Morning all.

After my usual read through the posts this morning something went ping in the grey matter.

I remember after getting my wheels powder coated and tyres changed I was warned never to go to a car wash place where it seems too cheap to be true.

If you think about it logically then it's obvious, they want as many cars through in the quickest time possible. For that to happen apparently they are not too choosy over what 'products' they use to 'clean' your pride and joy.

In a nut-shell they basically use truck-wash in diluted form to keep things moving as quick as possible.

This is an uber-strong acid type cleaner that in time will destroy the paintwork on your car. It matters not what paintwork protection you might have, nor indeed how much you paid for it!!

Best to stick to handful of products that have been tried and tested, to keep your vehicle looking shiny and new.

Only thing worse than a rotating brush car wash are the side of the road hand jobs (waits for the smut police to arrive )

Although my boss had the coating from BMW applied to his motor and that seems to be like granite. Rotary wash doesn't touch the paint at all?

Each to their own I guess - for some cars will be their pride and joy, looked after, detailed, cared for.

Others it's just a means to get from A to B.

I would guess the A to B people perhaps wouldn't be using this forum. I get the impression that people on here are a little more enthusiastic about their cars.

I would guess the A to B people perhaps wouldn't be using this forum. I get the impression that people on here are a little more enthusiastic about their cars.

Maybe - there are some on here who feel that a hosepipe and a quick sponge down is OK, depends where your priorities sit really. Unless the paintwork is totally shot, come trade in time how it's been washed isn't going to make a "vast" amount of difference.

It will be clean though and that's what many people look for.

It will have also stripped off all protection and will make the paint look dull and lifeless over time, many people don't look for this.

It will strip protection from disc brakes (hub face area) and make them go rusty very quick - BMW's vintage 2006-2010 are the worst for this. Again many people wouldn't care as long as that quick wash made the wheel face look clean.

Had my car washed for £5 by the local east European car wash round the corner from work, it went from being covered in thick mud to having a showroom shine.

First the car was pressure washed using nothing but water all over including the wheel arches.

Then I drove forward to the next area, and the car was hand washed by 4 people using wash mits and buckets.

Once that was done, drove forward a bit so that they could get the tyres completely spotless.

The car was then chamois dried, the windows cleaned inside and out.

For £2.50 more they would have fully hovered the interior as well, having watched the thorough job they did on the car in front including removing every single dog hair from the boot I'll get them to do mine next.

The wax still beads perfectly, so it really does depend on where you go. These guys did a fantastic job, and I'll be going back.

More fool you Manny

I would NEVER go to one of these EVER

They use harsh products, as said

TFR is one of them..One spray and ...bang..there goes your LSP!!

They also use sponges, which they drop on the ground regularly

So..If youre happy to keep using them...go ahead

BTW..I offer detailing services...Give me a PM and get booked in!!

Well, I needed a clean car and to me it is just an A to B machine. As long as it was clean for Audi Driver international, that was the important thing to me. That was the first clean it had been through since mid July, and was caked in thick mud from being driven offroad on the mud farm track to/from the house I rent.

More fool you Manny

I would NEVER go to one of these EVER

They use harsh products, as said

TFR is one of them..One spray and ...bang..there goes your LSP!!

They also use sponges, which they drop on the ground regularly

So..If youre happy to keep using them...go ahead

BTW..I offer detailing services...Give me a PM and get booked in!!

If the wax still beads it isn't that bad.

While there are risks to that, for most people it's no worse than a DIY with a bucket and sponge and some fairy liquid.

When people have a choice of spending a day with the kids/wife or washing the car during a busy working week that's their call.

I used to wash clean wax etc my car without fail.

Now I look after it, but getting time to spend time with the lady comes first.

I think we are all agreed that Truck Wash is really not the way forward, otherwise that's what the professionals would be using.

