Help - Can't wash my car

[babarbeetle]

We've had water restrictions in my town ever since I bought my 06 NBC in September 05, and I'm not allowed to wash my car at home (I can water the lawn, but can't wash my car - how fair is that?!?!). ANyway, I've taken it a few times for a hand wash/detail, but that's time-consuming and expensive. One time I cheated and washed it myself, and didn't get fined. But I can't risk that again because the neighbors will narc.

I don't mind the dust (it's dark gray and doesn't show much dirt) but now that spring has sprung, I'm starting to see little teeny drops of sap all over the car. Today when I got in the car it looked like someone had sprayed something all over the windshield. It was sap!!

As soon as I got home I cleaned the windows off with Windex. Then I took the dampened paper towel and rubbed off some of the sap on the trunk. It got it off, but will that harm the paint job? I'm guessing it will at least mess up the wax job. Is there something I can buy to spray on a towel and rub the sap spots off without washing the car?

Any advice is appreciated!!!

BabarBeetle

[Sukhoidave]

Quick detail spray is frequently used for a quick shine at car shows. I don't think I'd want to use it if there was much gritty stuff on the car but it works pretty well.

[manoverboard987]

Originally Posted by Sukhoidave

Quick detail spray is frequently used for a quick shine at car shows. I don't think I'd want to use it if there was much gritty stuff on the car but it works pretty well.

i second that motion. i've used Quik Detailer to get everything from tree sap to bird crap off my poor abused paint. it's wax and clearcoat safe, and it even has some sort of brightener in it to wake up whatever wax is there (which, on my car right now, is probably close to nothing since last time i waxed was... um... thanksgiving at the latest). if you spray it right onto the car and let it sit like 5 minutes, it'll eat away and loosen up whatever's on there, making your life that much easier.

[babarbeetle]

Originally Posted by manoverboard987

i second that motion. i've used Quik Detailer to get everything from tree sap to bird crap off my poor abused paint. it's wax and clearcoat safe, and it even has some sort of brightener in it to wake up whatever wax is there (which, on my car right now, is probably close to nothing since last time i waxed was... um... thanksgiving at the latest). if you spray it right onto the car and let it sit like 5 minutes, it'll eat away and loosen up whatever's on there, making your life that much easier.

Thank you! THat sounds perfect. Can I get this at places like Pep Boys and AutoZone? Should I get both of them? I need to get it ASAP so I"d rather not order online. I'm assuming the longer that sap sits on my car, the harder it will be to get off.

ALso, is that sap going to hurt the convertible top? Right now it's so fine you can't see it, but I have seen drops of sap the size of a dime, and that would definitely show up...

THanks!!

[manoverboard987]

no idea with the convertible top, but yes you can even get it at wal-mart, target, etc.

the Quik Wax is exactly what it says, a spray-on wax that is made to last between actual waxings. the Quik Detailer is what you want to get gunk off with.

[pdoel]

The handwash place you mentioned. Is this one of the u-wash-em kinda places?

I don't know if your area is the same, but anytime we've had water restrictions, you can still use any type of car wash, as that's a business, and the restrictions can't put a business in jeopardy.

So I'd grab a bunch of coins, and head to one of the places where you can wash the car yourself. It's not too expensive, and the cost far outweighs the cons of leaving all that stuff on your car.

[shellbug]

When I lived in California, you could still wash your car as long as you had a sprayer thingy on the hose so it shuts off when you are not spraying the water. Or you could always wash the car on the grass hehe!!
~Shelly

[jpdeuce]

A guy at work here uses a "waterless carwash" application. I would normally say someone was full of crap about this stuff but he has restored older cars, and just sold his Toyota FJ for 40K, and he's a car buff...so coming from him it's a little more believeable. Anyway...he's got this bottle of it at work and it's called "See & Believe Water Less Carwash". It doesn't have a website and I think it may be a independant retailer type thing. But you pump up the bottle, spray it on, "wash" the car, and then wipe it off with a terry cloth towel.

