Drought Washing
Former Vendor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,573
Likes: 0
From: The AutoBuffs Army is unmatched in the Custom world! www.autobuffs.net
S. Jersey Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Hell...run a line from the indoor sink...these cars love water
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I'm sorry but I'd still use a bucket of water despite those rules
My $65k car deserves to be looked after and one bucket is not too much to ask. A recycling car wash loses more than a bucket every wash IMHO.
My $65k car deserves to be looked after and one bucket is not too much to ask. A recycling car wash loses more than a bucket every wash IMHO.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Lansdale Pennsylvania
Try the "BOM" if it's not extremely filthy.
http://www.captainrichardsbest.com
I do not work for this company or sell this product, but I've used it with good results. If you can't use water, this will be a good alternative and is very easy to use.
http://www.captainrichardsbest.com
I do not work for this company or sell this product, but I've used it with good results. If you can't use water, this will be a good alternative and is very easy to use.
Last edited by WenD; Nov 2, 2007 at 02:59 PM. Reason: wrong link
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 17,541
Likes: 2
From: Manhattan, KS Missing SoCal since 2005
I own a couple of car washes, and we have "automatic" (touchless) bays where you drive in, and the wash/rinse mechanism circles the car, then a blower gets most of the excess water off. Does a great job - not perfect, but it gets just about everything. Once it's done, I pull out and finish drying by hand, and if needed, I have WD-40 to get rid of any bugs or tar that might have been missed. I haven't washed a car at home in over two years.
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Lansdale Pennsylvania
I own a couple of car washes, and we have "automatic" (touchless) bays where you drive in, and the wash/rinse mechanism circles the car, then a blower gets most of the excess water off. Does a great job - not perfect, but it gets just about everything. Once it's done, I pull out and finish drying by hand, and if needed, I have WD-40 to get rid of any bugs or tar that might have been missed. I haven't washed a car at home in over two years.
Thanks 
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 30,770
Likes: 41
From: Down the Shore New Jersey, Elev.3 feet
St. Jude Donor '17
We have a "hand wash" car wash near us and I use it during the winter. I too like to use the vette on cold sunny winter days but you always get the wet areas from snow melting. There are actual people in this tunnel with coats on and each hand is in a wash mitt! The unit sprays the water and soap on the car as it is going thru,yes the front air deflecters bend a bit but they are made to do that,then the guys rince their mitts in wash sinks of water and "hand wash the car. Water is sprayed at end as rinse and wax if wanted. Sure beats doing it in driveway with frozen hose and hands. 
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,735
Likes: 14
From: Visalia CA
Wow! At least here in CA, we can water on certain days, and then with an adjustable nozzle on the end of the hose. Can't believe that they positively, absolutely forbid you ANY outside water use. How do you keep your lawn or plants alive? And is this forever, or just for certain months? Or until the drought ends?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 940
Likes: 1
From: Woodstock Ontario
Get caught using ANY outdoor water at other times and it's-
1. A warning.
2. A fine and water pressure turned down just enough to allow the toilet tank to fill.
Water by-law inspectors cruise around 24hrs/day.
Of course (and this is where hypocrisy creeps in) you can go to the car wash and spend all day washing your car. The self-wash (you spray) places are the best.
Last edited by Zozzie; Nov 2, 2007 at 04:42 PM.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 491
Likes: 10
From: Atlanta Ga
drought watering
Wow! At least here in CA, we can water on certain days, and then with an adjustable nozzle on the end of the hose. Can't believe that they positively, absolutely forbid you ANY outside water use. How do you keep your lawn or plants alive? And is this forever, or just for certain months? Or until the drought ends?
all dead or dying a slow death. its true, NO outside watering of any kind 24/7. patrols out 24/7, 1st=warning, 2nd=fine, 3rd=shutoff. praying that its not forever, but everyone is seeing this as a wakeup call and things will forever be different.
me, I use 1 bucket that I've filled while waiting for the water to get hot and take it to one of the many self serv carwashes. just cant bring myself to put any of those brushes on my ride
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 261
Likes: 4
From: NC
We are in the same situation here in NC. County water is restricted. Our water supply is from private wells. I washed the Z today for the first time in two weeks. My neighbor spotted my clean car on the way up the street. He mentioned the drought and the fact that ground water is not unlimited. He looked at the drip falling from my rear view mirror as he made his point. I felt guilty, but I've also seen him spend two + hours watering lawn and bushes in the past two or three days. I just shrugged and moved on, figuring it was better to keep my mouth shut. That little voice inside says we're both wrong, but it's hard to stop a lifetime of **** activity. I can't stand to drive a dirty vehicle.:o
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
At least you don't have to worry about driving it in the rain or getting too dirty since the streets are always dry.
I could put up with dust accumulation as long as there is no mud caked on the sides. you would have to drive a looooong way to find any mud.
Last news I heard, cities like Atlanta were actually going to run completely out of water in just a few months. (we're talking about emptying the lake)
I could put up with dust accumulation as long as there is no mud caked on the sides.
you would have to drive a looooong way to find any mud.Last news I heard, cities like Atlanta were actually going to run completely out of water in just a few months. (we're talking about emptying the lake)
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Nov 2, 2007 at 06:17 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
That's how I've always washed my vehicles...takes no more than two five gallon HOME DEPOT buckets (@1/2 to 3/4 full) to completely wash a vehicle that way. I throw the dirty water onto the plants when I'm done. Very little is wasted. I wonder how many gallons of water are used when one uses a hose?
This is interesting reading about the CA plan for water conservation. AZ watches this closely as we're in a similar drought situation.
Metro Phoenix gets its water from the Central AZ Project canal system (Colorado River), but that is also shared by CA and NV. Everywhere else in AZ, the water is pumped from the ground. If the rainfall is less or the snowfall is less, the ground water is less.
I just heard a tv news story about the GA drought and the 26 other states facing similar. I might be off on the number, but I believe it was something like 346 trillion gallons of water used by CA alone annually.
http://gov.ca.gov/issue/water-supply
Last edited by hotwheels57; Nov 2, 2007 at 07:24 PM.