Notices
RX-8 Show and Shine Discussion of car care products and techniques

Raining -- to wash or not to wash?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 01-01-2005, 12:21 PM
  #1  
Giant Space Hamster
Thread Starter
 
quack_p's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: San Jose, California
Posts: 521
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Raining -- to wash or not to wash?

It's been raining on and off in San Jose for the past several days. If it's not raining tomorrow morning, would you wash your car even though it will probably rain later in the day and will probably rain on and off for the rest of the week? I know everyone walking by will think I'm nuts, but I wanted to ask the true car washing fanatics. Maybe I'll just clean the interior...
Old 01-01-2005, 12:25 PM
  #2  
Still spining
 
RotorGeek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Miramar FL.
Posts: 986
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I washed mine yesterday in the rain. I'd rather have the car clean and wet then dirty and wet
Old 01-01-2005, 12:44 PM
  #3  
"RX-8 my stress reliever"
 
MELRX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Keizer, Oregon
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by RotorGeek
I washed mine yesterday in the rain. I'd rather have the car clean and wet then dirty and wet
AMEN!
Old 01-01-2005, 12:46 PM
  #4  
Bigus Rotus
iTrader: (3)
 
Nemesis8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Missouri
Posts: 8,573
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I live in Washington State, and it drizzles allot rather than a hard rain. I wash the 8 every week. On Sunday it is getting a major cleaning inside and out. If you keep it as clean as you can all the time, people will notice. It's embarassing to pull up to a stop light, and have grimmy rims...
Old 01-02-2005, 05:46 PM
  #5  
Registered
 
oryas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I just washed mine this morning and it started raining in the afternoon. I looked at the weather report and its going to be raining off and on all week. I usually wait for a dry weather prediction before i wash my car but I couldn't stand having my rx8 so dirty.
Old 01-02-2005, 06:05 PM
  #6  
Driving Me Crazy
 
Genesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,453
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The weather bites around the globe I guess....it's been raining solidly every day in Singapore for a week. Couldn't stand it anymore so did a thorough interior cleaning yesterday...then once that was done I thought, heck, might as well give it a wash!
Old 01-02-2005, 11:17 PM
  #7  
Hacker
 
antiver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Genesis
The weather bites around the globe I guess....
maybe the fact that its raining and the fact that you have an 8 attracted you to the topic title, just like everyone else

on another note, i washed and waxed my 8 this morning and went for two drives today (both just for the hell of it). It rained during both my trips. Do I mind? No. Did I wash it again when I got home? Yes.
Old 01-02-2005, 11:51 PM
  #8  
Registered
 
EandGWZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I clean my car at least once a week whether it going to rain or not. The salt in NJ is ridiculous...like sandpaper on the car, especially on the back end.
Old 01-03-2005, 12:16 AM
  #9  
Lawyer in training :)
 
markd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 913
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My two cents: It's good to wash your car, even when it's been raining, because rain has minerals and contaminants in it that will deposit on your paint. On the other hand, be mindful that if you wax your car, the moisture may affect the durability of the wax--depending on which one you use--by not allowing the wax/sealant to bond effectively to the paint during the curing period.

Last edited by markd; 01-03-2005 at 12:19 AM.
Old 01-03-2005, 12:39 AM
  #10  
Driving Me Crazy
 
Genesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,453
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
:D Washing a car in the rain or about to rain...sounds like OCD setting in :p However, over the years I've found there's a strange (highly positive) correlation between a car that runs mechanically well and a car that's kept clean. So, perhaps the OCD theory is bunk after all :D
Old 01-03-2005, 01:14 AM
  #11  
The Dark Dope
 
Batmobile1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Bellingham,WA
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
yeah...

Originally Posted by Nemesis8
I live in Washington State, and it drizzles allot rather than a hard rain. I wash the 8 every week. On Sunday it is getting a major cleaning inside and out. If you keep it as clean as you can all the time, people will notice. It's embarassing to pull up to a stop light, and have grimmy rims...

