Automatic Car Washes
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 452
Likes: 0
From: Ashburn VA
Automatic Car Washes
I have been driving my vette this winter in VA. I wait till most of the salt and sand is washed off the roads by water trucks but my car still gets dirty faster then it does in the summer.
Yesterday, it was 44 degrees and I washed 2 cars before it got dark. The vette was pretty dirty. My question is this, is there any reason not to take the Vette through a touchless car wash? If so what are they and what should I be looking for in a touchless car wash that i take the Vette to.
Thanks!
Yesterday, it was 44 degrees and I washed 2 cars before it got dark. The vette was pretty dirty. My question is this, is there any reason not to take the Vette through a touchless car wash? If so what are they and what should I be looking for in a touchless car wash that i take the Vette to.
Thanks!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,682
Likes: 144
From: Memphis Tennessee
I have found that "touch less" washes just don't get the car clean. This, and the fact that the water used in all the car washes is re-cycled is not a really good option in my opinion. Albeit filtered, the water is still the same water that the guy before you just used to clean his engine or muddy 4-wheeler !
I am a "clean nut" so just halfway doing things just doesn't cut it. Unless you are really in a bind, I would just wash it as normal.
JMHO
I am a "clean nut" so just halfway doing things just doesn't cut it. Unless you are really in a bind, I would just wash it as normal.
JMHO
Pro
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 574
Likes: 5
From: Colorado springs
I don't see a problem with it if you normally keep your car clean, but if your not normally on top of that, hand wash that mug. Touchless is no substitute for a good hand wash. But I think it does a good job in-between.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 452
Likes: 0
From: Ashburn VA
I never take it to the car wash and always do it by hand. Just saying, if I am driving it with the salt on the roads, will a touchless wash hurt it as i would like to keep the salt off of it best i can. Still going to drive it and enjoy it. Hurts too much to see it in the garage!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I tend to hand wash because I dont have access to a good local touchless system. I wouldn't use brush car washes but touchless works fine as a stop gap. In fact the ones which throw a jet up the undertray get rid of a lot of salt that would otherwise stay up there.
We all prefer a good detail by hand but needs must
We all prefer a good detail by hand but needs must
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
I know the feeling, right before we got dumped on we washed five cars and it was ~38* outside. There are a few things that help out when doing that though first is to wear latex gloves or something similar to keep your hands dry and in turn keep them warm and also fill up your wash bucket with HOT water. Those two things help out tremendously when washing in the cold.
I know some of those car washes offer a wash that will at least rinse off the bottom of your car to try and get some of the salt off.
I know some of those car washes offer a wash that will at least rinse off the bottom of your car to try and get some of the salt off.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 301
Likes: 3
From: Marysville ohio
I look at it this way, the water may not be strait from the utility plant but its better than letting the salt and grime build up. I would pay for a good touch less to get most of the junk off including the under carriage, then if you are not going to go out again, wash it by hand. However if this is your DD in winter then run it through the wash every week or two just for good measure.
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 137
Likes: 11
From: Kingston Ontario
I had a real beautiful new car that I babied years ago. It was stored and then my winter beater blew a motor so I had to drive it. I ran it through TOUCH carwashes and then used an old(er) bath towel to wipe it off when it came out, including under hood and hatch and door jambs.
When I sold it people that came and looked at it absolutely could not believe how clean it was. Flawless paint, and most important the underspray from the washes kept all the salt from wrecking stuff underneath. Mint underneath. That equated to me selling it for the same as everybody else's same type car, but somebody got a real clean one... no extra money for it.
The paint on a Corvette can take being touched I think. At the very least it can take touchless. You can always buff the clearcoat, but you can't make rust go away from underneath.
When I sold it people that came and looked at it absolutely could not believe how clean it was. Flawless paint, and most important the underspray from the washes kept all the salt from wrecking stuff underneath. Mint underneath. That equated to me selling it for the same as everybody else's same type car, but somebody got a real clean one... no extra money for it.
The paint on a Corvette can take being touched I think. At the very least it can take touchless. You can always buff the clearcoat, but you can't make rust go away from underneath.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 419
Likes: 3
From: Lexington VA
St. Jude Donor '11
I know the feeling, right before we got dumped on we washed five cars and it was ~38* outside. There are a few things that help out when doing that though first is to wear latex gloves or something similar to keep your hands dry and in turn keep them warm and also fill up your wash bucket with HOT water. Those two things help out tremendously when washing in the cold.
I know some of those car washes offer a wash that will at least rinse off the bottom of your car to try and get some of the salt off.
I know some of those car washes offer a wash that will at least rinse off the bottom of your car to try and get some of the salt off.
Haven't done it yet but sure sounds easy and efficient!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Highlands Ranch CO
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
My take on touchless drive throughs.
I use them when I just want to wash away the typical road grime. They do an adequate job of this if it's a quality car wash. Those are hard to find though, but I do have one that rinses off the wheels and the undercarriage as you drive in. I find that to be worth it itself.
They won't get your car "clean" but they'll get the major crap off. the one I use doesn't have any guide bars, you just drive in like a typical garage, and the machine goes around the car.
BUT, never use the wax feature because it will seal in the left over dirt film the automatic wash can't get off.
I use them when I just want to wash away the typical road grime. They do an adequate job of this if it's a quality car wash. Those are hard to find though, but I do have one that rinses off the wheels and the undercarriage as you drive in. I find that to be worth it itself.
They won't get your car "clean" but they'll get the major crap off. the one I use doesn't have any guide bars, you just drive in like a typical garage, and the machine goes around the car.
BUT, never use the wax feature because it will seal in the left over dirt film the automatic wash can't get off.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,262
Likes: 122
From: Vetteville Tennessee
My vert is alergic to car washes... But my wife burns em up!
Don't you have to drive through tracks (rails) to line up properly (rubbing tires and wheels)? If not...shows you how long it's been since I've seen one!
Don't you have to drive through tracks (rails) to line up properly (rubbing tires and wheels)? If not...shows you how long it's been since I've seen one!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
Nope, the newer style has no tracks or rails. Just drive in like a garage floor.
Last edited by RetiredSFC 97; Jan 16, 2011 at 02:42 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
Thats actually not a half bad idea, I cant see where it would be much different if you paid to have it done.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 778
Likes: 1
From: Chantilly VA
I would use a touchless, just to get the underside done if possible. I just did mine yesterday, hand wash, when it was 40 out. I washed it twice. Where near you is a good touchless. In Sterling there is a pressure wash place. I'll go there to spray everything I can get to, wheel wells and under side as much as I can get to, but not the paint so much. Then it's always back to the house for a finish wash. The curse of the DD in the winter up here.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,186
Likes: 1
From: North Topsail Beach NC
I haven't run the C5 through an automatic car wash yet, but have used the wand-type car washes many times without any problems. I agree with most here that they don't get the car really clean, but do at least get most of the road grime off. I'd rather get the road grime off and drive a presentable car than drive around in a dirty car until the opportunity arises to perform a thorough cleaning in the driveway. This is especially true when on the road.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I haven't run the C5 through an automatic car wash yet, but have used the wand-type car washes many times without any problems. I agree with most here that they don't get the car really clean, but do at least get most of the road grime off. I'd rather get the road grime off and drive a presentable car than drive around in a dirty car until the opportunity arises to perform a thorough cleaning in the driveway. This is especially true when on the road.
when I'm on the road, like vacation, I like to go through a drive through or a wand type to get the crud off.
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I take mine to a self-serve wash bay - the spray want does a pretty good job of getting the car clean - both underneath and on the painted surfaces.
