Car Washes
10-22-2003, 09:26 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: In Your Girlfriend's Snatch
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car Washes
Alright, let's get the rundown....are automatic --- or those hand washes with the guys inside and the wash mitts -- car washes "good enough" when there is just nowhere to do the car yourself?
Let me explain, playas...I used to live at home, with a house and big driveway and had a garage space for the Accord...so she always remained show car-like. But things change, and so the family moved across the country to Nevada, and I got my own apartment, deciding to remain in New York. Now, I have no garage anymore, however there IS a place to hand wash the car in the back of my building, with a hose and all. This has seemed to be the only solution to cleaning the car by hand -- which I did EVERY WEEKEND at my old house; my cars always looked stunning.
BUT, this past winter we had here made it IMPOSSIBLE to hand wash the car without a garage with snow and ice almost every single day, and as a result, the car was covered in swirl marks once the spring came. I was rear ended a couple of months ago and the car went into the body shop, where it was detailed and simonized, and she looks fairly new again.
Now, I dont spend too much time at home because I am usually staying by my G/F's place (it's much bigger than my studio apt; she is staying in the downstairs basement house of her friend's house, who lives upstairs with my friend---they are getting married, follow?) and so I really dont have access to my hose to hand wash the car that often anymore. AND, with the colder weather moving in, I couldnt hand wash it anyway....
For someone who has no choice, are car washes okay? I mean, I have been told that the automatic ones should be kept away from, but what about the ones where the guys are in there, washing the car by hand? I went to one the other day near my job, where I have gone in the past, and the car came out okay, I guess. I really cant get around to doing the car by hand anymore, as much as it was a MASSIVE past time and hobby for me. Anyone else take their Hondas to washes instead of doing it by hand? Anyone else need to leave the car outside without garaging it? Aside from using a cover, which is a real pain in the ass, let me tell you, has anyone else found success in keeping the paint looking new?
Let me explain, playas...I used to live at home, with a house and big driveway and had a garage space for the Accord...so she always remained show car-like. But things change, and so the family moved across the country to Nevada, and I got my own apartment, deciding to remain in New York. Now, I have no garage anymore, however there IS a place to hand wash the car in the back of my building, with a hose and all. This has seemed to be the only solution to cleaning the car by hand -- which I did EVERY WEEKEND at my old house; my cars always looked stunning.
BUT, this past winter we had here made it IMPOSSIBLE to hand wash the car without a garage with snow and ice almost every single day, and as a result, the car was covered in swirl marks once the spring came. I was rear ended a couple of months ago and the car went into the body shop, where it was detailed and simonized, and she looks fairly new again.
Now, I dont spend too much time at home because I am usually staying by my G/F's place (it's much bigger than my studio apt; she is staying in the downstairs basement house of her friend's house, who lives upstairs with my friend---they are getting married, follow?) and so I really dont have access to my hose to hand wash the car that often anymore. AND, with the colder weather moving in, I couldnt hand wash it anyway....
For someone who has no choice, are car washes okay? I mean, I have been told that the automatic ones should be kept away from, but what about the ones where the guys are in there, washing the car by hand? I went to one the other day near my job, where I have gone in the past, and the car came out okay, I guess. I really cant get around to doing the car by hand anymore, as much as it was a MASSIVE past time and hobby for me. Anyone else take their Hondas to washes instead of doing it by hand? Anyone else need to leave the car outside without garaging it? Aside from using a cover, which is a real pain in the ass, let me tell you, has anyone else found success in keeping the paint looking new?
10-22-2003, 12:19 PM
#2
insert witty remark here
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hand car wash is always better than an automatic car wash. If you must rely on car washes, plan on spending time/money to buff out those swirl marks and other stuff. Also, make sure you go to a good place that details well. You will know how reputable one is by looking at the type of cars that work on. (ie. Where I live, there's this one place that does alot of dealership cars.) If you can, watch how they care for cars. (I went to this one place who did great work for less but, they changed management and sacrificied quality. Needless to say, I don't go there anymore.)
I admit it... During winter, I do end up bringing my ride to a detail shop. There's a couple nice ones around here. Perhaps, you'll find some.
I admit it... During winter, I do end up bringing my ride to a detail shop. There's a couple nice ones around here. Perhaps, you'll find some.
10-22-2003, 12:24 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: In Your Girlfriend's Snatch
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by xivera
Hand car wash is always better than an automatic car wash. If you must rely on car washes, plan on spending time/money to buff out those swirl marks and other stuff. Also, make sure you go to a good place that details well. You will know how reputable one is by looking at the type of cars that work on. (ie. Where I live, there's this one place that does alot of dealership cars.) If you can, watch how they care for cars. (I went to this one place who did great work for less but, they changed management and sacrificied quality. Needless to say, I don't go there anymore.)
I admit it... During winter, I do end up bringing my ride to a detail shop. There's a couple nice ones around here. Perhaps, you'll find some.
Hand car wash is always better than an automatic car wash. If you must rely on car washes, plan on spending time/money to buff out those swirl marks and other stuff. Also, make sure you go to a good place that details well. You will know how reputable one is by looking at the type of cars that work on. (ie. Where I live, there's this one place that does alot of dealership cars.) If you can, watch how they care for cars. (I went to this one place who did great work for less but, they changed management and sacrificied quality. Needless to say, I don't go there anymore.)
I admit it... During winter, I do end up bringing my ride to a detail shop. There's a couple nice ones around here. Perhaps, you'll find some.
10-24-2003, 12:42 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: In Your Girlfriend's Snatch
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by BimmerRacer
Always hand wash
Always hand wash
10-25-2003, 09:45 AM
#6
I eat plastic.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 15,177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hrm. Really, hand washing would be the best. But, if you can't do it during the winter, once every few weeks of a automatic car wash (I'm sure where you live there are the "touchless" types without spinning brushes, this is the only type I would consider going to, even though I don't normally take my cars to any of them). Personally, I think a clean car, albeit with some swirling (these places are known for causing this over time) is better than a car that has salt caked on it. Your car isn't going to be perfect, you don't have the means. If it was in a showroom all day, great. But, enjoy it. You can handwash at those booths when it warms up (I live in NY, it gets above freezing sometimes long enough to wash the cars at these booths, take advantage of it).
A major thing would be to get a synthetic polymer wax on it. Screw the regular old carnaubas in winter, they just don't last long enough. A well wax car is much easier to clean than a car with no wax. Go to Autopia.org and read around. Some names of good, known synthetics are Klasse, Zaino, Blackfire and Platinum. I have to go, but any questions I'll answer when I get back.
A major thing would be to get a synthetic polymer wax on it. Screw the regular old carnaubas in winter, they just don't last long enough. A well wax car is much easier to clean than a car with no wax. Go to Autopia.org and read around. Some names of good, known synthetics are Klasse, Zaino, Blackfire and Platinum. I have to go, but any questions I'll answer when I get back.