I usually wash my car regularly by hand but during the winter I do not have access to a car park to wash my car properly.. Is it ok to once in a while use an automatic car wash? My car is already looking pretty filthy from the snow/salt. With the ice and snow on the car it's hard to use a quick detailer properly.

 

Depends on what you define as "okay". With your black car, you will have swirls from an auto car wash.

I'm lucky that I don't have to deal with salt and harsh weather. So easier said than done, but I wouldn't run my car through an auto wash.

 

Use a no contact washer that just blasts it with high pressure water. Lots of gas stations have them now. They are also called brush-less or touch free washers. They wont leave the swirl marks like the older style ones and they actually do a decent job.

 

Only go to Esso car washes... they have a no contact system and costs $10.15

 

i love the touch less washes they do a good job. i get one every week. and once a month i wash it at home by hand.

 

plus 1 i use them they do a great job cleaning the car

 

Same here. There is a shell station on the way home that has a good touchless. I throw a towel in the trunk on the way to work, hit the wash on the way home when I fill up and finish the dry with the towel since the blower never gets all the water off. Wash at home one or two times a month.

 

I'm fortunate enough to have a car wash that is done all by hand. They do a lot of pre-wash rinsing of the car, wheel wells etc. before they start applying a cloud of soapy suds and do the wash. The complete process is done indoors which I prefer to an outdoor wash, I don't like to wash cars in the sun. Of course you will probably pay a bit more then the other car washes but I really don't mind and besides I usually wash my own car at home and quickly put it in my garage for drying and polishing/waxing. I bet you'll find a hand wash in your phone book or you can just ask around. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

I've used touchless car washes quite a bit on previous cars, but on the G, my first WHITE car, I noticed that after going through a touchless wash, I can use my finger and wipe a line of dust/dirt even after the wash. ?? I was surprised as I have never had an issue. ...after paying $9-13 and not being clean, I now hand wash at home.

 

I use Optimum No Rinse and it works great. If I go to a carwash, it's an all hand wash.