exactly how bad is a touch free car wash at say a mobil gas station...like a "good" one with new technology

is the high pressure water going to leave swirl/spider marks in the clear coat?

 

I'd be more worried about scratches rather than swirl marks

 

They never really get the car clean it seems.

But yeah, scratches from debris being pressure-washed into the surface is the problem. Liek a sandblaster.

 

It is not that bad. I have ran mine through a couple without any issues just to get it clean when it is to cold to hand wash it. Not nearly as good as washing it yourself but if you need a quick clean then I don't see it being bad.

 

Personally, I never go to them. They use harsh detergents that will strip away much quicker any paint protection you may have. Hand wash using two bucket system only for me.

 

DONT DO IT! Do some research and get what you needs and DIY...

 

i run mine through them all the time, and my old G35...I only wash by hand if its 70 degrees and up.

 

I used to run my G35 through one once in a while. I stopped using it when I realized that the paint on one of the wheels started to chip away. I also read (i think in the owners manual) that you need to be careful using high pressure washers if you have the rear view camera because the water can get through the seal or something

 

I personally will never take my car through one of those touch free carwashes. Not only because they don't do a good job, but all of them used recycled, filtered water, so the water they are using on your car has been used on tons of cars before yours. I know they have good filtering systems, but I'm sure sand and dirt can still make its way through the system and be sprayed at your car at high pressures.

 

I used to run my '03 BMW 330Ci through the "no touch" car washes, and the full service car washes. After seeing the swirls they were history.. I paid a ridiculous amount of money to have the entire paint job backed out and re-waxed.

My reason for posting is the Mr.Clean AutoDry. I don't work for them, i work in national defense, but let me just say that it is awesome.

A friend of mine used it on his Dakota R/T and it seemed like a neat idea but I didn't believe it. I bought it for my G37 last sunday and used it, as long as you use a CLEAN surface to scrub down your car, nothing bad should happen. It coats the car in a non-harsh polymer, and then runs the rinse water through a double filter so there are no impurities that dry on your paint job. I live in WA state so yeah it sucks when it's cold, but this takes 15-20 minutes max (if you do a good job). Car dries (without a chamois or towel) spotless.

Highly recommended, if anyone has any input on this stuff (like if it's harmful and I just don't know it yet) please enlighten me.

Enjoy.

 

I use a touchless once a week, with spot free rinse. It works great.
I have the car detailed every 6-8 months. No problems whatsoever.
My Laser Red 03 looks as good as it did in the show room.

 

I use the pay drive in bay once a week or so as well. I use only the soap spray, rinse and spot-free rinse to finish it off. I never ever use the brush. If you have to actually "scrub" use some microfibers and do so after you've done the good rinse and clean.

This is the best way to go (just avoid the camera if you are worried about it).

No matter how often you wash you risk scratches the more you are forced to touch the car. The less you touch the car during washing the better, which is why the spot-free rinses are so great, as well as pressure wash/rinse.

So it's:
1. Pressure wash
2. Hand clean with microfiber, lightly
3. Pressure rinse
4. Spot-free rinse.
5. Mequiar's clay treatment (once or maybe twice a year)
6. Mequiar's NXT Version 2.0 (once a month or couple of months - although it will last much longer in my experience) or your sealer of choice.

You can drive the car home and not have a single spot and not have to wipe the entire paint with a towel, again, to dry (but I always do a tad bit of drying touchup.)

I'd not apply the first coat of sealer/wax (NXT 2.0 really rocks) without having clayed the car first, it makes huge difference.

 

there are one of those in a near by (very wealthy) city, and i always see people in their high end cars going through them. i have even went through one, and it does a pretty good job if you are in a hurry. no damage to the car in anyway..