It's not rocket science to work out that grown men/women who work at these places wouldn't give tuppence-ha'penny about what your car looked like in years or perhaps even months to come. Whether your vehicle is your pride and joy or just a means of getting around I am sure we would all want top dollar when it comes to selling/trading it.

Another thing, has anyone considered what would happen if these people damaged your vehicle whilst it was being cleaned. I very much doubt that their public liability insurance would cover this, largely due to the fact that they don't have such insurance.

I guess they would compensate with a few free acid cleans!

I think we are all agreed that Truck Wash is really not the way forward, otherwise that's what the professionals would be using.

It's not rocket science to work out that grown men/women who work at these places wouldn't give tuppence-ha'penny about what your car looked like in years or perhaps even months to come. Whether your vehicle is your pride and joy or just a means of getting around I am sure we would all want top dollar when it comes to selling/trading it.

Another thing, has anyone considered what would happen if these people damaged your vehicle whilst it was being cleaned. I very much doubt that their public liability insurance would cover this, largely due to the fact that they don't have such insurance.

I guess they would compensate with a few free acid cleans!

Sorry I ASSUME they don't have this insurance as it is never displayed as per insurance regulations.

My Bro left his company car with a hand car wash company and on return found his front end smashed, apparently when moving it they had left it in gear and it hit one of their for sale cars. They were apologetic at first saying they would pay for it and when he asked for their insurance details just incase he had to call the police and have the officer push them for it. To be fair they did pay for it fully to be sorted at the Audi garage but they should of straight away given him their insurance details.

I use one and they spend ages on it and the wheels but I always stay with the car lol

Sent from my Galaxy S2 not a Crapple!

Don't assume they're all bad. The arc places are fine.

Maybe people want top dollar, but a few hundred quid will have a bodyshop make your paintwork pristine for sale and touch up any issues.

That's a lot less than spending your weekends with expensive products and not seeing your family.

Also pristine paintwork gains you a lot less in cash terms that your time might be worth. Lets face it if you charge £1000 a day, then paying £1k to get a respray is still going to be a lot less than paying in your time or getting somebody in every few weeks.

I dont understand your logic...

Once a car is protected with sealer and/or wax its far easier to clean.

If you wash it every week or two, it will retain the protection and takes no more than half an hour to do

The wax will only need topping up every 3 to 6 months

If you leave a long time between cleans it will take hours to get back to a good condition again

The philosophy is really quite simple...Clean it regularly and it wont take your time away from your family commitments

I would guess the A to B people perhaps wouldn't be using this forum. I get the impression that people on here are a little more enthusiastic about their cars.

I only use my Octy for going from A2B - is there another reason for owning one?

Mostly I wash, polish and caress it myself but on the odd occasion I have used one of the "cheapo" hand car washes without a problem.

Maybe I bought mine for the wrong reason - I don't pose or boast about my tinted windows, fantastic alloys or other cosmetics ..... I just drive and enjoy it for what it is - a heap of reliable steel, just like almost every other mode of transport on offer except that the Octy is better than the Riff-Raff.

I speak as I find, having owned two .... each having covered well in excess of 100k.

Dave

I only use my Octy for going from A2B - is there another reason for owning one?

Mostly I wash, polish and caress it myself but on the odd occasion I have used one of the "cheapo" hand car washes without a problem.

Maybe I bought mine for the wrong reason - I don't pose or boast about my tinted windows, fantastic alloys or other cosmetics ..... I just drive and enjoy it for what it is - a heap of reliable steel, just like almost every other mode of transport on offer except that the Octy is better than the Riff-Raff.

I speak as I find, having owned two .... each having covered well in excess of 100k.

Dave

So why exactly are you in this Forum? :think:

Perhaps because he has an interest in cars, in particular Skoda's.

Having an interest in cars and keeping your own car clean don't neccessarily go hand-in-hand.

I'm assuming detailing vehicles forms part (or all) of your day-today job which would explain your knowledge and strong feelings about its benefits.

