I'm referring to the race against time car washes. Are those brushes safe for the paint or are they too harsh?

 

stay away from those for goodness sake! do you hate your car?!?!?!?

 

If you must go to a car wash, go to the 'touchless' type.

Brushes (or whatever other material they use) will scratch the sheit out of your paint. And with your black paint, it will be very obvious. (I speak from experience)

 

By touchless, you mean spray soap on then rinse off?

 

most of the mobil gas stations will have the touchless ($6, $7 and $8).
you drive in and a bunch of machines go back and forth washing your car without touching it.
i found that some are better than others 'cuz some of them offer spotless rinse, which is nice.

 

Yup. Soap and high pressure rinse. Don't go anywhere that has any type of brushes.

There's an automatic touchless wash near me that I use in the winter...inexpensive ($6) and does a reasonable job.

 

Touchless washes are crap too. To allow for touchless washing, the use EXTREMELY harsh solvents. It will successfully strip every stroke of wax off your car. I went to one once. Would rather let my car bathe in the swamp than ever go back there again. Hand-washing it yourself is best. If you are short on time, wait until you can do it. Don't punish your car at car washes.

 

Hand washing is best. if you go to a "race againt time" car wash then you risk loosing a mirror or somthing.

 

I was at a race aginst the time car wash one time in my old car. while I had the pressure washer out somehow the lines above me for the pressure washer and the brush got tangled up. all I did was give it a little tug to get under the wheel well and it sent the brush flying onto my hood causing the one and only ding in the car. I was soo mad.

 

Yes, the solvents are very harsh. That's why I layer on the Klasse AIO and SG before the winter (usually 3 layers of SG) But, when the winter temps get as cold as they do here and my black paint is white from the salt, the touchless wash is pretty much the only option.

 

Hey Bluesbrekr, you ever try QEW?

 

My brother went to one of those car washes and it srcatched his new rims. Man, he was mad (pissed) or whatever I could've called that, but after that he never went again.
Yes I prefer to wash my car with my own hands.

 

Those brushless washes suck. I went to one, and my car was still filthy. All the damn thing did was spray on soap, rinse it off. Then some guy comes with a towel and DRIES the car off with all the dirt still on the car!!!! Never again will I spend $15 on that crap.

 

No, never tried it. What's your experience with it?

 

I mention it to you specifically becuase your up north and you can use it in your garage in the wintertime. But anyone here can benefit from it.

check it out here;
http://autopia.org/forums/showthread...2&pagenumber=1

or here
http://www.autopia.org/forums/showth...&highlight=qew

buy it online here
http://www.protectall.com/qe.aspx

Since you use only 1oz per gallon a little goes a long way. It's got some advantages for those with limited water supply or hose access, but the great thing is being able to use it in the garage in the winter or at night. It leaves a little bit of wax and a nice quick detail alternative. If the car is really bad than a quick hose off at the coin op to get the big stuff off would be in order.

 

heres where i go www.carcare2.com..I have a yearly membership and i have a black car...they use something called like lambswool its extremely soft....my car comes out cleaner there then i could ever do it....just my two cents