Automatic car washes
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I know this guy that went to the car wash, got it nice and cleand and... bam... his wife left him the very next day.
I wash my car in the driveway now.
Although, I use touchless washes in winter.
I wash my car in the driveway now.
Although, I use touchless washes in winter.
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I know this guy that went to the car wash, got it nice and cleand and... bam... his wife left him the very next day.
I wash my car in the driveway now.
Although, I use touchless washes in winter.
I went through the car wash 3 times in a row yesterday! I haven't been so lucky.
I know this guy that went to the car wash, got it nice and cleand and... bam... his wife left him the very next day.
I wash my car in the driveway now.
Although, I use touchless washes in winter.
I went through the car wash 3 times in a row yesterday! I haven't been so lucky.
I use a car wash. I do not worry it is only a car that is worth less every day I own it.
I worked at a place for way to long that had a double bay touchless Laserwash G5-S which in Calgary with the chinooks we get in the spring was a licence to print money. It was a great machine as long as it was kept clean and people made sure they didn't move at all once it started up (once the lasers pick up forward or backward movement it stopped and depending on how far you moved would kick you out). For our setup it averaged about 8minutes/wash with the 4 different washes
-economy: cheapo wash which was good for a salt rinse
-regular: above plus underbody spray (with rust inhibitor), "Gatling gun" wheel sprayers (with wheel and tire cleaner) upon entry, presoak spray and rince and a Glaze (cheater wax as they called it) added to a secondary pass of the final rince
-premium which had the above plus the rainbow tricolour wax
-extreme which added a second soap and rince pass for 3 rinses.
We were and I'm pretty sure almost all touchless, well all Laserwash branded facilities a Turtlewax chemical facility. The chemicals used from memory were as follows with some costs for us from about 6 years ago:
Bug spray This was available in a sprayer at the front of the wash, I seem to remember it being around $65cdn/box but it was very diluted for actual use.
Rust Inhibitor Sprayed on through the underbody spray when you enter the wash, can't remember cost since we didn't have to order it often as it was a very small volume/application
Wheel and tire cleaner Sprayed on with those gatling guns just inside the entry doors, this stuff would eat your skin as it had a PH of around 13. Filling the tanks I had some splash my pants and started to burn my skin instantly, off with the pants and quickly grab the chemical neutralizer. Was fun trying to explain to my coworkers why I was in the mechanical room in boxer shorts. Was around $120 a box I think.
Presoak Sprayed on the initial pass by the robot arm on all washes but the economy wash.
Foaming soap We went through a tonne of this stuff, during a peak day we would use 1-2boxes/bay/day and about $180cdn a box. But thats almost 200cars/bay/day. Great product, too bad we switched to a cheaper soap just as I was leaving.
Triple Shine wax About $110-$120/box if memory serves me, because of the way its foamed with water even through it used 3 waxes the machine used next to nothing for product.
Crystal Polymer Glaze (cheater wax) This was used on second last rinse pass which is the same rinse which removes the soap on the regular and wax on the premium and extreme washes. It seemed to really help the dryers remove the water and you sure knew when the tank was low.
Drying agent Used in the final rinse on the economy wash only instead of the Polymer glaze, so we didn't go through a lot at all and have no clue about costs
So thats some of what I remember. I know we used some of the best available products and even had a reverse osmosis filtration system to fill the water tanks for the spot free rinse before the dryers kick in. The thing was pretty crazy and from what I can remember was well north of $1Mil for the entire 2 bay wash. Although with the volume of cars that went through from what I was told it repaid that back in about 2 years.
-economy: cheapo wash which was good for a salt rinse
-regular: above plus underbody spray (with rust inhibitor), "Gatling gun" wheel sprayers (with wheel and tire cleaner) upon entry, presoak spray and rince and a Glaze (cheater wax as they called it) added to a secondary pass of the final rince
-premium which had the above plus the rainbow tricolour wax
-extreme which added a second soap and rince pass for 3 rinses.
We were and I'm pretty sure almost all touchless, well all Laserwash branded facilities a Turtlewax chemical facility. The chemicals used from memory were as follows with some costs for us from about 6 years ago:
Bug spray This was available in a sprayer at the front of the wash, I seem to remember it being around $65cdn/box but it was very diluted for actual use.
