I'm almost embarrassed/ashamed to ask (ducks head!).. Here I go anyway..

I don't have the physical facility (I live in an apartment complex with a strict regulation against washing cars in the mass garage) to wash my TL myself, which means I'm gonna have to go to a retail car wash place (hands only, of course).

I've heard of horror stories where there may be a lodged pebble or two in the washcloths that end up scratching the car.. How likely is this?

Are there any other things I should look out for? Tips/ideas? Thanks!

 

i've read that some owners who brought their cars to a car wash had their rims scratched on the rails

 

I would suggest getting all of the stuff you need to do it yourself and go to one of those DIY car wash places. It'll cost you a couple of bucks in quarters, but you know it's done right (and for less). Plus, you can control the quality of the materials used.

I've been spoiled and have had a driveway most of my life, and the apartment I had for a year had 2 carwash bays. However, one day the water was off, so I loaded up my bucket, soap, towels, etc. and headed to the ghetto car wash place down the road. Cost about $2 in quarters, but the car was clean and with no questions about the quality of the job.

 

If I brought it to a car wash, it'd be a hands-only one, so no machines and no rails.. It'd be done right in broad daylight, under the beautiful California sun..

But yeah, I'm thinking I might want to just bring my own materials to a coin-op.. Or even drive it up to my permanent home in SF (50 miles though.. duuuude) and wash it there..

 

Here in Michigan, you pretty much have to resort to auto car wash in the winter... or if you insist on doing it yourself, you have to go to the DIY car wash, where they use heated water (kinda pointless, since a layer of ice/soap-ice covers the car in a matter of minutes).

I would strongly suggest finding a "touch-free" auto car wash in your area... or better yet, find a friend with a driveway, and just go over there with all your detailing supplies and a six pack for your buddy.

 

I will second that

 

Even better, unless you do not have friends or they all live in an appartment.

 

Practically all my friends live in an apartment (although in 2-7 years, I'm sure it'll all be houses..).. I'm 24, so that explains most of the reason why most of them still live in apartments themselves.. :P

 

be careful of water spots

50 miles? too far bro, by the time you get back the car is already dirty from the travel

 

My Acura dealership actually has a special building as an incentive/amenity to customers that purchase from them. It has a lounge/party room and also has a heated carwash bay. I thought this was an awesome perk, but, alas, I am so lazy I have not used it. I usually go to a local place that runs it through a wash and then has a hand detailing phase for drying and cleaning the windows, etc. They also have the ability to not touch the wheels during the wash phase. I have never had a problem with scuffed wheels or scratches from them.

 

Get a bucket, some quality towels (100%cotton with labels removed) some decent quality carwash soap, and a pocket full of quarters and go at it. It's the only way to insure you're going to get a scratch free car wash. Several years ago, my boss had his car washed at one of those charity things where kids wash cars by hand. One of the kids apparently had a dirty towel that he apparently dropped and it picked up some debris that scratched the car all over the trunk and rear quarter panel. My boss didn't notice it until several days passed and by then it was too late to get any help from the people doing the wash...they were long gone. If you want the car washed properly, do it yourself.

 

Don't wash your car under the sun. The heat will vaporize the water before you have a chance to dry it properly and leave water spots on the paint and rubber parts of the car. They're a b*tch to remove. Water spots on rubber are even close to impossible to remove.

Do it under a shade or when it's cloudy.

 

that's what I do every sunday.

 

The problem now is that I have wide rims, and I'm the only one who can wash my car. With my schedule and weather forcast it has been extremely difficult to keep this car clean. And I hate driving a dirty car!

 

I take it to Auto Pride (Hand wash) in Redwood city. They do an awesome job. I see lotta expensive cars with big ass wheels over there all the time.

 

I take my car to Auto Pride (Hand wash) in Redwood city. They do an awesome job. I see lotta expensive cars with big ass wheels over there all the time.

 

Hmm.. I'm learning some good points in here.. Yeah, I wasn't going to wash it under a blazing sunny day.. The best would really be an overcast/cloudy day...

RSA_Secure, how much does the wash cost at Auto Pride in Redwood City?

 

$>30 depending on what kinda car wash you want. I go for the basic one that costs me w/ coupon $15 . Its a quick wash where they put the car on some kinda conveyor belt (it has plastic side so they don’t scratch the wheels) and scrub the car with hands. Then they blow-dry it, wax it, clean wheels and windows, and dress the tires. But all this done fairly quickly....so this is not a thorough detailing job.

 

I'm in the same boat as you and can't wash the car where I live. There's a car detailing company that comes to our parking lot every wednesday and does a decent wash for $20. Really convenient.

 

I can offer to you my driveway.

 

TLTrance,

I think there is Auto Pride in San Jose too...

 

Move to Connecticut and you can wash it in my driveway.

 

Haha.. How about any local driveways? :P

 

Move to chicagoland and it'll be local driveway.

 

I try to hand wash my TL whenever I can. However, sometimes I don't have the time. There is a new touch less car wash a few miles from me. It does a surprisingly good job.

What I like best...besides the touch less part...is the "spot free" final rinse. I've looked carefully and I don't see any water spots, film residue, streaks.

The spot free rinse is pure...no minerals. I don't know if long term spots will develop but so far so good.