Do you Hand Wash or Auto Car Wash?

[SwampNut]

if you enjoy using it for what it was built to do.

Well said.

I have a friend who used to keep the original seat coverings on his vehicles. The plastic cling wrap from the factory. To protect the leather for good resale. I had to stage an intervention. He never fully enjoyed a vehicle AND he never got more than normal book to sell it, nobody cared about the seats.

I've owned vastly more cars than I can count. Even when I was doing car shows and had expensive custom paint, those cars went through a machine, even the shitty 90s machines. They were fine. Outside of very shitty machines at car washes or other junky machines, they are perfectly safe.

I've had two problems with the high-pressure touchless though, and will never use them. Once a badge was ripped off, and in another case, it got into some kind of paint defect and ripped a big chunk off. This won't happen with the soft cloth washes.

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[chrisc]

Automatic (touchless) in winter, 2 bucket method hand wash rest of the year

 

[Oldcarguy]

Hand wash at home, when on a trip, spray and pray or full auto. Waterless car wash in-between to get the bugs off.

 

[jbssfelix]

Touchless or hand wash. Currently a small layer of snow on the ground here in Denver, so I'll take it through the touchless...plus, I generally just want a quick rinse in the winter to get the salt off...not looking for style points. In the summer, I can hand wash and baby it to make it look all pretty.

 

[boosted20v]

Hand wash only, if I own them they Ceramic coated and PPF on my weekend car. Wife's cars are leased but still hand washed. I won't let anyone touch my cars, dealers included when in for service.

 

[emoore]

I hand wash after road trips to get the bugs off. I think I've been to an auto wash twice in 3 years with the truck. I'll hose it down if it's really dirty but otherwise very little washing.

 

[tdrew55]

I"m interested in what you folks do with your cars? Do you hand wash primarily, or do you use an automatic car wash?

If you autowash, do you lease?

I autowash and lease.

We’re supposed to wash them?

 

[ET Irrigation]

Always hand wash with this telescoping brush. Take less than 5 minutes, gets the roof without a ladder

ladder

 

[Seano]

Go to a flat lot and practice using the shift lever to put it into neutral. I was originally using the button on the car wash mode screen and was really inconsistent (and got the same nasty looks from the attendant). Once I got good at using the lever to put it into neutral I haven't had any issues. I put it in car wash mode while the eye is reading my plate, knowing I won't be exceeding the speed limit that turns off car wash mode as I go around the turn into the wash. Then it's just a matter of getting it into neutral when the attendant gives me the thumbs-up.

Originally, I thought you needed foot on the brake, but no! Can go to neutral easily without foot on the brake. I agree: stalk seems to work easier & foot off the brake seems easier to nail the timing

 

[md2023]

Touchless

 

[SwampNut]

Always hand wash with this telescoping brush. Take less than 5 minutes, gets the roof without a ladder

ladder

OMG. Joking? A cloth auto wash is certainly safer of course.

 

[ET Irrigation]

OMG. Joking? A cloth auto wash is certainly safer of course.

It's not a wire brush, soft bristles and works fantastic!

 

[VandalSibs]

Hand wash. I can't consistently get my EV's to go into neutral at the exact right moment the chain driven roller pushes the front tire. I crash the conveyor rollers every time, and get foul looks from the attendant.

When lined up with the roller, tap the "shift to neutral" button that's part of the "Car Wash Mode" button in the mini menu.

(Not my image, found on the Interwebs)

 

[RiverAtlanta]

I lease and always hand wash. I feel like the auto wash is more abrasive.

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