touchless carwash: harmful or ok to your paint?

[phazeon]

it's winter time.. and with my schedule basically packed except for 2 days off during mid-week, I have barely any time left to wake up early in the morning for self-serve wash with bucket (i could only be there in the morning, as they restrict using my bucket during the afternoon). As a result, I haven't been able to wash my car frequently.. it's been nearly a month since my last car wash, so I'm thinking of going to touchless wash instead.



I've heard that touchless uses strong chemicals that often strips car waxes.. but I guess a wash is better than no wash at all, right? what are your experience or suggestions to touchless carwash places?

 

[Accumulator]

phazeon- Welcome to Autopia!



This is a topic where it's hard to generalize. It depends on how the wash in question filters its water (most reclaim and reuse) and what chemicals they use (and how they're mixedd- what if Dumbo mixes 'em wrong this week :think: ).



I sometimes run the beaters through our local touchless. No problems, it doesn't strip the Collinite or the KSG on those vehicles. My wife runs her A8 through one in TN when she travels down south and it's never hurt the #16 on that car. So *my* experiences have been posititive. And as you said, it's better than nothing when they're really dirty with winter [stuff]. And the undercarriage sprays aren't a bad thing either- not like doing it right, but better than nothing at all.



Just don't touch-dry, use their blower or leave it wet. The touchless won't get all that much dirt off, and if you rub it to dry you'll mar it up something awful.