TL-Rocket

It's winter again and it seems like I have to wash my car twice a week.

Is it better to use one of those touchless car washes that uses harsh chemicals to remove dirt and grime during the soaking process, or wash the car say once a week by hand? (Hint: I can get to the touchless car wash more often than I can wash the car by hand)

TL-Rocket

'04 TL 6MT

HEK

I'm pretty sure this topic will be moved.. , but let me tell you that I strongly believe in driving a dirty car and not one that is scratched by these touchless/ brushless car washes, the spinning nylon strips still freeze and act like needles basically sandblasting your car, it happen to me with my previous ride when one cold day my wife decided to be nice and took the car thru a "brushless car wash", the result was scratches that I was able to buff out , good luck.
Hint, take one of those bottles of water that water coolers have and fill it w/ warm water and take the car to a car wash and wash it yourself...it's cold but you will garanty that the only thing that touches your car is your sponge..

tzakiel

If it's above freezing I still go to an automatic wash where they dry it by hand. If it's below freezing, I would just leave the car alone until it's not

Jesstzn

I'm with HEK.. more people mar the crap out of thier cars trying to keep them clean in the winter . Stay away from the touchless and any other where you don't do it yourself.

Even the ones where they dry it by hand .. you risk them having dirt in the drying towels and scratching it.

I have a 2.5 gal. pail with a lid and I fill it 3/4 with hot water and my car wash soap. I go to the wand wash place early in the AM and spray the car off with the first wash $$ to remove all the heavey stiff I can using only rinse water. The last few seconds I squirt in the pail to suds it up.

I then use my sheepskin mitt to wash the complete car then the next $$ to do a thorough rinse. Sometimes I put in another $$ just to rinse underneath and more top rinsing. Weather permitting I dry it.

AcuraVic

A true touchless car wash, (meaning no brushes) is O.K. if the tempature is above 40 F. If possible, a good waxing will last you the winter when you cant wash as often. If you live in an area that puts salt on the roads, you need to go to a hand wash and spray your car off. I know you guys up north have it hard during the winter, just do your best. If you think something will damage your paint, it probably will.

Brewmaster

As long as it's truly touchless any chemicle residue is better than the salt. But I also agree, try and get a good polymer "wax" on before it gets too cold that'll help protect what ya got!

CHIEFZUSAF

move to san antonio texas where you can wash your car anytime :-)

drdamian

yeah the weather up here sux. i get my car washed every other week (unless it rains). i know a couple of spots here in philly that wash it by hand. they bring it in to their garage and they wash it. nice heated garage. it costs me $20 but its well worth it if it'll save my hands from frost bite.. i just got the car about a month ago and i have to bring it to them to do a full detail bc even though it was detailed at the dealer, it was not a good detail. they make the cars look good to sell but not that good for a cold winter.

Jesstzn

Biggest problem with touchless or even the spray ones is the chemicals are pretty harsh and will soon lift the wax/sealant. They have to be harsh to get the crud off.

05TLTony

I just hose it down once a week until it gets warm enough to do by hand. The weather up here really sucks! Hopefully this is my last winter up here. I've had enough! Cali her I come!!!

AcuraVic

So, If you had to choose between leaving dirt on your car or going to a touchless car wash, which one would you choose?

You Northeners can answer also. I know you may go 30 days or more without a day above 40 degrees (meaning no hand washing). The colder it is, the longer between washings.

HEK

Like I stated before, if i can't wash it myself the car stays dirty until I can, now if they have salted the roads like they do here, I'll drive up to one of those carwashes with the high pressure hose and will spray down the car with just plain water on the RINSE mode no soap or anything else...it will not look clean but it will not have any salt caked up either..

Jesstzn

I hand wash mine if it at all above freezing .. Just FYI below freezing the salt and chemicals become nearly dormant so they aren't doing much of anything.

Having a choise .. I'll leave mine dirty.

pughater

wash it by hand in one of those self car washes with the garage doors closed

deandorsey

^

yep!