car wash

[yann]

Is car wash really bad for new cars? Does it damage the painting a little bit and leave marks? Some people say you shouldn't wash a a new car in it. So far i've always had it hand washed, and those guys have always done a great job

Treating my SE like a diamond...

[nickl0]

Automated car washes are very bad, I took mine through one for a while before I started modifying it and loving it more. The paintwork was covered in swirls and was in very bad shape. One professional detail later and the paintwork's as good as new. No more car washes for me, and no washing it with a sponge either... only using a lambswool wash mitt and the 2 bucket method now

[ncarring]

I'm always a bit confused by this lambswool mitt stuff. Have you ever tried washing grit out of something fluffy?

[ScoobyChris]

Have used car washes in the past without any problems at all and they even do the fiddly bits too! Now I tend to wash the car by hand because it's cheaper.

Chris

[Mater]

Depends on which car wash you use. We have one called Lapland here in Osnabruck and i was wary about using it untill i saw a Mercedes Mclaren SLR go through it closely followed by a 911 Turbo both Cars were new so if thats good enough for them then it just about reaches the standard required for my vRS

[viewer]

Paint is "soft" on new cars and takes a long time to get to its best scratch resistance (usually ome time after the owner has given up caring). Car washes are very uncaring and brushes hard. I have never used lamb's wool so can't comment. Chamois and sponges are fine, but it is important to rinse the car before washing including under arches to get rid of grit. Use a dedicated sponge for wheels and, if you drop the sponge, wash it in another place (not the bucket).
After you've taken all this care some coffin dodger will drag their tesco shopping across the bonnet.

[BobTHEDOG]

Originally Posted by ncarring

I'm always a bit confused by this lambswool mitt stuff. Have you ever tried washing grit out of something fluffy?

Ditto ! Perhaps someone can explain in detail (no pun intended ! )

Bob

[apd007]

Originally Posted by ncarring

I'm always a bit confused by this lambswool mitt stuff. Have you ever tried washing grit out of something fluffy?

I bought a lambswool mitt and used in recently, I was actually surprised how easy it was to keep clean, even whilst I was using it.

Using the two bucket method helped, but also every so often putting a hose inside the mitt and using water pressure from behind the grit and dirt to help push it off.

[MikeW]

I just get the immigrants to wash mine, they do a good job.

[chris_newell41]

can some one explain 2 bucket method?


I wash my car with ne bucket with car shampoo (no wax) and then use another with diamond brite preserver to wash the car down with again. is this the same method?

keeping on track, I may use a woolen mit because I have noticed a bit of swirling after using a sponge all my cars life. will have to get it polished up though first

[mannyo]

The 2 bucket method, is where you have one bucket full of car shampoo/water mix, and another bucket of just water. Place sponge or whatever into the shampoo bucket and use it on the car, then before dunking into the shampoo again, dunk it into the clean water, then shampoo, then back onto the car. The theory is the clean water removes the dirt from the sponge, so your shampoo water doesnt get dirty, and you end up washing your car with dirty water.

[ultra_joel88]

2 bucket method and lambswool for me as well

previous owner had used a car wash you can tell by the scratches on the rear bumper lip near the boot opening

[yann]

thanks for all these replies, and i'm just going to keep doing what i've done so far: take it for a handwash. For less than a fiver they make it look shiny!

[kit]

but surely after a few dips in soapy water then a rinse in plain water the plain water is now filty dirty and full of grit! would you not be better running it under a hose before re soaping and using on the car?

K

[*tim*]

Originally Posted by kit

but surely after a few dips in soapy water then a rinse in plain water the plain water is now filty dirty and full of grit! would you not be better running it under a hose before re soaping and using on the car?

K

When the water is dirty you can always chuck it out, same as if your using shampoo and water I suppose, just saves wasting shampoo.

I suppose the ideal way is hose of the mitt after every wipe, but it'd be a lot of hassle

[VRSBUZZ]

Religiously hand wash my car weekly and will not have it any other way. Even the missus is not allowed to touch it let alone a car wash! The bristle type car washes are very bad news for paint finishes as they do scratch. If you must use an automated car wash use the ones with the soft Vileda mop style bristles which are a lot kinder to paint!

Steve

[VRSpirit]

when i was young i loved going through the car wash it was fun. i still like it in other peoples cars but when thinking about your own dont do it. when you get to a certain age you start noticing the damage they do and ive seen my dads old beemer the job they do you might aswell take some wire wool to the paint job. and it aint just the paint if youve got marks on themirrors or windows like bird poop they dont always get it anyway so then you have to get out after to wipe it off and because its wet leaves streaks. your better off washing it yourself. nice saturday afternoon wash it listening to the sport then take your nice clean car to the pub.

[corradoboy]

When using the 2 bucket method, the idea is that the grit sinks to the bottom of the water bucket. If you're gonna apply this properly then the buckets should have grit-guards (mesh near the bottom for grit to fall through but stopping you from getting the mitt near it). Try it and then have a look at what has collected in the bottom of the bucket ! The benefit of a lambswool mitt over a sponge is that a sponge has nowhere for the grit to go. It remains on the surface and gets pushed around causing the swirls. With a mitt the grit can penetrate the pile, and the pile ensures the pressure onto the paint is lighter too. As for Kosovan hand jobs, just watch them for a while. I cringe when I pass and see a quality (Aston/Porsche etc) car sat there being pawed over with a grubby chamois which has just been used on 37 Corsa's, 28 Focus', 82 Picar$oles etc etc, and between each whilst covered in grit and filth it is passed through a mangle to dry it off, embedding all the grit into the surface making it like sandpaper. Do you really think a Kosovan will dispose of a sponge after dropping it on the floor ? I'd use them on a POS shed with no value or interest, but any vehicle you have any care about should be done by hand, 2 buckets, lambswool, well rinsed and dried with microfibre towels (no chamois and no blades (except maybe on the glass)). Do it that way from new, along with frequent quality protectants and you'll put detaillers out of business.

[Davy-B]

I think it's a pity that a couple of these posts have racist undertones. The discussion is possible without it so can it be left out please.

[corradoboy]

Lighten up ! Just because people coloquially refer to them as 'Kosovan car washes' doesn't mean they're National Front members. I'd probably get on better with them than I would you, as I hate liberal, wet, see-bad-in-every-statement politically correct numpties who think any reference to colour, creed, nationality or whatever other method of trivially identifying any group, no matter how specific is a direct attack on someone. I laugh at Irish jokes and am of Irish descent, I tease a coloured workmate about his tan and he just teases me back. I have been teased all my life about my weight but do I really care ? FFS, just let people get on with the discussion in hand and if everyday language offends you then go elsewhere. The people who need such attention from you are the ones attacking mosques, assaulting people, or committing acts of terrorism, whatever their background, not people giving out car washing advice.