Car Wash
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Clark, NJ
Car Wash Since I am at college and do not have acess to a hose to was my Camaro SS, I was wondering if any of you have taken a F-Body with T-tops to a car wash. I dont want to ruin th interior or the seals on teh t-tops, but the car is starting to get dirtier than I like. Tanks in advance for all the help.
Re: Car Wash I took my 2001 Z-28 through a touchless carwash here. I was put in the same delima as u were. It worked fine and didn't leak or anything. But I agree....carwashes are EVIL....laterz <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Re: Car Wash I worked at one for a week, a **** load of f, y, and prowlers came through, even and excusion limo <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> didnt mess any of em up. The only thing is when they come out of the tunnel watch your car, somtimes a jack *** think it would be funny to rev your engine or spin your tires (the bastards) anything else you wana know about a car wash just ask <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />
TECH Veteran
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,469
Likes: 3
From: NW Houston
Re: Car Wash Find a self-help car wash, that offers pressure washers. Take your supplies with you. Do not take it to an automatic car wash. Trust me, and everyone else who cares about their cars! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
Re: Car Wash Car washes . . . Tough one.
Touchless: Although sound great, but in the long run are more harmfull than soft cloth, to get your car clean they use ETREMELY harsh chemicals that strip your car of every ounce of wax. Think about it, how can you get a car clean by just spraying water and soap on it???? I took my daily driver through one for an entire winter, and come spring the finish was very sad.
Touch - Less, a new term in auto washes. Still a soft cloth, but they touch you car less. Do a decent job.
Softcloth - Work well, but things do touch your car. They can reak havock with antennas, so take them off.
I now take my daily driver to a softcloth wash, typically Turle Wax. Couple things to remember, ask if they have retractable white wall brushes, if they do make sure they are retracted, they can be nasty to alum wheels.
Another thought is check out some detail shops for prices on hand washes.
Fact of life sometimes we have to take or cars though auto washes, just find good ones, and try to hit them at off hours when they are not super busy.
Touchless: Although sound great, but in the long run are more harmfull than soft cloth, to get your car clean they use ETREMELY harsh chemicals that strip your car of every ounce of wax. Think about it, how can you get a car clean by just spraying water and soap on it???? I took my daily driver through one for an entire winter, and come spring the finish was very sad.
Touch - Less, a new term in auto washes. Still a soft cloth, but they touch you car less. Do a decent job.
Softcloth - Work well, but things do touch your car. They can reak havock with antennas, so take them off.
I now take my daily driver to a softcloth wash, typically Turle Wax. Couple things to remember, ask if they have retractable white wall brushes, if they do make sure they are retracted, they can be nasty to alum wheels.
Another thought is check out some detail shops for prices on hand washes.
Fact of life sometimes we have to take or cars though auto washes, just find good ones, and try to hit them at off hours when they are not super busy.
Re: Car Wash Carwashes suck ***! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />
Here's how I did it when I was at college keeping my '84 Hurst/Olds looking good and clean all winter.
1. Get a bucket.
2. Get a wash mit and some car soap.
3. Get a California Waterblade.
4. Get an Absorber.
5. Get a pocketfull of quarters.
6. Go to a do-it-yourself wash bay.
7. Ignore the "NO BUCKETS" sign.
8. Just buy the rinse cycle, wet the car and make up some soapy water in the bucket. (Don't use their soap cycle. It's too harsh)
9. Hand wash the entire car. (The water is usually warm.)
10. Buy another rinse cyle to rinse the car and clean out your bucket and wash mit. (Add quarters to lengthen your time if you need it. Keep the quarters by the money unit, not in your pocket.)
11. Remove most of the water on the car with the water blade. (Keeps your hands dry.)
12. Touch up the drips and missed areas with the Absorber.
13. Spray your tires with tire shine.
14. Done! You have the cleanest car in town and you were A MAN but didn't have to freeze your hands too badly. Total cost a couple-few bucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" />
Here's how I did it when I was at college keeping my '84 Hurst/Olds looking good and clean all winter.
1. Get a bucket.
2. Get a wash mit and some car soap.
3. Get a California Waterblade.
4. Get an Absorber.
5. Get a pocketfull of quarters.
6. Go to a do-it-yourself wash bay.
7. Ignore the "NO BUCKETS" sign.
8. Just buy the rinse cycle, wet the car and make up some soapy water in the bucket. (Don't use their soap cycle. It's too harsh)
9. Hand wash the entire car. (The water is usually warm.)
10. Buy another rinse cyle to rinse the car and clean out your bucket and wash mit. (Add quarters to lengthen your time if you need it. Keep the quarters by the money unit, not in your pocket.)
