Keeping your car clean during long Euro road trips

[FreeLitres]

On a long Euro road trip, do you bother trying to keep your car clean?

Would one of those “Quick detailing” sprays remove a day's worth of road dirt, or are those sprays designed for removing less dirt than that?

I don't fancy putting my P&J through an automated car wash!

So, what do you do in these circumstances?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Wash it

[deltashad]

I'd take a sponge and a chamois and use jet washes.

[Matt UK]

Never clean it during a road trip. I kind of like getting back with a couple of thousand miles of grime.

[FreeLitres]

Take your own washing kit? Sponge and bucket, etc?

I don't think I have space

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

There's plenty of manual lavage places or similar. I always keep mine in shape that way.

[xreyuk]

You should all be shot for suggesting a sponge.

Probably one of the reasons the OP was asking was because he didn't want to destroy his paint.

[mike9009]

I have never bothered - I like my collection of dead fly trophies splattered all over the front at the end of the trip.

[Riley Blue]

FreeLitres said:

Take your own washing kit? Sponge and bucket, etc?

I don't think I have space

A collapsible bucket is your answer.

[FreeLitres]

About half way through the trip I get to Monaco. I was hoping to have the car looking particularly clean to see if the man will let me park the Tiv outside the Casino with the more exotic stuff!

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

FreeLitres said:

About half way through the trip I get to Monaco. I was hoping to have the car looking particularly clean to see if the man will let me park the Tiv outside the Casino with the more exotic stuff!

I know a really good lavage in Nice

[rowey200]

Matt UK said:

Never clean it during a road trip. I kind of like getting back with a couple of thousand miles of grime.

This

[Kong]

Matt UK said:

Never clean it during a road trip. I kind of like getting back with a couple of thousand miles of grime.

Same, 3500 miles of bug-splatter is a badge of honour!

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Kong said:

Matt UK said:

Never clean it during a road trip. I kind of like getting back with a couple of thousand miles of grime.

Same, 3500 miles of bug-splatter is a badge of honour!

Call me weird, but I can't stand not being properly turned out on parade!

[FreeLitres]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I know a really good lavage in Nice

I'm going down through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Northern Italy (Stelvio!) to Monaco. Know any wash stops on that route?

I Like the idea of doing it myself. Hmmm a colapiable bucket.

[JayTee94]

I think part of the joys of going on a road-trip is to come back and see all the dirt, grime and flies all over your car, then give it a proper detail and spend some time bringing it back to normal when you get back..

[FreeLitres]

I love a clean TVR but actually, dirty Tivs do have a certain charm...



Taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-k2AFR_7cE

ETA---------------------------------------------------

This is a slightly better shot:

You can hardly see his lights through the filth!

Edited by FreeLitres on Saturday 28th July 21:05

[anonymous-user]

rowey200 said:

Matt UK said:

Never clean it during a road trip. I kind of like getting back with a couple of thousand miles of grime.

This

x1000!

[anonymous-user]

FreeLitres said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I know a really good lavage in Nice

I'm going down through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Northern Italy (Stelvio!) to Monaco. Know any wash stops on that route?

I Like the idea of doing it myself. Hmmm a colapiable bucket.

Few years back I parked my Chim outside the casino in Monaco. I hadn't cleaned it since home so it was filthy. Valet had no problem with it

[HeatonNorris]

FreeLitres said:

On a long Euro road trip, do you bother trying to keep your car clean?

Would one of those “Quick detailing” sprays remove a day's worth of road dirt, or are those sprays designed for removing less dirt than that?

I don't fancy putting my P&J through an automated car wash!

So, what do you do in these circumstances?

I use 'Demon Shine' in a trigger bottle and a microfibre cloth.