Scratches from Auto car wash

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Many people say that dirt from cars that sticks to the soft cloths in the car wash machines may scratch the next car.

However the manager at a local auto car wash said it's ice on the soft cloths in the dead of winter that might scratch cars. Only the prep hoses are heated water everything else is cold water.

Comments?
 
In the winter, I either wash it myself in my heated garage... or it goes through the touchless automatic, that also sprays underneath.

Never a car wash that touches the paint.
 
Stay away from them at any cost. Unless you don’t care about the car finish
 
I only go in the winter basically to get the salt off body and under the car on frame. I also go to touchless sometimes, but the undercar spray is typically much better at the "soft cloth automatic" car wash.
 
Go to the quarter car wash, bring your buckets, soap, and mit. Use the bay for their pressure washer and enclosed heated environment. You might get a few stares, but more so folks who inquire why you are doing what you are. It's a teachable moment if you care for that.
 
I haven't run a car of mine through a car wash in over a decade. There are too many other ways for the car to get scratched, not going through a car wash removes one of those ways from the list.
 
A very reliable source told me that automatic car washes hasten the clouding and yellowing of headlight lenses. I cannot confirm that because I have never used automatic car washes. Since one of the ways headlight lenses start deteriorating is through the wearing off of the factory UV block it does make logical sense.

Can anyone corroborate this?
 
Originally Posted By: ZebRuaj
Go to the quarter car wash, bring your buckets, soap, and mit. Use the bay for their pressure washer and enclosed heated environment. You might get a few stares, but more so folks who inquire why you are doing what you are. It's a teachable moment if you care for that.
heated?
 
Originally Posted By: ZebRuaj
Go to the quarter car wash, bring your buckets, soap, and mit. Use the bay for their pressure washer and enclosed heated environment. You might get a few stares, but more so folks who inquire why you are doing what you are. It's a teachable moment if you care for that.


Apparently you've never been asked to leave the car wash for doing this. I've been asked to leave the car wash twice trying to do that.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Many people say that dirt from cars that sticks to the soft cloths in the car wash machines may scratch the next car.

However the manager at a local auto car wash said it's ice on the soft cloths in the dead of winter that might scratch cars. Only the prep hoses are heated water everything else is cold water.

Comments?


Likely true but he failed to mention it scratches the paint in all seasons. When I detailed for a living those car washes were my best friend. I made a good living machine polishing the marring they caused.
 
Originally Posted By: anndel
I go to the one Fred Flintstone goes to with elephants and monkeys washing my car, not machines.


That's pretty good.
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: RTexasF
Originally Posted By: Donald
Many people say that dirt from cars that sticks to the soft cloths in the car wash machines may scratch the next car.

However the manager at a local auto car wash said it's ice on the soft cloths in the dead of winter that might scratch cars. Only the prep hoses are heated water everything else is cold water.

Comments?


Likely true but he failed to mention it scratches the paint in all seasons. When I detailed for a living those car washes were my best friend. I made a good living machine polishing the marring they caused.


Correct, even the so called "toothless" car washes aren't much better. You're at the mercy of the filtration system that recycles the water, and the towel boys that do a final wipe down at many locations using dirty towels. I stay clear.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
and the towel boys that do a final wipe down at many locations using dirty towels. I stay clear.


I avoid that washes that have the towel drying people at the end. Even read an article about it years ago that said to skip these reaffirming what I believed. Plus the pressure they exert on the car's paint while drying. No wonder it leaves damage.

Many washes will have a spot free rinse combined with a good, heated blowers at the end. Then I can go over it with a plush MF towel and some detailer. Voila!

With a good sealant that's been allowed to properly cure and an ipa wipe down prior to a sealant being applied I'm amazed at how good the car looks with just a spray down from the diy wash. Only $2 for a few minutes and focus mainly on the lower half of the car. Quick and easy way to get rid of the salt spray.
 
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