Car Wash Bays, Watch Your Paint!

[Nickxb]

I use the laser wash at car lovers and it does an ok job without touching the car with any kind of brush

[T3ts50]

Originally Posted by Nickxb

I use the laser wash at car lovers and it does an ok job without touching the car with any kind of brush

Ive used it once, my car looked the same as it did when it went in

[MISSbishi]

i dont know why people would use the brush on their cars anyway! go to the carwash when theres not many people there and take a bucket and your own products it will save scratching your paint! It doesnt matter how much you wash the brush theres always going to be dirt trapped in it scratching your car.

[AK]

I just use the water tank and wash on the front lawn. I get plenty of people telling me not to waste water but they dont realise we have a tank.

[paulie0735]

Originally Posted by ESP

I take a bucket, my own sponge and car wash solution.

I wash the car late evening when the wash stations aren't that busy so I can take my time and I don't delay others.

Same!, Actually had an attendant have a go at me at about 7:00am on a Saturday. Trying to be reasonable, I offered to move if anybody happened to be waiting for me but nuh........ meathead wouldn't hear of it. Just kept saying read the sign, read the sign!...... nearly came to blows in the end so decided it just wasn't worth it so rinsed off and left, Also let him know that the $30 a week I had been spending there for the last 6 months or so (3 cars at about $10 per car average) would be going into somebody else’s pocket. Upon hearing that he started to back pedal and suggested that I could use my bucket and mitt when it wasn't busy..... Still no body else there when I left! Needless to say I haven’t been back, the local one near the office has no such signs but I still only go when it’s quite, being lunch time mid-week now.

[Nickxb]

Originally Posted by T3ts50

Ive used it once, my car looked the same as it did when it went in

Sometimes it takes 2 goes to get it right, i ussually find the manager and he puts it through for free again if its still dirty.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Simple solution, don't use the brush.

Ditto, i think even the spray hoses do a crap job but sometimes you have to use them (hoses) i prefer to wash mine at home but we are going to stage 4 restrictions so thats out the window. I think im going to have a look at that waterless stuff, but i just cant get my head around it yet :togo:

[DOC]

Originally Posted by TE50 056

Ditto, i think even the spray hoses do a crap job but sometimes you have to use them (hoses) i prefer to wash mine at home but we are going to stage 4 restrictions so thats out the window. I think im going to have a look at that waterless stuff, but i just cant get my head around it yet :togo:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...waterless+wash

do it at home, never would use a car wash unless i owned a bush pig that was covered in mud and / or didnt care about the car

[Feathers]

I wash the car at our bus depot. It's up behind another building, surrounded by retaining walls, trees and houses, so no one can see me, or whinge.

We do have a water use authority though, and a pressure washer, but I refuse to use that after seeing the mess it makes of the buses.

[MAFIA]

Originally Posted by ThoR_

Hey guys.

Just wanted to warn you that dont know all though im sure alot of you with water restrictions do know. I was bored yesterday and my sisters car was filthy so i took it to one of the car washes and it was packed so i waited the bay i went into a 4WD covered in krap had been in. I picked up the brush and befor i go it onto the paint all this dirt and krap fell out onto the car i was like holy krap. So had to blast it off and blast out the brush. Another guy on here also gave me the same warning. Imagine a nice new car and pushing the brush onto the sand and into you nice new paint on your new XR6 or something. Disaster.

Just wanted to warn the felas!

Glenn.

Never use those brush at car washes place as they will only damage the clear coat on your paint work. Take your own hand wool mitt type sponge.

And here in WA there no serious water restriction so why not wash it at home!

[Daniel]

Since somebody mentioned waterless carwash; I use this when the car isnt very dirty, not the best for winter if you ask me, but otherwise it does work, well.

[SP.UTE1]

Originally Posted by prydey

better still, wash your car at home whenever you want.

whenever i used to go to the carwash i'd take all my own gear, whether it was in the middle of the day or not. nothing ever got said. these days, after putting in a rainwater tank i have all the water i need and enough pressure to gravity feed a pressure cleaner.

i only have a cheap gmc thing at the moment and was looking at a karcher yesterday and they suck and pump now. you can use a karcher with a bucket of water.

sure beats the gamble of going to the carwash. much more convenient too.