11. Remove most of the water on the car with the water blade. (Keeps your hands dry.)
12. Touch up the drips and missed areas with the Absorber.
13. Spray your tires with tire shine.
14. Done! You have the cleanest car in town and you were A MAN but didn't have to freeze your hands too badly. Total cost a couple-few bucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" />
Trending Topics
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,640
Likes: 0
From: Austin, Tx.
Re: Car Wash </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Mark IXZD 150:
<strong>Carwashes suck ***! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />
Here's how I did it when I was at college keeping my '84 Hurst/Olds looking good and clean all winter.
1. Get a bucket.
2. Get a wash mit and some car soap.
3. Get a California Waterblade.
4. Get an Absorber.
5. Get a pocketfull of quarters.
6. Go to a do-it-yourself wash bay.
7. Ignore the "NO BUCKETS" sign.
8. Just buy the rinse cycle, wet the car and make up some soapy water in the bucket. (Don't use their soap cycle. It's too harsh)
9. Hand wash the entire car. (The water is usually warm.)
10. Buy another rinse cyle to rinse the car and clean out your bucket and wash mit. (Add quarters to lengthen your time if you need it. Keep the quarters by the money unit, not in your pocket.)
11. Remove most of the water on the car with the water blade. (Keeps your hands dry.)
12. Touch up the drips and missed areas with the Absorber.
13. Spray your tires with tire shine.
14. Done! You have the cleanest car in town and you were A MAN but didn't have to freeze your hands too badly. Total cost a couple-few bucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I live in an apt and that is EXACTLY what I do. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
<strong>Carwashes suck ***! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />
Here's how I did it when I was at college keeping my '84 Hurst/Olds looking good and clean all winter.
1. Get a bucket.
2. Get a wash mit and some car soap.
3. Get a California Waterblade.
4. Get an Absorber.
5. Get a pocketfull of quarters.
6. Go to a do-it-yourself wash bay.
7. Ignore the "NO BUCKETS" sign.
8. Just buy the rinse cycle, wet the car and make up some soapy water in the bucket. (Don't use their soap cycle. It's too harsh)
9. Hand wash the entire car. (The water is usually warm.)
10. Buy another rinse cyle to rinse the car and clean out your bucket and wash mit. (Add quarters to lengthen your time if you need it. Keep the quarters by the money unit, not in your pocket.)
11. Remove most of the water on the car with the water blade. (Keeps your hands dry.)
12. Touch up the drips and missed areas with the Absorber.
13. Spray your tires with tire shine.
14. Done! You have the cleanest car in town and you were A MAN but didn't have to freeze your hands too badly. Total cost a couple-few bucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I live in an apt and that is EXACTLY what I do. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
TECH Resident
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 940
Likes: 0
From: Westminster, MD
Re: Car Wash Save the hassle of the DIY car wash. If it is anything like it is here, the wash *****, I mean the attendants, get really pissy about buckets. Go to the grocery store and pick up 4 gallons of spring water. Optionally, raid the water cooler supply in your dorm. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> Then wash as normal. That's how I coped through the drought.
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
Re: Car Wash I use to work at the biggest carwash chain in Houston. We usually do well over 1000 cars on a sunny Saturday and ~800 or so on any sunny day of the week. I washed my car in the automatic carwash all the time. Since they were free. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> Generally the only thing that the carwash did not do well for me is to clean my wheels. There is something wrong with the finish of my wheels I can't even get them perfectly clean and I have used all types of cleaners on them. I like using a carwash because when the car comes out of the tunnel it is going to be dry for the most part. The only areas that it doesn't dry is where you can open up the car at.
