Nope, I go into a bay with a self wash system, I guess that's what you call it. Don't trust those damn automatic car washes. I DIY but at the car wash.
At the end of the day, it’s just a car. You won’t get anymore for it when you sell or trade it if you didn’t use automatic car wash. The rock and road rash will do more damage than the car wash will ever do. New ones never seemed to scratch or “swirl” newer car finishes in my experience.
I used to go through the car wash before going out on dates. I'd even spring for the hot wax. After my car got broken into a half-dozen times, I figured out it always happened right after a trip through the car wash. I stopped going through the car wash and the break-ins stopped. Nowadays, I'll go through a wash only when I've had a serious trip through the mud in 4WD.
First time in an automatic car wash this winter. Used it because the guys at work were talking about the underbody wash. It has jets in the floor that blast the bottom as you pull in. Blasts the salt off.
Cost is the only thing that would keep me from using it normally. There is a big arm, suspended from an oval track, that goes aroundd your car spraying it through a system of jets. Essentially, it does exactly what you would do with a wand. Even let's you choose a pile of options, including a blow dry.
All the time. Local private owned quality place. My vehicle is $35.00 for their top of the line wash. I buy a monthly pass I drive a black on black Yukon Denali. I pay $50.00 a month for Mon-Thur unlimited deluxe washes. Vacuum, machine wash mats, hand toweled, etc No scratches and my vehicle always looks good. I typically have it done every Monday and Thursday. I like a clean black vehicle.
My new truck, I always DIY at home with a Power washer and it looks fantastic. I'm not gonna lie, the winter time is tough, but I pick my days
My last truck I had one of those unlimited drive thru contracts, and used it every other day, within 2 years I had paint peeling off my truck in multiple spots.
Oldest son just got his official license. He’s been working at a car wash part time for the last year. He is working on establishing a detailing business so we have very clean cars. He has learned a lot watching professional retailer vids on YouTube. It’s interesting how many new products are out there now that make keeping a car clean easier.
He just finished a paint correction taking swirl marks out of my car followed up with one of the new ceramic coatings. The car has never looked so good. A nice benefit is that crud doesn’t stick to the paint like it did before and is easier to clean off. No more car washes for us in the foreseeable future.
Seeing our cars brought back around to looking great inside and out made me realize how we get used to the incremental degradation that takes place and accept that as the new norm. If resale is in the future a car with a well cared for interior and paint that pops and that has minimal to no swirl marks is gonna bring more cash.
My ‘06 Buick gets washed at least once a year, generally after the mulberries are gone. Sometimes I have to wash it in the driveway so they won’t Shame me when I get to the carwash.
I'm a little concerned about scratching up new paint. Is that a myth or a real possibility with these newer automatic car washes?
If you do avoid automatic car washes, what do you do instead? Have it hand washed? DIY? If DIY, then what products do you prefer?
Two types of car washes - one of 'em is 'touchless'.....and overall they do quite a decent job... I ignore the 'touch' variety - some of those can be pretty tough on a vehicle..
If I had a nice, new vehicle in a dark color, I'd likely not use the automatic carwashes much, unless they were the "touch-less" variety that only uses spray nozzles. If it's a light-colored vehicle, I don't fret it being a carwash with the spinning brushes/mops. Run it through once a week or every other. But I will say this is for typical road grime, as I'd not put a muddy truck through a brush/mop carwash. Power wash that stuff off first.
Yes I do. I hate washing cars. My two oldies get "brushed" with a California Car Duster and spray and wipe waterless car cleaner when necessary. They do not see water.
Me and Gerald just go down thar to the spray bay and put some quarters in the shiny hole on the wall and spray off the tree sap and algae once’t every couple years on Nana’s grand marquis
All the time. Local private owned quality place. My vehicle is $35.00 for their top of the line wash. I buy a monthly pass I drive a black on black Yukon Denali. I pay $50.00 a month for Mon-Thur unlimited deluxe washes. Vacuum, machine wash mats, hand toweled, etc No scratches and my vehicle always looks good. I typically have it done every Monday and Thursday. I like a clean black vehicle.
If I had a nice, new vehicle in a dark color, I'd likely not use the automatic carwashes much, unless they were the "touch-less" variety that only uses spray nozzles. If it's a light-colored vehicle, I don't fret it being a carwash with the spinning brushes/mops. Run it through once a week or every other. But I will say this is for typical road grime, as I'd not put a muddy truck through a brush/mop carwash. Power wash that stuff off first.
Yes, darker color. There is a touchless place I could go too, it's something to consider. Thanks
Used it because the guys at work were talking about the underbody wash. It has jets in the floor that blast the bottom as you pull in. Blasts the salt off.
That underbody wash uses recycled water from everybody else's salt laden cars, so is what your doing is rinsing away salt and grime with high pressure salt and grime.
Originally Posted by Dillonbuck
Honestly, I only was cars to get salt off.
Use a hose at home or go to a manual car wash where your using fresh water not salt water.
Only touch less car washes. I ran the brush kind for a while and it takes the grit and scratches the paint BAD. If you live in actual country with gravel roads a touch less won’t get the stubborn stuff off. That requires a hand job.
I've got a 2020 Tundra, paint color is 'shiny primer' as my buddy refers to it. I use the brand new local automatic, was on a monthly subscription of unlimited, I'd go about once a week, but they just changed ownership and I haven't set up with the new system yet.
The level of scratches imparted by the car wash is nothing compared to the level of scratches of driving it through the brush hunting and fishing and kids on scooters in the driveway.
Drive it until the wheels fall off, then do it again.
Run my wife's 2018 Terrain and my 2017 Explorer goes through the big brush car wash whenever they get really dirty, both are light color (silver, white gold) Never noticed any scratches, usually get them clean, underbody wash during the winter months. My Jaguar convertible get's hand washed.
If you're the kinda person that worries about these things, don't go to an automated car wash. They are built for people that don't worry about these things.
I'm on the inside, don't give two schits what is on the outside,
Its just a tool to get me from point A to point B and not something I stare at in awe when it's parked in the drive, or to impress others as I cruz down Show Off Avenue.
I recently had to replace my headlights assembly both sides due to car wash shattering the polycarbonate lenses. I had protective film put over the new ones. Life is too short to hand wash every time
We have one of those automatic wash bays at one of the car washes in my town, it’s been out of order for about 3 years now. I just use the wand to blow the mud and bugs off about once a month, that green engine degreaser stuff will really melt the smashed grasshoppers off of you let it soak for a couple minutes before you switch it to the soap.
My son bought an attachment for his pressure washer. It’s about a foot wise with small swivel wheels on the bottom and 5-6 jet nozzles on top. Great for cleaning salt away. I’m thinking about adding an in line tank for cleaner so that we can do a better job cleaning the undercarriage. It’s nice to be able to direct the spray directly up to get into the nooks.
I recently had to replace my headlights assembly both sides due to car wash shattering the polycarbonate lenses. I had protective film put over the new ones. Life is too short to hand wash every time
This is where I'm at. Full size truck requires a lot more time than a coupe too. In my line of work I could wash my truck every fugn day. I've got too little time for that, but don't want a nice new truck to be dirty all the time.
If you want to keep the salt knocked off, you run her through regularly. Underbody is the most important during the snow months. Frame, brake lines, fasteners are constantly rusting up. Brake calipers are also a problem. It sucks.