Best Automatic Car Wash for the Winter?

[Benny]

Originally posted by heavyD


Don't ever use the brush at the car wash on your paint. It's full of dirt that will leave swirl marks on your paint. High pressure wand wash is the best way to clean your car and keep swirl marks away. New paint (especially Japanese) has soft clear coat that scratches very easily and the best way to have a swirl free job is to only touch your paint come wax time.

I always spray out the foam brush with the high pressure washer before I use it on my car. If you spray the hell out of it, it gets all the dirt and other crap out of the bristles.

Generally this time of the year I'm far too lazy to manually wash my car though. The summer car gets a really good wand wash and is parked for the winter. My winter truck is a shitbox so it gets washed maybe once per winter when I can't see out of the windows anymore...

[know1edge]

Even if you spray the hell out of it, you're still scrubbing your paint...with a brush.

[Disoblige]

Yeah, you might as well just your own microfibre glove or something, and use the foam brush just to put the soap on.

Use glove to spread onto car and wiping off dirt, and spray off. Good for the lazy people since it's way better than using the brush, and still easy with the glove.

[rage2]

I'm loving a non black car this winter. High pressure soap, wax, go home. So easy to keep clean!

[msommers]

Jed gave me a good tip if you want to hand wash but are hitting the wand wash instead of two bucket.

Get a sheepskin washing mit

Do your usual presoak, soap, then blast the glove with the soapy setting and hand wash, blasting the glove routinely to get any crap off, rinse and then whatever. I doubt that wax from the wand wash actually does anything at all.

I've used this quite a bit and it definitely has kept the swirling down, likely because before when I'd go to dry it off there was leftover grit still on there.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Benny


I always spray out the foam brush with the high pressure washer before I use it on my car. If you spray the hell out of it, it gets all the dirt and other crap out of the bristles.

Spraying the brush won't get all the dirt out of it and brushes aren't made for automotive paint period. If you were hand washing would you use a mitt or a brush? I wouldn't even use those brushes on nice wheels.

[K3RMiTdot]

Originally posted by msommers
Jed gave me a good tip if you want to hand wash but are hitting the wand wash instead of two bucket.

Get a sheepskin washing mit

Do your usual presoak, soap, then blast the glove with the soapy setting and hand wash, blasting the glove routinely to get any crap off, rinse and then whatever. I doubt that wax from the wand wash actually does anything at all.

I've used this quite a bit and it definitely has kept the swirling down, likely because before when I'd go to dry it off there was leftover grit still on there.

Get 2, one for the top half the one for the bottom half.

[magicalpoop]

Originally posted by heavyD


Spraying the brush won't get all the dirt out of it and brushes aren't made for automotive paint period. If you were hand washing would you use a mitt or a brush? I wouldn't even use those brushes on nice wheels.

Truth. Never ever use the brush. I hesitate to even use it on wheels (even steelies).
You won't get all the rock particles out, ever.


You guys could just spend $200-400 and get your undercarriage sandblasted+painted in a rubber coat...it'd solve all your issues. That's what I did.

[msommers]

Where?!

[vennyroger]

If you want to prevent one of the problems with winter car wash you must just take your vehicle in a location a full service wash offers. These people can wash your vehicle for you help to keep you in the car, if your vehicle is washed.

[amorak]

Originally posted by vennyroger
If you want to prevent one of the problems with winter car wash you must just take your vehicle in a location a full service wash offers. These people can wash your vehicle for you help to keep you in the car, if your vehicle is washed.