Car Washes!

Rob7865 · 21-05-2005, 10:47

Hi all

Newbie Octy vRS owner, picked my bad boy up yesterday - wow what a car!
Just wanted to know what's peoples opinions are on putting your loved vRS through a standard Garage forecourt car wash? i.e. will the car go though ok, is it a frowned upon thing or what!?

Sorry if this may cause up set!

TIA

Rob

Pimpster · 21-05-2005, 10:59

Hi there mate,

The majority of people on here would never use a cash wash. It generally leads to your paint work being left with big swirls, which are clearly visable in the light. And from my previous experiences, as well as for many other people, you are left with fine scratches all over your paint work. Generally over time, you will be able to see a deteriation (?sp) of the paintwork.

Hope that helps! I personally would never ever take me car through a car wash.

Rob7865 · 21-05-2005, 11:32

Thanks for the info Pimpster, thinks that's pretty much made my mind up for me!

Cheers

Rob

Carsten · 21-05-2005, 11:42

As I got stuck in a middle of a car wash with a perverted low Polo a few years ago, and regarding the "light scratches issues"....
I avoid them at all and do it myself in the pressure washer boxes..

dunder101 · 21-05-2005, 11:57

I would agree. Ideally, a home wash with a rinse off, decent shampoo and then chamois dry is best. But if that is dificult or troublesome I would go with the old garage jet wash as a good compromise. Enjoy your car - I always think they work better when they're clean!

logiclee · 21-05-2005, 13:14

Posted this before but here it is again.

My mate used to be in charge of valeting at a main dealer that had an auto car wash on site.

The bristles used are hard wearing as they don't want to change them that often, as a result they are quite hard.

They usually use industrial grade detergent to leave your car looking clean but this also strips polish and protection from the paint.

Auto car washes use as little water as they can and most of the water is recycled.

The brushes collect dirt and grit as the water sprays onto your car and not into the brushes. My mate used to hose the brushes down twice a day and would get a nice pile of grit at the bottom of each brush. Some Petrol station washes do this weekly.

The car before you may have been a builders van or a 4X4 that as been of roading, all the crap will be in the brushes.

To get the same effect at home.......
Wash you car with a yard brush after sweeping the drive and gravel path. Only use half a bucket of dirty water for the entire car and use a nice kitchen cleaner detergent. After a few months your car will look like one that's only been carwashed.

Cheer
Lee

Mil · 22-05-2005, 11:25

Auto car washes suck. They mess up your paint and leave you with whirlpools.

Not only that...when I had the Omega, I had a problem with the 3rd gear a little later after 4 years, so I started to drive it 1st, 2nd, 3rd and then Drive...because I was so used to using Drive, jumping one up took it to neutral...at the car wash one day I had it on 3rd (where i thought I had it on Drive)...so I went one up......the car flew straight into the car wash at high speed, totally destroyed one brush which broke off it's support and had dents on my bonnet....

Funny thing about it was while it was happening, I thought that that's how that particular car wash worked, so while I was 'flying' in, I was just like 'Wow...this is a fast one...'...

Sonic1980 · 22-05-2005, 12:43

What do people think of those carwashes where you park your motor and you do the cleaning with a brush/pressure hose thingy and the machine tells you what you are going onto next... I havent got round to cleaning mine yet, but after 3 weeks of odd weather it needs it...

Pimpster · 22-05-2005, 13:39

thats slightly better,however the brushes are still very very stiff, and will end up scratching your car! I wouldn't use one.

DaveU · 22-05-2005, 17:56

I used to take my Octy through carwashes all the time before i got the wing put on the back - now I have to get someone to clean it by hand instead

There is a good carwash near me in Taplow with super soft brushy things - i've been going through it for 3 years and my car still looks great!

