Touchless Car wash
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 13,602
Likes: 12,865
From: Virginia
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 8,243
Likes: 4,618
From: Southwest Florida
Absolutely nothing wrong using a toughness car wash from time to time. Here is Florida it way too hot to wash the car so giving a rinse helps until such time it cools down so I can hand wash it. Fact is I don’t get those who say, “Never have, Never will.”. That makes zero sense especially since they give zero reasons behind why they take that ridiculous stance.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 13,602
Likes: 12,865
From: Virginia
Absolutely nothing wrong using a toughness car wash from time to time. Here is Florida it way too hot to wash the car so giving a rinse helps until such time it cools down so I can hand wash it. Fact is I don’t get those who say, “Never have, Never will.”. That makes zero sense especially since they give zero reasons behind why they take that ridiculous stance.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,836
Likes: 2,151
From: Kelso, Wa
I don't even want the dealer to wash my car when it's serviced, let alone use a "touchless" wash.
Everyone is different. Some save their car "for the next guy" (my neighbor just bought a 2011 C7 with less than 10k miles!.. it's flawless.) I'm not one of those, as I like to actually drive the car (26K+ miles in three years) .. but for me car washing is a form of therapy. There's the routine of getting out the pressure washer, filling the wash bucket, etc.
I use a drying agent before wiping it dry.. ...When it's too cold out to use water, it's waterless wash time. ... ..
I can't believe that anyone would use an automated process to clean ANY of their cars, .. but again that's just me.. Everyone is different and I can respect the decision that makes the most sense for them. ...
It all falls back to.... It's YOUR car. Do what makes YOU happy.
Everyone is different. Some save their car "for the next guy" (my neighbor just bought a 2011 C7 with less than 10k miles!.. it's flawless.) I'm not one of those, as I like to actually drive the car (26K+ miles in three years) .. but for me car washing is a form of therapy. There's the routine of getting out the pressure washer, filling the wash bucket, etc.
I use a drying agent before wiping it dry.. ...When it's too cold out to use water, it's waterless wash time. ... ..
I can't believe that anyone would use an automated process to clean ANY of their cars, .. but again that's just me.. Everyone is different and I can respect the decision that makes the most sense for them. ...
It all falls back to.... It's YOUR car. Do what makes YOU happy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,361
Likes: 4,803
From: West Burbs of Chicago IL
Nope, never have, never will.
It’s not the brushes or the “touch less” that’ll get ya. Whether it’s a conveyor style or the car wash moves around you it’s the tire track that could gouge the **** out of your rims or require more clearance than you have to give. Not worth it because by the time you find out you’re pot committed.
It’s not the brushes or the “touch less” that’ll get ya. Whether it’s a conveyor style or the car wash moves around you it’s the tire track that could gouge the **** out of your rims or require more clearance than you have to give. Not worth it because by the time you find out you’re pot committed.
I will add, not all car washes are created equal. One persons local wash may be top notch and another’s be garbage. Both could be arguing their perspective and be right.
Your car, your choice…for me, it’s a small highlight of my week. I choose to wash mine by hand with a ball game on in the garage a cold beer nearby and the occasional neighbor stopping by.
Your car, your choice…for me, it’s a small highlight of my week. I choose to wash mine by hand with a ball game on in the garage a cold beer nearby and the occasional neighbor stopping by.
Absolutely nothing wrong using a toughness car wash from time to time. Here is Florida it way too hot to wash the car so giving a rinse helps until such time it cools down so I can hand wash it. Fact is I don’t get those who say, “Never have, Never will.”. That makes zero sense especially since they give zero reasons behind why they take that ridiculous stance.
- Potential Damage to my car
- I enjoy hand washing my car.
I live in the Midwest, and while I miss out on 4-5 months of driving a year, I do have the benefit of being able to enjoy handwashing my car without passing out from heat stroke. If you are unable in Florida, a car wash makes sense.
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Joined: Apr 2016
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From: Pittsburgh
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,907
Likes: 554
From: Scottsdale AZ
When its 118 deg here in PHX, car was dusty and it rained, I used a touch less car wash, no issues using. I wouldn't do it frequently simply because of the strong detergents they may use, but on occasion, why not.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,412
Likes: 1,295
From: Bluffton, SC
I have always used a local touchless car wash with no problems, other than the end result is never as good as hand washing. This has not been with any of my current or past Corvettes, but with my family cars.
A few months ago a friend complained that the car wash had ruined the paint on his new Toyota SUV. It looked like the dirt was part of the paint, covered with wax. Hand washing would not remove it. He had to have paint correction and ceramic done at a detailing shop to fix it. I had recently taken my Honda sedan through the same wash and, surprisingly, found the same issue with my paint. The dirt was now imbedded in my paint. I had to go over the entire car with polishing compound and wax to get it back to normal.
