My car is filthy and I just can't be bothered to clean it at the moment, but I've never been through an automated car wash as a driver.
Do they really scratch your car (like everyone tells me)? How much do they cost (in London)? Do they clean the hubcaps too?
Any advice appreciated.
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I would rather have a filthy car.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 3 Feb 11 at 22:56
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I use the old thrashing rollers to do mine. Cheapest wash is basic at £1.99 here....I wouldn't unroll the hose for that.
I've never checked for scratching but the Note seems all right. The Vitara's scratched and battered anyway.
Both have alloys so I move the car a foot forward after the roller has finished on the back.
It seems to clean all the ' spokes ' doing that.
Ted
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I've experience of a few cars being scratched at 'hand car washes', but none at 'thrashing roller' places. In both cases I'd opt for the basic job, as you don't know what chemicals they're using or waxes that the latter can smear on your windscreen.
I do my own with a brush on the end of a hose.
I do occasionally use a pressure washer on my fifty-quid-off-road KIA, but only from a distance to remove mud when it's inches thick. I wouldn't recommend these for car washing, I've seen them strip paint!
Last edited by: bathtub tom {p} on Thu 3 Feb 11 at 23:08
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remove aerial if handbook says you should and buy the best programme you can afford
its so good coming out the other side with an ultra clean car on a sunday morning
nip up the paper shop for the old sunday times (im a new man these days) and back to the house for feet up bacon butty and a reight good read
luvly.......
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Yup, BB...very civilised behaviour. Our paper gets delivered but I can nip to the wash whilst Madame is fettling the breakfast and the cafetiere is brewing. I top up the fuel and get her 20 Silk Cut while I'm out.
The aerial unscrews off the Note roof but the Vit's is in the A post and doesn't retract any more. I just open the door, pull the end of the aerial in and trap it. Seems safe enough but I have a cloth to stop the bit of water that gets through from going on me Sunday best
Ted
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Here you go this is how to do it.:::::
Water over car let it soak in for 2 mins.
Wash and wax in bucket with warm water and sponge.
Wash car from roof down and the rinse off.
Now wheels wash and rinse and wheel arches too.
Rollers NO, Illegal imigrants washing my car NO.
Just plain old elbow grease and the hose pipe. :-)
The £5.00 saved buy a kebab.
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If i couldn't do it myself for some reason, i'd go for a contact-less foam wash. The drive through roller mop things leave swirl marks in your paint and the gritty sponges that drop on the ground all the time at hand washes do even worse.
9 months on, not a single swirl mark, cobweb or rds.
Spray pre-wash round the lower body panels and leave while doing the wheels with shampoo+wax in one, soft wheel brush & mf wash mitt.
Pressure washer thorough rinse starting from the top down. Wash with a plush lambswool mitt and the old rolls royce 2 bucket method with a good quality shampoo (no wax). Hose down rinse then dry by laying on (dabbed if needed but never wiped) a large deep pile microfibre drying towel.
Top up the wax coat if it needs it.
In the summer i nip round with quick detailer and an MF cloth before setting off. Winter i hose it every couple of days, but it's more or less perm manky right now despite my best efforts!
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Can't say I've ever noticed swirl marks. Can't say I've ever looked closely.
I'm of the opinion that if I'm not bothered, then nobody else will be. I never look at other folks cars that closely.
When trade in time comes, I don't think it will affect the deal one iota. It's only a paper calculation after all.
Ted
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Some of the modern swirly brush washes have strips of sponge instead of bristles.
Should be less likely to mark the paint, but I've never used one.
(Sits back and waits for sarky remark about the CC3's roof leaking...hold on, there might not be one because Zero's not been posting.)
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I sometimes use a Tesco one. As iffy says it's more swirly lengths of foam than bristles. Have I noticed swirl marks? No. Are there some chips to paint? Yes... and the first was after visiting a local car wash centre (hands on type).
