car and I know this can be time consuming but like you said, you wanna keep the car looking good and you've gotten yourself the devil itself when it comes to paint. I suggest you try and set aside some time to do a full detail on the paint twice a year, once coming out of winter and again going into winter, maintaining inbetween with that good quick detailer. Black is unforgiving to say the least, so here's the basics when doing a detail:

-good car wash
-clay bar
-polish
-sealant/wax

Depending upon how bad the swirls are, you may not get out the swirls by hand with the polish your using and if you don't have a machine, well, do the best you can, its worth the extra work you might have to put into it. Polishing is THE step that makes the paint look its best, all those swirls just dim your paints finish, polishing them out brings out the BLING! The wax protects the steps you've done before hand.

Sorry about all this, it just comes out of me! I know you just asked about washing but when you said drive thru carwash that isn't a touch-free I started shaking a bit, especially with black, its going to turn gray pretty soon going that route. If you've got any further questions feel free to drop me a PM.

[Jwarian]

Isn't polishing too much a bad thing because it actually removes clear coat and that's how the scratches get removed?
Just saying before you go polishing every weekend.

[namtaB]

Originally Posted by Jwarian

Isn't polishing too much a bad thing because it actually removes clear coat and that's how the scratches get removed?
Just saying before you go polishing every weekend.

Yeah, polishing is essentially grinding away clearcoat albeit on a microscopic level. Honda paint is thin and the clearcoat is weak. I wouldn't polish too often. I'm of the philosophy that you should clay and polish as minimally as you possibly can and spend more effort in preventative care, like healthcare for instance. Eating healthy and exercising will reduce major diseases. Using the 2 bucket method, the pooling method and leaf blower to dry, and applying wax/sealant regularly to keep the paint protected will reduce the need for claying and polishing.