To most people washing a car is a mundane task that’s performed only from necessity. Necessity being the neighborhood kids leaving a message like “WASH ME”, or a family portrait of stick men carved into the layers of neglect adorning the posterior of the vast majority of soccer-mom-mobiles on the road.

Washing a car to an enthusiast is a whole different world. Many hours have been spent by amateur and pro alike researching, debating, and attempting various technique and product to achieve a wash with maximum result from minimum effort. I myself have tried everything from dishwashing detergent (bad move) to the latest, greatest “soft bristle” brush (worse move) in search of a clean car. What I’ve found that works the best is a truly simple approach with tried and true techniques I’ve learned from pro’s in the detailing industry, and my own experience from owning two black cars.

First things first, it is vitally important to use a detergent that is designed for washing a vehicle. The only time you would use a dishwashing detergent is to strip all of the wax from your cars finish. There are times when this is necessary, or even desirable. I’ll expand on some of those in future segments, but for our purpose here, which is to get your car clean, while preserving as much of the paint protecting wax or polish as possible, we will stick with ONLY products specifically designed to clean your vehicles finish. I recommend Pinnacle Body Work Shampoo. You will see me refer to the Pinnacle line of products often, this is because I’ve used them extensively and have seen their benefits first hand. Pinnacle Body Work Shampoo actually contains Carnauba oils that work to lubricate the surface of the vehicle as you wash it. For washing I also recommend using a Natural Sea Sponge. Natural Sponges are made up of billions of fine filaments that draw dirt away from the surface being washed. Synthetic sponges are flat, and only serve to scrape the dirt and grime present against your clear coat leaving fine scratches and swirl marks in your finish.

When you’re ready to begin move the car to a shaded area, if this is not possible plan on washing in the morning or evening when the car’s finish will remain cool throughout the process. Start by washing the tires and wheels, you don’t want to knock brake dust and road grime onto your clean finish. After the tires and wheels are clean spray the entire car with a medium spray, don’t knock the paint off, just get the entire car wet, and loosen the dirt and grime from the finish. Start at the top and work your way down so that gravity can help you wash the grime away. With a fresh bucket of water and Body Wash Shampoo start your wash from the top down as well. Always wash in a back and forth motion, not a circular pattern, this will ensure that any fine scratches or marks that may be left behind are all in the same direction. A good rule of thumb is to only wash, apply wax, or buff, in the direction that the wind passes over the car. Circular motions cause circular swirls which catch light from every direction making them more noticeable. As you work your way around the car rinse often, and squeeze the sponge out after every section is washed.

When I wash it goes something like this:

* Wet the area to be washed
* Remove sponge from bucket andwash with a back and forth motion
* Ring out sponge to remove dirt and grime picked up into the filaments
* Drop sponge back into wash bucket
* Rinse the area you just washed and pre-rinse the next area to be washed.

It sounds tedious, but after you’ve got the flow down you can move around the vehicle in no time. After you’ve washed the entire car in this fashion remove any bug and road tar with a Safe Scrub Bug Removing Sponge. This honeycomb design sponge safely removes bug and tar remnants from your finish without the use of harsh chemicals, and won’t mar your finish with scratches. When this is complete, finish by rinsing your entire car from the top down with a steady flow of water. I take the nozzle off and just let the water flow over the surface of the car. This minimizes water spots and ensures that you’ve removed all the detergent from your finish. It also makes the drying process easier.

It’s always been funny to me that the most expensive and most visible system on modern vehicles is often the most neglected. Your cars finish is made up of many layers, all working together to do one thing, protect the metal underneath from outside forces that cause corrosion and decay. With modern processes of dipping cars bodies in anti-corrosion compounds, priming, painting, and clear-coating, the finish on today’s cars can last for many years with minimal care and maintenance. It may not be pretty, but it won’t rust out from under you like the old days. With just a little bit of time and effort, though, you can keep your car looking brand new for many years.

The guides in this section are a collaboration of years of trial and error, research, and spending time picking the brains of fellow enthusiasts and professionals in the detailing business. They are no means a definitive guide on car care. They are simply what I’ve found that works for me. I’ve gone through stages of taking obsessive care to detail my cars to the point of near show quality, and stages when I just needed a quick way to protect my car from the elements. I’ll include what I have learned that worked for me in both situations. In detailing a car, you can truly spend as much or as little time and money as you want. It depends on whether your goal is to provide your finish with good solid protection, polish it up to show off to the neighbors, or prepare it for competitive showing.

The announcement came this morning during the Los Angeles Auto Show as Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com presented the award to Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen. The Audi A3 TDI was among five model finalists nominated for the award, which began in 2005.

The 2010 Audi A3 TDI arrived at U.S. dealerships last month and initial sales have been promising. The A3 TDI is the latest example of the fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions benefits provided by the critically acclaimed TDI clean diesel product line, following the wildly popular Q7 TDI, which launched in June 2009. TDI clean diesel technology was first developed by Audi 20 years ago and has come to signify the brand’s commitment to trailblazing automotive performance executed in an environmentally responsible way.

The groundbreaking TDI 2.0 engine available in the A3 delivers 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, yet achieves an EPA-estimated 42 mpg highway fuel economy that is the best of any luxury car sold in America. That means the Audi A3 TDI achieve 50% better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine.

“We consider the Green Car of the Year® title one of the most important industry accolades,“ said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “It is of paramount importance for us to develop vehicles that achieve the very touchstones this award stands for – fuel efficiency and environmental impact. Rather than novelty features, we consider these attributes imperative to the future of automobile design. We are honored with this recognition for the Audi A3 TDI.”

In addition to setting the new industry standard in fuel efficiency, the 2010 A3 TDI remains a stylistic pacesetter as well. All new A3 models now come standard with S line exterior equipment. In addition the wheels have been upgraded and standard Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights are available on Premium Plus models.

“The Audi A3 TDI really defines what a ‘green’ car should be,” said Cogan. “At 42 mpg, it sets the bar for highway fuel efficiency in the luxury car segment. Its 50-state certified clean diesel engine is quiet, responsive, and achieves its mission without the need for exotic technologies. Plus, it’s sporty and just plain fun to drive.”

Indeed, the TDI technology in the A3 has a strong performance heritage. Audi was the first automaker to find success with diesel engines in motorsports, winning several times at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring, among other competitions. That same fundamental technology is found in the A3 TDI, meaning motorists do not have to sacrifice performance for efficiency.