How to take care of your car while on vacation?

A

armoredsaint

New member
I will be travelling over 1000 miles this weekend total and it's going to be parked outside :eek: (first time) . Any tips on keeping the bugs, dirt and etc off? I will be bringing a WW, MF and QD, but I will also find a co-op self-spray when I reach my destination.



Thanks
 
This is going to be very un-autopian of me BUT



I recently went on vacation with my girl in my SI. Wash it up before you leave. Then, drive the car and enjoy your vacation. ITS A VACATION!!! You can clean the car back up once you get back. Now put down the friggin microfiber and go have fun.
 
Gotta agree with breakneckvtec: be sure you've got a fresh coat of wax before you leave, enjoy the trip & deal with the dirt when you get back home. As un-Autpian as it sounds, don't sweat the small stuff like keeping the car clean during your trip.



Just returned from a road trip that took me both ways through bug-invested Alligator Alley ... lots of splatters ... the vehicle sat for over 10 days before I could clean it. My fresh coat of wax allowed me to mostly rinse the bugs off with the nozzle set on stream once I got home.



Relax & enjoy life ... have another margarita ...
 
Hey thanks for the advice, it has a fresh coat of P21S wax last week and Klasse SG on the wheels, I'll worry about it when I head back home :D
 
Last Wednesday, left VB for Boston.

Thursday AM, left Boston for Burlington, VT.

Thurday PM, left Burlington for Boston.

Friday AM, left Boston for Haystack, VT (Mt. Snow).

Sunday PM, left Haystack for Boston.

Monday AM, left Boston for VB.



Total Mileage: @2400 miles.

Total QD Used: 0.



My car is a wreck now, but it was more fun not worrying about every mud puddle (and VT has plenty now) with the car. I might bust out a Click and Brag after this weekend's session!
 
armoredsaintt said:
Hey thanks for the advice, it has a fresh coat of P21S wax last week and Klasse SG on the wheels, I'll worry about it when I head back home :D
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Good call, IMO. Accumulatorette does a lot of traveling (in the South) in her A8, well over 1K miles per trip and outside the whole time. It always cleans up fine when she gets back. I just clay off the bugs while washing and it's OK again.



Take some QD and MFs in case you get something awful (like a bird bomb) and your favorite window cleaning supplies.



One thing you might try is running it through a (truly) touchless car wash, one that has a forced-air dryer. It's sorta a gamble (recycled water, mystery soap, etc.) but it works well for us. She doesn't hand dry it, BTW, as that would almost certainly result in marring since it doesn't get all THAT clean. But it makes my cleanup easier when she gets back.
 
I carry bucket (w/lid), car wash, QD, mitts for each day of the week, hose, lots of MF, glass cleaner and needle nose pliars (hotels take faucet handle off).



I wash every morning first thing, then go shower and eat. It keeps me happy this way.
 
forrest said:
I carry bucket (w/lid), car wash, QD, mitts for each day of the week, hose, lots of MF, glass cleaner and needle nose pliars (hotels take faucet handle off).



I wash every morning first thing, then go shower and eat. It keeps me happy this way.
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WOW...now that is commitment, I wouldn't go that far I think :D
 
If it bothers you that much and you can afford it, leave the car home and rent a car for the vacation, this way you can really enjoy your vacation. Even if you neglect it, if your like me you know it will be on your mind the whole time.
 
neoflex said:
If it bothers you that much and you can afford it, leave the car home and rent a car for the vacation, this way you can really enjoy your vacation. Even if you neglect it, if your like me you know it will be on your mind the whole time.
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Well I have 2 other cars I can drive including my company 04 Impala in which they have a liberal policy for private use, free gas, maintainance and insurance, can't beat being in Pharmaceutical Sales and I do drive the hell out of it, haven't washed it in 4 weeks and always sleeps outside :D, but it's not as fun as driving the Audi TT :)
 
Where you traveling too? Im sure there will be an Autopian close to your final destination you could give some business to. Lol!! Have A safe Trip.
 
I take a road trip each year with my Porsche 996 and carry a dozen MF's; a bottle of QD, and glass cleaner. Each night about 15mins to get the bugs off and a light wipe down does the trick. Then each morning it's a sparkling car (mostly) to head off for the drive that day. Always seems to make the mornings kind of special.
 
armoredsaintt said:
Well I have 2 other cars I can drive... but it's not as fun as driving the Audi TT :)
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Yeah, drive the car you like driving..that's what they're made for :D



Accumulatorette and I have even taken the XJS on long trips, and yeah, it got AWFULLY dirty. But part of the fun was taking a neat car and enjoying the driving experience. I didn't QD it or anything for fear of marring the paint...maybe not as much an issue as with the hard clear on your TT.



If we hadn't taken the S8 last Thanksgiving it wouldn't have been in the "deer incident" and I'd still have a perfect Audi. But that's life and cars like that and your TT deserve to be used.



Heh heh, drive the wheels off that TT, IMO you'll look back and think it was fun.
 
Make sure you park where it is less risk to get a door ding from your neighbor's car. I was away for a month, when I came back I have a ding and a scratch ALL THE WAY TO THE BARE METAL.

I suspect one of her fat kids opened the door carelessly.:mad:
 
While taking a vacation with my new SC430, I brought with me the normal stuff (MF towels, QD, Invisible glass, etc) and 4 door ding guards along with my car cover. I was parking it at a resort hotel in Wildwood NJ.



Hotel was nice enough to reserve a spot along one wall and left cones there! Every time I took it out, cones were left behind so I had my spot. People were wondering what was under the nice blue cover. Those that saw me uncover it, remove the ding guards, put both in the trunk and proceed witha quick QD most likely thought I was nuts, but as I pulled out, dropped the top, then most understood. Except my sister-in-law who thought I was nuts.



If I go on vacation, the cover comes with me. If I have to leave the car home, it's in a garage covered.



Regards,



Deanski
 
I agree, wash it good, put a fresh coat of wax or sealant on it and have a good vacation. We spend 2-3 weeks in Ocean City, MD every summer and its murder on the car, all the sea mist, sand from the beach chairs and stuff. There's a great touchless in OC that I'll use a couple times during the trip, but don't go nuts.



In fact you may do more harm than good. Rushed washing a QD'ing without all the tools time and familiar surroundings when the car is dirtier than you're used to is a recipie for mistakes and marring, especially if you're at the beach with all the blowing sand and salt air.



So I say hit a touchless when you see one and have fun.
 
eran said:
How about spraying pam cooking spray on the front end parts? Or would that hurt the paint? :confused:
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Actually...Pro makes a product that you use this way. I would NOT use Pam, but the Pro stuff (can't remember the name.."Bug Guard" maybe?) is supposed to work surprisingly well.



Deanski- I tried covering vehicles (and using ding guards, heh heh great minds thinking alike ;) ) during trips- marring city :scared IF it works for you, cool, but I've gotten away from using covers and other stuff that touches the finish except for when the car is spotless. And for me, traveling with a wet cover was a drag.
 
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