However, just because we aren't all as fastidious about car cleaning doesn't mean we can't contribute to a motoring forum.

Perhaps because he has an interest in cars, in particular Skoda's.

Having an interest in cars and keeping your own car clean don't neccessarily go hand-in-hand.

I'm assuming detailing vehicles forms part (or all) of your day-today job which would explain your knowledge and strong feelings about its benefits.

However, just because we aren't all as fastidious about car cleaning doesn't mean we can't contribute to a motoring forum.

You've hit the nail on the head!

I wonder how many contributors to this forum have owned and driven Octavias since August 1998.

Fantastic cars, despite a few faults - thankfully fewer than all the other cars that I've owned since 1965.

Dave

(Thanks for your support Silver 1011)

So..If youre happy to keep using them...go ahead

BTW..I offer detailing services...Give me a PM and get booked in!!

Theres a huge difference between a wash and a detail, besides he lives the other end of the country from you, so including fuel, what he just paid a fiver for would run into hundreds at a rough guess.

I guess he is happy judging by what he said, which lets face it is all that matters

So why exactly are you in this Forum? :think:

The same could be asked of you, do you actually like the time you spend on here ??, he's just as welcome here as you.

I have seen neat truck wash used by mistake on a car it stripped it was hilarious as it wasn't mine, a work vehicle.

I wash my own car at least every other week using quality products and make sure it has regular layers of polish put on. My VRS is black and therefore shows dirt more and I like to drive in a clean car, both inside and out. I also like to use the car to go from A to B, often via C and D, because I can and it brings a big smile to my face, which I suspect is why many of us by a Vrs.

My elderly neighbours' have a black 3 year old Honda Accord estate and I washed it for them last Sunday. Once clean I noticed how dull the paintwork was and on some upper surfaces it had a milky appearance The water did not bead and over all the paintwork was very flat. An hours work with the polish removed most of the minor scratches and brought the paint back to life. They walk our dog during the week, I do their car. Good deal.

I don't keep the car clean to show off, although it's amazing how many people approach me to look at the car, I have to car because it's good, understated and surprises people.

Theres a huge difference between a wash and a detail, besides he lives the other end of the country from you, so including fuel, what he just paid a fiver for would run into hundreds at a rough guess.

I guess he is happy judging by what he said, which lets face it is all that matters

The same could be asked of you, do you actually like the time you spend on here ??, he's just as welcome here as you.

Yes I do thankyou Fatty 5000....Do you?

In answer to drefaldwyns post..It came across as someone who doesnt give a toss about the car let alone keeping it clean

I was not having a go at him, but merely wondering, given his post, why he should frequent this forum?

People have different priorities in life - some (like ChrisRs) like to keep their cars top notch, spending both time and money on products which satisfy their pursuit of excellence, that's their choice. Others (like drefaldwyn) choose to maintain their vehicles in a different manner thereby leaving more time for other things in life. Then there will be others who sit in the middle. It wouldn't do us well to all be the same, would it?

I can see both sides of the coin - before I had my children I used to spend hours & hours on cleaning the car, trying new products, and generally maintaining my vehicle, mainly bourne out of frequenting another forum. However, I've since lost that "bug" and choose to spend my time in different ways. I still like to maintain the car and have it looking good but I cannot justify spending the time on it.

I can see both sides of the coin - before I had my children I used to spend hours & hours on cleaning the car, trying new products, and generally maintaining my vehicle, mainly bourne out of frequenting another forum. However, I've since lost that "bug" and choose to spend my time in different ways. I still like to maintain the car and have it looking good but I cannot justify spending the time on it.

Nail on the head

I like to look after my car, but I'm not longer affected by the bug of that other forum.

Will I take care and use decent products? Yes

Will I obsess over ever last detail? No, I don't have time these days

Do I think people are mad when they use a hand car wash place? No, they've chosen their priorities and the car isn't top of their list.