Car Washes - Yes or No?

Car washes? Bad for the car?

  • Yes - Avoid

    Votes: 15 71.4%
  • No - will be fine

    Votes: 6 28.6%

  • Total voters
    21

Yugguy

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True, but only if you like to spend time looking at swirl marks on your paintwork.
I don't look that closely. I'm sat here in the lounge looking at the car and it looks nice and shiny.

In these time-poor days we all choose what to use that time for.
 
OP
Ts99

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  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #24
Mixed reviews, but mostly swaying towards to avoid.

I wouldnt take it to the 'pop up hand car washes' that you can get done for a tenner as i know they use bad products.

It was based on the ones at tesco, they spray the car, brush the front then you simply roll through.

£10 was for the top one, wax and all that!

So, one last time... Avoid? HA
 

Blobcat

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Mixed reviews, but mostly swaying towards to avoid.

I wouldnt take it to the 'pop up hand car washes' that you can get done for a tenner as i know they use bad products.

It was based on the ones at tesco, they spray the car, brush the front then you simply roll through.

£10 was for the top one, wax and all that!

So, one last time... Avoid? HA
Those ones wash 10,000,000 cars a year in the U.K. and a lot more in Germany. As it’s illegal to wash you car on the drive in Germany tunnel car washes are the default position for drivers (including Mercedes, shock horror...). There isn’t the rash off illegal hand car washes in Germany because the city officials turn up and close them down because they don’t have the correct permits for water and waste.

There is no way that tunnel car washes can put swirl marks on the pain as the brushes don’t go round and round that way against the car.

The top washes with pro-shield are pretty good and the pro-shield has the same properties as rain-x although not rain-x because of copyright.

My VW Caravelle fitted through most of them and there’s not many Mercedes talked than 1.93m.
 

Binnedit

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I'd rather it be dirty than use any sort of automated or hand car wash for my own vehicles.

Didn't worry overly with Company vehicles in the past. Ahem.
 

daveenty

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I've not voted in the poll as I'm not a fan of any car washing really, hand or otherwise.

My E Class has been washed about 3 times in the 15 months I've owned it, my 190E once when I first got it. All they get is a good spray with a quality QD and a wipe down every time they go out. This works for me, but I know it won't for a lot of others.

I would also surmise that around 95% of the motoring public couldn't care less about their cars compared to those of us who tend to be overly careful. Also, the majority of the motoring public would struggle to tell the difference between a clean car and a detailed car and, to be honest, I can't blame them. It's very easy to turn a relaxing hobby into an obsession...

I think what I'm trying to say, is do whatever suits you. :)
 

sl500amgsport

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Weekly wash by professional detailer, comes to the house £50 a month. He is a car restorer, currently restoring an R129 so great to chat with, very knowledgeable and sorts out any bad driving damage/stonechips etc (seen him gradually fill in a stone chip over 6x washes using a toothpick to gradually build the paint up)! Even my 82 year old mother has just asked to use him for her Fiesta after the local wash scratched her car...

Mercedes SL500 R231
 

LostKiwi

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We've used a hand carwash place near us for years. They aren't a popup, do a decent job and use Autoglym products.
The car always looks fantastic afterwards. The owner loves MBs and is always about to talk to. He also watches the staff when they do our cars and has them be particularly thorough as he knows I'm an enthusiast.
 

rorywquin

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The hand washes around us look like a bunch of thugs - I'd be afraid to complain about anything...:eek:
 

John Laidlaw

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I struggle to see how many of the local hand car washes around me make any money (legitimately). One was featured on a TV programme a couple of years ago, who were caught on camera rooting through folks cars helping themselves to anything sellable. (Before anyone says anything I’m not saying they are all like that).
What bothers me, and has been highlighted earlier , is the troughs they use either side of the car normally, sponge in and out of the same unfiltered water which will inevitable be full of crud just waiting to grind into your paint......
Tunnel car washes? Haven’t used one for years so they are likely considerably better than they used to be.
I suspect if my car was not Obdidian black I may try one but I’d be fearing of undoing all the hard work and coating build up over the 20 months i’ve Had this car.
QD instead of washing- same conclusion .....
 

Craiglxviii

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A car wash was on my bucket list for a risky bunk up in my youth when I had company cars. ;);):cool::cool::cool::cool: Tick :)

Never put my own car through one.

Keith, don't you mean a topless carwash? :D :D
 

JBell

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OP you have a black car, a rotating brush car wash will scratch it horrifically, pay your detailer to do it


I struggle to see how many of the local hand car washes around me make any money (legitimately).

The one near me is constantly full, the owner drives a new Bentley, they actually do a fairly good job.
 

Blobcat

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Wighty

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I've not voted in the poll as I'm not a fan of any car washing really, hand or otherwise.

My E Class has been washed about 3 times in the 15 months I've owned it, my 190E once when I first got it. All they get is a good spray with a quality QD and a wipe down every time they go out. This works for me, but I know it won't for a lot of others.

I would also surmise that around 95% of the motoring public couldn't care less about their cars compared to those of us who tend to be overly careful. Also, the majority of the motoring public would struggle to tell the difference between a clean car and a detailed car and, to be honest, I can't blame them. It's very easy to turn a relaxing hobby into an obsession...

I think what I'm trying to say, is do whatever suits you. :)
Cover your ears buddy , I've just washed my car with shampoo and water :shock: , followed by a little spray of aqua wax and a microfibre dry off !
 

Craiglxviii

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Our local (that I used yesterday) charges £7 for a wash, say ten minutes with 2 men each for half the time each. 40 man-minutes say. Their setup allows for maximum 3 cars to be worked on in parallel.

A business gross income of between £10-30/hr is going to struggle to cover costs let alone anything else, I'd say.
 

Blobcat

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Think you hit the nail on the head there, John. Bet there aren't much tax revenues paid over......
That's the challenge with a predominately cash based business... They don't give Bentleys away...
The actual workers may well also not be on even close to the minimum wage on the popup hand car washes.
 

John Laidlaw

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Our local (that I used yesterday) charges £7 for a wash, say ten minutes with 2 men each for half the time each. 40 man-minutes say. Their setup allows for maximum 3 cars to be worked on in parallel.

A business gross income of between £10-30/hr is going to struggle to cover costs let alone anything else, I'd say.
Pretty much the math I used Craig, the closest to me also does valets so some workers distracted to that too, they have to buy the chemicals, power washer spares and repairs etc etc...can’t be done IMO
 

JBell

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Our local (that I used yesterday) charges £7 for a wash, say ten minutes with 2 men each for half the time each. 40 man-minutes say. Their setup allows for maximum 3 cars to be worked on in parallel.

A business gross income of between £10-30/hr is going to struggle to cover costs let alone anything else, I'd say.

The guys here do 8 cars at a time and have an interior valeting bay as well, costs vary from £7-15 vehicle dependent, after the wash they have 2 guys drying them off before you leave, usually queued out of the door
 


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