I was wondering how do you guys wash your X. I like to use the stalls where you get out and do it yourself. I use the high pressure and the foaming brush. I tried the laser guided auto car wash. It worked pretty good but the streams of what were extremely hard against the body panels and didn't like it. Also how is the easiest way to clean around the gear basket without taking it off and the deflector??

Thanks for your responses.

I used to use the do it yourself stalls. I could never avoid the little spots all over my hood and windows though. I tried towel drying and there would still be spots. Now I pay $7 for the ultimate wash at the gas station. It dry's your vehicle and doesn't leave spots. I have a hood deflector and ventshades and I havn't had any problems going through the wash with them. The only problem is that it doesn't get all the mud off my stepbars.

I usually go to the LASER wash. It still leaves spots. The only time I have a spotless truck is when I dry it by hand. No more dark colored vehicles for me.

Every weekend with the hose and bucket. Inside I vaccum, clean glass, and remove cookie crumbs! :rolleyes:
I use Rain Dance car wash. I like it cause it doesn't remove wax and comes in gallon jugs.
Once a month I remove the gear basket to wash under it well. Otherwise I just blast it with water, with emphasis on the edges. I put Xtra coats of wax under there with this in mind. To dry, I lay a large towel across the roof. I slip it flat under the basket to the shield and pull. It doesn't get everything, but it works ok till I take it off anyways.

I don't like the spray booths or car washes. The former makes you rush and the latter don't care. I know some have no choice. Nobody love your truck like you do. I love my truck and treat it as such. Of course, I do this to my work car (02 Civic HX) as well and I don't love it. It's a great commute car, but it ain't the Xterra.

The old fashion way....nothing like washing your X in front of your House...that's the best way...I use Mequiure's Car Wash and go to town...comes out like a new penny...and then I go get it dirty the next day...and do it all over again...

I wait 'till it rains.

I wait till there is a fundraiser car wash at my school. Usually, hot sorrority chicas will perform the wash for about 10 bucks during Spring or Summer... Leaves the X spotless, and leaves me very happy. Winter, however, is problematic, and usually the X gets so dirty, you can't even make out what kind of vehicle it actually is.

-DD

I run through the touchless wash w/ underbody spray for $4 w/ fill-up, then jog down the street to the do-it-yourself hi-pressure bay to knock of anything leftover, then rinse it all down with the spot-free rinse which really works, not a spot to be found.

Brent

On my other car, I take it to a tractor trailer wash and they hit it with those super high pressure washers. Not even a bug is left on the license plate when they are done. They will take off any stickers with the sprayers you don't want anymore too. They don't dry it which sucks, I just go air dry it then use McQuires Quick Detailer to get that glossy shine.

How do you reach the top, for those of you washing by hand? Step-ladder?

I wish my apartment complex would let us wash cars out in the parking lot, or that the places with stalls would let you use a bucket and sponge. The nearest driveway I could use is a 30-minute drive. I don't know that I care about a spotlessly clean truck that much.

I do it myself...

Meguiars gold class car wash soap
Chenile sponge
Eagle AtoZ wheel cleaner
California water blade and microfiber towel to dry
Microfiber rag and Stoners Invisible Glass for the windows
Microfiber rag and Eagle Quick Detailer for spots I missed or hard to clean
Stoners Tire Shine
Meguiars gold class liguid wax as needed.
Vinylex for rubber & plastic parts
Plexus for cleaning and protecting the headlamps and fog lights
Vacuum

I get all my stuff from Classic Motoring Accessories

Hang on...I'll ask the wife!!

Stand on the rear tire, hold onto the rack.

I do it by the good ol fashion hose and soap in the driveway, works everything though it sometimes takes forever to get all the spots.

For my usual washing I use one of those Telescoping RV scrubbers that has a flat end on it. That way I not only can reach easily, but I don't slice up my hand trying to get under my low mount basket. If I need to get up there with hands or when waxing I use a Rubbermaid two step ladder thing.

And to asnwer the first question; I almost always hand wash my truck. However, when I go wheeling I usually come back and go through the self wash thing and use the high pressure wash. Usually just use it for getting off the bulk of it though and don't often use the brush to actually wash. I go home and do that by hand. If I use the brush it scratches the shit out of my truck and leaves almost as much dirt behind as it took off. :rolleyes:

Wash it by hand at the fire department. Works great in the winter when I can let it warm up in a heated bay for a few hours and then take my time washing it.

-Mike

Well...have only washed it once since I got it, because the weather around here hasn't been that great.

I only hand-wash vehicles. My truck is never gonna see the drive-through carwash. I actually enjoy washing cars--so much so I run my own business during the summer.

I use Turtle Wax car-wash soap (comes in gallon jug) with a wash mit, California blade drying, followed by cotton towels, and then work primarily on the interior after that. I reach the top by standing on the rear tires and holdin onto the roof rack. This works really well...and the side-steps work for the rest of the roof. On all my glass I use Invisible Glass (this stuff is GREAT) and More Shine Less Time on my tires. When I get the chance to wax it, I'll use Zymol and finish it off w/ Zymol Detail. I'm lookin forward to actually waxing it sometime soon.

If I can't wash by hand, then I leave the truck dirty. To reach the roof I use the step rails and a plastic milk crate when the rails end.

dave and xtoy - dirt won't scratch the paint but a bad wash job will

Definately in the driveway. During the winter months I don't have much choice but then to take it to a automatic car wash (the last time I did that, the X jumped the track and basically left me still still in the middle of the process. I finally had to put it in gear and drive the rest of the way through).

I don't like using the foaming brush because they never get cleaned.

I don't like this, or any fundraiser - you never know if they are using dish detergent. I won't elaborate on the abrasives used in these. As much as sorority girls getting wet sounds like fun, it's not worth my paint job.

Doug, I hi pressure the foam brush for a few seconds before using.

The stall wash is nice because I can clean the hell out of the underbody and get rid of all the salt.

Wash it in the shade by hand with a mit. Dry it with cotton towels. Polish & wax every 2-3 months.

I don't use a stall brush. may scratch the paint and I am unaware of the kind of soap they put in those things.

Holy cow. Some of you guys have lots of free time. I'm lucky if I run it through the drive-thru wash at my local Chevron once every 4 or 5 months.

WAX ON, WAX OFF!

In my da-da-dunts!!!

How to reach the top? As already mentioned, step on tire, hold onto roof rack, do the job. Or, there is always the bumper, tow hitch, grille guard... Now, I want to tell you guys to never go through one of those damn car washes again. I got a hand-on experience by sitting inside the X while she was being washed at an Exxon station. Supposedly "Deluxe Wash". That s*$# shook the hell out of the X, and it felt like the car wash was going to tear her appart. Plus, all the dirt and salt was still on there. Never again, I tell you. Never.