Hand Car Wash? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

BlackWednesday · 06-24-2014, 03:47 AM

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum here and I'm also a new owner to a Fr-s. I only have it almost a month now. I have a few questions if you know any hand car wash place you trust in Seattle area, anywhere along I-5. It can go as far north as Lynnwood or down south to Tukwila. I know that washing the car yourself is the best solution, but I live in an apartment in downtown Seattle. There's no place to do so. (I park in a covered monthly garage).

There's also a car wash service the dealership offers. What do you think of that? I'm also searching on Yelp as well. But it'd be nice to hear other suggestions too. Thanks a lot everyone!

Kay

myusernameisrob · 06-24-2014, 04:54 AM

Your best bet is to find a self-serve coin operated car wash and bring your own sponge. 99% of the car washes, unless at a detail shop, will end up leaving scratches and swirls all over your car.

Get some clay bar, spray wax, and microfiber towels from the auto store or Walmart and take care of it yourself within 20 minutes.

Ragua007 · 06-24-2014, 01:44 PM

I agree with @yoitsrob and don't take it to the dealer. They usually don't hand wash and also don't dry it either (at least at Vancouver Toyota), so they leave water spots all over. I had them do it once and never went back.

ramiram1984 · 06-24-2014, 02:04 PM

Wash yourself.

John.Hong · 06-24-2014, 02:52 PM

There is a detail shop, Eco Car Cafe. Located in Bellevue downtown and Northgate. Not only are they eco friendly but they are washing and detailings cars with innovation. Especially the amount of water, or rather lack of water they use per car. They steam wash the car. I would highly suggest anyone to check them out. Superior car wash and even better customer service.

bodayguy · 06-24-2014, 05:58 PM

I wash my own at a car wash in Lynnwood. $4 in quarters. You get WAY better results yourself and can dry it properly. As someone above suggested, just spend some $$ on proper towels and some speed shine spray, etc.

Tommysfrs · 06-24-2014, 08:22 PM

I've had pretty good luck at Wilsonville Scion, they have hand wash and dry my FR-S without any swirl marks the couple times they washed it. But I hand wash and dry my car expect the two times the dealer did.

BlackWednesday · 06-25-2014, 06:08 AM

Thank you @yoitsrob and everybody. To tell you the truth, I never hand washed my own car, not even with the old XB... But I guess this time I have to do it now. Gotta break the sweat.

myusernameisrob · 06-25-2014, 01:25 PM

Make sure you bring your own sponge if you're using those coin operated self-serve washes. The brushes they provide at those places will ruin your paint.

What color is your new FR-S?

cowdog360 · 06-25-2014, 01:31 PM

If you get a bottle of optimum no rinse car wash, it works amazing. You can wash your car without rinsing, and just a single bucket.

BlackWednesday · 06-29-2014, 11:28 PM

@yoitsrob, mine is Raven.

My best options right now are either make an appointment for a hand car wash at the dealership (Lake City) where I bought the car from or the Eco Car Wash at Northgate mall. I met Duane, the detail guy at the dealership when I brought my car in for Paintguard and he seems to know what he's doing. So we'll see how fast I can make that happen. It's going to be nice dry week this week. My poor car is not looking so good from these past days now. Haha

06-24-2014, 03:47 AM	#1
BlackWednesday Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Drives: 2014 Fr-S Monogram Series Raven Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 20 Thanks: 11 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Hand Car Wash? Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum here and I'm also a new owner to a Fr-s. I only have it almost a month now. I have a few questions if you know any hand car wash place you trust in Seattle area, anywhere along I-5. It can go as far north as Lynnwood or down south to Tukwila. I know that washing the car yourself is the best solution, but I live in an apartment in downtown Seattle. There's no place to do so. (I park in a covered monthly garage). There's also a car wash service the dealership offers. What do you think of that? I'm also searching on Yelp as well. But it'd be nice to hear other suggestions too. Thanks a lot everyone! Kay

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06-24-2014, 04:54 AM	#2
myusernameisrob Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Drives: FR-Z Location: WA Posts: 198 Thanks: 0 Thanked 99 Times in 50 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Your best bet is to find a self-serve coin operated car wash and bring your own sponge. 99% of the car washes, unless at a detail shop, will end up leaving scratches and swirls all over your car. Get some clay bar, spray wax, and microfiber towels from the auto store or Walmart and take care of it yourself within 20 minutes.

06-24-2014, 02:52 PM	#5
John.Hong Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: 2013 Ultramarine Frs Location: Washington Posts: 125 Thanks: 80 Thanked 35 Times in 21 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	There is a detail shop, Eco Car Cafe. Located in Bellevue downtown and Northgate. Not only are they eco friendly but they are washing and detailings cars with innovation. Especially the amount of water, or rather lack of water they use per car. They steam wash the car. I would highly suggest anyone to check them out. Superior car wash and even better customer service.

06-24-2014, 05:58 PM	#6
bodayguy Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Drives: 2016 MX-5 Club Location: Seattle Posts: 79 Thanks: 0 Thanked 21 Times in 12 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I wash my own at a car wash in Lynnwood. $4 in quarters. You get WAY better results yourself and can dry it properly. As someone above suggested, just spend some $$ on proper towels and some speed shine spray, etc.

06-25-2014, 06:08 AM	#8
BlackWednesday Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Drives: 2014 Fr-S Monogram Series Raven Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 20 Thanks: 11 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thank you @yoitsrob and everybody. To tell you the truth, I never hand washed my own car, not even with the old XB... But I guess this time I have to do it now. Gotta break the sweat.

06-25-2014, 01:25 PM	#9
myusernameisrob Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Drives: FR-Z Location: WA Posts: 198 Thanks: 0 Thanked 99 Times in 50 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Make sure you bring your own sponge if you're using those coin operated self-serve washes. The brushes they provide at those places will ruin your paint. What color is your new FR-S?

06-25-2014, 01:31 PM	#10
cowdog360 Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Drives: 2014 BRZ Limited Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 84 Thanks: 2 Thanked 23 Times in 20 Posts Mentioned: 12 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you get a bottle of optimum no rinse car wash, it works amazing. You can wash your car without rinsing, and just a single bucket.

06-29-2014, 11:28 PM	#11
BlackWednesday Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Drives: 2014 Fr-S Monogram Series Raven Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 20 Thanks: 11 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	@yoitsrob, mine is Raven. My best options right now are either make an appointment for a hand car wash at the dealership (Lake City) where I bought the car from or the Eco Car Wash at Northgate mall. I met Duane, the detail guy at the dealership when I brought my car in for Paintguard and he seems to know what he's doing. So we'll see how fast I can make that happen. It's going to be nice dry week this week. My poor car is not looking so good from these past days now. Haha

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