Touchless car washes?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 483
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From: MA
Touchless car washes?
I drove my Vette to work today and it is filthy from sitting in the garage and from all the dust on the roads up here.
I have a touchless carwash next to my office and was going to run it thru at lunch. Are they okay to use and has anyone had any experiences with them? I usually only hand wash the Vette but it just isn't possible right now.
I have a touchless carwash next to my office and was going to run it thru at lunch. Are they okay to use and has anyone had any experiences with them? I usually only hand wash the Vette but it just isn't possible right now.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,683
Likes: 1
From: NY
Re: Touchless car washes? (Casper)
It's not worth it. Like stated above, your rims are likely to be damaged.
A car wash can't take the palce of a careful hand wash. :nonod: If you have always hand washed your car, i really doubt that you are going to be pleased with the results from a car wash = swirl/scratch city. :eek:
A car wash can't take the palce of a careful hand wash. :nonod: If you have always hand washed your car, i really doubt that you are going to be pleased with the results from a car wash = swirl/scratch city. :eek:
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 483
Likes: 0
From: MA
Re: Touchless car washes? (Casper)
I'm not sure I understand.
You both said that it can scratch my car but it is a touchless. All I do is drive in and it sprays soap, rinses it of and then blows it dry. There isn't even a tire guide. Nothing but soap and water touch your car.
I have heard a few opinions in the care car section (but couldn't find the posts today) that the soap is kind of harsh and that the power spray is a little to rough also. I didn't think that it would scratch it. :confused:
I think I'll just stay away from it.
[Modified by Gixxer, 11:07 AM 1/28/2002]
You both said that it can scratch my car but it is a touchless. All I do is drive in and it sprays soap, rinses it of and then blows it dry. There isn't even a tire guide. Nothing but soap and water touch your car.
I have heard a few opinions in the care car section (but couldn't find the posts today) that the soap is kind of harsh and that the power spray is a little to rough also. I didn't think that it would scratch it. :confused:
I think I'll just stay away from it.
[Modified by Gixxer, 11:07 AM 1/28/2002]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,011
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From: Jupiter Florida
Re: Touchless car washes? (Gixxer)
Are they okay to use and has anyone had any experiences with them?
Regarding tire guides, stay away from the ones with rails on both sides of the tire on one side of the car. They're too easy to hit and can be too narrow for the rears. The type with rails at the extreme outsides have to be spaced to allow Hummers in so it's not a problem.
'Soft cloth' types are okay when they're brand new, but degrade quickly and it's swirl city. 'No touch' is a must, but it WILL find bad weather seals.
The chemicals they use are important also. I have found one wash that I'm particularly impressed with that uses a soap that doesn't have wax-stripping ammonia, an underbody scrub with corrosion inhibitor, and Blue Coral wax that's actually passable.
My car is driven regularly and it's no museum piece but it's clean, swirl-free, I don't have to handwash/wax nearly as often, and even the exhaust system hardware on my salt-bath 4x4 will spin off in your fingers after you crack it loose thanks to the corrosion inhibitor.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Airport Cruise-in 1 Veteran Airport Cruise-in 2 Veteran
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Re: Touchless car washes? (Gixxer)
If the ride is a little dusty thats ok but road splashes and bird poopie usually don't come off 100% in the touchless. Just my .02
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Regina Sask
Re: Touchless car washes? (Gixxer)
Well lets see here I worked in a car wash for 2 years just after high school (learned nothing) ours was a soft cloth and while nothing wrong with it directly the soaps and polishes we used were not all that friendly (i had to wear gloves and eye protection when handeling), the problem with touchless washes is that they use more chemicals AND higher pressure to wash the car and blast everything off the car, if you have poor seals anywhere in the car the wash WILL find them, My recomendation is to avoid it at all costs and recomend the wash to all your ricer friends.
hope this helps and if you want go in and ask to see the whmis (whatever) sheets they MUST have on the products (ours was a full binder) and they will tell you exactly whats being sprayed on your car.
hope this helps and if you want go in and ask to see the whmis (whatever) sheets they MUST have on the products (ours was a full binder) and they will tell you exactly whats being sprayed on your car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,719
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From: Bloomington IL
Re: Touchless car washes? (Gixxer)
Another thing to watch for is water leaking in from the window seals. Anytime high pressure water is sprayed at my passenger side window I get a nice flood in the car!
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Cruise-In 1-2-3-4-5 Veteran
Re: Touchless car washes? (91Vette)
I run my car through the drive-in touchless washes with the tire-ramp trigger all the time. Generally, I buy the cheap wash, get blasted, and then go home and finish the job.
They do a good job of cleaning you off after a rainy day, but they don't really finish the job.
Also, like folks have said, the pressure spray will find all the leaks in your targa top and drip on you, if not hose you down.
I found one wash in Bowling Green, the BP outside the museum, that was using a soap that damaged my Zaino, if you can believe it. The car came out clean but blotchy. Oy...
They do a good job of cleaning you off after a rainy day, but they don't really finish the job.
Also, like folks have said, the pressure spray will find all the leaks in your targa top and drip on you, if not hose you down.
I found one wash in Bowling Green, the BP outside the museum, that was using a soap that damaged my Zaino, if you can believe it. The car came out clean but blotchy. Oy...
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3
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From: Cincinnati ohio
Re: Touchless car washes? (Gixxer)
I took my 91 threw a touchless car wash a month ago.. Big mistake!! It had an underbody spray which shot water right up under the car and into the engine It shorted out something to make the check gauges light come on. I tried to dry off as many wire connectors as I could reach but the light stayed on.. It has since gone off but it took at least 3 weeks for it to dry out.. Theres nothing more annoying then haveing a bright red warning light stareing at you while you drive..
[Modified by Jarryd, 12:21 AM 1/29/2002]
[Modified by Jarryd, 12:21 AM 1/29/2002]
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 483
Likes: 0
From: MA
Re: Touchless car washes? (Gixxer)
Thanks for all the input. It isn't worth risking anything happening so I just took it to one of those do it yourself washes with the wand. They don't really do a geat job either but as I mentioned I just wanted to rinse all of the road dust off.
:cheers:
:cheers:
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 21
From: Denville NJ
Re: Touchless car washes? (Gixxer)
I ran my daily driver ('89 Lincoln) through a touchless and let me tell you, I got a bath. The ultra high pressure came through the seals like they were not even there! I would stay away especially if your seals and weatherstrip are original. Just my $.02
Team Owner
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From: Fort Knox, KY
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Re: Touchless car washes? (SEAvette)
Touchless car washes with underbody wash and UN-vented Optispark Modules can be hazardous to your 1992-93 `Vette's health! :(
