jerseygirl12

Ok it's driving me nuts that my new baby is so dirty. It's been too cold outside (ice skating rink for a driveway is NOT a good thing) to wash her myself. But I'm so afraid to take her to the car wash. There is a pretty good brushless one fairly close by but I'm so afraid she's going to get scratched. I have a Tahoe that goes on the road when there is snow or salt out so it's just dirt, not road salt. Anybody done the car wash thing yet????

05GT-O.C.D.

I'd go to a coin operated do it yourself carwash place. And I'd just use the pressure washer to get the bulk of it off and wait for a better day to really clean her up.

SixtySix

There will be a lot of responses that'll tell you "NO WAY" but as long as the car wash is brushless OR better yet, touchless you'll be OK. I have to for different reasons, the water here in the desert is hard! Meaning that there are a lot of damaging minerals if you use water straight from the tap. It leaves spots that are next to impossible to remove and will actually etch the clearcoat over time.

I've never had a problem with scratches using brushless and touchless car washes!

So I say "Wash On"

jerseygirl12

Touchless huh? I don't think I've ever seen a car wash like that around here. That sounds perfect. I'll have to do some investigation around and see if I can find one of those!

SixtySix

What a typical touchless system is, is a system that just sprays deionized/distilled water at all angles, including the underside through the rack. After the rack, actual people do the rest.

mustangfun101

Or.....they wash it by hand first with soap and put you in the touchless bay and have the sprayer that goes around you with distilled (spot free) water. Drive down the road (fast) to dry or they might dry after you pull out, depends on the place.

The brushless wash with the spong/cloth pieces that slap against your car are better then brushes but they still get dirt and light gravel pieces attached to them.

You always take a chance when you don't do it yourself. Even with the touchless if the guys soaping it up have light dirt on their wash mits it could put light scratches in your clear coat. It depends on if they switch to new mits each time they start a new car.

Just be careful.

Purple Hayz

If you are going to use an automated wash, you MUST find a touchless. As John (Mustangfun) notes, soft touch ("brushless") washes are not a safe bet. I doubt you would take a felt cloth, wet it, drag it through gravel, and then wipe your stang down with it, so it makes little sense to drive through a wash that slaps/drags hundreds of grit, gravel, and dirt logged strips over your car, no?

Use the coin-pay high pressure washer or find a touchless. But remember, ALL of the suggestions given here and above only apply when it's warmer than 32 degrees!

TJ4Cam

To each his own, but NO ONE washes my Mustangs but ME. I hand wash when needed and thats very rare, I use only 100% Pima cotton on my paint. For me, the idea of a automated machine washing my car makes me cringe in pain.

If it must be washed at a car wash, I agree with OCD, just wash with the wand only and wait for a better weather to get to it by hand. I might only "wet wash" my cars once or twice a year, I never let them get dirty enough for anything but a car duster and detail spray, no I don't drive in the rain.

MustangDan

We had an antenna rip off our car one time we had them stop the whole car wash and walked through. We found 3 other antennas stuck in the brush’s “helping� to clean everyone’s car. Never did find ours. NO BRUSHES!

adrenalin

Never ever bring your car through a drive-thru that uses brushes. That is nuts. Just think of all the pieces of metal from the rusted cars that are stuck in those things smacking against your car.

Try to find one that is brushless or wait until it warms up.

outdoorstom

I've been told that some car washes actually recycle the dirty water after it goes through some type of filtering system. Anyone know if there is any truth to that?

rrobello

SixtySix you should get that Mr Clean Car wash sprayer, it deionizes the water and if you use it properly you really dont even need to dry your car, although I still would. This way you can wash your own car and not chance getting messed up by someone else.

TJ4Cam, do you use the California Duster? How well does it work (which ever one you use)? Have you ever tried the California Blade to dry the car? I hear good things about it but havent ever tried it.

Now as for going to a car wash, I never would, you run to much of a risk of it getting messed up, because its not you doing it, even if it is a hand wash, which there are a lot of out here, the people washing dont care its not their car, they're simply trying to crank out as many cars as possible and they never do a good job anyway. But if it needs to be cleaned and you absolutely dont want to stand in the cold, just go to the power wash place and just hose it down quickly to get the dirt off and do the rest later.

Jeffs05GT

Just go to the ones where you can use the spraynozzle yourself and use only water and not their crappy soap.

I have to do this in the winter because our water at home is frozen And I think its stupid to garage a car the entire winter when its only really snowy out for 2 weeks.

mustangfun101

I was talking to a guy at a body shop and he told me about the brushes taking off antennas. The bad part was the guy that was behind the car that had the antenna ripped off had a brand new Jag and the antenna cut a line down the length of the car tearing up the paint (and metal) and scratching the windshield and back window. No brushes. The same body shop guy is the one who gave me the pointers on car washes due to cars that were brought to him. I wouldn't take a chance with a 26K plus investment. Although, you don't want to let the dirt sit on too long because it will eat into the clearcoat and paint. Bugs and bird crap you don't want to ever let set because of the acids in the bug guts and in the doo doo.

jerseygirl12

Ok I have to say your all making a good case for the not to car wash path. Maybe I'll wait for the next non freezing day and do it myself.

mustangfun101

Take a look at the pictures of my car. If I would have bought her new she would look even better. Just keep your car washed with "Car Wash Soap" and wax every few months. I always do a major detail with a few coats of wax before winter hits and summer. Protect from the elements, cold and heat. If you have the money I would recommend having a pro detail it once a year. Too me it is worth it. That's just me.

ne2000

Our family has used the California car duster and water blade for quite a few years. They both work well. Compare the interior (the little one) car duster to a swiffer, my dad uses the full size one on his cars before shows to get the dust off, works well. The water blade seems to be very easy on the paint, its amazingly flexible and soft, better than a shammy? I dont know. Guess it comes down to prefernce. But it does work and work quickly....just thought I'd drop my two cents there.

GT98

I've seen more damage to clearcoats from me washing a car by hand and towel drying it vs. taking the car to a car wash. My Focus doesnt have much in the way of swirl marks in it since its been taken mostly to a car wash and me not hand washing it. I've used Mr. Cleans Car wash thing they have and that works great, but not when its freezing out side

MaverickMLFD371

do it urself car wash or a touchless automatic wash..........

Kluski

If you go to one of the coin operated power washing stations, becareful. You will make a skating rink there too. I was not paying attention when I was at one. This one was sloped to allow the water to drain. Sure enough I took a spin around the rink and landed on my A**. It was so slick I had to pull myself up by holding onto the hose.

It was pretty funny. I wish I could have watched it.

I have used a touchless/laser car wash with good result. Especially for days like today; 9 degrees and negative 4 degrees from windchill. But if it is barely warm enough I do it by hand.