Drive in brushless wash or not?
02-14-2018, 02:46 AM
#1
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Drive in brushless wash or not?
Living in New England our cars get coated with road grime, salt and other nasties in the winter. Since I don't have a indoor 7 heated place to wash my new A6 I either let it stay dirty till spring or I can take it to a car wash My old car went to the car wash, no questions asked. I'm hesitant to take the A6. What do you guys do ?
02-14-2018, 03:09 AM
#2
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I go to the touchless car wash because I really have to with all the sanded, salt and road spray here in Maine. If it’s above freezing I go to the spray it yourself place as well. So usually about once a week or so. If we get a forty plus day I will hook up hose and wash it in the driveway
02-14-2018, 04:50 PM
#3
Haven't been to a car wash in years. Not sure what your winters are like, but Cleveland winters afford a day or two every few weeks when it occasionally makes it to 32+, at which time i run out with hose and two 5 gallon buckets filled with warm water. Then, I have to make sure I tell the wife to be careful walking on the ice covered driveway the following morning.
Have also used Optimum no rinse with two 5 gallons buckets of very warm water and a dozen microfiber rags (for each section) when temp below freezing, but above 25 degrees, with good results -- but lacking hose, cannot clean wheel area well. Haven't tried my luck below 25 degrees yet.
The road crews do no use sand in our area, only either rock salt or a calcium chloride solution, so you may have greater concerns regarding possible scratching.
Have also used Optimum no rinse with two 5 gallons buckets of very warm water and a dozen microfiber rags (for each section) when temp below freezing, but above 25 degrees, with good results -- but lacking hose, cannot clean wheel area well. Haven't tried my luck below 25 degrees yet.
The road crews do no use sand in our area, only either rock salt or a calcium chloride solution, so you may have greater concerns regarding possible scratching.
02-15-2018, 12:35 PM
#4
AudiWorld Senior Member
Living in Chicago I'm faced with the same problem. I haven't gone through a car wash in 20 years (touchless or not), but that just because I'm very particular about my car's appearance. My wife has a different term for it...
Few options
1) Like AMDG75 said you can wait for a mild day and sneak in a wash. Even in Chicago we get those and this Sunday is forecasted to be in the mid-40s and Monday even warmer. I'll probably drag the hose out of storage and do a wash this weekend
2) I work in downtown Chicago and as such park underground below my office building. Being below ground its warmer and many times during the winter I'll slip the parking attendant $20 to let me wash my own car. I bring my own hose, buckets, mitt, etc... and hook up to a hose bib in the garage.
3) Find one of those manual car wash places that you pay by the minute to wash your car. Usually they don't allow you to hand wash your car, but in Winter I doubt it will have a line and they should be fine with it
4) Find a quality detail shop in the area and have them do it. I don't mean the "Hand Car Wash $12.99 and wax for $49.99" places. I mean the true detail shops that will do a maintenance wash the right way and probably better than you or I do it. Won't be cheap, but doing it a few times over the Winter would suffice.
I've tried those waterless wash solutions before and they turned out better than I thought, but for all the hassle you need to go through its not worth it.
Best of luck...
Few options
1) Like AMDG75 said you can wait for a mild day and sneak in a wash. Even in Chicago we get those and this Sunday is forecasted to be in the mid-40s and Monday even warmer. I'll probably drag the hose out of storage and do a wash this weekend
2) I work in downtown Chicago and as such park underground below my office building. Being below ground its warmer and many times during the winter I'll slip the parking attendant $20 to let me wash my own car. I bring my own hose, buckets, mitt, etc... and hook up to a hose bib in the garage.
3) Find one of those manual car wash places that you pay by the minute to wash your car. Usually they don't allow you to hand wash your car, but in Winter I doubt it will have a line and they should be fine with it
4) Find a quality detail shop in the area and have them do it. I don't mean the "Hand Car Wash $12.99 and wax for $49.99" places. I mean the true detail shops that will do a maintenance wash the right way and probably better than you or I do it. Won't be cheap, but doing it a few times over the Winter would suffice.
I've tried those waterless wash solutions before and they turned out better than I thought, but for all the hassle you need to go through its not worth it.
Best of luck...
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