Are Gas Station Carwashes bad???

[Nacho_Z71]

I filled up at Exxon Mobile and my car was a tad dirty since it had rained last week. The carwash was brushless and I figured it couldn`t hurt. I mean, it`s basically a high pressure spray of water/soap right?



Its pretty cold outside now so I couldn`t hose her off and wash her like I usually do.



So, is this a bad thing? I was thinking since I have a couple coats of Megs #26 that it would last until February and I could just keep doing the brushless wash every other week.



What do ya`ll think?

[imported_GregCavi]

Its pretty subjective, but my answer is: Bad? Not really, but the chemicals used are sub par, and the use of degreasers on your paint is the common practice. Think about it, washing your car with only pressured water? There are chemicals, most of the time, harsh, that are used on your finish. So although it most likely won`t damage your car unless the pressure removes paint, I do not take my car to it.



Greg

[thesacrifice]

Plus a lot of those places recycle their water.

[dr_detail]

are hookers bad??

[Pennypacker]

I`m not familiar with brushless washes, but if I`m not washing my own car (or certain fellow autopians aren`t washing it) I`d be nervous. I`m also generally not a fan of high-pressure washing, unless it`s for wheels.

[Dan]

Like others have said, chemicals that will strip your wax and chew their way through just about anything. This about it this way, with a normal pressure wash and just plain water, heck eve with soap, you won`t get your car as clean as one of those places. I equate their chemicals to wheel cleaner. Also the recycled water thing... in the winter, that water is gonna be super concentrated salt.

[Junebug]

I detailed a 2000 Buick LeSabre that had never had any hand washing, only the touchless kind or the coin operated spray it yourself deal. It was pretty dirty, BUT, after getting through the crud, the paint was great, no swirls, all I had to do was polish and seal it. So, I would have to say, those places ain`t going to hurt your car, and it`s probably better to get the dirt off with them than to leave it on. Plus they wash up under the car to rinse out the crap under there.

[Setec Astronomy]

Also the recycled water thing... in the winter, that water is gonna be super concentrated salt.



They don`t recycle the water untouched, it`s filtered and deionized. I`m not saying I would drink it, but it`s not like it`s not processed. But back to the OP`s question, I wouldn`t expect your #26 to last as long as you think it will if you go to a touchless every week.

[Nacho_Z71]

Well, I would have hoped the #26 would last long. I mean, assuming it doesn`t rain, and assuming the temps won`t be above the 60`s, shouldn`t a good carnauba last a couple months if I took it thru the power wash 4-6 times in that 2 month period?????



As far as the degreasers go, this particular wash sprayed some light colored foam on my car which sat for approximately 20 seconds. Then, the high pressure water rinsed it all off. I wouldn`t think that would be enuff time to melt off my wax.



I mean, isn`t the point of regular washing to keep dirt, grime and anything else from attaching itself to the clear coat?? I would think a powerful blast of water/soap would be good enuff to get me thru the winter?



I don`t know how ya`ll do it in the colder climates. How can you possibly wash, clay, dry, polish and wax a vehicle when it`s in the 40`s outside???? My hands would freeze off. :shocked

[kompressornsc]

Here`s the way I think of it. When the dirt is blasted off with high perssure, do you think it just falls harmlessly to the ground? No, it gets caught in the water stream and blasted back into your paint. Again. Again. And Again.

I will use a DIY car wash in the winter just to get the worst stuff off, but I don`t squeeze the trigger when it`s directed toward the paint.

[Dan]

They don`t recycle the water untouched, it`s filtered and deionized. I`m not saying I would drink it, but it`s not like it`s not processed. But back to the OP`s question, I wouldn`t expect your #26 to last as long as you think it will if you go to a touchless every week.



Do they have desalination facilities at a regualar car wash? I`d hate to have fresh salt water blasted on the car.

[joshtpa]

IT will NOT be sal````er. As long as it is touchless carwash, I see no problem with this.

[xnavyguy]

The use of unknown chemicals, an unknown amount of water pressure and coupled with the idea of using recycled water is enough to keep me from wanting to use one.

[Setec Astronomy]

Do they have desalination facilities at a regualar car wash? I`d hate to have fresh salt water blasted on the car.



Salt is an ion in water, deionization removes it. As I said before, the water in a car wash is filtered and deionized before it gets pumped back onto your car. To what extent is determined by the design and operation of the system. If they didn`t, the cars coming out would be just as salt-film covered as those coming in.

[Junebug]

To each his own, but for Christ sake, if touchless car washes were that bad, you wouldn`t have lines out to the street when it`s colder than hell out. I hit one occasionally in the winter myself. Oh the horror! the unknowns, oh my! LOL