[SilverBullitt]

This is an honest question. I took delivery of my 23 1SS 1LE on 12/30/22 right as this atmospheric river hit California. I don't have a garage for my car so it's been getting soaked day after day in my driveway.

Is it worth washing the car to remove the dirt, road grime, and water spots? I can already see it accumulating on the top and sides.

Thanks!

[Newcastle]

If you dont have a garage I would hold off. Now would be a good time to schedule ceramic coating and as much PPF as you can afford. They will also remove contamanants in the paint and wheels.

[SilverBullitt]

Originally Posted by Newcastle

If you dont have a garage I would hold off. Now would be a good time to schedule ceramic coating and as much PPF as you can afford. They will also remove contamanants in the paint and wheels.

I appreciate the response! I'm definitely looking for a reliable shop to do this.

[db2022cs]

If it's non-stop rain, I usually don't. If there is a day or 2 of it being clear, then I do go wash it. I don't like seeing the dirt on my cars. My last car I didn't get any PPF or Ceramic coating. I am waiting to pick up my Camaro this weekend and then take it to a shop for PPF and Ceramic coating.

[SilverBullitt]

Originally Posted by db2022cs

If it's non-stop rain, I usually don't. If there is a day or 2 of it being clear, then I do go wash it. I don't like seeing the dirt on my cars. My last car I didn't get any PPF or Ceramic coating. I am waiting to pick up my Camaro this weekend and then take it to a shop for PPF and Ceramic coating.

It's rained for 8 of the last 10 days. We NEVER get weather like this.😂

[22SS1LE]

rain wont cause major water spotting as it doesnt have the type of minerals in it like water from the hose. So if there is a little bit of water spotting a wash would get it off or just hit it with a water spot remover.
If its raining over and over. I would wait

[MANNAXMAN]

Originally Posted by 22SS1LE

rain wont cause major water spotting as it doesnt have the type of minerals in it like water from the hose. So if there is a little bit of water spotting a wash would get it off or just hit it with a water spot remover.
If its raining over and over. I would wait

X2. I've owned multiple cars that have spent most of their lives un-garaged and have never had an issue with water spots from rain.

I typically don't wash my car during the rainy season unless there's going to be at least one week without rain. Although I've washed my car because the weather people have said there won't be rain for a week and it rained within the next 1-2 days.

[Gunkk]

I never wash my DD during rainy season. I just let mother nature (with help from a spray-on hydrophobic) keep it clean.

[Jus Cruisin]

Me? If there was a break in the rain, I'd be washing it. But that's me.

[discgolf01]

I'm in the Bay Area too. Not for the Camaro, it's in the garage, but for the wife's car that sits outside:

1. It's usually under a car cover (she works mainly from home now), but when rainy season hits, it's the car we use to get around town.

2. Stays clean and under cover until the first time we have to take it out in the rain.

3. After that, 10 day rain free window means it gets a wash, otherwise it just sits in the rain and I hose off any bird poop/tree sap when I see it until that 10 day window comes.

[SSEssence]

Wait till the rain stops for longer than a few days, and then detail wash and wax when you can. There are some great easy spray ceramic coatings now you can utilize if you don't want to do the full ceramic treatment. It will help bead off any water or contaminants. Adams spray ceramic coating is a great one.

[SilverBullitt]

I appreciate all the advice. As soon as it stops for more than a few hours, I'll definitely give it a wash. I'm looking into ceramic coating as well.

[arpad_m]

I also love cleaning this car, washing the wheels is particularly therapeutic, and of course I want it to look new forever, 24/7. That said, the more frequently you touch it, the more likely you'll introduce defects, ceramic coat or not (the museum principle).

These coatings are far from impenetrable, their 9H hardness is measured by the pencil test and not the Mohs scale, plus in my experience washing with tap water can make water spotting at least twice as bad as without a coating, so I think a healthy balance is called for here.

Ceramic coating on top of self-healing PPF coupled with some kind of reverse osmosis water softener/deionizer at least for washing the car is a very good, if very expensive proposition, probably the sweet quality and longevity spot if we ignore cost—you can only have 2 of 3, as always

[keep_hope_alive]

I drive mine daily and most of the dirt I get is from the road (or vehicles in front of me). Others come from neighboring gravel parking lots at work where dust settles while parked. During the winter months, I just buy packages for a local touchless car wash with undercarriage spray then I go over it with a detail spray at home in my headed garage. It is a fairly easy recipe for a mostly clean car. I'm careful with microfiber cloths (edges folded in) when using the detail spray.

I clean mine whenever it's dirty, even before long trips, just because it looks so much nicer and I prefer removing dirt. If I know it's going to rain soon, I'll skip the detail spray and just let the touchless wash stand as-is.