So I'd either wash at home or use a car wash now... But the cheap wash is fine... the others use wax and therefore cause problems for the windscreen visibility when you use the wipers. Said above I know.
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Last car wash I used ripped the passenger door mirror off. Not used one since for any of my own cars.
I put the work van through now and again - mainly when the white colour has changed to black.
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Thanks for all the input so far. I wonder if anybody has used one of these...
www.imocarwash.com/gb/index.aspx
There is one near me, so could be worth a try. I'd only have the basic wash, not sure how much that would be (I hate lack of transparency with prices).
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There's one close to me SS and we have used it occasionally when we've been pushed for time.
It does a very good job, is always busy and I've never heard of any complaints which in the sleepy back wood of Fenland would have made the local press!
The prices are displayed clearly on the approach to the queueing lane, and we've always gone for the top grade one to get the Fen mud off the chassis.
Try it!
Pat
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I used to put my minicabs through a roller wash most days - I could make the £2 or £3 cost back in the time I saved by not washing it myself. Yes they do end up slightly abrading the paintwork, but more from the repetitive action of the brushes over time than any roughness inherent in the brushes themselves.
The IMO / ARC washes pre-date the immigrant hand-wash concept but work in a half-similar manner - I used to use one of the two in Bedford if the cab was extra-dirty. Someone will walk around it with a chemical spray and if you ask them they will pre-treat the muckiest parts (wheels, under the sills, tailgate release etc).
As mentioned above, take the aerial off. I also used to try and stop the engine with the wipers pointing up so as to clean the normally untouched areas around the base of the windscreen. It's just as easy to grab a sponge from the forecourt first and clean the bits you know the auto wash will miss TBH.
Last edited by: Dave_TD {P} on Fri 4 Feb 11 at 08:59
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>> It's just as easy to grab a sponge from the
>> forecourt first and clean the bits you know the auto wash will miss TBH.
If it's going to miss bit, maybe I should just do it myself. I can wash the main body of the car very quickly, it's all the fiddly bits that I can't be bothered with.
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We have a 'drive through' IMO, very highly recommended. Pre-wash and blast of the wheels, good scrub, some sort of rinse aid sprinkle and a blow dry. £5 buys an under body scrub as well (which I can't do with my bucket and wash mitt). Always comes out sparkling. And my car is black......
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yes boggy this is what i was saying
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>> We have a 'drive through' IMO, very highly recommended. Pre-wash and blast of the wheels,
>> good scrub, some sort of rinse aid sprinkle and a blow dry. £5 buys an
>> under body scrub as well (which I can't do with my bucket and wash mitt).
>> Always comes out sparkling. And my car is black......
Thanks Boggy. Do the alloys come out sparkling too?
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The first time I used one of these automatic flailing roller things, it did damage. I won't use one again.
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interesting the amount of people who tried a badly set up automatic carwash from last century and have never used one again
i implore you guys to try one again
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>> interesting the amount of people who tried a badly set up automatic carwash from last century and have never used one again
Pardon the pun, but mud sticks.
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Can't get me head round the bone idleness of some people, not including those who simply cannot get a running water supply or somewhere relatively safe to wash their cars.
I would not use either an automatic wash or roadside cowboy car wash site on a car owned by me, cost is not the issue damged paint is, i would and have DIY'd using a garage jetwash with soap then water running through the brush if i didn't have somewhere of my own.
Check the brushes before you start in case a mud/concrete/chemical caked offroader or van has been in prior to you, not usually possible to check such things at any automatic or cowboy site.
It takes minutes to wash a normal car, if it's done properly with a soft long bristled brush with a 3 or 4ft handle, rinsed down thoroughly and the salt hosed out from the nooks and crannies underneath (especially brakes/pipes and wheelarches) whilst at it, keep that salt at bay.
PS...if your car is that filthy SS it's been like it for some time, any ingrained salt will have had a whale of a time inside any minute stonechips, weekly wash during the salt season if you want it to last, goodness knows what the undersides are like.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Fri 4 Feb 11 at 10:37
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>> PS...if your car is that filthy SS it's been like it for some time, any
>> ingrained salt will have had a whale of a time inside any minute stonechips, weekly
>> wash during the salt season if you want it to last, goodness knows what the
>> undersides are like.
