My HOA won't allow me to wash my car in the community or in my own garage , so i'm trying to figure out how to wash my new (2 week old) SSM TL. There's a "brushless" car wash around the corner and a "do it yourself" car wash about a mile away. I'm guessing the do it yourself is better than the car wash.

my question is, i'm planning on doing the whole Zaino process, wash, clay, wash, zaino, zaino. Is it ok to wash/dry at the diy car wash, then drive it in a mile or so to my garage to clay, back to the diy place to wash again, back to the garage to zaino? The reason is because the diy car wash place has like 2 parking spaces and neither are covered or offer any sort of shade.

my concern is which is worse? drying/claying/zaino-ing in the sun, or, potentially picking up dirt right after i clean from driving back and forth.

OR....should i just sell my condo and buy a house so i don't have to follow stoopid HOA rules...of course that would probably mean eating pbj sandwiches forever since i can just barely afford the TL, the condo, and the wife...

 

Claying in the sun won't affect anything, it just means your lube will dry extra fast. I wouldn't wax in the sun though, it's not BAD for the car, it's just less effective.

What you should do is drive the car back to clay, and wax right after you clay. You don't need to wash again after you clay if you use the lube that comes w/ the clay. Just make sure to wipe the paint clean after claying each section.

 

Claybar as you wash your car. Then Zaino. In fact, if you read the label, you can Zaino in the sun.

If the DIY place is busy, drive home to apply zaino.

 

If you have to drive back to your place to clay/wax, I'd wipe the car down with a quick detailer first once you get home to remove any dirt/dust that may have accumulated on your car on the drive home. You'd be surprised how little dust/dirt will scratch your paint!

 

if i don't need to wash again after i clay, then i think i'll wash it at the diy place, then come back to my garage and clay, polish. i'd rather do that stuff in my garage where i can be at peace. i was just dreading having to go back and forth to wash a 2nd time.

i'm really just using the diy place for the running water. i'd bring my own car wash, towels, etc.

as for actual car wash, walmart carries alot of different brands, tutlewax, blue coral, armor all, etc. anything i should steer toward or steer away from? or should i be buying the zaino car wash?