automatic car washes: touchless or ones with spinning brushes?

[III]

I`m sure we all know at least someone whether it be a co-worker, friend, or a member of the family who insists on not washing their own vehicles. So, having said that, which do you think would do the less harm? I was thinking probably the ones with brushes because the touchless ones can use some pretty strong detergents in their wash. What do you all think?

[Scottwax]

Touchless. The worst they will most likely do it strip the wax or sealant more quickly. Brushes will scratch the paint.

[Diesel917]

Touchless. The worst they will most likely do it strip the wax or sealant more quickly. Brushes will scratch the paint.





Just dont let anyone dry the car afterwards with dirty towels... After reading stories on this site about how the touchless didnt full clean the car, Im afraid to dry the car with my own stuff!



I would definately think touchless is better....

[White95Max]

Agreed. Touchless definitely. And don`t let anyone dry it with their coarse dirty rags. I could handle waxing frequently (I already do!), but you can only polish so much. And it takes a lot longer than waxing.

[Diesel917]

Is there anybody on Autopia that actually uses touchless car washes??? :think:

[imported_chpsk8]

Is there anybody on Autopia that actually uses touchless car washes??? :think:



Those of us that live in the snow belt are pretty much stuck going to a tunnel wash. We can QEW most of the time, but every once in a while we have to hit a tunnel to get the grit off the undercarraige. I know it seems strange for an Autopian not to hand slather his own car, but sometimes -10 degrees and water just dont` mix. :D

[Kanchou]

i do too.



I have impossible hardwater at my house. total spottage if I try to use hosewater...

[jfelbab]

When I`m on the road there is little choice. The touchless car washes have not induced swirls on my 04 Lexus in two years of sporadic use. I look for the Lazer Wash. I dry any remaining water with a microfiber and a bottle of QD. I apply NXY Tech Booster Spray Wax after every other wash which keeps the surface slick and the dirt has less of a grip to the paint.

[Diesel917]

Whats a lazer wash? Is that the one that looks like a mini garage and the sprayer arm just moves around the car and blasts away?

[Accumulator]

Accumulatorette uses a touchless when she`s traveling down south. Never hurts the LSP on her A8 and makes the cleanup much easier for me when she gets home. She doesn`t dry it manually, that wash has a decent blow-dryer.



I used to run my dad`s beater through a touchless from time to time when I borrowed it. It always had a good LSP on it under all the dirt so it cleaned up OK. I`d take my own drying towels and some QD and I`d dry it myself- they drying guys thought I was weird but it meant less work for them. Sure wasn`t perfect, but it wasn`t all that bad either. I told my dad that I did that, and he started taking his own towels too (from my shop). He`d tip the guy in charge of the drying a few bucks to do a little better job than normal. Still marred it up a little, but nothing awful.



If people would get over their self-consciousness about being particular they could make the whole thing go much better. The drying guys don`t care whose towels they`re using and they`d rather get a few bucks for using yours. The guys at that wash thought my dad was an eccentric old character...they sorta liked him for it.

[Corey Bit Spank]

FYI: The blue stuff that Delta Sonic calls "bumper and tail gate cleaner" is really glass cleaner. Ugh.

[imported_Neothin]

For the most part, I completely avoid any washing other than with my own hands. there have been situations though where I`ve gone thru a touchless wash. This includes running the tC down a dirt road after a hurricane (mud? oh. my. god.) and after running the tC thru a muddy orange grove. Besides these weird circumstances, I avoid wash facilities. I just feel that I can do a better job myself, so why not?



Avoid brush washes at all costs. They clean 10`s of vehicles each day and those brushes are not cleaned. do you really want all that dirt being smashed against your paint?

[lbls1]

None IMO are really that good for your paint, although the touchless method is better than letting the car go dirty.



If you`re (or anyone) not sure whether to go to a car wash, then either leave it dirty or look around. I would`ve been able to wash 3 cars with the time it would take to make up your mind, so doing it yourself does have benefits!

[tailwind]

I try to avoid them, but I do turn to the touchless every so often between December and March. When the water freezes to the paint (and the ground, for that matter,) there`s no use trying to hand wash.



They don`t even clean the car completely, but it helps rinse all excess grime off, and can clean the undercarriage a bit. I can go home and S&W the little bit of crap left and apply a quick LSP to hold the car over for a while.



I`d take the car not being completely clean out of a touchless anyday over a swirl-o-matic brush wash.