KissMySilvSS Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 I was wondering about high pressure washing of vehicles. IE) Automatic touchless car washes. Are they safe for our vehicles? I have never had my truck at college before, but now that I do, it just seems easier to go through the touchless wash and then dry it off using my chamois. The truck has always been hand washed and I am very picky about scratches and swirls. Of course, there are SEVERAL coats of Zaino on the truck at all times ! I don't intend on driving the truck/using these washing methods during the winter as I will be parking the truck in my heated/climate controlled storage, but I want the truck to look good for the time being! So what are the dangers (if any) of high power touchless washing? Please if you can refer me to websites and give me hard knowledge about this, not I think this or I think that. I have been looking all over and have gotten mixed results. Thanks! Teddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 My experience with the laser wash has been 50/50, it all depends on the operator of the facility. I'll use one if I go longer than 3 weeks and get desperate between wash jobs. I've never gotten any scratches, that's the good news. But it doesn't get the truck sparkling clean either. It will get the dirt off (mostly) but bugs and tar are still there and there's always a soap film left behind that doesn't get completely rinsed off. On one occasion the car wash failed and there was no rinse at all, so I had to leave covered in soap and even though I only lived a few blocks away by the time I got home it was dried on and I had to wash it all off the truck with Dawn anyway. Mr. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim_Smoker Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 We had a fully automatic car-wash place built near where my roomy works. I went through it one day, payed 12 bucks for the whole nine yards (actually gets washed twice for the full price wash) etc. Admired the pretty rainbow colored soap as it was sprayed on twice and rinsed away, avoided the dryers as I figured I'd dry it myself. Pulled around front and parked it. Turns out they built the frigin place backwards...The way you go through it, it's pitched downward, it was supposed to be built so you went IN the way you now come OUT so that all the water would run out the back of your bed and whatnot. But as it is...the entire back of my cab, front of the bed, and back of my tailgate were completely covered in soap still, and when I drove out throught the high pressure blow-dryers, it sprayed the soap EVERYWHERE. I grabbed the attendant and had him look at it, he said "Ok I'll let you go through for a rinse free" which of course didn't help at all. I demanded my money back and never went there again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smit Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 I don't know of any dangers, but I think they do a crap job. I use them only in the dead of winter to knock the SALT deposits off. Other than that, they are worthless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KissMySilvSS Posted September 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 I agree that they do a sub-par job as all of you are saying. I keep my truck clean at all times, no bugs or mud, but as it sits around in the parking lot through the rain, etc I figured that the car wash would be a faster way. The only real thing I was worried about was scratching, swirls, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holty Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 I don't know of any dangers, but I think they do a crap job. I use them only in the dead of winter to knock the SALT deposits off. Other than that, they are worthless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSThunder Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 I don't know of any dangers, but I think they do a crap job. I use them only in the dead of winter to knock the SALT deposits off. Other than that, they are worthless. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> <{POST_SNAPBACK}> They don't clean worth a crap but I will use one every now and then if I feel lazy and the truck hasn't been cleaned in awhile. I've never heard of anyone getting swirl marks from the touchless system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psher481 Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 well...i would rather go to the touchless than do what i did the other day i went to the DIY (figured id get a quick wash in) and get home and the freaking POS hose left tiny scratches/swirls on the quarter panels, im sure i can get them to go away with some coats of wax but its such a pita...lesson learned i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KissMySilvSS Posted September 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 Yeah, when I go to the DIY, I always bring my own soap and soft mitt, because almost always those brushes are covered in dirt/stones/grime. It makes me cringe just thinking about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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