Recycled water is blasting the last car's dirt that's still in the water onto your car's finish. Our clearcoat is already very soft and suceptible to scratches.

If you want to see the damage they will do to a G37's wheels, I can post pictures. It ain't pretty.

I used a "high end" automatic car wash a couple of times and had it "waxed" by "professional" detailers once before I learned how to do it properly myself and invested in the right tools and supplies. Take a look at the results.

 

I'm with BJ, listen to the forums or better yet... the professionals. Never take your car to a automatic car wash... never. Unless you don't give a **** about your car. You will end up with scratches, swirls, and a bunch of other bad stuff. REAL car guys wash their cars their selves. I was wondering how to wash my car in the winter... I guess I'll be investing in ONR.

 

whats wrong with recycled water? uhh, you really think those car wash stalls have the latest and greatest in water purification technology? You do realize the water that rinses off that Dirty 4x4 that went mudding in front of you in line, is the same water thats gonna wash your car, after it went through the high tech purification process of course

The detergents and chemicals they use are not optimum for prolonging the life of any protective waxes or sealants that may already be on your car (or should be!!) Theyre usually very high in alakaline content, which has been known to give clear coats a yellowish tinge overtime, and dry/crack out trim, sort've like washing with dawn, another no no.

 

Very much true.

1. Recycled water is dirty water. Do you really want dirty water blasted on your paint?

2. That's the worst time to use them IMO. Think of all the salt and sand that is being rinsed off of your paint in the winter time. Since it's recycled water, do you want that water with salt and sand particles blasted on your paint? Not me.

3. Not all car washes have rails, but the ones that do can do some HUGE damage to your wheels.

4. See point number 2.

If you care about your paint at all, you'll pick up a rinseless wash product like ONR or QEW.

 

Good point Brian. I personally always get a laugh at the "Infiniti Paint" sucks threads, especially when they are always from members that really don't know how to take care of their paint properly in the first place. From my detailing experience with my business, Infiniti's paint is really no worse than other many other manufacturers.

If you don't properly take care of your car mechanically it's not going to perform the best and it's life expectancy will be reduced.......your paint is no different.

 

another good one is Chemical Guys ONE. It has kaolin clay in its compound for superb cleaning.

 

Dont go to car washes. Automated car washed are meant to deal with a high volume of cars, they dont care if they add swirls or scratches to ur car. They use cheap soap, cheap rags (non microfiber), the drying rags are dirty and probably covered in grim,dirt, and sand and the people who whipe the water off ur car at the end of the cycle use the same cotton cloth on ur rims as they do on ur paint.

 

I would never take a car (that I own) to a car wash. I used to work at a car wash... even if the water purification system works well and has good filters you still have to worry about the acidity of the water. Car washes never check that (although they're supposed to). They also spray that chemical rim stuff all over the rims and paint.
Even if they are a great car wash, your still spraying cold water on hot metal...especially if you've been driving for a while.