Hand Wash vs. Car Wash

I've always had small sedans that I didn't mind running through the car wash every few weeks. Now that I have my dream truck, curious what you all are doing to wash the Taco...hand Wash or car wash?

If hand Wash, what products do you use and swear by?

If car wash, what are the concerns and what do you stay away from?

 

Hand wash 80% of the time. If black color, I blow dry the whole car with my 160mph blower, instead of chamois.

If I'm too busy I'll hit a touch less car wash. There aren't too many of them around. It doesn't have those nasty brushes that will damage your paint.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/detailing.32/

 

Car wash.
I've yet to see a "collectable" Tacoma.

I'd focus on the frame. If the trend continues, the paint will out last the frame.

 

Perfect. Much appreciated.

 

Hand wash: yes

Touchless: yes but not as good of results as hand wash

Auto with brushes: HELL NO!

 

Always use the brush at the car wash.
I've hand washed my truck 2 times in 6 years.

 

6 years!
I wash mine every 6 days it seems

 

Your truck needs wax NOW.

 

Ehhhhh it can go another 8 or 9 years

 

I spray car wash wax on it.

 

On top of the dirt?

 

60/40 Car/Hand.. if real Dirty go to pull in Car wash you do your self. spraying Frame & all the good’s underneath. Then go to other place & when the Kid is outside I tell him I’m jus there for “Free Blow Job”… ha I pay $40 a month for pass.

 

Spray it down at the quarter wash, mostly cuz they give back change in dollar coins haha

 

My paint definitely didn't outlast my frame.

 

Let me guess? Your truck is/was white?

 

Prefer hand wash……it’s therapy……and I use Armor All ceramic…….

Clay bar twice a year, and use ceramic spray wax…….

I think key to the wash, is the blow dry with gas blower……no swirls or scratches etc…..and easy if you have a good wax for water beeding………

 

If you have the time and a place to do it hand wash is the best . Always
Auto washes will mark the paint over time . Harsh chemicals and dirt on equipment. It also depends on how much you value how your rig looks . None of my cars go through a car wash but that’s how I’ve always been

 

Hand car wash 80% of the time. I use cheap shampoo from the grocery. Saw a story on the BBC years ago about the guy who washes the royals cars and uses shampoo. It works really well. I never use dish soap, I believe it strips the necessary oils off of the paint.
I live in the northeast and brine is used in the winter. It’s murder on vehicles, especially tacomas which seem to have frame rust issues. A few times a winter I wash the underside of all of my cars with a sprinkler (the kind we all ran through as kids) and as a result my 2013 TRD sport which isn’t garaged and has 252k miles has a rust free undercarriage. Even the techs who rarely see it are surprised.