Touchless or Brushed or does anyone care on Car Washes?

In all honesty, I like to see my truck shine every couple of weeks. It is still newish with 15K miles on it. I get its a Taco, and we have people putting theirs through rock grinders, but I like to have it clean every couple of weeks. Are brushed car washes going to give the truck paint swirls? Stick to touchless? I am also for whatever reason, legitimately bad at hand washing a vehicle.

 

I don't have a third gen, but in general the touchless kind never actually clean my car, van, or truck. I love the idea, but when I get home I see all the dirt still on them, and end up washing again myself or taking through another car wash.

 

It depends on whether or not the carwash with the brushes take care and change them often. Also the carwash I use pre-sprays the verticals first. I believe that is the trick.

 

at my age I could care less. it will get swirls one way or another either by a car wash or out in the fields when hunting. but I prefer brushes since we have such crappy winters and the crud is pretty bad. when if its traded in, the dealer wont give a crap if it has swirls or not, just that the paint isn't chipped or cracked or blemished beyond normal wear and tear.

 

During the winter I use the car wash with the brushes. I use a good wash not the gas station ones that are free if you fill it up or at a discount. If it's nice I'll do it myself and use the foam cannon and a super soft pole brush.

At the end of the day no one cares. It's a truck and people abuse them.

 

Pretty much what I expected.

 

Brushes will slap the side of your rig with the dirt from all the cars before you. Take a paint roller, get it wet, then roll it through a sand box. Same idea. Stick to touchless, it will prolong the life and apperance of your paint. However, car washes in general use harsh detergents that will strip any protection you had on the surface to begin with. Get yourself a nice foam cannon, bucket and wash mit. You will get better results just doing it yourself, no matter how "good" or "bad" you're at it. -> http://www.chemicalguys.com/Foam_Blaster_6_Foam_Gun_Starter_Kit_5_Items_p/hol667.htm

 

Your paint is going to be damaged as soon as a dealership cleans the truck and preps it for delivery. It will be delivered with swirl marks no matter what. Most people don't notice it on delivery but after your first wash you can see them in the sun. You can always do a paint correction polish later if it bothers you. I only use touchless washes and on my car that has had paint correction I use a bucket system to wash it at home.

I cringe when I see people use those hand held brushes on their paint at a car wash. Most people use those to scrub their wheels.

 

touchless to knock the pollen/crud off in between home hand washes

 

That's why you never let a dealership wash your car, including at delivery. My truck is 100% swirl-less at 2 years old.

 

This. This. THIS.

That brush is for wheels only in my opinion.

 

What was that thread where the guy had his 3rd gen's rear fenders crumpled like a soda can from going through a car wash? Have been nervous to try ever since.

 

I usually wash the car myself but if I’m lazy I’ll bring it to a hand car wash which is much better than a regular car wash withe thing big rollers

 

+1 for brushless and chemicalguys products! Truck doesnt get washed often but Im in the same boat....I like to see it shine every few weeks. I also learned a few lessons from the previous vehicle I owned which happened to be black. When washing by hand do not wash in a circle movement wash from left to right or right to left.

This is what I drag to the quarter car wash:

The cleaner -

$12 Chemical Guys CWS_301_16 Citrus Wash & Gloss Foaming Car Wash Soap (Works with Foam Cannons, Foam Guns or Bucket Washes) Safe for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, RVs & More, 16 fl oz, Citrus Scent

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guy...rd_wg=G3LzJ&psc=1&refRID=MGPF4MTE46CX9TH0GNA2

The wash towels -

$12 Zwipes Auto 879-2 Professional Microfiber Waffle Drying Towel, 25 in. x 36 in, 2-Pack

https://www.amazon.com/Zwipes-879-2...rd_wg=DTyN6&psc=1&refRID=RWCJF5WHGPM6JMMS6FG2

The wash bucket -

Meguiar's Yellow Bucket, Car Wash Bucket for Water and Suds - 3.5 Gallon

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Yel...id=1521726801&sr=1-5&keywords=car+wash+bucket

I also have one of the bucket rings that traps the dirt and stuff.

 

I will never go to an automatic car wash again. One of the big ones in my area (moo moo) put about 6 deep scratches all along my passenger side. Brush must have had a rock or something in it and really got me. I had been going to them for years too, never again.

I was able to fix it at home, but lesson learned. The first scratch is the worst, but I got six

 

Chemical Guys DIRTTRAP01 Cyclone Dirt Trap Car Wash Bucket Insert Car Wash Filter Removes Dirt and Debris While You Wash (Black) 12" Diameter Great For Washing Cars, Trucks, SUVs, RVs & More

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C...grit+guard&dpPl=1&dpID=51cz6pRPuEL&ref=plSrch

This also helps keep dirt in the bucket without getting it back on your mit

 

I am with you on the lack of ability to wash the entire truck well. I am somewhat vertically challenged. I also deal with harsh sun, Florida the sunburn state, and hard water, at least in my area. So when I wash the truck by hand spots are almost a given.

When using an automated wash, look for the bay to be clean, no crap build-up on the sprayer, brushes that looks clean and nice as opposed to those we have all seen that seem to have come right of an overland trail via mud bog. Are other people using it?...

I have a excellent car wash in town, oddly at a 7-11. That offers both brush and touch free in the same automated wash. It has pre-wash, spray wax, UV protector, and spot free in both options, or so the sign says. The brushes are well maintained and look like new, though I still avoid using the brushed cycle for the same fears you have. The touch free cycle has an array of jets and follows the contours of each vehicle via laser, I think, control. The spray nozzles are literally less than a foot from the body while spraying at all times and tilt in the direction of movement. This action cleans the tailgate and back window effectively. Both cycles stop and use high pressure spray on each wheel that seems to do well even on brake dust.

If you are mostly a road warrior (daily drive/commute) and only need to clean off general dust, pollen, bird excrement, and such an automated wash will do that.

If you have tar, bug build up, and copious amounts of trail mud/dirt you really need a power washer and hand cleaning to get a good result.

100% correct!! Was that you in line behind me last week?

Again a 100% correct statement.

My daughter works at my local dealer and even she has the "Hell no !!" philosophy to letting the dealer scratch,, ding, dirty.... er I mean "wash" her car.

 

I wish I had access to a touchless car wash that has an underbody flush . The only underbody flush near me is a brush wash. I drive to the salty north for Xmas and need to wash the under body , so I bought one of these . Hooked up to a pressure washer it works great , and I can spend as much time as I want doing it . It works great to remove mud also !

 

its been through the bush enough times that the brushes in car washes are the least of my worries. plus they clean way better than touchless I find

 

For the first few years it was touchless only. After a few dings and road rash not that big of a deal.