Is it bad to go thru the car wash frequently?
05-17-2005, 09:49 AM
#1
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Is it bad to go thru the car wash frequently?
I park outdoors, and there is tons of pollen and a sticky tree sap-like substance on my car lately. I've been going thru the car wash 2-3 times a week. It's an all-cloth car wash. Is that bad for the paint, or for any other reason?
05-17-2005, 09:51 AM
#2
OG
NEVER....EVER go to machine car washes even with those "soft" spongelike things that dangle..
metal particles get in them and they smash into the sides , roof, hood etc etc
I only go to hand wash or "when i have time" DIY
metal particles get in them and they smash into the sides , roof, hood etc etc
I only go to hand wash or "when i have time" DIY
05-17-2005, 09:59 AM
#3
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The hand wash places around here are way too expensive to go to 2-3 times per week, and there isn't an outdoor hose connected to my apt complex. So, I don't have any other option. 
05-17-2005, 10:02 AM
#4
Photography Nerd
Originally Posted by tsxylady
The hand wash places around here are way too expensive to go to 2-3 times per week, and there isn't an outdoor hose connected to my apt complex. So, I don't have any other option.
05-17-2005, 10:06 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by Dan Martin
Do you not have any touchless washes in the the area?
But they do remove pollen
How about those do-it-yourself washes?
05-17-2005, 10:39 AM
#7
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Where do you live....if you're anywhere near Hartford, the Mr. Sparkle on Berlin Tpke in Newington just put a touchless wash in..open 24 hours. I've used it, works pretty well. Just let me know what part of CT you live in and I'll see if I can think of any in your area.
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05-17-2005, 11:10 AM
#8
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Handwash > Touchless > Machine Wash
I'd only use the machine wash iwith the brushes in an extreme emergency (bird poo bake/etching into to the car when nothing else avail). If you use the machine all the time with any color darker than silver, you'll get swirlies in the paint/clearcoat sooner or later.
I've known people who've had the touchless car wash, or more specifically the dork trying to spray the underbody, spray under the hood and crack hot engine parts.manifold when they went in for a wash. Some people claim that the reused water in some of these places gets more caustic/corrosive and will eat/fade exterior.
But I'd still use them over the scraper-brushes.
Best would be handwash. Maybe go touchless 2x a week in your scenario and treat the car to a handwash 1x month, with the paint conditioner/goo every 2nd mo.
I've known people who've had the touchless car wash, or more specifically the dork trying to spray the underbody, spray under the hood and crack hot engine parts.manifold when they went in for a wash. Some people claim that the reused water in some of these places gets more caustic/corrosive and will eat/fade exterior.
But I'd still use them over the scraper-brushes.
Best would be handwash. Maybe go touchless 2x a week in your scenario and treat the car to a handwash 1x month, with the paint conditioner/goo every 2nd mo.
05-17-2005, 11:51 AM
#10
Originally Posted by tsxylady
I park outdoors, and there is tons of pollen and a sticky tree sap-like substance on my car lately. I've been going thru the car wash 2-3 times a week. It's an all-cloth car wash. Is that bad for the paint, or for any other reason?
05-17-2005, 12:12 PM
#11
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Here in NY we have a ton of hand car washes. I rather wash it myself, but I only go to hand wash if not. My car is silver so I don't mind the car wash, If your car is black you will probly get sun swirls.
05-17-2005, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by LoveMyTSX
Go to a those do-it-yourself washes? They are everywhere these days!!
I'm in the same spot, I park outside and the pollen is insane down here. I only want to use the do it yourself washes but then nearest one I can find is like an hr away so I drive all the way there about twice a week just to clean my car
05-17-2005, 02:38 PM
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As already stated... NEVER use any car wash with brush/bristle/sponges... if anything the touchless. I tend to shy away from anything other than a good ol' hand wash at home. If I just need to rinse the car, I'll go to a do it yourself and use the pressure washers. I use to even bring my own car wash soap and mit and do it at the DIY wash...
Going into any wash other than DIY can also put your rims in harms range of scratching, even with stock wheels/tires...
When I worked at Acura, we had a free drive-thru wash for our customers. Many Type-S owners ended up scratching there rims on the tracks.
Going into any wash other than DIY can also put your rims in harms range of scratching, even with stock wheels/tires...
When I worked at Acura, we had a free drive-thru wash for our customers. Many Type-S owners ended up scratching there rims on the tracks.
05-17-2005, 03:03 PM
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Originally Posted by SSN_FT1(SS/DV)
Where do you live....if you're anywhere near Hartford, the Mr. Sparkle on Berlin Tpke in Newington just put a touchless wash in..open 24 hours. I've used it, works pretty well. Just let me know what part of CT you live in and I'll see if I can think of any in your area.
05-17-2005, 03:08 PM
#15
OG
For the guys that have problems with pollen.....
Wash your car either via hand wash or DIY
give the car a NICE coat of wax.......
go DIRECTLY to pepboys/ autozone and get a CALIFORNIA duster
if your dust the car EVERYDAY......
you will be pollen free
if your skip one day.....
