Help please with a car that has had the paintwork Ceramic coated.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi to you all.
I have very very recently bought a W203 2.1 C220 CDI Automatic Estate and have been warned not to take it through a car wash !!

At 75 years young I can no longer climb a two step and wash the roof because of my knees and therefore the two bucket regime is a non starter.

In the passed I have had no difficulty washing and then rinsing with a plastic watering can.

My simple question is, should I go to a jet-wash and use the brush and then the lance for rinsing ?

Is the manned multiple operative hand wash that uses the 'Snow Foam a safe option and do I need to advise the operatives that my car has been Ceramic coated ?

 

[peterws1957]

Ah yes - this aging business is not the best thing ever invented is it? A few on here wouldn't contemplate a car wash, whether manned or not, mainly due to the stuff they use and the possibility of covering the paint in swirl marks. If that doesn't bother you though (and the ceramic coating will be some added protection against swirling) then brush and lance would be ok in your situation. I doubt whether most manned hand washes know what ceramic coating is anyway. You might want to consider getting your own brush with an extendable handle and a pressure washer. At least then you know what product is being put on the car.

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Ah yes - this aging business is not the best thing ever invented is it? A few on here wouldn't contemplate a car wash, whether manned or not, mainly due to the stuff they use and the possibility of covering the paint in swirl marks. If that doesn't bother you though (and the ceramic coating will be some added protection against swirling) then brush and lance would be ok in your situation. I doubt whether most manned hand washes know what ceramic coating is anyway. You might want to consider getting your own brush with an extendable handle and a pressure washer. At least then you know what product is being put on the car.

Hi Peter. Thank you for your quick reply. Which part of Lancashire are you based in ?
I actually do have a Karcher that was bought for cleaning the paving slabs at the bungalow,it has had very little use because of the chemical cleaner that is in the detergent reservoir I am reluctant to use it for washing my cars.

I have a Gardena system that I bought 20+ years ago when I had my Elddis Crusader SuperSirocco but it is a real faff connecting the Karcher onto the garden hose and then re-winding it all in again.

What would you recommend as shampoo that is car/paintwork friendly and available in either 2.5 litres or 5 litres.

 

[John Laidlaw]

My advice is never to use these hand car washes, yes they use a snow foam but if you look how they operate they generally have troughs containing car wash solution but it’s not changed every car, probably at best twice a day.
They have no grit guards therefore they are washing your car with someone else’s detritus, maybe 50 or more vehicles worth.
Contrary to common belief you can still swirl a car with ceramic protection..
So if it were me, I’d find a good detailer who does a ‘maintenance’ wash in a mobile van. Probably charge you £35/£40 but it will be worth it. Do it monthly unless you’re travelling regular long miles

 

[John Laidlaw]

Oh and sorry those brush systems for the pressure washers, absolutely not, ever

 

[Blobcat]

I would (and do) use a tunnel car wash.
I wouldn’t (and don’t) use a hand car wash

 

[EmilysDad]

I would (and do) use a tunnel car wash.
...

So do I every now & then ...

 

[A.J.]

Hi to you all.
I have very very recently bought a W203 2.1 C220 CDI Automatic Estate and have been warned not to take it through a car wash !!

At 75 years young I can no longer climb a two step and wash the roof because of my knees and therefore the two bucket regime is a non starter.

In the passed I have had no difficulty washing and then rinsing with a plastic watering can.

My simple question is, should I go to a jet-wash and use the brush and then the lance for rinsing ?

Is the manned multiple operative hand wash that uses the 'Snow Foam a safe option and do I need to advise the operatives that my car has been Ceramic coated ?

Hi, my age also starts with a 7 but I still prefer the old bucket and sponge way along with a soft Tooth Brush and a Pastry brush to get into the corners and I dry it off with a couple of Microfibre towels.

I like to wash mine every week. My knees are OK so I havn't got a problem there but I do insist on washing the car myself as I know how I like it done. My only problem is that I do ache all over the following day as a result

Personally I wouldn't go near a Car Wash of any sort, manned or otherwise. The manned type in particular as I refuse to contribute to the black economy or support slavery. Plus the fact I do not want my car leathered off particularly with a leather full of grit

 

[rorywquin]

My wife's (purchased at 1 year old) 6 year old B Class (no fancy coatings) is a regular visitor to the automatic carwash. It doesn't look the worse for wear when I actually hand wash it.

If these ceramic coatings are all they are supposed to be, then surely a ~13 year old car is not going to be irreparably damaged by the OP putting it through a (modern) carwash.

My back and knees are going downhill and the SL will probably get the same treatment when I can no longer wash it.

 

[Tony Dyson]

Why is it the manufacturers of car detailing products have been allowed to get away with their spurious claims of selling an overpriced and overhyped bottle full of chemicals that sets to a level of hardness on the surfaces on which it is applied and calling it "Ceramic", why haven't trading standards stopped and prosecuted them all, criminals that they are. Absolutely nothing wrong with a good quality tunnel wash, hand finished with a proprietary waxing at home in the afternoon while chatting to the neighbours, be precious about your car but getting precious about a mythical ceramic coating on your car's paintwork? really?

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Oh and sorry those brush systems for the pressure washers, absolutely not, ever

Hi John. The Pressure washer never gets the brush attached,it is/was only ever used on the regular garden house for the rising off from rising main supply.

What do you mean by 'a tunnel wash'.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Hi John. The Pressure washer never gets the brush attached,it is/was only ever used on the regular garden house for the rising off from rising main supply.

What do you mean by 'a tunnel wash'.