Am I supposed to wash underneath the car too?
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>> Am I supposed to wash underneath the car too?
>>
No of course you don't have to.
Check in various technical forums for seized brake calipers, handbrake cables etc especially during the summer, most of these problems could be averted with a bit of regular underside hosing especially after a wet spell when the dirt is soft, and then a really thorough underside clean off April time once the salts finally gone from the roads.
The trouble with not keeping the salt washed off regularly is that it cakes on then cooks during the warm weather into a solid highly corrosive crust, and short of invasive hot prssure washing is nigh on impossible to remove.
Most people don't bother, depends on how long you want the car to last.
I've seen thousands of beautifully shiny (topside) cars from underneath, especially those that come off fleets late winter then sit cooking during the summer in compounds heavily salt encrusted...it don't make good viewing, especially exhaust welds.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Fri 4 Feb 11 at 11:04
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>> >> Am I supposed to wash underneath the car too?
>> No of course you don't have to.
Thank God for that. Where can I get it done for me?
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>> Thank God for that. Where can I get it done for me?
>>
I don't know any more FT, at one time there'd be a handy indy workshops in most towns where they'd have a ramp and steam cleaner, the sort of place who'd spray oil over the underside for £25 just before winter.
With regulations covering everything down to nose blowing i imagine the only place you'd get it done would be a commercial vehicle workshops where they have to thoroughly steam clean the whole vehicle for it's proper annual test.
Assuming the question was serious.
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Perfectly serious question. It's hard to clean properly underneath vehicles, and I don't normally clean cars, myself.
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I have a Karcher and have an attachment that is perfect for under the cars and around the well arches. Not sure of the name but it about a metre long and is simply bent at the last 10cms to an angle of about 40degrees. Perfect for moving under the car and arches, and I actually leave it on when washing the dirt off of the car itself as it make jetting the roof much easier. Great for the 2 times a year I wash a car.
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...the sort of place who'd spray oil over the underside for £25 just before winter...
We used to do that for some customers using the waste oil drained from the sump at service time.
Don't suppose it did things such as CV boots much good, but you could steer clear of the more sensitive bits.
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>> >> >> Am I supposed to wash underneath the car too?
>>
>> >> No of course you don't have to.
>>
>> Thank God for that. Where can I get it done for me?
>>
Its not that difficult, allyou have to do is shove the garden sprinkler under the car.
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>> interesting the amount of people who tried a badly set up automatic carwash from last
>> century and have never used one again
I used one around July last year, for the first and only time.
>> i implore you guys to try one again
No way. Why "implore"? Are they part of your business?
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Am I supposed to wash underneath the car too?
Yes to a point.!
A cheap power washer will blast the salt off underneath so will the hosepipe.
After doing my own yesterday the chammy out and wipe off the water and open the doors and wipe it off they don't do this in a car wash.
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I take mine to the asylum-seekers car wash in Rusholme. Ordinarily I'd be sceptical, but there's usually a Range Rooney being cleaned outside, and if the owner's happy to let them get his car super-shiney then they can have a go at mine too.
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>> A cheap power washer will blast the salt off underneath so will the hosepipe.
Could I use the same power washer to wash the bodywork?
EDIT: Something like this? tinyurl.com/6yaalbd
Last edited by: SteelSpark on Fri 4 Feb 11 at 12:21
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>> Something like this?
A good quality Nilfisk C110 with an aluminium bladed pump for less than that (£69) delivered would be a better buy i think
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>> A good quality Nilfisk C110 with an aluminium bladed pump for less than that (£69)
>> delivered would be a better buy i think
I found it here - tinyurl.com/4o2vm2j
Is it a better quality washer than the one above? It doesn't seem to come with the car attachments, but if it is significantly better quality, it might be worth buying those separately.
