Car Wash

[SnowBlaZR2]

Guess I struck a nerve.

Why? We're all just talking some **** here.

But thanks for confirming you have 3.21s.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Why? We're all just talking some **** here.

But thanks for confirming you have 3.21s.

3.21s?!?! Well, it better be a self propelled carwash because it wouldn't have the power to pull itself through!

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

3.21s?!?! Well, it better be a self propelled carwash because it wouldn't have the power to pull itself through!

Don't worry, all that water pressure blasting the paint off ought to move him through.

 

[LouNY]

Well heck, just to keep the conversation going good I've been running all my trucks through the brush and moving shammie type carwash for at least 25 years now. At one time it was almost every other day and in the winter months 3-5 times a week. That was when it was close by in my travels now it's only once or twice a week and once in a while I'll skip a week and just drive a dirty truck. Field roads a dirt driveway and some dirt roads keep a truck dirty.
One time I thought I had gotten some marks on a truck from the car wash and they used a bit of rubbing compound and it cleaned right off,
later that week I realized it was the snow brush that was marking up the hood.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Well heck, just to keep the conversation going good I've been running all my trucks through the brush and moving shammie type carwash for at least 25 years now. At one time it was almost every other day and in the winter months 3-5 times a week. That was when it was close by in my travels now it's only once or twice a week and once in a while I'll skip a week and just drive a dirty truck. Field roads a dirt driveway and some dirt roads keep a truck dirty.
One time I thought I had gotten some marks on a truck from the car wash and they used a bit of rubbing compound and it cleaned right off,
later that week I realized it was the snow brush that was marking up the hood.

I'm right there with you. It's not a delicate lacquer finished show car is it?

 

[41magmag41]

I run my girl, flaming red, through a touchless wash every friday, as i park her in the pit when i pick up my Mack triaxle for work. Ive spent a lot of time on her waxing and griots ceramic 3 in 1 wax and the water rolls off her so well i dont have to dry her after a wash. The only "damage" to the surface is UV damage, shes three years old this month.

 

[Ex_dutch]

In MN winters the cleanish look from the touchless car wash lasts less than the drive home. And when it’s finally 25f and sunny, you’re gonna sit there forever in line because everybody wants to take advantage of the fine weather, so my truck mostly stays dirty.
For those who baby their paint, do you keep your vehicle long enough to have to worry about degradation of your paint?

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

For those who baby their paint, do you keep your vehicle long enough to have to worry about degradation of your paint?

I have three vehicles. The Ram is the only one I've had less than 12 years. I could see myself keeping the Ram that long as well, depending on what's being offered in 5-6 years.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

In MN winters the cleanish look from the touchless car wash lasts less than the drive home. And when it’s finally 25f and sunny, you’re gonna sit there forever in line because everybody wants to take advantage of the fine weather, so my truck mostly stays dirty.
For those who baby their paint, do you keep your vehicle long enough to have to worry about degradation of your paint?

I had a Frontier with over 150k on it. Paint looked fine from car washes, not so much from parking lot dings and deer strikes. Frontier before that had 250k on it and the paint was starting to oxidize and could have used some compound, but it was an old truck with 250k on it, so.... Black Jeep was for 4 wheeling, no way a car wash could do worse than the tree branches and rocks (yes, Jeeps do real 4 wheeling, not just mild roads these trucks do). Heck, my Lincoln is OK. Sure, it needs paint correction but he'll, it's a 2004!

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I have three vehicles. The Ram is the only one I've had less than 12 years. I could see myself keeping the Ram that long as well, depending on what's being offered in 5-6 years.

And if the paint falls off from a car wash, you bought the wrong truck!

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

And if the paint falls off from a car wash, you bought the wrong truck!

Won't fall off, but it will look like *** at 250k.

Or, put a little effort in, and it'll look better than most trucks that are three years old.

 

[SpeedyV]

I’m guessing some of you own trucks that never once left the pavement. It’s a truck not a high dollar sports car. Last thing I’m worried about is a touchless car wash ruining my paint. That’s ridiculous.

I like a clean truck like anyone else but that will never stop me from going off road and mudding it up on a fairly regular basis. I use a truck for what it’s intended for not just cruising and looking cool with a pristine shiny paint job. Nobody cares………it’s a truck not a Lamborghini.

There’s some sense. You’d think we were talking about a classic Aston Martin here.

I haven’t had time to do regular hand washes on a truck since maybe high school. Ceramic coat, automatic washes, an occasional buff and polish, and repeat every couple of years. We get compliments on our vehicles’ appearances all the time.

Twenty-five years from now, if I’m deep enough into the clear coat to ponder refreshing the paint, I’ll call that a win…as 95% of trucks we’re talking about here won’t be on the road anymore.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

You’d think we were talking about a classic Aston Martin here.

XPEL Ultimate Plus PPF, Adam's Ceramic Paint Coating

We get compliments on our vehicles’ appearances all the time.

It isn't because automatic car washes do such a fantastic job...

 

[SpeedyV]

It isn't because automatic car washes do such a fantastic job...

That’s right…as I wrote, time is my limited resource. So yeah, I did the basics to protect the finish. This lets me happily go through the brushes as needed.

 

[Islander]

Well where I live there are no automated car washes on island....so it's either paying Haitians to wash and scratch up my car with dirty rags...or doing it in my driveway using a foam cannon, pH neutral car shampoo and soft microfiber wash mitts and drying towels

I choose the latter and sweat off a pound or two once a week

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

That’s right…as I wrote, time is my limited resource. So yeah, I did the basics to protect the finish. This lets me happily go through the brushes as needed.

Anyone who says they just don't have time to spend an hour a week doing a proper maintenance wash really means they just don't want to spend the time doing it. Nothing wrong with that. It's your truck and your time. Spend it how you want.

 

[E.Hands]

SnowBlaZR2, I see merit in the argument that touchless washes use chemicals that are harsher than those used in brush type washes. I'll check with some local wash owners to see if this is, in fact, the case in my area.
Just as those "no rubbing, just spray on and rinse off" wheel cleaners. Those things are acidic AF. I far prefer "mild soap and elbow grease only".

2-wheel drive, pavement-only, 3.21 Highway Hauler

P.S. - I had to drive on a limestone drive thru... once. Ewwwu!

 

[ferraiolo1]

What damage? Ceramic treatment twice a year keeps my paint protected. Touchless does work great for what I use it for. Wash bays around here use city water, which is hard and leaves spots. Touchless wash finishes with DI water for the final rinse, then an air blower removes almost all the water.

You answered your own question, if you have to ceramic coat your truck twice a year, then the chemicals at the car wash are eroding the ceramic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SpeedyV]

Anyone who says they just don't have time to spend an hour a week doing a proper maintenance wash really means they just don't want to spend the time doing it. Nothing wrong with that. It's your truck and your time. Spend it how you want.

That’s right…we all have different priorities!

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I think some of you should buy your truck and then call Jabba the Hutt to have it encased in Carbonite then stored in a vacuum vault so it stays in good shape.

Whatever you do don't drive it!