Guys we all know that our cars are going to take a beating, especially during the winter months in colder climate areas. Do any of you have a car wash at your Acura dealer? I live in Chicago and I go to McGrath Acura of Morton Grove. They have a soft cloth car wash. I have ran my car through it a couple of times and I am very particular with my car. So far so good. Do you guys think that the dealer has a good car wash or not? Do any of you Chicago TL ers go to McGrath of Morton Grove and use the car wash during the winter? Suggestions please.

Thanks

If I had a black car no way. Softcloth automatic washes + black or even dark blue = swirl marks from hell. But, I have an ASM and go to my dealer's wash almost every weekend.

I also tell my dealer with respect that absolutely do not run my vehicle thru their car wash no matter how dirty my car is.

Morande Acura in CT usually hand washes the car if you turn it in for service. It was done several times with no problems on the 03 that we used to have..I haven't had to go in for service for the 08 yet

I specifically tell the service tech "DO NOT WASH THE CAR" and they abide by it.

Doesn't matter how nice the car wash is, it's the guys drying them off and having rocks in the drying towels. That happened to my 05 NBP. Whole ass end of the car form rear doors back had to be buffed out.

Put a sign on the dash of your car in English and maybe Spanish "DO NOT WASH"

the best car wash is a 'Wash it yourself' wash.

Dealer car washes are great .. I get a lot of business out of them .. some paid by the owner .. some by the dealer ...

+1

Never again will I ever let the dealer wash my car! I did it twice. The first time it looked worse than when it went in. No attention to detail! Second, I was able to peek while they were washing. The guys that were drying, used the same rag on the body that they used on the wheels. That is a BIG NO NO for me!

Like mentioned before......The safest wash is washing it yourself.....because there is no attention to detail when someone else is washing your ride.....
But during the winter I go through a regular car wash....since I don't have a dark color it doesn't hurt it too much.......

Are these Acura car washes free? I know they do it at the dealership where I leased my TL but I thought it was only after service.

+1. I even tell them if they spill any oil, do not clean it off!

+1

Although I've heard that the car wash at Kearny Mesa Acura is fine, I always specify a "no wash" every time I visit my dealer.

I go thru hand wash only car washes, no machines used at all, except those heat dryers.

But I still get some freaken marks that I have to compound out, and I have WDP.

There is just not way I'm washing my car in this freezing weather.

When I had NBP, the car washes would leave a swirl galore on my car, which I would spend a weekend claybaring it out, it was not fun...thus I went with WDP, I became a lazy mofo.

Were these brush car washes, or brushless? There is a car wash down the road from me that's brushless. Just uses soap and high powered spray water. I can't imagine that would leave swirl marks? Now I also know it doesn't compeltely clean the car, but in the winter it helps.

No, they are actually called Handwashed..... basically 4 persons wear those big soapy foamy gloves, and they go into every nook and cranny, so it is actually hand washed.

I just need to teach them how to dry the damn car. If I'm not my area and I need a wash, I will go to places where I see a lot of high end cars.

I usually have DO NOT WASH on my service order, but last time she was filthy and I had them do it - came out very nice, they hand wash all of the cars & interior

My problem with the McGrath car wash is that every time I go it is closed. On the rare day that it is open it seems to be fine on my NBP.

It seems that the best way to keep it looking good is to take it to someone who cares, and unfortunately the only person who REALLY cares about your car is yourself.

I'd like to see if there was anyone out there who took the car to car wash, dealer or professional consistently, and has a great looking car, WITHOUT having to pay an arm and a leg.

Putting it just on the service order doesn't mean that it won't get washed. I know, told them not to wash they did, see my post above.

Words of wisdom here if you're someone who is particular about his/her car.

I have only been back to the dealer once in the last 4 years. Then, I had him write in BIG BOLD LETTERS: DO NOT WASH.

But my car is black and I live in Florida where I can wash it myself anytime.

Xpditor, my reply to you involves a few expletives..@#@$@#..arghhh!

stop rubbing it in, lol. Next TL meet at Xpditor house, free wash

+1

We're on Phase III water restrictions so it will have to be between 8PM and 8AM on a Thursday.

I never let acura wash my car! Actually when i got my car the first day they had a hugeee towel mark on the hood....they had to buff it out....sucked...but i never let them wash..no matter what

I bought my car from McGrath in Morton Grove in April. I bring my car to a hand car wash or it do it myself most of the time, but when i don't feel like spending the money or i just don't have the time, i have been known to run my car thru their wash. It is one of the nicer, cleaner washes (although, it is still a touch-wash) and i like the way you can watch the car go through it. However, i have noticed on several occasions, my car having swirl marks when it comes out and the guys have dried it. They were not deep, so i was able to buff them out.

Basically, it is a decent "between washes" stop, however it definately never comes out looking "new" or "detailed". That's what do-it-yourself and professional detailers are for. I bring it to McGrath every 2 or 3 days just to get the salt off during the winter, but i plan on doing a complete detailing/buffing in the spring to make up for the swirl marks.

IMHO, use it now while it is cold as a convenience. Don't rely on it as your primary wash!

woah. As it's winter time, I go through a Laser car wash that uses jet/air sprays ONLY. No fabrics touching my car period. In the summer, I'll use my own fabrics and handwash. The main reason I use the car wash in the winter is for the undercarriage cleaning. Plus it's cold out...

I'm curious, do automatic carwashes scratch wheels with low profile tires?

This subject has been discussed in a couple threads already, you can search on it.

BTW your dealer; Acura of Morton Grove SUCKS!!!!!!! Search on why I say that too. I wouldn't go there for an air valve cap. And you let them run your car through their carwash? Trust me, even if there is a hairline of a scratch they WILL NEVER claim responsibilty. They are crooks!!!

I just had to put that out there for the 1000th time. They suck!

I've been patiently leaving this thread open, but.....

We have a specialized forum for WASH & WAX I suggest that you start a thread with your question over there. (We are not able to move threads between forums.)

You will find more detailed info about car washes and their caveats there.

Our low profile tires do not offer protection against scraping the rims when the car goes through car washes with a metal wheel guide.