Bingo, that's exactly what I did, installed a rainwater tank and connected it to a small Davey pressure drop pump and I can wash my pride and joys any damn well time I like. Had a nosey neighbour dob me in to the water nazi's and when they came around and showed them the system they were fine about it.
Regards Bob

[ThoR_]

Originally Posted by paulie0735

Same!, Actually had an attendant have a go at me at about 7:00am on a Saturday. Trying to be reasonable, I offered to move if anybody happened to be waiting for me but nuh........ meathead wouldn't hear of it. Just kept saying read the sign, read the sign!...... nearly came to blows in the end so decided it just wasn't worth it so rinsed off and left, Also let him know that the $30 a week I had been spending there for the last 6 months or so (3 cars at about $10 per car average) would be going into somebody else’s pocket. Upon hearing that he started to back pedal and suggested that I could use my bucket and mitt when it wasn't busy..... Still no body else there when I left! Needless to say I haven’t been back, the local one near the office has no such signs but I still only go when it’s quite, being lunch time mid-week now.

In W.A i havnt been to a car wash where there is an attendent!!!!!!! Theres never anyone there but the people washing there cars!!! Most of them are 24hour and every one i go to there noone there anyway so you can do what you want. I do agree though it holds people up.

I had a guy once go ver his 4wd and get every nick and cranny i was waiting 30mins was not happy. Sometimes guys come down with dirtbikes get them off the trailer bring them in the bays hose them off and it gets anoyying they takes ages. Dir thats why i bought a 70buck presure washer for home for my dirtbike works a treat

Theres a car wash thats opened near me recently i went there the other day for the 6th time and 2 cars where there. No one noes about this place can do what you want.

All though guard dogs got out of a car yard and where in there and i ended up kicking them and punhcing them because i locked my keys in my car and they where attacking me eventually i got the car open with some packing tape and got out of there. Was damn scary.

[disco_tezz]

I go Early mornings and just use the soap spray and my lambs wool mitt, anw wash the car that way, will only use the brush to clean the wheels,

[The G6ET Spot]

I only use the pressure washer gun and take my own gear to wash mine. And then only as a last resort.

[DOC]

Originally Posted by ThoR_

All though guard dogs got out of a car yard and where in there and i ended up kicking them and punhcing them because i locked my keys in my car and they where attacking me eventually i got the car open with some packing tape and got out of there. Was damn scary.

? so you kicked and punched guard dogs while they were attacking you ? but you slipped your magiver packing tape out and unlocked the car while this was happening. what were they poodles.

[jarridtheruler]

I only go to these places if my car is really, really filthy. Such as when mud and crap is caked on everywhere. I only use the high pressure soap and the high pressure rinse to get rid of all the mud, it only costs me like $3. I then go home and wash it properly.

[JAZSXY]

Originally Posted by ESP

I take a bucket, my own sponge and car wash solution.

I wash the car late evening when the wash stations aren't that busy so I can take my time and I don't delay others.

If anyone gives me dirty looks, I promptly invite them into the bay so i can "wash" the dirt away from their gaze.................

Thats exactly the comment I was going to make mate. I dont trust the brushes they scratch your paintwork.

[Dark Horse]

Geezus there is some crap here...

Ok firstly - why some owners of the car wash places have a go at people is in case the EPA turn up and do a sample of the solutions going into the drains.

Remember all that water gets recycled, so all the detergents these car wash places use are biodegradable. If and when the EPA do a random check and find that there is stuff going in there that isn't, the car wash owner is liable for $1000, and if you're found using products that didn't come out of the brush or the jets and isn't degradable, you cop a $1000 fine as well.

Most of the car wash stuff these days does break down though, common sense approach really, do it late at night and inconvenience no one, it's so simple.

