Automated Car Wash? Yes or No.

If I was in the cold icy weather up there you wouldn't see me outside hand washing anything. When it gets under 75* here I head for the auto wash.

 

That just simply can't be true, or you're not looking hard enough. I've only ever hand washed, waxed etc, taking as much care as possible and I have swirls in my black paint.

 

Here’s the difference after some time - my 1st gen suffered these circles and it was white. I will never take my 3rd Gen in an brush auto wash because of it:

 

i used to go to car wash like twice a year when really cold then one time tire popped out of track.
lucky no damage 285 70 17s
Its like summer here in jersey 40*
Just filled my bucket with hot water and hand washed,cleaned inside and under hood
Amazing how much s**t was in and out of truck

 

NO
Alway touch-less...do not use the "shinny stuff" just get it clean and then polish by hand.

 

I hand wash my truck once a week. Sea salt, and bird shit tend to build up quickly

 

I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one....... im not alone on this path! Haha

Ocd for the win!!

 

Yes.
I got free washes at the dealer ship with the truck and is only a mile from my home. I run it through their wash several times a week if needed. If they run the show room trucks through it, then mine should be fine. I want it to look good, but I drive the stew out of it on road and off. I put more swirls on it from the dirt roads than a carwash will ever make.

 

They do it because it's easy and the most efficient way to get the cars clean but it will still leave light swirl marks. Hell my truck was purchased brand new and came with the complementary "dealer wash". If you look close enough it's covered in light swirls. But... like others have mentioned, it's a truck, not a gem.

 

Just because you have truck a doesn't mean you shouldn't take care of it.

 

But it is true. A cheap gas station car wash maybe but a dedicated high end car wash which I use is really that good.

 

Have you done the Xpel treatment or do you have any experience with it? A friend always talks about his $1000 ceramic coating on his X5 and swears by it. If it's as good as you're saying, it might be worth it to me. Would love to keep the "showroom new" look going as long as possible and if it means worry-free auto car washes, I'm in. My work schedule is pretty crazy and I seldom have the time to hand wash.

 

Ill agree and say that's impossible to see no marks or swirls etc on a black truck/car running through an auto wash. If the car was silver or something I might agree with you. Black paint shows the cobb web swirl marks like a mofo!!!

 

Just NO automated car wash. IMO

 

X2, no automated washes for my truck either! Your Avatar looks like a GE90, is that on the 747 Flying Test Bed?

 

I plan to do what I use to do with all my other vehicles: have it detailed by an individual every 3 months (I normally try out every detailing company in the area before I settle with one since I move every 2-3yrs). Just interior clean, wash, and wax (every other year I would get it clayed). My truck stays out under the sun, dirt gets blown across the paint all the time, and when I take it off road; bugs/rocks are nightmare, but the wax protects it. I also had an invisible (clear) film wrapped around bumper, hood, grill, and side mirrors which can be treated like regular paint minus the wax, but when it gets scratched I just pour hot water on it and scratch is gone (paid 350 for film and installation). I owned 9 vehicles before and trade them in; every time getting kelly blue book value or higher in dealerships just cause of the interior and exterior care I give it, even with work trucks. Some dealerships doesn't even take my trade in for a test drive and trust my every word when they see how good the paint and upholstery is on 8-10 yrs old vehicles.

 

I go to a higher end auto car wash with my company car several times a week. It has tons of spinning brushes amd dangeling scrubbers and rollers etc......its scary. Lol. But the company car still looks great. And I pay close attention to the other cars waiting in line with the unlimited wash passes.....i have yet to see one with jacked up paint.

I dunno

 

They're called scratch washes for a reason.

 

If it is just dust, car washes work. I've found dried mud puddle water, mud leave stains in the paint. Hand wash is the only thing that gets all that. Car wash is just a quick fix.
Duane

 

I guarantee you if you do enough automatic car washes you will regret it. My hood separated from the wind. The dryer at those auto car washes is super strong and leads to movement in the hood.

Being that Toyota glues the hood to it's supports with only 15~ contact points I think you're in for a nasty surprise in no time.