So, yes, an apparently poorly maintained car wash can damage your paint. For me, after years of having no issues, two cars that I know of had paint damage caused by this one touchless car wash.
A few months ago a friend complained that the car wash had ruined the paint on his new Toyota SUV. It looked like the dirt was part of the paint, covered with wax. Hand washing would not remove it. He had to have paint correction and ceramic done at a detailing shop to fix it. I had recently taken my Honda sedan through the same wash and, surprisingly, found the same issue with my paint. The dirt was now imbedded in my paint. I had to go over the entire car with polishing compound and wax to get it back to normal.
So, yes, an apparently poorly maintained car wash can damage your paint. For me, after years of having no issues, two cars that I know of had paint damage caused by this one touchless car wash.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 31
Likes: 25
From: WESTERN NEW YORK
Hand Car wash
Nope, never have, never will.
It’s not the brushes or the “touch less” that’ll get ya. Whether it’s a conveyor style or the car wash moves around you it’s the tire track that could gouge the **** out of your rims or require more clearance than you have to give. Not worth it because by the time you find out you’re pot committed.
It’s not the brushes or the “touch less” that’ll get ya. Whether it’s a conveyor style or the car wash moves around you it’s the tire track that could gouge the **** out of your rims or require more clearance than you have to give. Not worth it because by the time you find out you’re pot committed.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 539
Likes: 253
The filtered water reeks and smells up the interior.
Think of all the crap that is pumped into your auto's interior and seeps into the materials, your pores and lungs as steam to remain there forever. Might as well drink from a mud puddle and sniff urine. eww
Think of all the crap that is pumped into your auto's interior and seeps into the materials, your pores and lungs as steam to remain there forever. Might as well drink from a mud puddle and sniff urine. eww
Racer
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 480
Likes: 219
Touch less is better then the ones that use brushes but there are a few things to consider that make them less then ideal. First most car washes recycle the water so there could be micro particles that make it through the filtering system. But the biggest issue is given there is no contact the chemicals are normally pretty strong in order to clean. Unless you have a ceramic coat these types of washes will normally strip waxes and sealants off your car. If you do use one it’s not going to hurt anything but for me personally I would rather have a dirty car for a few weeks until I can hand wash it then go through any automatic wash.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 336
Likes: 259
From: Canandaigua, NY
I call on a few Car Wash place for work and when I've talked to my customers I found out that they use recycled water which is sent thru a water treatment center to be used again which you know after a wash is not 100% clean.. If you don't dry your car on site it looks dirty by the time you get home. HOWEVER they do dump a lot of chemicals back into the system. After hearing that not a chance I would go to a car wash.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 1,566
Likes: 1,085
WATERWAY CAR WASH beware
I took my '11 SRT Challenger through the local automatic, brush wash etc. The car's exterior still looked great when I sold it last summer. I don't think the C8 rear tires would fit in the rails of that automated wash. My other concern I guess is water through the vents. I've been washing mine in the manual car wash bays where I can angle the spray to not flood the misc.openings.
Pro
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 656
Likes: 311
From: About an hour north west of Albany, NY
I once took my wife’s car through a brush type car wash because we were in a hurry. The rotating brush tore off the drivers door mirror and continued to beat on the car all down the side. They ignored any attempts to contact them after they took the report. I filed a BBB report and a “manager” called me and said they had been trying to contact me. I told him it looked like I would have to contact a lawyer after he told me that “the pictures they took with the initial report are fuzzy but it looks like the paint was in bad shape on the car”. He told me “they have a room full of lawyers at their corporate office”. I turned it in to State Farm and they paid $4800 plus my $500 to have it repaired. It has been assigned for arbitration for 15 months. If you have any WATERWAY CAR WASH locations near you stay away. They are unethical. BBB dismissed the case by saying I never responded to WATERWAYS response which is an outright lie. What a joke the BBB is. If you are a business and pay them to be a member you will maintain your A+ rating. Sam
Racer
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 300
Likes: 188
I have a touchless automatic car wash down the street from me. I have an unlimited membership that I pay $35/month for. I have been taking my Corvettes through it literally 3-4 times a week since 2008.
2 different C6s
2 C7s
3 C8s
ZERO problems whatsoever. the car won't melt like some people here think. I don't even get water spots. People here need to realize this is a CAR not a Banzai Tree, it will be OK.
I would never use one with a brush, however, or one that you have to guide along a track. This one you just drive in and stop, The machines moves around you with the soap and water and dries you, and then you drive out.
2 different C6s
2 C7s
3 C8s
ZERO problems whatsoever. the car won't melt like some people here think. I don't even get water spots. People here need to realize this is a CAR not a Banzai Tree, it will be OK.
I would never use one with a brush, however, or one that you have to guide along a track. This one you just drive in and stop, The machines moves around you with the soap and water and dries you, and then you drive out.
