Coin Op Consensus?

Z

ZoomBoy

New member
What's everyones opinion on coin-op washes in the winter?



My car is currently caked with crud and it hasn't even really been winter here in Canada yet. I'm not even going to think about using the supplied soap brush, I'm more interested in thoughts on the pressure sprayer with soap as that's all I'd let touch my car right now.



Is the soaps used too strong and will strip my IW off, or should I be good just giving it a good soapy spray with the coin op pressure washer and rinsing?



I don't really feel like doing a "bring your own bucket" as others have suggested in other threads, I'm more interested in cleaning the accumulated garbage off and I'll settle for my car not shining for a few months.
 
I use only the high pressure sprayer. It's the least of all evils in the wintertime. I usually try not to worry about paint perfection during this timeframe and will wait until spring to do a correct detail. I recently detailed my vehicle with 845 as a LSP. After I wash in coinops, I will usually (depending on the weather) apply some spray wax to help boost the coverage.
 
It's good for blowing off loose dirt and salt but at the same time, without a wash medium, it's not a real wash. You need to hand wash to get rid of dirt accumulation.
 
Yes, I'd say the coin-op wash coupled with bucket washing would be your best best. I don't see using their soap that big of a problem as long as you start the season off with a nice frsh coat of LSP and follow up as much as possible with a spray wax.
 
Some of us have no choice. Here in Upstate,SC we are down 12" in rain and are pretty much full time banned from using a hose for anything.



Since the ban I have been going to the coin op. I don't use the brush though. I go when it is not busy and wash it by hand. I use Eagle One bucket-less car wash and a sheepskin mitt. I do bring a couple of brushes for the tires/wheels and the wheel wells.



The Mustang is the daily driver and it does get quite dirty during the week on my daily commute. While I use ONR, I like to wash it at the coin op first to get the bulk of the crap off the paint...



I wish I had another choice but they are strictly enforcing the ban, the drought here is severe. Not sure if any of you are familiar with Lake Hartwell, it runs from pretty much the entire border between SC and GA and they are actually talking about the possibility that it may completely dry up if things don't get better.
 
I have two coats of KSG topped with two coats of Collinite 845 on my car right now. That keeps it protected well enough so that dirt rinses off pretty easily if I keep ahead of it.



I usually go to the touchfree washes at local gas stations if it's too cold to do an ONR wash.



When I do do an ONR wash, I use a spray wax as a 'booster' for my LSP and that seems to help.
 
I use only the rinse option with my own car wash supplies. I go during off hours so I can do a two bucket wash. I start the winter season with an application FK1000p, but use a spray wax to maintain that just waxed look.
 
rjstaaf said:
Some of us have no choice. Here in Upstate,SC we are down 12" in rain and are pretty much full time banned from using a hose for anything.



Since the ban I have been going to the coin op. I don't use the brush though. I go when it is not busy and wash it by hand. I use Eagle One bucket-less car wash and a sheepskin mitt. I do bring a couple of brushes for the tires/wheels and the wheel wells.



The Mustang is the daily driver and it does get quite dirty during the week on my daily commute. While I use ONR, I like to wash it at the coin op first to get the bulk of the crap off the paint...



I wish I had another choice but they are strictly enforcing the ban, the drought here is severe. Not sure if any of you are familiar with Lake Hartwell, it runs from pretty much the entire border between SC and GA and they are actually talking about the possibility that it may completely dry up if things don't get better.
Click to expand...



I wouldn't trust the strength of the soap they use. I am guessing it would strip the wax off.



Not to hijack your thred.



The mach one chin spoiler looks great on RFM, but you need to lower that hoe! Get a pro-kit for Christmas! (and a bump steer kit, and cc plates) I will send you a pic of how low it would go if you want.





--dylan
 
I live in apartments and when the car is caked with crap, like when I come back from snowboarding, I usually go to a coin-op to spray down and then use ONR to wash.
 
Haven't some forum members found out that the water used for the soap and rinse cycles was recycled (final rinse and wax were fresh)? That is a big problem if it isn't recycled well, you get salt water into everything.
 
Ugh, so many issues with washing in the winter! Why does Canada have to get so damn cold? :laugh: I just got my CR Spotless too - barely used it 5 times!
 
