Mechanical Car Washes

What to do to keep your car looking and running like new, inside and out.

Do you run your car through mechanical washes?

Yes, every time. Haven't washed my own car since 1986.
1
8%
Yes, some of the time.
4
33%
Not really, only once or twice.
0
No votes
No, but I'd consider it.
0
No votes
No, I go to hand-wash establishments.
0
No votes
No, I try to wash my car myself/have someone else wash it.
3
25%
No, never! What an abomination!
0
No votes
Wash my car? Why in the world would I do that?
4
33%
 
Total votes: 12

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theholycow
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by theholycow »

tankinbeans wrote:I've always heard, don't know how much to believe, that it's better to just leave the grime because warming it up and getting it wet is a catalyst for corrosion (or something to that effect). Am I remembering or believing correctly?
It is my understanding that the weather warming and cooling is what accelerates salt's corrosion, and washing the salt off as often as possible is the very best thing you can do. I do worry about water getting into small spaces, freezing, and expanding though...and thermal shock when it hits something hot.

Doors freezing shut needn't be a worry. You can hip-check the door to push it into its gasket which will break the ice seal, or give it a quick spritz with spray de-icer. You could also help prevent it by heavily waxing/rain-xing the area and keep the gasket treated with whatever is recommended for it.
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Shadow
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by Shadow »

theholycow wrote:
Doors freezing shut needn't be a worry. You can hip-check the door to push it into its gasket which will break the ice seal, or give it a quick spritz with spray de-icer. You could also help prevent it by heavily waxing/rain-xing the area and keep the gasket treated with whatever is recommended for it.
Silicone spray on the door seals will prevent doors from freezing shut. It's part of my fall ritual every year...
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by watkins »

I hand wash every week or two. Inside. Yay shop
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potownrob
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by potownrob »

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ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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Squint
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by Squint »

Slightly late to the party, but the dealership has a carwash attached to the detail shop in the back. So I can wash my car at work. I don't do it super often (unlike some employees here), but every few weeks I'll run it through just to get the dirt and bugs off. It seems to be a higher quality wash than your average gas station - softer "brushes", not weird wax stuff. That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".

Really, there are two benefits to working at a dealership. Access to the detail shop. And cheap rental car rates. Other than that, it sucks.
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by potownrob »

Squint wrote:Really, there are two benefits to working at a dealership. Access to the detail shop. And cheap rental car rates. Other than that, it sucks.
what about getting to drive the MR2s and Supras?? :? :idea: :)
That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".
i don't like most gas station car washes, compared to independent washes at least. i always found the wax fake-looking and smelling, like you were on a kiddie ride at the amusement park. i usually get the mid-level wash if i go through the mechanical antenna-stealing wash (modern built-in rear window antenna FTW). :shock:
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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theholycow
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by theholycow »

Squint wrote:That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".
You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.

The RI central landfill has a free undercarriage squirter, automatically activated when you drive over it on the way out, but that's not exactly practical if you're not hauling at least a few hundred pounds of garbage there.
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by Shadow »

theholycow wrote: You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.

.
Place one of these on your driveway and drive over it :lol:

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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by six »

theholycow wrote:
Squint wrote:That is about the only thing I dislike about gas station car washes (which I've only used a handful of times when I could get it free) is the silly wax they try to use if you get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash".
You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.

The RI central landfill has a free undercarriage squirter, automatically activated when you drive over it on the way out, but that's not exactly practical if you're not hauling at least a few hundred pounds of garbage there.
Just haul a garbage bag there whenever you need your undercarriage washed hahaha

"So, what are you going to be dumping today..."
"This bag of garbage."
"Uhhhhh........ o...kay..."
**Smile** then drive in. Tada, free undercarriage wash.

I assume you can go monthly or twice monthly? You can go every 2nd and 4th Saturday at our dump.
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by ClutchFork »

Shadow wrote:
theholycow wrote: You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.

.
Place one of these on your driveway and drive over it :lol:

Image
I like it! :D
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by theholycow »

six wrote:I assume you can go monthly or twice monthly? You can go every 2nd and 4th Saturday at our dump.
You can go all day every day if you want. You pay by the pound.

The sprinkler idea is correct. I first saw it on this forum in 2010, and have been doing it since. It's not perfect (takes a long time and you gotta stand out in the cold getting wet adjusting the sprinkler, or spend a bunch of time driving over it) but it's free.
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by watkins »

InlinePaul wrote:
Shadow wrote:
theholycow wrote: You know what I don't like? I don't like that you have to get the "Delux-super-clean-pay-us-money Wash" to get the undercarriage wash. Undercarriage wash is the most important thing for me.

.
Place one of these on your driveway and drive over it :lol:

Image
I like it! :D
I've been promoting that on here for years.
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six
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by six »

theholycow wrote:
six wrote:I assume you can go monthly or twice monthly? You can go every 2nd and 4th Saturday at our dump.
You can go all day every day if you want. You pay by the pound.
Oh. Ours is free.
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theholycow
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by theholycow »

six wrote:
theholycow wrote:
six wrote:I assume you can go monthly or twice monthly? You can go every 2nd and 4th Saturday at our dump.
You can go all day every day if you want. You pay by the pound.
Oh. Ours is free.
My town has a free transfer station where I bring my trash, but the state central landfill is not free.

They have the squirter because the 275 foot tall mountain is usually muddy.
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It's also stinky.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7002 ... tench.html
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Re: Mechanical Car Washes

Post by comingbackdown »

Hand washer/detailer here. I make a block of time for it and get it done. Gonna have to do the fall detail on the parents' vehicles soon. Weather is starting to get a bit less...agreeable...
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