Rust Inhibitor Sprayed on through the underbody spray when you enter the wash, can't remember cost since we didn't have to order it often as it was a very small volume/application
Wheel and tire cleaner Sprayed on with those gatling guns just inside the entry doors, this stuff would eat your skin as it had a PH of around 13. Filling the tanks I had some splash my pants and started to burn my skin instantly, off with the pants and quickly grab the chemical neutralizer. Was fun trying to explain to my coworkers why I was in the mechanical room in boxer shorts. Was around $120 a box I think.
Presoak Sprayed on the initial pass by the robot arm on all washes but the economy wash.
Foaming soap We went through a tonne of this stuff, during a peak day we would use 1-2boxes/bay/day and about $180cdn a box. But thats almost 200cars/bay/day. Great product, too bad we switched to a cheaper soap just as I was leaving.
Triple Shine wax About $110-$120/box if memory serves me, because of the way its foamed with water even through it used 3 waxes the machine used next to nothing for product.
Crystal Polymer Glaze (cheater wax) This was used on second last rinse pass which is the same rinse which removes the soap on the regular and wax on the premium and extreme washes. It seemed to really help the dryers remove the water and you sure knew when the tank was low.
Drying agent Used in the final rinse on the economy wash only instead of the Polymer glaze, so we didn't go through a lot at all and have no clue about costs
So thats some of what I remember. I know we used some of the best available products and even had a reverse osmosis filtration system to fill the water tanks for the spot free rinse before the dryers kick in. The thing was pretty crazy and from what I can remember was well north of $1Mil for the entire 2 bay wash. Although with the volume of cars that went through from what I was told it repaid that back in about 2 years.
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Originally Posted By: tkmckay
I worked at a place for way to long that had a double bay touchless Laserwash G5-S which in Calgary with the chinooks we get in the spring was a licence to print money. It was a great machine as long as it was kept clean and people made sure they didn't move at all once it started up (once the lasers pick up forward or backward movement it stopped and depending on how far you moved would kick you out). For our setup it averaged about 8minutes/wash with the 4 different washes
-economy: cheapo wash which was good for a salt rinse
-regular: above plus underbody spray (with rust inhibitor), "Gatling gun" wheel sprayers (with wheel and tire cleaner) upon entry, presoak spray and rince and a Glaze (cheater wax as they called it) added to a secondary pass of the final rince
-premium which had the above plus the rainbow tricolour wax
-extreme which added a second soap and rince pass for 3 rinses.
We were and I'm pretty sure almost all touchless, well all Laserwash branded facilities a Turtlewax chemical facility. The chemicals used from memory were as follows with some costs for us from about 6 years ago:
Bug spray This was available in a sprayer at the front of the wash, I seem to remember it being around $65cdn/box but it was very diluted for actual use.
Rust Inhibitor Sprayed on through the underbody spray when you enter the wash, can't remember cost since we didn't have to order it often as it was a very small volume/application
Wheel and tire cleaner Sprayed on with those gatling guns just inside the entry doors, this stuff would eat your skin as it had a PH of around 13. Filling the tanks I had some splash my pants and started to burn my skin instantly, off with the pants and quickly grab the chemical neutralizer. Was fun trying to explain to my coworkers why I was in the mechanical room in boxer shorts. Was around $120 a box I think.
Presoak Sprayed on the initial pass by the robot arm on all washes but the economy wash.
Foaming soap We went through a tonne of this stuff, during a peak day we would use 1-2boxes/bay/day and about $180cdn a box. But thats almost 200cars/bay/day. Great product, too bad we switched to a cheaper soap just as I was leaving.
Triple Shine wax About $110-$120/box if memory serves me, because of the way its foamed with water even through it used 3 waxes the machine used next to nothing for product.
Crystal Polymer Glaze (cheater wax) This was used on second last rinse pass which is the same rinse which removes the soap on the regular and wax on the premium and extreme washes. It seemed to really help the dryers remove the water and you sure knew when the tank was low.
Drying agent Used in the final rinse on the economy wash only instead of the Polymer glaze, so we didn't go through a lot at all and have no clue about costs
So thats some of what I remember. I know we used some of the best available products and even had a reverse osmosis filtration system to fill the water tanks for the spot free rinse before the dryers kick in. The thing was pretty crazy and from what I can remember was well north of $1Mil for the entire 2 bay wash. Although with the volume of cars that went through from what I was told it repaid that back in about 2 years.
I think that's what the Esso I go to uses. Makes the truck nice and clean when I'm lazy, LOL.