It's kind of like a wax where you do small areas, use one towel to apply until it's hazy and then use another towel to buff off. But it's specifically a cleaner not a wax.

The Dallas # on this bottle is 214.839.1157 - call the guy up and see if he can get you some stuff or have it near you. It's about 20 bucks a bottle and about 2 washes per bottle I'm told. I would imagine you can make it last a little longer on the NB.

[Yllwtrb]

Id be interested in knowing this since when you get the information from him.

Thanks,

[BeetleCouture]

I have waterless car wash and I love it actually.

We had a ton of stock left over at the body shop I worked at and they let me take what I want, I figured since it was free it wouldn't hurt.

The bottle says DRI Wash 'n Guard Waterless Car Wash incase anyone is interested.

[babarbeetle]

Originally Posted by pdoel

The handwash place you mentioned. Is this one of the u-wash-em kinda places?

I don't know if your area is the same, but anytime we've had water restrictions, you can still use any type of car wash, as that's a business, and the restrictions can't put a business in jeopardy.

So I'd grab a bunch of coins, and head to one of the places where you can wash the car yourself. It's not too expensive, and the cost far outweighs the cons of leaving all that stuff on your car.

Yes, with the water restrictions, you can only take the car to a commercial place. The place I've been taking the VW to is one where some guys hand wash and dry it for you. They do a good job, but it's expensive and time-consuming. I used to go to those U-Wash places with my old car (Miata) till a guy at the convertible top place told me the power washers aren't good for the top or the paint job. Have you ever heard that?

I tried the Meguiers Quick Detail spray and it worked really well. BUt it looks like it might end up being an every-other-day kind of thing, because the sap is bad right now. And the pollen is even worse!!

It's gonna be a long spring...

[babarbeetle]

Originally Posted by shellbug

When I lived in California, you could still wash your car as long as you had a sprayer thingy on the hose so it shuts off when you are not spraying the water. Or you could always wash the car on the grass hehe!!
~Shelly

I have actually threatened to install a sprinkler system just so I can wash my car in the front yard!! It seems unfair to me, since I've never watered a lawn in my life - that should earn me an occasional car wash...

Anyway, can't wash the car even with a special hose. Only commercial car washers can wash cars now. The restrictions are supposed to last all summer into the fall.

[Maggadog]

What about using the waterless carwash stuff and a car cover? I would think the cover would keep the sap off the car, and the other stuff will keep it clean, and not need to be used every other day.
Or, drive your beetle onto the lawn and rinse it off when you hand water your lawn?
Say, I just looked at your ride! Just like mine!

[Shamrockez]

Can you not wash your Bug with a bucket of water and a sponge? Then rince it off with a watering can?

[fulltiltredhead]

I have used a bucket of clean water, two sponges, and a spray bottle of properly diluted car wash soap - spray the soap on the car, wash with one sponge, rinse with the other, going section by section and getting a new bucket of rinse water from time to time.

[yellow99]

Here in waterloo we have the same bylaw, and it sucks! But the Meguire's is awesome, I use it all the time and do it enough that it doesnt get a chance to become dirty. this is the only solution I've used!

[ChristopherC]

The first time I washed my NB I was absolutely amazed at how little water was needed.

I like the previous suggestion to use a garden watering can for rinsing.

It's not against the law to use grey water although proving the water's source would be the difficult part.

Some sources of grey water are preferable to others. For washing a car my choice would be bath or shower water as it's relatively clean. If you're preference is showers then put an empty bucket or two in the shower with you. If you're preference is baths then ladle out the bath water into buckets before you drain the tub. If you can get at the plumbing then it's even easier (take off the tub trap and divert all you want).

Rinse with a gallon or 2 of drinking water purchased from the store (in a watering can of course). Save the drinking water receipts just in case the cops show. And be sure to periodically moon while you wash the car because you know the neighbors are going to be watching you.