We get the crap beat out of our cars here in colorado. For the winter the only thing i can really do is layer the protection like crazy and only coin op self serve when extremely needed. I do not use a wash media on the paint, but i will use some brushes on the wells and wheels. After i get home i ONR wash and spray wax. I do this about once every 2-3 weeks depending on the conditions.
 
yakky said:
Haven't some forum members found out that the water used for the soap and rinse cycles was recycled (final rinse and wax were fresh)? That is a big problem if it isn't recycled well, you get salt water into everything.
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How sure are you about this? If that was the case, car wash operator's pumps (seals) would be failing all the time. The water supply into their pumps are constant, so I don't think 1 cycle could be "cleaner" than the other.
 
David Fermani said:
How sure are you about this? If that was the case, car wash operator's pumps (seals) would be failing all the time. The water supply into their pumps are constant, so I don't think 1 cycle could be "cleaner" than the other.
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Its been a while since I read that but the few posts I read stated that certain cycles used fresh water and other cycles used recycled. I have no first hand knowledge of it, but it seem plausable.
 
David Fermani said:
How sure are you about this? If that was the case, car wash operator's pumps (seals) would be failing all the time. The water supply into their pumps are constant, so I don't think 1 cycle could be "cleaner" than the other.
Click to expand...



To paraphrase - All I know is what I read on the internet:



Local by-laws require car washes to re-claim or recycle water. This means they have two choices.





a) They can collect the water in tanks and pay to truck it away to a recycling centre.





b) They can filter and then recycle the water (dependant on how often the filters are cleaned/changed) will effect how much dirt content there is. Recycled meaning re-use the same water, which may include any road dirt/grit that is not filtered out is used to high-pressure (1,000PSI) wash your vehicle (somewhat similar to sandblasting) the final rinse is usually twice-filtered re-cycled water, this is to give the appearance of a clean surface on the vehicle.





c) To help clean the recycled water they use a chemical like Presidium Orthophosphate (TSP) and have the chemical formula Na3PO4. It is a highly water-soluble ionic salt. Solutions of it dissolved in water have an alkaline pH; this does a great job stripping your wax / sealant.



This was taken from here:



'Touchless' Car Wash, are they safe - DetailingWiki
 
89gt-stanger said:
The mach one chin spoiler looks great on RFM, but you need to lower that hoe! Get a pro-kit for Christmas! (and a bump steer kit, and cc plates) I will send you a pic of how low it would go if you want.

--dylan
Click to expand...



With the roads I drive she can't go too much lower than stock. I have a Bullitt lowering kit which will drop it about 1/2" which is as low as I care to go with the daily commute. I just have to find the time to install it...



One day, when we can afford it I will get another car to do commuting duties but until then the Mustang has to be able to handle the commute without scraping metal to concrete ;)
 
citizen arcane said:
To paraphrase - All I know is what I read on the internet:



SOME local by-laws require car washes to re-claim or recycle water. This means they have two choices.





a) They can collect the water in tanks and pay to truck it away to a recycling centre.





b) They can filter and then recycle the water (dependant on how often the filters are cleaned/changed) will effect how much dirt content there is. Recycled meaning re-use the same water, which may include any road dirt/grit that is not filtered out is used to high-pressure (1,000PSI) wash your vehicle (somewhat similar to sandblasting) the final rinse is usually twice-filtered re-cycled water, this is to give the appearance of a clean surface on the vehicle.
Click to expand...



This information isn't entirely accurate. Many (most) Coin-Op washes I'm familiar with don't recycle their water and use 100% fresh water. I changed the Wiki to portray it more accurately in bold.



Would I drink the recycled water - No.

Is this "road dirt" like "sandblasting your car" - No



If you took some recycled water and looked at it through a clear glass it may not be exactly as clean as drinking water, but I promise you that no sand/dirt is in their. If that was the case, equipment would constantly be failing. The high pressure tips in the wash gun can't pass a grain of sand. I've had cases where I contaminated my PW when I hooked up a gritty garden hose and it blocked my tip later on. I have a similar model PW that Coin-Op's use.
 
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