Forreals, never go through those cheap and crappy gas station car washes. They mess up your paint. I wash and wax my car an average of once a month. Lots of people forget, but wash your car when it is cool/cold and in the shade. If you wash your car in the sun while it is hot, streaks are going to happen. Also, never wash your car with laundry detergent. Buy the soap for cars. Lightly wet your car entirely. Don't use no spray hose, just use the regular hose and wet your car. I wash my car one section at a time. First, the hood. Soap and scrub gently. Then wash off all the soap. Next the hood and front fenders, and wash off all the soap. Then the sides and finally the back. I don't like to leave the soap on too long because it will peel off the paint in the long run. By the way, use cold water with the soap. I hand dry with soft cloth towels.