I worked at a place for way to long that had a double bay touchless Laserwash G5-S which in Calgary with the chinooks we get in the spring was a licence to print money. It was a great machine as long as it was kept clean and people made sure they didn't move at all once it started up (once the lasers pick up forward or backward movement it stopped and depending on how far you moved would kick you out). For our setup it averaged about 8minutes/wash with the 4 different washes
-economy: cheapo wash which was good for a salt rinse
-regular: above plus underbody spray (with rust inhibitor), "Gatling gun" wheel sprayers (with wheel and tire cleaner) upon entry, presoak spray and rince and a Glaze (cheater wax as they called it) added to a secondary pass of the final rince
-premium which had the above plus the rainbow tricolour wax
-extreme which added a second soap and rince pass for 3 rinses.
We were and I'm pretty sure almost all touchless, well all Laserwash branded facilities a Turtlewax chemical facility. The chemicals used from memory were as follows with some costs for us from about 6 years ago:
Bug spray This was available in a sprayer at the front of the wash, I seem to remember it being around $65cdn/box but it was very diluted for actual use.
Rust Inhibitor Sprayed on through the underbody spray when you enter the wash, can't remember cost since we didn't have to order it often as it was a very small volume/application
Wheel and tire cleaner Sprayed on with those gatling guns just inside the entry doors, this stuff would eat your skin as it had a PH of around 13. Filling the tanks I had some splash my pants and started to burn my skin instantly, off with the pants and quickly grab the chemical neutralizer. Was fun trying to explain to my coworkers why I was in the mechanical room in boxer shorts. Was around $120 a box I think.
Presoak Sprayed on the initial pass by the robot arm on all washes but the economy wash.
Foaming soap We went through a tonne of this stuff, during a peak day we would use 1-2boxes/bay/day and about $180cdn a box. But thats almost 200cars/bay/day. Great product, too bad we switched to a cheaper soap just as I was leaving.
Triple Shine wax About $110-$120/box if memory serves me, because of the way its foamed with water even through it used 3 waxes the machine used next to nothing for product.
Crystal Polymer Glaze (cheater wax) This was used on second last rinse pass which is the same rinse which removes the soap on the regular and wax on the premium and extreme washes. It seemed to really help the dryers remove the water and you sure knew when the tank was low.
Drying agent Used in the final rinse on the economy wash only instead of the Polymer glaze, so we didn't go through a lot at all and have no clue about costs
So thats some of what I remember. I know we used some of the best available products and even had a reverse osmosis filtration system to fill the water tanks for the spot free rinse before the dryers kick in. The thing was pretty crazy and from what I can remember was well north of $1Mil for the entire 2 bay wash. Although with the volume of cars that went through from what I was told it repaid that back in about 2 years.
I think that's what the Esso I go to uses. Makes the truck nice and clean when I'm lazy, LOL.
I would still go there if it was still maintained the way it was when I was there and cost the same for a wash. Now instead of $5.49/$6.49/$8.49/$10.49 for the 4 washes they are all around $2-$3 more. For $10 I can get a heck of a long wand wash either at a timed bay or a coin bay. Although I have no clue what kind of chemicals they are using.
I would however never go through a "soft cloth" wash ever again. We had one of those before the touchless and the carnage left in the bay at the end of a week would scare the [censored] out of most people. I bet one could have made their own chop shop car out of the parts/pieces/scraps laying in the bay. Best story was the person that had a block heater cord wrapped from their front bumper to the passenger side mirror when they went in. The brushes grabbed it and ripped off the mirror and then proceeded to spin down the length of the car dinting the body and breaking the windows as it went over the car! Ahhh, I don't miss those days and listening to how it was our fault.
I would however never go through a "soft cloth" wash ever again. We had one of those before the touchless and the carnage left in the bay at the end of a week would scare the [censored] out of most people. I bet one could have made their own chop shop car out of the parts/pieces/scraps laying in the bay. Best story was the person that had a block heater cord wrapped from their front bumper to the passenger side mirror when they went in. The brushes grabbed it and ripped off the mirror and then proceeded to spin down the length of the car dinting the body and breaking the windows as it went over the car! Ahhh, I don't miss those days and listening to how it was our fault.
Carwash Swirls FTW!!! after about 10 trips thru the wash, your finish will look like this
Originally Posted By: tkmckay
We were and I'm pretty sure almost all touchless, well all Laserwash branded facilities a Turtlewax chemical facility. The chemicals used from memory were as follows with some costs for us from about 6 years ago:
Bug spray This was available in a sprayer at the front of the wash, I seem to remember it being around $65cdn/box but it was very diluted for actual use.
