Are Gas Station Carwashes bad???

N

Nacho_Z71

New member
I filled up at Exxon Mobile and my car was a tad dirty since it had rained last week. The carwash was brushless and I figured it couldn't hurt. I mean, it's basically a high pressure spray of water/soap right?



Its pretty cold outside now so I couldn't hose her off and wash her like I usually do.



So, is this a bad thing? I was thinking since I have a couple coats of Megs #26 that it would last until February and I could just keep doing the brushless wash every other week.



What do ya'll think?
 
Its pretty subjective, but my answer is: Bad? Not really, but the chemicals used are sub par, and the use of degreasers on your paint is the common practice. Think about it, washing your car with only pressured water? There are chemicals, most of the time, harsh, that are used on your finish. So although it most likely won't damage your car unless the pressure removes paint, I do not take my car to it.



Greg
 
I'm not familiar with brushless washes, but if I'm not washing my own car (or certain fellow autopians aren't washing it) I'd be nervous. I'm also generally not a fan of high-pressure washing, unless it's for wheels.
 
Like others have said, chemicals that will strip your wax and chew their way through just about anything. This about it this way, with a normal pressure wash and just plain water, heck eve with soap, you won't get your car as clean as one of those places. I equate their chemicals to wheel cleaner. Also the recycled water thing... in the winter, that water is gonna be super concentrated salt.
 
I detailed a 2000 Buick LeSabre that had never had any hand washing, only the touchless kind or the coin operated spray it yourself deal. It was pretty dirty, BUT, after getting through the crud, the paint was great, no swirls, all I had to do was polish and seal it. So, I would have to say, those places ain't going to hurt your car, and it's probably better to get the dirt off with them than to leave it on. Plus they wash up under the car to rinse out the crap under there.
 
yakky said:
Also the recycled water thing... in the winter, that water is gonna be super concentrated salt.
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They don't recycle the water untouched, it's filtered and deionized. I'm not saying I would drink it, but it's not like it's not processed. But back to the OP's question, I wouldn't expect your #26 to last as long as you think it will if you go to a touchless every week.
 
Well, I would have hoped the #26 would last long. I mean, assuming it doesn't rain, and assuming the temps won't be above the 60's, shouldn't a good carnauba last a couple months if I took it thru the power wash 4-6 times in that 2 month period?????



As far as the degreasers go, this particular wash sprayed some light colored foam on my car which sat for approximately 20 seconds. Then, the high pressure water rinsed it all off. I wouldn't think that would be enuff time to melt off my wax.



I mean, isn't the point of regular washing to keep dirt, grime and anything else from attaching itself to the clear coat?? I would think a powerful blast of water/soap would be good enuff to get me thru the winter?



I don't know how ya'll do it in the colder climates. How can you possibly wash, clay, dry, polish and wax a vehicle when it's in the 40's outside???? My hands would freeze off. :shocked
 
Here's the way I think of it. When the dirt is blasted off with high perssure, do you think it just falls harmlessly to the ground? No, it gets caught in the water stream and blasted back into your paint. Again. Again. And Again.

I will use a DIY car wash in the winter just to get the worst stuff off, but I don't squeeze the trigger when it's directed toward the paint.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
They don't recycle the water untouched, it's filtered and deionized. I'm not saying I would drink it, but it's not like it's not processed. But back to the OP's question, I wouldn't expect your #26 to last as long as you think it will if you go to a touchless every week.
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Do they have desalination facilities at a regualar car wash? I'd hate to have fresh salt water blasted on the car.
 
The use of unknown chemicals, an unknown amount of water pressure and coupled with the idea of using recycled water is enough to keep me from wanting to use one.
 
yakky said:
Do they have desalination facilities at a regualar car wash? I'd hate to have fresh salt water blasted on the car.
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Salt is an ion in water, deionization removes it. As I said before, the water in a car wash is filtered and deionized before it gets pumped back onto your car. To what extent is determined by the design and operation of the system. If they didn't, the cars coming out would be just as salt-film covered as those coming in.
 
To each his own, but for Christ sake, if touchless car washes were that bad, you wouldn't have lines out to the street when it's colder than hell out. I hit one occasionally in the winter myself. Oh the horror! the unknowns, oh my! LOL
 
I'll tell you this......living in MN, we have 3-4 months where washing your own car without a heated garage is pretty much impossible. It's either a DIY carwash or touchless car wash if you want to get rid of the salt and dirt.



So, needless to say, I've been using the touchless car washes for years during the winter months. I certainly don't notice any more marring due to touchless car washes than would be seen under normal circumstances. Now, using the brush at the DIY.....that's another matter.



I think the fear of touchless washes is a bit overblown. Sure, the harsher soaps definitely degrade any LSP faster than it normally would, but even still, with my winter mix of KSG and Blitz I was able to still see some beading in early March (after application in early Nov). Yeah, it was definitely not what one sees with a regularily maintained LSP layer, but it was definitely more than a car with nothing on it.



This year I switched to AJT/Collinite 476 for winter, so we'll see if that holds up better.



Use the touchless wash when needed due to weather. The water is clean and the soaps won't dissolve your paint. The only downside is a shorter life of your LSP. Salt is my enemy....not the touchless car wash.



Oh, and you people in the warm weather states who can wash your car outside 12 months a year and hence would have no need for a touchless car wash........you suck (and I'm jealous).
 
Things to consider...



The touchless car wash is only as good as the people who maintain it. Most gas stations have a high turnover of personnel or a lot of part timers who know how to ring in purchases on the register, but know nothing about the wash tunnel except for authorizing it's use.



Quertions to consider...



Are the filters and deionizing chemicals cleaned and checked regularly?



Are the chemicals used being metered out properly?



Is the water pressure used in the wash and rinse cycles pounding the dirt and contaminants into your paintwork?
 
besides decreased LSP lifespan...does anyone have evidence (before/after pics, years of experience, etc) showing that a touchless carwash HARMS a vehicle? i find it hard to believe. even if the recycled water is "dirty"...i think things are being blown out of proportion here.



considering the levels of protection we all have on our paint...i would only be concerned with the exposed metal under the vehicle and salt, etc. even if the touchless wash was using a nice salt water mixture...it would come out better off than when it went in. this thread reminds me of the great Dawn Wash debate. :)
 
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