I know of many people that never wash their own cars at home and only used the carwash that I worked at and there arent any swirlmarks what so ever on the paint and so forth. I dunno where you people have the idea that a carwash is bad... The ones that I have used have done a really good job on my car and I will continue to use them... since I have about 50 free carwash coupons and all <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
I know of many people that never wash their own cars at home and only used the carwash that I worked at and there arent any swirlmarks what so ever on the paint and so forth. I dunno where you people have the idea that a carwash is bad... The ones that I have used have done a really good job on my car and I will continue to use them... since I have about 50 free carwash coupons and all <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Re: Car Wash The problem with automatic carwashes is that most of the people who use them wait too long and their cars are completely gunked up with salt, grime, and grit. Tons of it! The car wash cloth straps or brushes drag across and remove the dirt. Where does it go? Well a lot of it gets rinsed away but a lot of it stays in the car wash straps and brushes and gets dragged across your paint finish. NO THANKS! The grit will leave swirl marks over time and the soaps they use are too harsh. I won't even comment on their "wax" rinse cycle. Talk about a scam. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: GA
Re: Car Wash I wont ever use a car wash again (on my black ss) It only took one time on my nice finish to make me hate those evil car washes, however thats probably just because its a black car.I did have a red z28 and i used the community wash every once in a while and it still looked good. If i had a truck and went mudding i would go to the car wash! <img border="0" alt="[Fluffy]" title="" src="graemlins/fluffy.gif" />
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,399
Likes: 0
From: katy, tx
Re: Car Wash There is another option!!! If you live in a dorm or apartment, I know you have a sink and a window, right? Then get yourself a water hose and a attachment for your faucet to hook up a water hose, you know the ones they make for filling waterbeds? Yep, that's the ticket:
1.) water hose adapter
2.) water hose
3.) spray nozzle
Now that wasn't too hard was it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
1.) water hose adapter
2.) water hose
3.) spray nozzle
Now that wasn't too hard was it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
10 Second Club
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 0
From: ATLANTA
Re: Car Wash I have never hand washed my car, I have only used the automatic gas station car washes, does wonders, i just wash my wheels by hand. I dont see them being that bad. Just my .02 though.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville TN
Re: Car Wash i have read in my owners manuel or a car magazine, i can not remember which, where it said that if you have a car with ttops do not use the touch free automatic car washes. these use such high power water jets to clean off cars they will eventually cause your ttops to leak. i do just what everybody else has to do if they live at college or in an apartment. i use the bucket method at the self serve car washes.
eidt: i just checked my owners manuel, and it says in ch.6 pg. 58 "High pressure car washes may cause water to enter your vehicle"
dustin
<small>[ December 07, 2002, 05:37 PM: Message edited by: spdracer ]</small>
eidt: i just checked my owners manuel, and it says in ch.6 pg. 58 "High pressure car washes may cause water to enter your vehicle"
dustin
<small>[ December 07, 2002, 05:37 PM: Message edited by: spdracer ]</small>
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 644
Likes: 0
From: Sugarland , TX
Re: Car Wash </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Mark IXZD 150:
<strong>Carwashes suck ***! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />
Here's how I did it when I was at college keeping my '84 Hurst/Olds looking good and clean all winter.
1. Get a bucket.
2. Get a wash mit and some car soap.
3. Get a California Waterblade.
4. Get an Absorber.
5. Get a pocketfull of quarters.
6. Go to a do-it-yourself wash bay.
7. Ignore the "NO BUCKETS" sign.
8. Just buy the rinse cycle, wet the car and make up some soapy water in the bucket. (Don't use their soap cycle. It's too harsh)
9. Hand wash the entire car. (The water is usually warm.)
10. Buy another rinse cyle to rinse the car and clean out your bucket and wash mit. (Add quarters to lengthen your time if you need it. Keep the quarters by the money unit, not in your pocket.)
11. Remove most of the water on the car with the water blade. (Keeps your hands dry.)
12. Touch up the drips and missed areas with the Absorber.
13. Spray your tires with tire shine.
14. Done! You have the cleanest car in town and you were A MAN but didn't have to freeze your hands too badly. Total cost a couple-few bucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">this is the exact method i use in the winter and i live in houston <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> 40 degree weather sucks when your hands are wet.
<strong>Carwashes suck ***! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />
Here's how I did it when I was at college keeping my '84 Hurst/Olds looking good and clean all winter.
1. Get a bucket.
2. Get a wash mit and some car soap.
3. Get a California Waterblade.
4. Get an Absorber.
5. Get a pocketfull of quarters.
6. Go to a do-it-yourself wash bay.
7. Ignore the "NO BUCKETS" sign.
8. Just buy the rinse cycle, wet the car and make up some soapy water in the bucket. (Don't use their soap cycle. It's too harsh)
9. Hand wash the entire car. (The water is usually warm.)
10. Buy another rinse cyle to rinse the car and clean out your bucket and wash mit. (Add quarters to lengthen your time if you need it. Keep the quarters by the money unit, not in your pocket.)
11. Remove most of the water on the car with the water blade. (Keeps your hands dry.)
12. Touch up the drips and missed areas with the Absorber.
13. Spray your tires with tire shine.
14. Done! You have the cleanest car in town and you were A MAN but didn't have to freeze your hands too badly. Total cost a couple-few bucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">this is the exact method i use in the winter and i live in houston <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> 40 degree weather sucks when your hands are wet.