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Drive Through Wash

Majortom

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Ok. I’m going to step in here I’m sure. I’ve had my truck for almost 3 months now and have only hand washed (I used to work for a company that made retail branded wash/wax/detail products). But with the great pollening going on in Houston, I can’t keep up.

What’s been your experience with drive through car washes? And dedicated washes v. those found at fuel stations?
 

Edwards

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Ok. I’m going to step in here I’m sure. I’ve had my truck for almost 3 months now and have only hand washed (I used to work for a company that made retail branded wash/wax/detail products). But with the great pollening going on in Houston, I can’t keep up.

What’s been your experience with drive through car washes? And dedicated washes v. those found at fuel stations?

I've done a few Quick Quacks with no issue. I do drive through in Aero or Normal mode. Just put it in N, turn off the auto-sensing wipers and enjoy the ride. I keep a short Swiffer in the upper glove box and pull it out during this time to dust the dash, etc.
I do keep the mirrors out so they get cleaned on all sides and occasionally one will get knocked backward but the next spinner (rotating the opposite direction) pops it back into place.
At the exit I've had to tap the brake once to go back into D but usually it just lets me N to D without the brake.

They get the truck very clean but I've noticed that if you get the tire shine and drive off immediately it will get some on your doors. If I pull off to vacuum then no issue there. Also, once you do this you'll find where the machines do not get everything 100%. For me it's right before and behind the fender flares, the indented loop around the RamBox locks, and the middle of the tailgate. I just hit those with a microfiber cloth before I vacuum.

They also have compressed air for you to blow off any lingering water and the side mirrors catch quite a bit.
 

TH3JUICEMAN

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I have a monthly plan with the local car wash that includes 1 auto wash, 6 minutes of self-serve, and vacuums per day. If I have time I typically do the 6 minute self-serve first and use some of my cleaning supplies like brake dust and bug remover. I focus on the lower half of the truck. Then drive over to the touchless auto wash.

With that said, there are 3 auto wash bays, two "soft-touch" and one "touchless". I ALWAYS use the touchless. The only thing that touches the outside paint is a wash mitt. Even though my truck is white, I can tell the dealership ran it through a soft touch at least once during the 4 months it sat on the lot. I'll be doing a full polish in the coming weeks to hopefully clean the paint up.
 

bigoldthor

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I'm probably in the minority here, but I have a monthly plan with a soft-touch carwash. While I'd prefer touchless or just to do it myself, I honestly just no longer have the interest in messing with it. I had a very good ceramic protectant put on it when I bought it, and now I just let it ride. Weather permitting, I will still hand wash it, dry it, and polish/wax it as needed, but nothing too involved. I will also go over it after the car wash with a finishing detailer, light wax/polish with clean microfiber cloths, but that is only weather and time permitting.

When I was younger? You bet, all handwashing or touchless with lots of follow up detailing. Now? Meh...it's a truck, not a museum, at least to me. YMMV.
 

Big White RAM

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Strictly "touch free" wash. It doesn't get it perfectly clean, but in between hand washes, at least it keeps it presentable and no risk of scratches and swirl marks.
 

Nails

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To combat the pollen here in SA after a good hand wash as a base. If still clean from no weather issues just pollen. Every weekend just do a pressure wash off first and foam cannon let it sit for a min or 2 with blower dry it off. 15-20 minutes tops
 

Gozar

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Good ceramic coat and then a monthly unlimited wash plan at a "soft-touch", trucks looks great.
I do quick detail the paint, every 2 months, with "Ceramic" spray on from the shop that did the original coating.
On my last car- a Genesis G80 Sport 3.3l Twin Turbo (which got totaled by an idiot 3 months after buying it) - I never used a soft touch.

So far I cannot see any swirling or negative impact from the auto-wash. The nice thing about the car wash is not only free vacuums but also microfiber towels and air (spray hose) to blow out all the crevices and mirrors.
 

