Car Wash

[Anonymous]

Hy again.
Last night i had conversation with a friend who asked me why can't i take my car to automatic car wash. It should be the same like washing a normal car. It was hard for me to explain, that i heard somewhere, that it's not a good idea.

I had a convertible before and never took it for automatic car wash.

What do you think about that?  s:idea: :idea: s:idea:

[Slacey]

This was discussed last year sometime, and the opinion seemed pretty much 50:50 - personally I wouldn't go near one!

[kanujunkie]

and the respray my ma and pa had to have says why you should never run the risk of these things, a badly cleaned car wash can be very expensive to say the least

[Liz]

Have been through an automatic in mine with the soft top - would not do it again though  s:? :? s:?   Never ever go through in an old X1/9 - I got drenched in mine!

[Anonymous]

As a the owner of a black Spyder, I have to wash and wax my car rather frequently, as any minor imperfection is immediately visible on the finish. Automatic washers have these large roller-type brushes and putting your car beneath them is simply asking for scratches - if not directly, then from dirt and debris being dragged over your paint.

Damage to the softtop is, of course, something to worry about as well. When you wash your car by hand, you run water over it first, then apply soap gently, doing all sorts of things that minimize the risk of marring your finish and work toward a top-notch result. It's more work for you, but you have so little surface area to deal with that it balances out in the end.

[Hope4Sun]

Personally, never ever ever use a car wash, or presure wash/brush on any car soft top or otherwise! The damage is not worth it in the long run   s:? :? s:?  (But then i'm a complete car cleaning freak and have 3 buckets and 3 different sponges for different parts of the car   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  )

Andy (Mr Sheen has nothing on me)

[Tem]

Automatic washers have these large roller-type brushes

You still have those?  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  

Pretty much every line over here is brushless these days. They just have high pressure water sprays, so you won't get any scratches. Downside is that is really doesn't get all dirt off, so it's more of a keep-it-clean than make-it-clean...

Never tried the '2 on them though, I'm sure it'll get tons of water inside. Even my home pressure waasher gets water in, if aimed at the top seals and those automated things aim everywhere...

[Darth Paul]

Personally, never ever ever use a car wash, or presure wash/brush on any car soft top or otherwise!

I have one to remove the cow/horse crap from the underside/wheel wells.  s:roll: :roll: s:roll:   That's a job I WILL NOT do by hand!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[kanujunkie]

I have one to remove the cow/horse crap from the underside/wheel wells.  s:roll: :roll: s:roll:   That's a job I WILL NOT do by hand!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

you a country bumpkin  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Darth Paul]

Nope. I just work there.

[Anonymous]

Pretty much every line over here is brushless these days.

Well I can't say that we don't have those yet, but I haven't seen one yet - you guys have a technological edge.

No, you wouldn't want to use a pressure-wash wand on the car, and as everyone else has noted, the door seals may not hold if water is injected at them from below or at some weird angle. That puts the kibosh on the brushless automat.

Y'know, I doubt I'm the only one who doesn't use the windshield washers so as to avoid soap marks around the fairing. (I only run them in the rain occasionally to test the system.)

[Tem]

I doubt I'm the only one who doesn't use the windshield washers so as to avoid soap marks around the fairing. (I only run them in the rain occasionally to test the system.)

My windshield washer tank+pump is in the garage, who needs that dead weight anyway  s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

[Anonymous]

I've had no trouble with using a jet wash on my 2 with the hard top on, except for an occasional dribble inside were water has got through the side window seal.   s:) s:)

[Anonymous]

I use a one of those hand pressure washers and brushes you get at garages, i'm carefull about it and make sure the brush it clean before i start, never had any leak, no scratches,

However it doesn't really clan the car very well.  So i just use it to get all the mud off then take it home and wash it again.  We have a hose ban at my flats so buckets of cold water from the 100 yard away tap is my only other option.

[Tem]

I've had no trouble with using a jet wash on my 2 with the hard top on, except for an occasional dribble inside were water has got through the side window seal.   s:) s:)

Never had any real trouble with it either, just thought I'd mention that water will get in, if aimed at the seals  s;) s;)  It's easy to avoid that when you're aiming the nozzle, but you can't do that in automated line...

[MRMike]

I think as long as your not directing the pressure hose directly at the paint your okay.  If you just use it at an angle, i don't think it will do any damage. I certainly didn't notice anything when i used to wash the MR2 with one.  

I have just bought an industrial strength steamer, and i used that on the 350's wheels the other week fetched the laquer straight off! Doh! Very good as long as its not applied directly!  Although it is a good excuse to get some volks..  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Hope4Sun]

Although it is a good excuse to get some volks..  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

mmmmm TE37's in bronze!, i'm awating some at the moment   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:  

Though i mentioned about not using a car wash or presure wash on any car, i will admit to using a presure wash to rinse the muck of the wheels/arches and underside. And agree that used right no damged will be caused  s:) s:)

Andy

[Anonymous]

I got some funny looks in Hull the other day, we've got a 24Hr jetwash just down the road from me.

I refused to use the brush and took my own sponge lol, took less time and seemed to work well too!!

[Anonymous]

Our local car wash has just been converted to cloths on the rollers instead of brushes. I had a long chat with the manager about it and he told me it was one of 2 in the UK, the other one belonging to BMW for washing cars as they come off the production line. I wanted to use it to get the underbody wash to get the salt off, but was a bit wary of taking it through with the soft top. He told me the owner put his Porche roadster through once a week with no hassle so I tried it, no problems at all, seals were all fine and the finish was great, as it should be at £8.99 a go for the full treatment!
Gordy

[kanujunkie]

and did you fall for it

[Anonymous]

Gordy, wouldn't have risked mine.
Tonight I spent a nice 60mins washing mine in the rain with failing light. Then into the garage to towel it off and leather it. Lovely.  s:D s:D

[Anonymous]

Cleaned mine in the rain last weekend.

Some bird went and pooed all over it yesterday so I have to clean it again this weekend. Would never take my '2 through a car wash they never do a good job.

[kanujunkie]

Gordy, wouldn't have risked mine.
Tonight I spent a nice 60mins washing mine in the rain with failing light. Then into the garage to towel it off and leather it. Lovely.  s:D s:D

thats what we like to hear  s:D s:D  , mines gonna burst thru the frontdoor in a mo and demand a clean on the spot, it was silver, but a week on the M25 put pay to that, i now have a grey/black car

[Anonymous]

I tell you it came out like a new shilling  s:D s:D  

[kanujunkie]

 s8) s8)