I have had my black Ascent for over a week now and of course one of the drawbacks of black is it shows dirt/dust terribly so Jack is now ready for his first bath. I was planning to buy one of the monthly memberships from Crew Carwash as practically everyone I know has one. Problem is, I am freaked out I wish hurt him by washing him too much! This is the nicest car I have ever owned by far and I am paranoid about doing something to hurt it, especially with him being a newborn. :tango_face_wink:
So tell me, how many car washes is too much? I've been reading online that once a week should be the max but if I'm only washing once a week, a monthly membership really isn't worth it.
I've also been contemplating getting the ceramic coating done but was quoted at $350 and really don't want to spend that kind of money this early on. Does anyone know if ceramic coating will protect the car well enough to allow for more washes? Or will more washes wear down my ceramic coating faster? Help!
It has a lot to do with where you live. Snow, salt, pollen, dust, bugs, sunlight. I've lived in all of it and I've had plenty of black cars, two white ones, red, yellow, gray, and some innocuous goldish/silverish/champagne-ish colors. If you are in winter climates, go to a well-recognized car wash and get the crud off top, sides, and underbody on a regular basis. I use to hand wash my cars when I was single and younger (and it was warm) like a professional auto detailer. Nowadays life is too important to spend it washing my car by hand every week or so. Here in Florida we get LOTS of pollen and other drippings from palms, birds, and bugs. And the sun is tough on the paint. I recommend finding a well-regarded auto car wash. Make sure the guys/gals wiping down your car see you place money in the tip jar (and even tip the person that sees you get out of the car. The tips really help. They'll remember you. A regular every 2-3 weeks of the cheap wash is fine. Then every other month (or once a month if you want), do the $20-ish wash. Every 12-18 months or so, you may want to have a detailer do a clay bar, although the ceramic coatings which everyone loves these days, eliminates the need for that. I haven't ceramic coated a car yet, but I have traditionally changed vehicles approximately every three years for the past 20 years, so protection wasn't as critical.
Depending on the level of dirt, dust and grime in your area I also recommend cleaning you engine bay. Go to a self-service car wash with a can of Gumout engine cleaner. I do a light water spray, then coat everything in engine cleaner, being careful of the electronics and electricals that may be exposed (I don't worry about spark plugs and wires). I also keep my engine running just in case it sputters (only happened infrequently on old carburaeted engines). Then I hose it down. This might go against everything people recommend, but I've been doing that regularly for 35+ years and NEVER had a problem. My mechanics love it too. No mechanic enjoys working on a dirty engine. And, if you get leaks, they are easier to spot.