Apexcars

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I go through whatever auto wash is handy as long as there aren't any really dirty cars right in front of me. I read an article that rated the soft touch washes as best for the paint as long as they were clean, then the touchless and last the ones with the brushes that look like they are made out of weed whacker line. They said that all of them were actually pretty decent though. Now, if I had a black truck that would be different because black starts getting swirl marks if you even slow down while driving past an auto wash.
 

Sascwatch

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I work at a soft touch warwash so other than a hand wash a couple times per year when I wax/seal/top coat the paint that’s all it will see. I’ve had my truck almost 2 weeks now and it’s been washed 4 times.

A well maintained soft touch wash will not damage your paint or leave swirl marks of any kind. The problem is you’ll never know how well maintained the equipment is.

There is less risk when using a touch less wash, but the chemicals they use are very strong and overtime will cause any paint protectant to wear off quickly.

Any automatic wash will have a much easier time getting dirt, road grime and bugs etc off a sealed and protected paint surface.

You’d be surprised at how many people do nothing to protect their paint other than one or two automatic washes per year, they will typically complain that the wash sucks and demand a rewash. I’m sorry, but the thousands of bugs that have been on your car since August aren’t coming off easily.
 

Sascwatch

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Pro-tip-
A lot of our customers use our wash to remove salt and dirt from the underbody in the spring.

Most automatic washes will avoid using high pressure water for the underbody rinses because it can get water into places it isn’t meant to go.

Once the weather is permitting hook up a lawn sprinkler and place it under your vehicle and move it around to allow water to get into every area.
 

Majortom

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I'm probably in the minority here, but I have a monthly plan with a soft-touch carwash. While I'd prefer touchless or just to do it myself, I honestly just no longer have the interest in messing with it. I had a very good ceramic protectant put on it when I bought it, and now I just let it ride. Weather permitting, I will still hand wash it, dry it, and polish/wax it as needed, but nothing too involved. I will also go over it after the car wash with a finishing detailer, light wax/polish with clean microfiber cloths, but that is only weather and time permitting.

When I was younger? You bet, all handwashing or touchless with lots of follow up detailing. Now? Meh...it's a truck, not a museum, at least to me. YMMV.
I think I’m at that point too. Having worked for a company making car wash, wax, and detailing products, I’m having to adjust my biases for hand washing.
 

Majortom

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I go through whatever auto wash is handy as long as there aren't any really dirty cars right in front of me. I read an article that rated the soft touch washes as best for the paint as long as they were clean, then the touchless and last the ones with the brushes that look like they are made out of weed whacker line. They said that all of them were actually pretty decent though. Now, if I had a black truck that would be different because black starts getting swirl marks if you even slow down while driving past an auto wash.
I think you’re right about black paint. I’ve not been a fan of white paint because they used to get chalky looking back in the 70s or so. But today’s paints are so much better so I bought white and I think it’ll help obscure any swirling I get over the years. Thanks.
 
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Majortom

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Pro-tip-
A lot of our customers use our wash to remove salt and dirt from the underbody in the spring.

Most automatic washes will avoid using high pressure water for the underbody rinses because it can get water into places it isn’t meant to go.

Once the weather is permitting hook up a lawn sprinkler and place it under your vehicle and move it around to allow water to get into every area.
Brilliant idea! I’ve often use the hose to spray but it doesn’t reach the middle well. I like that idea.
 

Majortom

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Thanks for the insights and tips. I have a Quick Quack about 2 miles away so I’m going to give that a shot today.
 

bigoldthor

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Where I live, we had the mildest winter ever since they've been keeping records. For the first time in my life, we had, literally, zero measurable snowfall. A couple of potential snowfalls led to some preemptive salt applications, but otherwise, our roads were dry (or just damp, not snowy or icy).

Point being, my truck will be better for it, though I will still use the underbody wash from time to time.
 

Timeless

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Good paint protection and then just rinse it off every day during pollen season. The drive to work dries the truck.

Even touch free washes use very strong chemicals that can erode your paint protection.
 

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