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>> Is it a better quality washer than the one above?
Yeah.
The Karchers are all plastic bladed pumps i think, except maybe their pro series. Not sure about service prospects, Nilfisk's are serviceable (fairly cheaply).
They'll be fine as long as you run water through it before you turn the pump on. The plastic blades dont handle air in the supply too many times.
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Use one occasionally in the winter and never had any problems. Used to hear stories of vandals knotting metal nuts to the washer brushes nut but that probably an urban myth!
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Just been into Hughes dept store for something else and noticed they have an assortment of Karchers at seemingly good prices..the better of which look like they might have a circular patio washing attachment.
K2360 £87.99
K3680 £103.99
K2380 £71.99
K2210 £48
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A colleague had a scratch all along one side of his car caused by something caught in the side brush at an automatic car wash.
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I recall and autoexpress test where they compared a forecourt automatic wash, an 'immigrant' hand wash, and a forecourt jet wash.
The worst was the jet wash as the brush is rubbish and full of crud, the winner was the automatic wash, and the handwash was let down by using a 'blade' to dry the paintwork.
For white cars and silver cars an automatic wash is fine as fine scratches are invisible - for dark/black cars I'd suggest only self handwash unless the finish is already a bit 'scratchy'.
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i use a blade but you have to be good with it or you can indeed cause lots of scratches and hit things that can chip
your post sounds sensible too to me lygonos
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>> I recall and autoexpress test ....
I thought it was on 5th gear?
EDIT - yes it was - www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZjWkB_q2lE
I have one of the silicone blades they say scratches paint. In the 5+ years I've used it on mine and other cars it's never scratched the paint. The trick is to make sure the paintwork is clean and to run the blade through your hand after every time you sweep it across the paintwork.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 5 Feb 11 at 17:16
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I suppose I'm not that precious about it. Most of the time I wash my cars by hand but when I'm in my busy seasons my work cars can rack up 1200 or even a lot more miles a week sometimes and often have to work through weekends too so the car can get very dirty quite quickly and I've no time to wash it, so on those occasions, especially in winter I'll run it through a car wash every couple of thousand miles or so just so's I can remember what colour it's meant to be. If you don't do it very often it seems not to mind. Cars are for using in my opinion. They are rarely any kind of investment. I tend to run mine fairly rapidly into six figure mileages so an odd swirl on the paint wouldn't really have a huge effect on its value anyway.
I suppose I can see that it might bother someone who would be looking to sell one for a substantial sum but for the most part even our private cars get used until they are fairly worthless and we start again.
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If I do buy a pressure washer, do I really need all the brush attachments? Can't I just use the standard spray/patio attachment to wash the car's panels and hubcaps?
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Be careful not to hold the pressure washer lance too close - it could strip the paint.
Pressure washers are a bit of a faff to set up and get going.
I wouldn't bother buying one for the car unless you are sure you will use it.
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>> Can't I just use the standard spray/patio attachment to wash the car's panels and hubcaps?
I don't use the attachments on the car if i use the power washer, generally they are not as good as they could be, and are too rough imo.
You'll need some sort of soft brush, washmitt, or sponge for agitating the soapy solutions once you've blasted off the heaviest of the crud.
Just spraying soapy solution on and power washing (cold) won't remove ingrained grime on it's own...if it does then there's every chance you're using a too strong solution of commercial traffic film remover which won't do your car paintwork much good.
I think all lorry drivers have made the mistake of using the truckwash traffic film chemical followed by steam cleaner rinsing at work on their own cars...once dried off the paint was pure Matt finish all over and needed T cutting and rewaxing for several hours, and never really did recover.
