Reply With QuoteBucket and a sponge. Miata's are far from water tight IMO and high pressure water is not a good idea.
Auto car wash ?
How do you wash your car ?
do the vinyl tops do OK in the Auto car washes ?
Bucket and a sponge. Miata's are far from water tight IMO and high pressure water is not a good idea.
Hand wash is preferred but if I have to, I use a DIY coin wash.
Automated car washes are a big no-no per Mazda.
As for the vinyl tops, just soap and water is all I ever used. You want to avoid stuff like Armor All. If you put anything on the vinyl top, make sure it is specifically for vinyl tops.
Oh and don't make the rookie mistake of using dish soap. Get a good car wash concentrate. Dish soap strips wax.
As for detailing, I'm a big fan of Zaino products.
303 Aerospace cleaner works great for vinyl tops. We use it on the S2000 regularly.
VW Bug in running shoes
M Porcupine sedan
M Porcupine coupe
Crusty old e46 beater
Battery Powered appliance car
I always hand wash or coin op car wash.
In addition to the high pressure, some of the mechanisms that push the car through can damage rims or ground effects.
If you do take it through a car wash, don't forget to turn the radio off so the antenna goes down!
During the water conservation days when we were not technically allowed to wash in driveways and were supposed to go to car wash places instead, I went to a coin-op with a bucket and sponge. I put in just enough to get the water going, filled the bucket, and had at it. When rinse time came, I used the sprayer ever so carefully, so as to not hit the top.
Now, of course I could be just as water efficient in the driveway with a proper nozzle. Come to think of it, I don't have a driveway either since I live in an apartment.
I go to the coin op. I take my own sponge. I rinse the car, then drip soap from the foam brush on the car. I take care not to touch the car with the brush, then I use my damp sponge to clean the car. Rinse and done.
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