[ThoR_]

Originally Posted by DOC

? so you kicked and punched guard dogs while they were attacking you ? but you slipped your magiver packing tape out and unlocked the car while this was happening. what were they poodles.

lol no they went away and went into the music school next door. they were red heelers.

[old_mate]

i use the carwashes water. I take my own sponge and a diluted mix of meguiars wash in a spray bottle. its not bucket washing lol

[Unco]

anyone using any waterless car wash products? i was contemplating taking my car to carlovers but got a meguiar's waterless kit from super cheap auto instead... i must say it's pretty damn good.

[BPXR6T]

I use the brush on all my cars, never had a scratch. All I do is give it a rinse and run my fingers through it before I start. Maybe its an urban myth but I heard of people putting nails through the brush heads a while back.

[SVR73]

thanks thor. Rinse the brush with high pressure warm soap first.
I found some marring on ol faithful the other week which was solely due to the recycled water and high pressure soap. (I never use the brush)
The rotary came out and I refinished it lightly with blackfire 106FF and ultra gloss superpolish, prepped and resealed it. I'll never use a coin op wash again.

Due to this, my new shop will be having a big catchment mat, reverse osmosis recycle system, reverse osmosis drinking water and rainwater used as the ultimate wash for my cars and customers.
That way I can use a foam gun and do a swirl free multi bucket microfibre blot wash & waffle weave blot dry or air wand touchless dry any time I want and not worry about water restrictions as it's just rainwater and purified water on the body and use recycled for wheel arches and wheels.

Cars will be rinsed with the ultimate purified water using watering cans to save water and use my special drying aid called sheet off for super fast spot free drying.

[SVR73]

Also it's likely that our car boutique car wash soaps are more friendly to the environment than what the wash places use. Theirs has to have some major cleaning power and what each use varies alot.

I doubt very much that they could have a go at me if I took my car down there and washed it with my own showcar soap formula. It's got no sodium, phosphate, lye's and contains gloss brighteners, free rinsing agents, water softeners, paint sealant plus lavender and coconut conditioners and is PH 7

Can't get any softer than that.

[DOC]

Originally Posted by MILO_eater

I'm just writing to tell everyone about something I bought the other day. Im always havin trouble washin the roof of my work van and trailer. I found a wash brush that has a bend in the handle and is real good to do the roof. Hard to explain...go to www.aussiewashsolutions.com to see some pictures on it.
I read some posts the other day about people looking for a decent wash brush - I recon it would be real good on cars too, cos it has soft bristles. Can't find the original forum again so if you see it tell them about what i said.

Cheers
Rod

Looks good for a truck, but not for the pride and joy. sorry

[Nostalgia]

Never have and never will use do it yourself or drive thru car washes. Tight water restrictions in Geelong make it difficult but nice hot soapy bucket in the garage and away you go. I only do this once in a while and my car is filthy at the moment. I think i last washed it in March sometime.

[NudgE^SIKBRO]

Im a regular down at my local DIY Carwash so the attendants dont mind my doing this but... This is how i keep my Bitches Clean
FIRST: Spray entire car with High preassure Soap
Second: SHAKE Bubble Brush all over car (brush never touches a panel)
Third: Remove sponge from boot (Pre Moistend from home)
Fourth: Sponge entire car from top to bottom
Fifth: Spray WAX all over car (including glass and BEFORE RINSING SOAP)
Sixth: High Preassure Rince
Seventh: Light Spot Free Rince
Eigth: Drive car to Vacuum area
Ninth: Chamois Car
Tenth: Apply Tyre shine (From Can in Boot)

This WHOLE WASH other than tire shine costs me $4 Every Week and car looks a million dollars for it

[BENT_8]

You might aswell use the brush if ya going to use their water because the filters that remove or supposed to remove all the particles dont work well enough anyway.
If you have a close look over your car once you have rinsed any suds off you will notice the small particles all over your paint work just waiting for you to spread em around with ya chamois.
I will never use a car wash again after seeing what happens over time to paint work.