I have a lot of pride in my car – how it looks says something about me. If I never let you see it dirty, does it ever really get dirty? The reality is that it takes a lot of work, and I did drive my M3 Competition all winter, so I called up Larry Kosilla at AMMO NYC and asked him to book me for a spring wash.
It’s a spa day for MWS.
How do you perform a maintenance wash?
I don’t think anyone is going to get by car ownership without at least some swirl marks on their paint, but I try to limit that type of damage.
- No automatic car washed, EVER
- Skip the dealership washes too. People like seeing “NO WASH” on the write up when you sell the car.
- Hand washes by me at least every other week
- Limit the amount of people that touch the car aside from me, including Dan from Turn 7, Larry, perhaps just one or two others
- Protect the paint with a coating at least once a year
- Always use a sealant booster after every wash
You can add PPF, or paint protection film, but to do the entire car would cost nearly $7,000 dollars. I will never ever get that money back upon resale, and being careful will avoid most of what PPF is meant to protect you from.
What do you typically do to keep the M3 clean?
Professional detailers have this stuff down to a science, but I’d call myself a hobbyist at this point.
First, I try not to do the inside and outside on the same day, unless both are really gross. I might give the interior a wipe-down, but it’s usually in pretty good shape.
The 825M wheels of the M3 take a long time to clean (even Larry called them a pain in the ass, and he cleans a lot of wheels). I’ll wash them first, separately from the car.
Drying can also be a chore, so I’ve obtained a Master Blaster to help dry the car faster, without leaving swirls. This works especially well because the M3’s ceramic coating beads water and makes it easier to slide off.
So what’s an AMMO NYC car wash involve?
As you might expect, Larry goes into great detail. That’s a dad joke, but it’s cool, I’m a dad. It’s easier to list the things we did not do this time.
- AMMO’s garage has two lifts so that the wheels can be taken off and cleaned thoroughly. However, I had just put my summer wheels on the week before as brand new, so there was no need.
- While the car is on the lift, Larry will wash the underside. However, the M3 is still new (1,500 miles), and after inspection a simple spray off was all that was needed.
- Engine bay cleaning. Again, factory fresh.
But there were other bits that did need some love
- The M Performance floor mats were brought over from my first G80, and they are starting to show their age (the driver’s side, specifically). Larry used a combination of SHAG fabric cleaner and an air compressor to deep clean them. This is something I do not have the tools for at home.
- For years, I’ve had the BMW scented sticks to keep the interior fresh (going back to the 335). But the LCI G8X’s updated air vents aren’t very accommodating to these. Larry had a Drift wood block in this GT3 and I liked the scent, so I’ve replaced the BMW smelly sticks with this. I liked the Amber scent, if you’re wondering.
- The paint was protected, but I wanted more shine, so Larry offered a coat of Creme Reflective Paste. It adds another layer of protection and gave the Miami Blue paint a richer look. I’ll probably do this with every other wash – makes the car look great, and it smells nice.
AMMO NYC car wash gallery – wheels
AMMO NYC car wash gallery – exterior
AMMO NYC car wash gallery – interior
All done, and prepped for next week’s story, stay tuned!