‘Tunnel’ is the auto car wash systems you see at filling stations etc, drive in, brushes and jets wash your car
Proven to be less damaging than the majority of hand car washes but not for me

 

[sonic]

I am another of the 70+ brigade still mobile at the moment, & I always hand wash our cars.
Cant say I have ever paid to have my cars washed, in the early days I couldn't afford it.

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi, my age also starts with a 7 but I still prefer the old bucket and sponge way along with a soft Tooth Brush and a Pastry brush to get into the corners and I dry it off with a couple of Microfibre towels.

I like to wash mine every week. My knees are OK so I havn't got a problem there but I do insist on washing the car myself as I know how I like it done. My only problem is that I do ache all over the following day as a result

Personally I wouldn't go near a Car Wash of any sort, manned or otherwise. The manned type in particular as I refuse to contribute to the black economy or support slavery. Plus the fact I do not want my car leathered off particularly with a leather full of grit

Hi Andy. Thank you for your input. A man after my own heart. Albeit I must admit that I have done the occasional 'Tunnel Wash' as they are called and also the same but without the roof structure albeit that was with my various BMW's.
My issue is really my hips/pelvic cradle which aches like hell after a few minutes of Up & Down and cleaning the wheels is utter purgatory,an Arthritic Spine doesn't help much either.
The aching subsides after an hour or so and a couple of Codeine sweeties !!

The C220 CDI was only delivered on Saturday afternoon during some light rain on-route from Durham and still has the evidence on the paintwork.

Years ago I would happily wash my car in the rain and without a hat so that my hair had a liberal dose of natures conditioner but now with a lot less of it - hair that is - the water goes down my back/spine and leaves me with a rather soggy rear end.

 

[Rob7seven]

Throughout many, many years of car ownership, I've never used any car wash, or paid anyone else to do it for me. I'm not obsessive about car cleaning, but I do like to keep them nice and shiny. My last car had the AG Lifeshine treatment from new, and a very good result too. I'd have it again for the £195 I paid the dealer, after much negotiation of course, but I don't think that even AutoGlym themselves claim that it lasts longer than a few years, they should rename it "Lastsquitealongtimeshine", though mine was still pretty good when I traded in the car at 3 years old. My most recent car buying experience was not an easy experience, all done by phone and email, I didn't even see my car until the handover. The dealership was the least impressive MB dealer I've had dealings with, I'd never go back there, so I didn't even bother trying to discuss a ceramic paint treatment with them, but it did arrive thoroughly waxed with something decent, water still beads nicely after four months and maybe four or five washes. My washing procedure is just plain water from my Kärcher pressure washer, no detergents or additives of any kind, not ever, a little finger rubbing on reluctant spots, microfibre drying cloth if I'm not too cold by now from being outside, but the car (Indium silver) looks fine if I'm lazy. and don't bother drying it. I'll be going over it myself with Meguiars Ultra as soon as the weather is better, this is the best wax I've found, and it's easy to use, though I do appreciate that age or infirmity would make this a difficult procedure for some. Like many on here, I'd be very picky if I ever had to ask or pay anyone else to do it for me.

Quick edit, the wax I use is Meguiars Ultimate, not Ultra. Highly recommended.

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi Rob. Way back in the early 1970's when I had a deep red 4dr Ford Cortina Mk2 I was an avid fan of Dupont 'Rain Dance',it shed water like it was on ice. If it had rained overnight I could go outside and fire-up the engine and the water would just disappear.
Several years later it was taken off of the market because of the rather high silicone content - it made a return many years later but it was not as effective.
Then I came across AMWAY Silicone Glaze which served me for many years before it too was withdrawn for similar reasons.

More recently I was introduced to an Amazon product by the name of Boora which comes in a 500 ml Black Plastic Bottle. This currently is circa £10 to £12. It goes a very very long way and produces results that I have not seen since the days of Rain Dance

 

[philreed52]

Hi Peter. Thank you for your quick reply. Which part of Lancashire are you based in ?
I actually do have a Karcher that was bought for cleaning the paving slabs at the bungalow,it has had very little use because of the chemical cleaner that is in the detergent reservoir I am reluctant to use it for washing my cars.

I have a Gardena system that I bought 20+ years ago when I had my Elddis Crusader SuperSirocco but it is a real faff connecting the Karcher onto the garden hose and then re-winding it all in again.

What would you recommend as shampoo that is car/paintwork friendly and available in either 2.5 litres or 5 litres.

Hi after owning my Karcher jet washer for 7 or 8 years I have discovered that you can use a short hose and drop it in a bucket or water container and tried it only yesterday and it works .strange the things you read on line .it was proberly in the instructions but who reads instructions ??? It has made it easy to power wash my Merc out the front of house . Hope that helps .

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi after owning my Karcher jet washer for 7 or 8 years I have discovered that you can use a short hose and drop it in a bucket or water container and tried it only yesterday and it works .strange the things you read on line .it was proberly in the instructions but who reads instructions ??? It has made it easy to power wash my Merc out the front of house . Hope that helps .

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Hi Phil. Thank you. Yes,I have had my Karcher for some 9 years ago - I bought when I owned and lived in a huge (40 foot) static caravan in Ellington,Northumberland for a couple of years after selling my house in UpHolland,Lancashire.
I can count on one hand the number of times that it has been used since moving into my bungalow in Scarisbrick nearly 8 years ago.

I will give that a go albeit I was thinking of cutting the retractable garden hose down to something with less effort when it comes to rewinding it all in. The cut piece of hose will then have additional fittings and coiled and stored for being fitted in the event of needing a longer hose again.