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GB i use a soft sweeping brush at work from wilkinsons i wet it --wet the car-- then clean the car-- thats been on a test drive
it does no damage and cleans all the car but i may need to do the wheels with Autosmart g101 and the lower sills
i dont use traffic film since i had to have an operation on my face to remove a carbuncle after the traffic film got under my skin (terrible horrid stuff)
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>> GB i use a soft sweeping brush at work from wilkinsons i wet it --wet
>> the car-- then clean the car-- thats been on a test drive
I bought a proper washing brush (and a spare) from Wilkinson Carmaster...probably similar to yours, the 4ish ft handle is hollow with a male standard hose connector on it for constant flow if desired (rarely used with hose), was good price, istr about £8 or so.
Does a very good job indeed, mind you i wash the cars weekly during the winter when poss so the salt and muck doesn't get ingrained.
I keep a couple of sponges for nooks and crannies and round the insides of the alloys, and a stiffer shorter brush for the sill under areas where they get heavily gritted.
Tried a wash mitt, but i'm underwhelmed by it.
That's nasty about the injury due to TFR, i don't take enough precautions with the stuff but you've reminded me to do so in future, don't like using when windy.
I keep some strong TFR mixture in an aerosol trigger bottle in case my kids come round, their alloys get washed properly only when i do them...grr.
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Didn't your hose freeze in the last cold snap GB? Mine did despite being in the garage. Didn't like it.
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>> Didn't your hose freeze in the last cold snap GB?
Luckily no, the boiler and the freezer are in the integral garage and it stays quite warm, and like your's it lives in the garage during the cold.
Washed them both today, the little C2 gets filthy very quickly, and tempted the fate's by slipping the summer set of wheels back on the pick up...that should see a foot of snow by the end of the month..;)
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this is the first year ever had pipes bust at work even taking all due care
it was the coldest 6 weeks i can remember and i nearly lost the will to work
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I lost the will to work completely, I have a half built engine on the bench and apart from turning it on the starter dog, I haven't touched it since October...still too cold for me.
Our washing machine froze up and a few nights later spent 10 hours or so firing the combi up and
Ted spraying hot water on it's motor. £380 for a new machine, thanks very much !
Ted
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Pressure washers are ok for removing crud off a truck chassis. If you think they make a good job of washing your car, dry it off with a chamois when you've done. The chamois will be filthy after drying one panel.
Hose pipe, bucket and sponge. Ask Jeeves.
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Wouldn't let a sponge or a chamois anywhere near my paintwork thankyou!
Pressure washer with snow foam attachment, bucket with grit guard, good wash mitt, microfibre towels to dry.
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>> Wouldn't let a sponge or a chamois anywhere near my paintwork thankyou!
>>
>> Pressure washer with snow foam attachment, bucket with grit guard, good wash mitt, microfibre towels
>> to dry.
>>
A pressure washer with ordinary lances and placed too near a car's bodywork with sufficient pressure to remove caked on mud would do irreparable paintwork damage. Some surface contact with a low pressure water hose, terminated with a brush is needed to displace mud as a very fierce water jet alone will not do it as someone alluded to above.
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>> A pressure washer with ordinary lances and placed too near a car's bodywork with sufficient
>> pressure to remove caked on mud would do irreparable paintwork damage. >>
I've been using one for years - and it's never done my paint any damage.
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...I've been using one for years - and it's never done my paint any damage...
All I am saying is don't put the end of the lance within an inch of the paint.
Pressure washers vary in grunt, too.
The OP might buy a particularly powerful one.
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>> Pressure washers vary in grunt, too.
>>
>> The OP might buy a particularly powerful one.
I'm actually going to stick with a sponge and hosepipe having read the advice above about pressure washers. I am still going to have a go through one of those IMO car washes to see how good a job they do though.
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...a sponge and hosepipe...
A soft brush might be better, if only to keep your hands out of the water.
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>> ...a sponge and hosepipe...
>>
>> A soft brush might be better, if only to keep your hands out of the
>> water.
Yeah, but I've not a nice pair of marigolds, and no shame :)
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>> Yeah, but I've not a nice pair of marigolds, and no shame :)
>>
Kinky, pics? :-)
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>> Kinky, pics? :-)
PM me :)
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Car wash - Old Navy