21-05-2005, 10:47	#1
Rob7865 Briskodian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bristol Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Car Washes! Hi all Newbie Octy vRS owner, picked my bad boy up yesterday - wow what a car! Just wanted to know what's peoples opinions are on putting your loved vRS through a standard Garage forecourt car wash? i.e. will the car go though ok, is it a frowned upon thing or what!? Sorry if this may cause up set! TIA Rob

21-05-2005, 10:59	#2
Pimpster Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Leicester Posts: 428 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi there mate, The majority of people on here would never use a cash wash. It generally leads to your paint work being left with big swirls, which are clearly visable in the light. And from my previous experiences, as well as for many other people, you are left with fine scratches all over your paint work. Generally over time, you will be able to see a deteriation (?sp) of the paintwork. Hope that helps! I personally would never ever take me car through a car wash. __________________ --------- Pimpster Ex-Skoda Owner

21-05-2005, 13:14	#6
logiclee Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Notts, UK Posts: 787 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Posted this before but here it is again. My mate used to be in charge of valeting at a main dealer that had an auto car wash on site. The bristles used are hard wearing as they don't want to change them that often, as a result they are quite hard. They usually use industrial grade detergent to leave your car looking clean but this also strips polish and protection from the paint. Auto car washes use as little water as they can and most of the water is recycled. The brushes collect dirt and grit as the water sprays onto your car and not into the brushes. My mate used to hose the brushes down twice a day and would get a nice pile of grit at the bottom of each brush. Some Petrol station washes do this weekly. The car before you may have been a builders van or a 4X4 that as been of roading, all the crap will be in the brushes. To get the same effect at home....... Wash you car with a yard brush after sweeping the drive and gravel path. Only use half a bucket of dirty water for the entire car and use a nice kitchen cleaner detergent. After a few months your car will look like one that's only been carwashed. Cheer Lee __________________ Another Ex-Scooby owner. Mondeo TDCi 130 6 Speed Ghia, Octavia 1.9TDi Elegance (Now Sold), Fabia 1.9TDi Comfort and Felicia 1.9D GLi

22-05-2005, 11:25	#7
Mil Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: United Arab Emirates Posts: 3,801 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Auto car washes suck. They mess up your paint and leave you with whirlpools. Not only that...when I had the Omega, I had a problem with the 3rd gear a little later after 4 years, so I started to drive it 1st, 2nd, 3rd and then Drive...because I was so used to using Drive, jumping one up took it to neutral...at the car wash one day I had it on 3rd (where i thought I had it on Drive)...so I went one up......the car flew straight into the car wash at high speed, totally destroyed one brush which broke off it's support and had dents on my bonnet.... Funny thing about it was while it was happening, I thought that that's how that particular car wash worked, so while I was 'flying' in, I was just like 'Wow...this is a fast one...'... __________________ Milton Kyvernitis Private Government

22-05-2005, 12:43	#8
Sonic1980 Briskodian Join Date: May 2005 Location: A hop and a skip from nowhere Posts: 1,600 Thanks: 3 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	What do people think of those carwashes where you park your motor and you do the cleaning with a brush/pressure hose thingy and the machine tells you what you are going onto next... I havent got round to cleaning mine yet, but after 3 weeks of odd weather it needs it... __________________ Fabia v/RS http://www.whf.org.uk Wildlife Heritage Foundation - The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. Part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) Big Cat Encounter - Want an idea for a great present??

21-05-2005, 11:32	#3
Rob7865 Briskodian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bristol Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the info Pimpster, thinks that's pretty much made my mind up for me! Cheers Rob

21-05-2005, 11:42	#4
Carsten Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bonn, Germany Posts: 1,209 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	As I got stuck in a middle of a car wash with a perverted low Polo a few years ago, and regarding the "light scratches issues".... I avoid them at all and do it myself in the pressure washer boxes..

21-05-2005, 11:57	#5
dunder101 Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: North Kent Posts: 83 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I would agree. Ideally, a home wash with a rinse off, decent shampoo and then chamois dry is best. But if that is dificult or troublesome I would go with the old garage jet wash as a good compromise. Enjoy your car - I always think they work better when they're clean!

22-05-2005, 13:39	#9
Pimpster Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Leicester Posts: 428 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	thats slightly better,however the brushes are still very very stiff, and will end up scratching your car! I wouldn't use one. __________________ --------- Pimpster Ex-Skoda Owner

22-05-2005, 17:56	#10
DaveU VIP Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: South, then East a little bit. Posts: 2,455 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I used to take my Octy through carwashes all the time before i got the wing put on the back - now I have to get someone to clean it by hand instead There is a good carwash near me in Taplow with super soft brushy things - i've been going through it for 3 years and my car still looks great! __________________ Dave Dave's new runaround ^ The Beast: 2001-2007 (now re-homed). 5 1/2 years of frightening the living daylights out of other road users and ashaming various high end cars.

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