Thoughts - car wash vs hand detailing

So, I have figured out that I suck at keeping my truck clean, and that is mostly because everything in the driveway has to be moved to wash and detail so overspray etc does not get on other trucks sitting there. Am I better off joining a car wash (drive through) monthly subscription or just cleaning my truck a few times (at best) a year. What is ultimately going to help the paint live longer? Weather in the South East plays a factor too - it is often too hot to wash etc until late in the evenings leaving me in the dark to finish up.
Thanks for your input,
~Katie

 

Roll it through the auto wash then do a more detailed cleaning a few times a year.

 

It really all depends on if you like swirl marks. If they don’t bother you. Auto wash it and call it day. Personally I’d never use an auto wash, but I truly enjoy cleaning my vehicles. You won’t be the first or last to use the drive through wash. As for the paint hand washing will always be best for longevity.

 

I'd try for a compromise between those options. Often you can find hand wash options at the local car washes. Not all of them offer it, but many do, you just gotta look around. They're more than the automated wash of course.

• Hand wash, hand wax, full detail 2-4x per year (done by you or pro detailer)
• Hand wash every 2-4 weeks at local car wash
• Automated car was 0-4x per year if you really have to, maybe you're on a trip or something and want to clean up before coming home.

IMO, above all, keeping the truck waxed is the most important. Swirl marks can be removed a lot easier than damage from UV sun exposure. I've found if I hand wax I get a thicker coat and it lasts longer. I try to do a hand wash at least twice a year for all our vehicles.

 

As mentioned above, maybe a nice wash and wax a few times a year and then use the automatic car wash in between.

If you have access to a touchless automatic, use that over a soft-touch.

I lived in apartments until recently, and always used the touchless automatic. Every now and then, I use a nice spray on/wipe off Ceramic detailer. My paint looks good, aside from the trail rash.

 

I've always been a hand wash guy. I had my last truck 20 years and the paint looked great (kept outside 24/7). Never waxed too. Just used (and still do) brand name car wash soap like turtlewax. Before we got hit with the drought it was an every saturday morning thing but now its every other. I expect this paint to last another 20 too. Just have to be diligent.

 

Touchless wash is decent for knocking off something light like pollen but anything that's been on there and baked in isn't going to get clean (road film). Plus they use a pretty harsh wash mix to even attempt at cleaning so your trim takes more of a beating than it needs to in the long run. Automated contact washes will get you cleaner but at the expense of light marring. When you're on the highway you can spot the cars that take their car through the wash at every gas fill up because they have swirls everywhere. Take that car out of the sun or on an overcast day then it doesn't look as bad.

 

I have 3 vehicles on the driveway. A decent carwash is $20. If I took each of mine once a month that's $60/month. On rare occasions during cold weather I may hit the carwash, but I'd rather do a quickie at home. I can wash mine at home in 10 minutes using a long-handled brush. A few times each year I'll do a much more thorough job, but the 10 minute quickie with a brush is just as good as the $20 wash at the carwash.

 

I'm fortunate to have a nice-sized driveway to wash my truck. Yes, I use a shammy to dry it...on hot days, I have to keep spraying water so I can have water to shammy and try to prevent water spots.

I'm very reluctant to run it through the carwash...but that's me.

 

I'd imagine it depends on how dirty you get your truck and how its built.

I wheel my truck so my paint is full of pinstripes, swirlmarks, and other imperfections. I have no qualms taking it through a car wash since swirlmarks is the least of my concerns, however my truck won't fit at most car washes so if I want to take the time, I'll use a pressure washer and dual bucket wash the truck at home. After a camp or wheeling trip, I'll take it to a self wash spot and just do a quick clean there.

 

I live in the deep south, so I understand the heat and humidity and having to wash either early in the a.m. or late in the p.m. However, to me using a carwash is a sinful thought. I've always hand-washed my cars. I wax each car twice a year. And now, after each wax I use the cheap spray-on ceramic coating that you can buy at any Wal-Mart or Auto Zone. IF - IF - you use a carwash, I would not recommend one that uses the soft-touch tumbling strips of mud-catching fabric because they will leave marks on your paint if you are not carefully. Too many hunters and other mud-riding truck owners live in the deep south that want a quick wash using the soft-touch carwashes.

 

After owning a detail shop for nearly 20 years- I only do touchless car washes IF I HAVE too - generally in Winters. I try to aim for at least once a week - but in the spring through fall, a full hand wash once a month and every week rinseless wash. No swirls on my black OF. I "wax" generally once a year in the spring that it beads until the next spring.

I find that soaps from Mckees were you don't need to rinse until after the entire car is washed saves a heap of time. I also like their N-914 Rinseless wash and their rinseless wash and wax, which I use as a drying aid.

 

The question anyone in the OP's position needs to ask is, what's your expectations of the paint? Swirl free? DIY only. Dont care about swirls or lack of protection? Auto/Car washes. Or don't wash it at all. If you don't touch the paint, you wont introduce swirling or marring.

 

With all my previous older vehicles I never thought twice about going through a car wash. But now that I have my new Tacoma, I want to protect this thing and make it last decades. That includes the paint and finish. It's handwashing only for me.

 

I have two buckets with grit guards, $100 in microfiber towels, a full detailing setup, and a 55 gallon barrel of dehumidifier water and a suction pump to provide a spot free rinse.

I spent $90 on ceramic coat and did it myself.

Do what works best for you.
If you want a clean truck but can't find the time or setup to do it yourself then you need an alternative.

Car washes will cause swirl marks and touchless are not terribly effective.

My opinion, find a balance. No harm in a mix between hand wash, touchless, and an occasional regular brushed carwash.

If you want the most protection get it ceramic coated. Buy c-quartz UK and apply it yourself.
Wash it by hand when you can. Use a good spray wax after and touch up the ceramic a couple times a year.
Hit the touch less if it's looking dusty.
And if you cant hand wash go through the brushes knowij g you have wax and ceramic coat and scuffs will happen anyways.

Nothing stays perfect. Do what you can and just enjoy the truck

 

I would highly suggest staying away from those carwashes. All it’s going to do is scratch and swirl up your paint. Those things are slapping the grime from all the other vehicles that have passed through it before you. I call them the “local scratch and swirl”. I suggest you take the time to wash your truck properly using the 3 bucket method. Starting with your wheels and tires first, then moving to washing the body of the truck. There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing how to do it properly, so I won’t bore you with that. Try watching one from Pan the Organizer he is well known in the detailing community.

 

Not everyone has a driveway and access to a water tap.

Touchless car wash is definitely better than never cleaning the outside of your vehicle and it's also the most efficient way to de-slush and rinse off road salt in winter months without having to stand outside in 30f weather to clean your car.

Those spinning mop type car washes scare the shit outa me tho lol

 

Touchless car washes are fine, but will still leave grime on your vehicle. I use them from time to time and they work alright since my Tacoma has ceramic protection on it. Whenever I do use a touchless car wash, I just always follow up with several microfibers and some Carpro Ech2O as a drying aid since it’s a waterless wash and will clean up anything left over that the car wash didn’t remove better than a quick detailer. I do believe the car washes he is referring to have either brushes or flaps, because those are the car washes that have those dumb monthly subscriptions.

 

No comparison, hand wash all day long.

 

always hand wash the TACO. as much money was spent and the quality well just saying