Toronto S5

Hi all, do you guys always get proper hand washes for your car or do you find the local gas station wash (either untouchable or soft cloth) acceptable? I can't use untouchable anymore with the cab because it sprays water through the roof, but wondering if the soft cloth is ok and doesn't scratch the paint. Thanks.

Mike182

My car NEVER sees a commercial car wash. The high water pressure can damage the paint in ways that's hard to see, and the drying cloths they use most certainly contain debris that can scratch the paint. I wash my own with a microfiber sponge, and dry with a microfiber towel, then wipe it down with speed shine and buff with microfiber towels.

If its physically taxing for someone to wash their own, I suggest hiring a local teenager to do it, and provide the safe stuff to use and instruct them on how to properly do it. But that's just me as I'm quite **** about my paint. I wipe mine down every night, and wash it once a week.

nicoli

I just do regular car washes once a week and then touch it up at home afterwards on the weekends. I can live with a few scratches etc though.

sharding

Depends on how **** you are. I have never sent any of my cars through a commercial car wash, and probably never will. But I also have had damage from supposedly high-end hand car wash places, so that's not foolproof (or maybe I'm just too picky to allow anyone else to wash my cars, but I don't have time to do it myself as often as it needs to be done).

bilbo47

I do my own hand washes, but I've been known to use a non-touch car wash during the winter months.

What always makes me cringe is the dealership. I should ask that they don't wash my car when it's in for service.

lcarron

I always washed by hand my previous brilliant black a5 using two buckets when the car was dirty. After 4 years the paint looked very good. My wife car (Black acura) saws he wash machine too many times. As result the paint after 3 year was on very bad shape with micro scratches all over.

cynicaL

when i first got my black g35 in '04, i used to hand wash it every week in the summer. i used microfiber everything and had no swirl marks. a few door dings later and winter months, i just went to a hand car wash that does a good job.. but of course, swirl marks everywhere. after that i stopped bothering. i kinda gave up. like someone said, it depends on how **** you are and if you have the time/effort to wash the car yourself.
a dark colored car will show swirl marks more easily. if that doesn't matter as much to you, then a hand car wash that uses the proper supplies should be ok. i dont recommend those machine washes. i used a touchless wash once and it didn't do a good job.

AcuraToAudi

I agree. Just had my S5 in for its first service and had detailed it myself the night before. The dealership washed it after the service was done and left water spots all over it. It came back to me dirtier than when I dropped it off.

I'm very careful about what sponges and towels. I cringe when I think about what the sponges used by the service guys look like.

Matt

nicoli

There can just be no end to the car washing and cleaning thing. I respect **** tendencies towards this, I really do..but at some point I say to myself - It's a car. I just won't not use something..and things get dirty. Cleaning is good, scratches and events will happen..take reasonable precautions, and life goes on. Metropolitan Detail, my fav shop in Seattle tells me there is a guy who wraps his 911 in a complete expel ultimate clear bra and drives it over the mountain passes and all year..he's my hero

Kidentist

I Agree......for those of us who do not live in sunny California, winter washes can be an issue and we must protect our vehicles from the chemicals and salt that are placed on the roads!