WASH ...RINSE...REPEAT
Wash your car either via hand wash or DIY
give the car a NICE coat of wax.......
go DIRECTLY to pepboys/ autozone and get a CALIFORNIA duster
if your dust the car EVERYDAY......
you will be pollen free
if your skip one day.....
WASH ...RINSE...REPEAT
05-17-2005, 03:18 PM
#16
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I wouldnt go through any of the drive through car washes, even those that are touchless. The main reason I dont use them is because I dont know what kind of shampoo they are using. Most shampoos are typically too harsh, and will take off your wax. To be honest I dont even use the stuff at DIY car washes either. I normally bring my own stuff,but most DIY car washes dont like that very much. Ive been doing ALOT of reading about carwashing and found some nice products. I live in an apartment and park my car outside, therefore I get alot of tree sap and dust on my car. When my car gets dirty I use Poorboys Spray and Wipe Waterless Carwash. This stuff is great, and really works. If the car is too dirty I would take it the DIY car wash and rinse it w/ water and clean with Poorboy's S&W.
http://www.pakshak.com/poorboys-spray-wipe-16oz.html
http://www.pakshak.com/poorboys-spray-wipe-16oz.html
05-17-2005, 03:25 PM
#17
Get your car handwashed 1 or 2 times per mo and get the best "touchfree" option once a week. Make sure it has wax and all that. That should work!
Never ever ever ever ever ever go to one of those cloth washers! How would you feel to be hit a with a wet towel @ 30 mph? Think of your baby!
Never ever ever ever ever ever go to one of those cloth washers! How would you feel to be hit a with a wet towel @ 30 mph? Think of your baby!
05-17-2005, 03:32 PM
#18
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by tsxylady
The hand wash places around here are way too expensive to go to 2-3 times per week, and there isn't an outdoor hose connected to my apt complex. So, I don't have any other option.
05-17-2005, 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by CJams
Never ever ever ever ever ever go to one of those cloth washers! How would you feel to be hit a with a wet towel @ 30 mph? Think of your baby!
05-17-2005, 03:52 PM
#21
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by mg7726
wow, you guys are really anal about the washes. i just use the drive thrus...
05-17-2005, 07:20 PM
#22
I'm the Firestarter
Man, damned if you do, damned if you don't. I started avoiding touchless washes because people here said the soap is terrible for the paint, so I went to the cloth washes until the weather got good enough for hand washing. 
05-17-2005, 07:43 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by tsxylady
I'm down in Stamford, and I seriously can't find a touchless car wash ANYWHERE
05-17-2005, 07:55 PM
#24
She said: it's GINORMOUS!
Originally Posted by STL
And in couple years (if not sooner), your paint job will look like it's been run through drive-through washers instead of hand washed. Some people don't care though.
05-19-2005, 10:52 AM
#28
OG
Originally Posted by JDubble97
I work full-time, work out at the gym several days per week, who has time to hand wash a car? I live in NoVA and the pollen is just awful this time of year.
go to the gym from 830-930 at night m-f
and i get in about 2 hand washes a week even with the car in the garage
and alot of pollen
05-19-2005, 12:11 PM
#30
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I hand wash weekly and use the touchless car wash in extreme situations. The newer touchless washes are pretty safe and effective, even if some of the more anal folks here won't admit it. It's definitely better to use a touchless wash than to leave bird crap, road salt, etc. on the paint while waiting to handwash.
05-19-2005, 04:36 PM
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When I'm between washes, and there's just some pollen and dust, I'll just use my california car duster. Sometimes I'll use Megiar's Quick Detailer if it needs it, or if i'm going out.
05-19-2005, 07:17 PM
#34
I'm the Firestarter
Just washed the car today. Hand wash with the new Mr. Clean car wash system, than wax and spray tires with DuPont tire shine stuff. Waited until it dried and polished with DuPont car was. Wiped interior surfaces with damp cloth.
And it wasn't even dirty to begin with.
And it wasn't even dirty to begin with.
05-19-2005, 07:45 PM
#35
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Originally Posted by Belzebutt
Just washed the car today. Hand wash with the new Mr. Clean car wash system, than wax and spray tires with DuPont tire shine stuff. Waited until it dried and polished with DuPont car was. Wiped interior surfaces with damp cloth.
And it wasn't even dirty to begin with.
And it wasn't even dirty to begin with.
05-19-2005, 08:10 PM
#36
OG
Originally Posted by sauceman
So does that Mr. Clean thingy really work as advertised on TV?
but it will strip your clearcoat and wax off
go google it up
and if not rinsed thoroughly it will be sticky as all hell
05-20-2005, 09:28 AM
#38
Team Owner
Originally Posted by scl23
Pollen? Just use a duster. One of those foofy things. I wash mine once a month but it's got underground garage parking.
05-20-2005, 02:24 PM
#40
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Originally Posted by STL
And in couple years (if not sooner), your paint job will look like it's been run through drive-through washers instead of hand washed. Some people don't care though.