envyz06

First I would get those swirls removed by a professional detailer! Then learn proper maintenance for washes, if you invest it could be very easy, get a cheap pressure washer and foam cannon, some nice car shampoo, spray your car with foam cannon, wash with 2 bucket method, then rinse off. To dry I recommend some sort of blower, some people get ones made for cars some use leaf blowers. This gives you the least likely hood of inducing swirls back into your paint. Check out the detailing section you will learn so much. I think most of this shouldnt be to hard even with arthritis.

1bdvet

I have C6, and it see's the car wash on regular bases. I think they do better job then I can with cleaning of the wheels and undercarriage. I haven't had any damages to the car and it's gone though every week for years.

pete-paz

i use a water blade to dry and it doesn't do any damage

pete-paz

i use a water blade to dry and it doesn't do any damage

road pilot

I would never take my vette thru a car wash.

Fcar 98

I sometimes use the quarter type to clean the vette, They have a prewash that I use on the rotors and calipers that cleans them very good. I don't use the ones with the brushes even on my DD.

OneCylinder

I never had a better wash/wax, detail than a "mexi-wash" when I was working down in McAllen, TX.

Evil-Twin

I guess the moral of this story is, do not take your car to a car wash.

OKZ06

I only get hate mail on xbox.

I use the quarter car wash on a regular basis.
Only thing I have to say is get to know the owner or people that maintain it.

I can use the spot free and drive off without touching the car and no spots

Chilliwack vettes

Wow.... let's get back on track guys.

To the OP, it's been mentioned before but are there any neighborhood kids that would enjoy a few bucks to wash it for you? It may not be perfect but you could just touch up any spots they missed. Maybe give them a ride or two in the Vette as well! For swirl marks and such, perhaps spend the money on a detailer to do that work.

ErMaK

I wash my own car...the only times that I have used one of those spray washes was when I was outta town or strapped for time and just needed to rinse off a little grime or something...I don't trust someone else washing my car, and because I'm lowered and I have really wide wheels in the rear it wont go through one of those automated washes, plus I don't trust it to wash it right...You can never go wrong with a good old hand wash. And I feel more pride/satisfaction when doing it myself.

Bill Lewellyn

I purchased a C5 yesterday with 79,000 miles and it is immaculate. I'm curious myself because the $40/month unlimited plan is great. Here in East Tennessee the elements can really ruin a good detail in a day or two especially when it rains.

I also have a black 08' Yukon Denali with factory 22" rims and the automatic car washes with brushes here are great for it and I never get swirl marks. The tire polish brushes do get some polish on the chrome factory 22's but I wipe them down immediately. I do however rub the car down with "THE absorber" towel to remove water spots and it's great for that vehicle. This is the vehicle I use the unlimited monthly plan on.

The things that worry me about the automatic car washes with the track system and the guide rails and the ride height of my C5 vs. my Denali. The plastic or rubber strips that pelt the car also worry me some, but they seem to do no harm to the Denali but it is also mostly metal body panels with the exception of the front and rear bumpers. I use "liquid glass" wax once a month on the Denali so that helps, I also use Mother's Spray Detailer every few days. The teenagers and 20 year old kids worry me that they most likely don't properly line up the tires. And the guide rails narrow down so I'm sure they rub no matter what to an extent.

JETZ

Automatic car wash? NEVER!
I take my SUV through a automatic 'brushless' wash, in the winter months, they use some type of 'mop system' and leaves no swirls.

Re: wheel damage. Always speak to the attendant, to guide you to the 'right' of the guide ramp, to avoid the damage to your drive side wheels.

Re: Touchless... are useless, just like the 'do it yourself 3minute high pressure wash'. While it looks clean 'when wet', dry, there is always a dirt film on the car cause there was no sponge handjob action.

Since I only hand wash my car, I use a 'electric leaf blower to dry. Does a great job, especially the brakes/wheels.

frank

GRAND SPORT GUY

Hello john8642-

Like you, I too have arthritis, I am 63 years old, and some things hurt more than others-

Some things I do to help are to use a mechanic's stool to clean the wheels and under the body, a long reach pole with microfiber mop to wash the top of the car, and a mechanic's creeper to get under the wheel wells, front and rear bumper, etc.

If it's really bad, you can go to the spray-it-yourself place, bring a bucket and microfiber mitts, keep the spray on LOW so you don't pierce seals, etc, cover the car with the pre-wash, then the soap, and lightly tickle the car with the micro-fiber mop. Hit the low-pressure rinse and "spray wax", towel dry with 100% cotton towels, or use the air-pressure dry option at many car washes, and continue detail at home with the mechanic's stool and creeper.

Lacking that as an available option, as many have mentioned above, find a reputable professional car wash place that understands Corvettes, (mine regularly does Porsche's, Maserati's, etc.), and just have your car done twice a year for about $150.00 or so plus tip.

-This getting old thing sucks! I just spent 11 hours putting together the grand-kids play house, I feel like I did a day in Army Basic Training! My bones hurt! Now it's going to be a fantastic day in Chicago tomorrow, I gotta' clean and Zaino the C-5!

Good Luck, you will get your Corvette detailed and looking nice!

-Ray