Automated Car Wash? Yes or No.

I've been using automated car washes near me for about 3 years. Never had any issues with the hood, and the paint looks great. I wax the truck Spring and Fall each year. I used to be hand wash only, but like someone said earlier, life gets in the way. For 17 bucks a month, I run it through whenever it gets dirty. Probably average once a week or so. FWIW.

 

Exactly the same here except I've been running mine through a few times a week for maybe 5 years. The paint is perfect even in the strong lights of my garage. I just don't see how a high-tech soft micro-fiber brush that is spinning with water gushing out of the inside and blowing off any particles can be any worse than a handwashing sponge spreading and scratching dirt. My car wash gives a good soapy rinse before a soapy brush touches it. It also lays a coat of wax and then softwater rinse before a hand dry. I never run it threw those weed-eater plastic brush car-washes. Those are the tough ones on paint.

I think I'll go get a car wash at lunch today at one of locations by my work.

 

I've thought about it some more. I still do the automated ones.... and the touch-less washes just don't get the dirt off. I will hand wash a couple of times a year just to look for issues that need addressing.

Honestly, I've got other things to do with my time..... Now, if it were a show vehicle or a weekend only vehicle, I would hand wash only.

 

Over a year old thread but I thought I’d give my .02 cents. I take my truck all over the place, not afraid of scratches. It is white however so the pinstripes aren’t really noticeable. I have a cover over the bed and I take it through the car wash just fine. No issues. I’m lifted with big meats.

 

Personally I prefer paying extra for the hand wash. The automated car wash I go to also has an option for hand washing. It's worth it in my opinion.

 

Three years, 3-4 times a week, no issues with my MGM!

 

As mentioned I’m sure... just go through the car wash it’s not a show truck or is it

 

Wand wash or nothing. Ive had bad expeirnces on auto car washes like being stuck halfway thru and full of soap and was told it wont be fixed so i had to drive around with a soapy vehicle. Told myself never again. Besides, wand washing it gives u more control to wherw u want the water to get sprayed at. A lot cheaper too.

 

no touch carwash for me

 

No carwash for me.

None for the truck either.

 

I was involved in the carwash industry for almost 4 years, and I would say it very much depends. Some companies are great with mainting thier brushes and keeping up with timing. However, there are also the bad ones with very poor records. I have a friend who lives in Nashville who is going to run a carwash when it's finished and they do an outstanding job. Some washes you can get retracts so that the brushes don't touch. Camel carwash in Nashville is a muststop if you can just to see what good stuff looks like.

 

If you live at the beach like I do, you don’t use car washes with brushes on chamois. The collect sand and scratch your paint. High pressure “brushless car washes” only, or hand wash with plenty of car soap and water!

 

Me............ Hand wash only on every vehicle I own. Full wax job every 3 months. To each their own.

 

i would definitly recomend washing yourself, or with a self serve bay if you are not very very confidant with the manager and the quality of the wash you go to

 

Never!

 

My truck is a work truck, it has pinstripes and I’ve only owned it maybe two months. That said, I don’t worry about the auto wash, but I prefer to hand wash just because it’s more convenient to do it at home. I’ve used the car wash once so far and it looks good to me.