Anybody take their car to a Car Wash?
 

My driveway is under construction so I don't have a good spot to manually wash my car by hand. I just got my FRS 3 weeks ago - I wonder if a $15 car wash is sufficient.

It won't melt...Why the concern?

I'd get a touchless wash, at least. Depending on where in NE you are, Detailer's Domain is an option. They're in northern NJ.

I've heard the paint can chip

Don't unless it's an emergency. Take to hand wash or do it yourself spot.

Remember our cars have thin paint.

optimum no rinse wash and shine
https://www.amazon.com/Optimum-NR201...WG6NSJ0FGGWN38

I haven't seen a brush type in a decade. Are they still around your parts?

Good reviews. I wonder if there's a real difference with this one https://www.amazon.com/Optimum-NRWW2...ptimum+car+wax

lol how long is your driveway under construction? Mine sits under ice for 3 months without issue.

It's the entire house including the driveway

I dunno man, if you are asking about car washes you will probably be pissed at the amount of swirls you get from one pass through the swirl o matic. Id just not wash it or buy some optimum no rinse and a dozen quality microfibers. Or look up a legit detailer that can do a two bucket wash. Many of them have mobile water and all that.

Those are really the only types of car washes around my area sadly, without driving 30 or so minutes out of the way.

Do you all really only wash your car by hand? I never have time on the weekends, between trying to workout and helping my parents at their business I never have more an hour or so free at a time.

Yes I honestly only wash by hand. I have let me cars sit for months without a wash if I don't have time to do it. If I don't have time I'll at least give the glass a good clean inside and out so I have good visibility and live with the dirt on the paint.

I hate car washes.

I bought some no rinse solution, I'll mix it with some water and spray it on. We'll see if the wax is necessary.

If it's Optimum, there are two ways you can use it. You can mix it with a bucket of water (home depot buckets are great for this) and do an actual wash, or you can mix it a little stronger and use it as a quick detailer. If you're going to go the bucket route, pick up a grit guard for the bottom of it. I use ONR wash and wax as a quick wash/detailer between true hand washes, and I love it.


Also pick up some quality microfiber towels.

Doesn't matter which Optimum No Rinse wash/wax to use.
They're both excellent.

There's nothing wrong with taking your car to a touchless car wash. I'd stay away from ones that touch your car though. It's basically the same thing as pressure washing your car at home, aside for the water which they add chemicals to dry faster. After the wash, have a micro fibre cloth handy to dry off the car fully.

Better to wash all that gunk off than leaving it on tbh.

Touchless car wash's are okay. I've only gone to some on occasion but now i try to avoid them because one of my friends fr-s didn't catch the sensor correctly and was too far ahead and scratched up his front bumper bad. Needed the whole new front end painted while the car wash pretty much said it was his fault.

nope i just drive fast in the rain to let the car wash itself lol

I use a waterless wash every week in my garage. spray it on, wipe off the dirt carefully with a microfiber towel, then use a detail spray. I only wash my car with water about twice a year, where i'll also use a paint sealer and wax. keeping it clean weekly doesn't take me more than an hour.

Car wash is safe and fine to use for our cars.

I would know.. I manage one. lol

I normally bring a bucket and sponge to the self serve car wash with the wand. I'll start by spraying the car down with the high pressure soap setting, then fill the bucket up with the soap about 45 seconds before the first cycle is over, hand wash the car after the first session is over, and then start a new cycle with the high pressure rinse/spot free rinse, and finally finish it all off with some spray wax and a clean chamois. It usually only runs me about five or six bucks, and takes about 15 minutes.

I take a wash mitt and bucket to car wash. Use one cycle to powerwash with clean water (I wouldn't use the soap at carwashes... much too harsh, and will strip wax right off the car). At end of cycle i fill the bucket with water. Then add my own soap, hand soap with mitt, and run another powerwash cycle followed by rinse cycle. Drying with waffleweave is most effective i find (but chamois is fine too).

Then I drive 60mph+ on the ride home to get the water out of the little crevices and things :)

When in doubt, find a Self-Serve/DIY car wash. (The kind that are usually coin operated and basically give you a power washer with a foam cannon)

They're the ideal in a scenario like this and if you're lucky some places offer unlimited setups with them with a membership card for as little as $25/month.

Avoid the "hands-free" machine washes that use spinning equipment especially in more "rural" areas. I.E. Where I'm in Maine people take their trucks mudding and then run them through machine washes ALL the time. Going through there is like giving your car a coarse grit sanding.

it can chip and scratch paint and also leaves soap new trunk lid so dont even bother. pull into one of those manual car wash stations, theyre a way better alternative

Depends on your color. My 04 WRX platinum silver has held up well with 13 years of car washes. But swirls are harder to see on silver. My black Acura MDX does not look as nice. The BRZ has not seen the car wash, but will likely this winter. For now just the DIY place.