When I moved up here from So Cal, I came to the disturbing conclusion that if you wait till the rain stops to clean your car, its never gonna get cleaned, so you end up sticking to the routine rain or shine....
Old 01-03-2005, 06:23 PM
  #12  
Registered
 
oryas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The one good thing about washing your car in the rain is that you don't have to take the time to dry it off.
Old 01-03-2005, 07:46 PM
  #13  
czr
RX8 RX8!
iTrader: (3)
 
czr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by oryas
The one good thing about washing your car in the rain is that you don't have to take the time to dry it off.
Right. This cuts time to 1/3.

The bad part is not having it rain after you wash it but when you drive the car all the crap on the road gets on the sides of the car. You'll notice how dirty it is and the roof and and upper part of the car will stay clean.
Old 01-03-2005, 09:12 PM
  #14  
Get in ma belly!!
 
irish8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 955
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hey all.....you all do realize we are ill!! :D It's forecasted to rain for the rest of the week in Dallas and I can't wait to get out an wash my black 8 tomorrow evening. Sure, It will be dirty again by the time I get home from the car wash...but thats the price you pay for buying black.

Good luck my sick friends!! :D

- Irish
Old 01-04-2005, 07:58 AM
  #15  
Driving Me Crazy
 
Genesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1,453
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by irish8
Hey all.....you all do realize we are ill!! :D It's forecasted to rain for the rest of the week in Dallas and I can't wait to get out an wash my black 8 tomorrow evening. Sure, It will be dirty again by the time I get home from the car wash...but thats the price you pay for buying black. Good luck my sick friends!!
Oh no! Irish, you're propagating my OCD theory above when I tried so hard to knock it down :D :D
Old 01-04-2005, 08:13 AM
  #16  
Registered User
 
8's enough's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: BFE
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
when it rains here and i cant hand wash it i take mine through the touchless carwash.a clean 8 is a happy 8.i realize buy doing this the next time i wash it i have to wax it .
Old 01-04-2005, 08:47 AM
  #17  
Rotary Public
 
Paul_in_DC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Northern Virginia near DC
Posts: 1,512
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
My wheels were getting dirty with brake dust, so I got ready for a major assault... then I checked and the stuff just wiped off with a soft dry rag. I was done cleaning all the wheels in about ten minutes. :D :D
Old 01-07-2005, 12:04 AM
  #18  
Registered
 
rodmeister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: So Cal
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Living here in SoCal, we had hard rains last week and expect a downpour tomorrow. Haven't washed my car in a month; it seems to rain everytime I decide to wash. Some crud is beginning to accumulate on my hood despite all the continual rain washing.

Here's a question. If I put dry carwash crystals or powder on the roof and hood just before an expected hard rain or during a hard rain, will my car be cleaner than just plain rain? I might experiment tonight.

Last edited by rodmeister; 01-07-2005 at 06:56 PM.
Old 01-07-2005, 03:56 PM
  #19  
Detroit Muscle
iTrader: (2)
 
Redfusion3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ya we are sick...

I wash my 8 just to relieve stress.
Old 01-07-2005, 06:58 PM
  #20  
Registered
 
rodmeister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: So Cal
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Anybody notice how dirt accumulates on the "V" depression on the hood after a rain. Going WOT doesn't seem to cure it.
Old 01-07-2005, 07:15 PM
  #21  
100% Italian
 
mikeb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: orange,ca
Posts: 9,422
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Redfusion3
Ya we are sick...

I wash my 8 just to relieve stress.
me too

last weekend was the first weekend since I owned the car I didn't clean it and its still raining


there is no point in cleaning when its raining
Old 01-07-2005, 07:33 PM
  #22  
Detroit Muscle
iTrader: (2)
 
Redfusion3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I wash it whenever...whereever...sometimes I stop in the middle of the freeway and take out my cleaning kit and have some bottled water in my trunk and give my 8 a quick shine.




j/k

Thats sick.
Old 01-08-2005, 06:44 PM
  #24  
Registered
 
rodmeister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: So Cal
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
the NWS is predicting up to 24 inches of rain in southern California in some locales near the mountains in the next three days. And up to one inch per hour. Now that's a car wash!
Old 01-09-2005, 04:56 AM
  #25  
100% Italian
 
mikeb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: orange,ca
Posts: 9,422
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I haven't cleaned my car in two weeks and its killing me


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: Raining -- to wash or not to wash?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:14 AM.