touchless car washes?
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From: Washington Township Michigan
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probably safer for the finish to take it to a facility where they will use proper soap and various equipment/tools to wash it using a 2 bucket method................
unable to do it yourself? not too difficult using the proper items..................
unable to do it yourself? not too difficult using the proper items..................
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2016
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its mainly dust and little bit of dried rain marks
Racer
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Garner NC
Be careful with touch-less washes. They typically use some pretty powerful chemicals that can be rough on your wax and paint. I'd recommend getting the stuff to do it yourself. If you don't have the ability at home, take your buckets and soaps to a local wash and use their sprayer.
Race Director
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From: Washington Township Michigan
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Safety Car
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From: Port St. Lucie West Florida
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Houston, Tx
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14
I have used the coin operated do it yourself car washes with good results. Rinse and dry no soap. If you have good wax the rinse will clean good and here we have hard water so you need to dry to not have water spots.
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Le Mans Master
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From: Madison (Huntsville) Alabama
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St. Jude Donor '09
I sometimes take mine to the coin-operated pressure wash place down the street. I first spray on the soapy mixture, then rinse. They also have a blower that you can use to get most of the water off before you finish drying with your microfiber towels. Works great for me and costs about $3.50. Never have used a touches tunnel car wash, and not even sure a Vette would fit in ... too low.
Otherwise, I do it at home using my garden hose and a bucket. The faucet that I use for car washing uses water that goes through my water softener. Doing that takes a lot longer than the car wash though.
Otherwise, I do it at home using my garden hose and a bucket. The faucet that I use for car washing uses water that goes through my water softener. Doing that takes a lot longer than the car wash though.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2014
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From: Atlanta GA
I do the same ... rinse it off, dry with soft towels.....
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Boca Raton Florida
It is in the owners manual as automatic car washes, or no no. Anything with rollers will damage the wheels. On some like GS and up the tires are too large and splitters too low. I do not even take my dd through one of those even it was free. Coin operated do it yourself, waterless best but when you do it home you get some exercise too. Washing your own car is good for the karma.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Winter Haven FL
Old and cripple but I always washed my own cars...... Then I stumbled on his guy that has a car wash/detail business set up at a gas station I have been passing for years. Stopped last year because I was short on time and got a hand wash & dry for $20. I was super impressed with the work they did. Went back a month later on a Saturday and struck up a conversation with the owner. Complimented his operation and told him that I did not let just anybody do things to my car. He was impressed that I drove 22 miles to let him wash my baby. He now charges me $25 for inside & out. They do windows and use a mild acid wash inside the wheel barrels that get all the brake dust off. In addition to the stuff they wipe on tires to make them shiny black, they do that on the splash guards outside and inside plus the diffuser and give the car a wipe down with a detail spray after it is dry. I have used the hand spray washes to get bugs off quick but I would never take a Corvette through any kind of mechanical car wash....touchless or not.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
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From: Chirper Island
I take mine to touchless car washes quite often, mostly in colder weather.
Only ones that have no wheel guides of any sort. I dry them with MF cloths. Hasn't hurt them one bit, and I know which ones in the area have a good undercarriage wash, which is especially important once the salt crap starts getting put down on the road. I don't have any way of lifting the car to wash the underside, so I feel better knowing that stuff gets washed off often.
Only ones that have no wheel guides of any sort. I dry them with MF cloths. Hasn't hurt them one bit, and I know which ones in the area have a good undercarriage wash, which is especially important once the salt crap starts getting put down on the road. I don't have any way of lifting the car to wash the underside, so I feel better knowing that stuff gets washed off often.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Just passed you.
I use a touchless car wash which doesn't touch my car. It sprays soap, etc. then rinses. I have heard the horror stories that it will strip my paint, take off the wax, turn the plastic parts whites, etc. All BS in my opinion. The wash is a half mile from my house. If my wheels are dirty I spray them with Sonex before entering the wash. $10 wash. It has a jet blower that runs for 60 seconds and knocks off most of the water. When I get home I use the leaf blower to get any remaining water off. If needed I will hit it with some instant detail. My car looks showroom quality with no swirls.
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
I use a touchless car wash which doesn't touch my car. It sprays soap, etc. then rinses. I have heard the horror stories that it will strip my paint, take off the wax, turn the plastic parts whites, etc. All BS in my opinion. The wash is a half mile from my house. If my wheels are dirty I spray them with Sonex before entering the wash. $10 wash. It has a jet blower that runs for 60 seconds and knocks off most of the water. When I get home I use the leaf blower to get any remaining water off. If needed I will hit it with some instant detail. My car looks showroom quality with no swirls.
Been using touchless for about 10 years on all my DD's. No problem with damage to paint. Do you really think that a car wash would use harmful chemicals in their wash and risk a law suit? They wouldn't be in business very long.
I run my 11 vert thru it about once a week, April - Nov 1
Remember its just a car.
Not a touchless car was and not my vette but.......
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I wouldn't. And I know what's in the soap and rinses, too. But, on a trip, I will use the DIY places. I also have a method that does the least amount of damage (distance/angle to paint, rinse first, wash, rinse again twice). As the saying goes, "whatever......"
Last edited by AORoads; Nov 6, 2016 at 08:52 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Tonawanda New York
I suggest you wash your own car in your own driveway using your own water, with your own knowledge of car care. Otherwise, well never mind. 
Last edited by Don-Vette; Nov 6, 2016 at 09:01 AM.
Racer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 458
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From: Rhode Island
Been using touchless for about 10 years on all my DD's. No problem with damage to paint. Do you really think that a car wash would use harmful chemicals in their wash and risk a law suit? They wouldn't be in business very long.
I run my 11 vert thru it about once a week, April - Nov 1
Remember its just a car.
Not a touchless car was and not my vette but.......
Might have to try this