How often do you carwash your Tacoma ?

Usually once the dirt stains coming down from the door handles are pretty noticeable.

 

Can someone who hand washes give me a list of recommended products to use? I typically go to a car wash but just got the new truck and going to try to hand wash.

 

Unfair comparison. Because TacoBuffet will be on Taco #15 by then.

 

I'd love the luxury of hand washing my truck, but in real-life Minnesota in winter (4 months minimum) at least two to three times a week through my local car wash, not touchless by the way, is the only way to fight the salt build up and stave off rust. I'm two years in to my 2019 Sport, and the finish is holding up quite well- surprisingly so, actually. People still think I have a new truck.

 

I don't go all the way too crazy

good microfiber dry towels and wash mits
I use Meguires Gold class soap / clay bar / wax / tire gel
chemical guys clay lube

Lots of brands, just find one you like for any of the above (those just work for me) affordable. or any recommended brands. Maybe youtube some stuff.

There's a lot more you can do with polishing, coating, paint correction etc. I just keep it simple.

 

These "discussions" are almost as entertaining as the like kindred.....

Whats the best oil?
How much lift?
Whats the best tire/wheel combo?

 

Simple:

1. Usually cheap meguiars car soap from the auto parts store.
2. Wash mit
3. Tire brush (moderately hard bristle, for rubber ONLY)
4. Adams tire & rubber cleaner liquid.
5. Adams wheel cleaner liquid (if your wheels are real bad).
6. Get yourself two all purpose orange buckets from home depot. Fill one with water, one with soapy water. Each time you clean a panel, dunk the mit in the clean water before moving soap to clean off some grime.
7. Griots garage aerosol tire shine (normally I'd recommend a gel, but big knobby tires are too difficult)

OCD:

1. Get a cheap meguiars claybar kit and clean the truck
2. Get a cheap like 10" griots random orbital polisher, cheap meguiars polish, watch some youtube videos, polish the truck.
3. Get a greenworks 1800 psi pressure washer from Lowes (~$90)
4. Get a McKillans Foam Cannon from Amazon, clean the truck again after claying and polishing it.
5. Carpro Cquarts 3.0 UK Ceramic coat, watch some youtube videos.

 

A few years ago I hooked the GoPro to the front of the truck before driving thru a car wash. Seemed like the right thing to do.

 

Well its just dirt. Now if i lived in canada or somewhere with salty roads i would be washing it probably daily.

 

Yep. It’s like a never ending cycle.

 

Here in Florida in the dead of winter, I have to put on a tee shirt to hand wash, the agony of being able to wash the truck, car, motorcycle year round, is real.

 

I’ve read with the wheels on the TRD Sport you need to wax them. Do you do this the same way you do the body or is there a different procedure?

 

I've never waxed my body...... the hair just grows as nature intended.....

 

+1 for chemical guys, griots, Adam’s, etc.

Also, I find the microfiber mitts a pain to use and much prefer the microfiber dual sided squares.

If you’re going in, do the two bucket wash system. There are lots of detailing websites out there. Keep it all in perspective though; it’s not a Lambo.
<edit>. PS, theragcompany.com is good too. Korean microfiber for the win.

 

I use my truck and I got things to do besides wash it..... I'm definitely in the automated car wash camp.

My truck has a couple of dings and some paint scratches anyway. It's a tool for me to get to some fun places and not a show car.

Frequency? When it gets dirty.

 

Double like !

 

I try to hand wash the truck once a month, but in reality I wash it closer to once every 2 months or so. I try to avoid automated washes, but I do take the truck to an auto carwash 1-2 times a year. I don't know how some of you have so much free time to hand wash your truck more than once a week.

 

It’s not like the paint on a Tacoma is the mirror on the Hubble Telescope. Just keep the damn thing clean with any method and remember that nothing last forever.