Rust Inhibitor Sprayed on through the underbody spray when you enter the wash, can't remember cost since we didn't have to order it often as it was a very small volume/application
Wheel and tire cleaner Sprayed on with those gatling guns just inside the entry doors, this stuff would eat your skin as it had a PH of around 13. Filling the tanks I had some splash my pants and started to burn my skin instantly, off with the pants and quickly grab the chemical neutralizer. Was fun trying to explain to my coworkers why I was in the mechanical room in boxer shorts. Was around $120 a box I think.
Presoak Sprayed on the initial pass by the robot arm on all washes but the economy wash.
Foaming soap We went through a tonne of this stuff, during a peak day we would use 1-2boxes/bay/day and about $180cdn a box. But thats almost 200cars/bay/day. Great product, too bad we switched to a cheaper soap just as I was leaving.
Triple Shine wax About $110-$120/box if memory serves me, because of the way its foamed with water even through it used 3 waxes the machine used next to nothing for product.
Crystal Polymer Glaze (cheater wax) This was used on second last rinse pass which is the same rinse which removes the soap on the regular and wax on the premium and extreme washes. It seemed to really help the dryers remove the water and you sure knew when the tank was low.
Drying agent Used in the final rinse on the economy wash only instead of the Polymer glaze, so we didn't go through a lot at all and have no clue about costs
So thats some of what I remember. I know we used some of the best available products and even had a reverse osmosis filtration system to fill the water tanks for the spot free rinse before the dryers kick in. The thing was pretty crazy and from what I can remember was well north of $1Mil for the entire 2 bay wash. Although with the volume of cars that went through from what I was told it repaid that back in about 2 years.
TW makes some good car wash chemicals although they are relatively expensive. That's the funny thing about the self-serve/automatic car washes, operators forget that the quality of the chemicals/equipment makes the wash. So if you use a good quality drying agent and demineralized water, you get a remarkably clean car.
The Wheel and tire cleaners used in automatic/self serve car washes tend to be amazingly strong. I prefer to do the wheel's myself using mothers FX wheel and tire cleaner before I start the wash and then just use the high pressure soap to rinse it off. You get very good cleaning action with the combination of an acidic wheel cleaner and alkaline soap to neutralize it.
Also if you use a good quality QD spray (e.g TW Ice QD spray) your car won't attract so much dust to begin with and will stay cleaner longer.
We were and I'm pretty sure almost all touchless, well all Laserwash branded facilities a Turtlewax chemical facility. The chemicals used from memory were as follows with some costs for us from about 6 years ago:
Bug spray This was available in a sprayer at the front of the wash, I seem to remember it being around $65cdn/box but it was very diluted for actual use.
Rust Inhibitor Sprayed on through the underbody spray when you enter the wash, can't remember cost since we didn't have to order it often as it was a very small volume/application
Wheel and tire cleaner Sprayed on with those gatling guns just inside the entry doors, this stuff would eat your skin as it had a PH of around 13. Filling the tanks I had some splash my pants and started to burn my skin instantly, off with the pants and quickly grab the chemical neutralizer. Was fun trying to explain to my coworkers why I was in the mechanical room in boxer shorts. Was around $120 a box I think.
Presoak Sprayed on the initial pass by the robot arm on all washes but the economy wash.
Foaming soap We went through a tonne of this stuff, during a peak day we would use 1-2boxes/bay/day and about $180cdn a box. But thats almost 200cars/bay/day. Great product, too bad we switched to a cheaper soap just as I was leaving.
Triple Shine wax About $110-$120/box if memory serves me, because of the way its foamed with water even through it used 3 waxes the machine used next to nothing for product.
Crystal Polymer Glaze (cheater wax) This was used on second last rinse pass which is the same rinse which removes the soap on the regular and wax on the premium and extreme washes. It seemed to really help the dryers remove the water and you sure knew when the tank was low.
Drying agent Used in the final rinse on the economy wash only instead of the Polymer glaze, so we didn't go through a lot at all and have no clue about costs
So thats some of what I remember. I know we used some of the best available products and even had a reverse osmosis filtration system to fill the water tanks for the spot free rinse before the dryers kick in. The thing was pretty crazy and from what I can remember was well north of $1Mil for the entire 2 bay wash. Although with the volume of cars that went through from what I was told it repaid that back in about 2 years.
TW makes some good car wash chemicals although they are relatively expensive. That's the funny thing about the self-serve/automatic car washes, operators forget that the quality of the chemicals/equipment makes the wash. So if you use a good quality drying agent and demineralized water, you get a remarkably clean car.
The Wheel and tire cleaners used in automatic/self serve car washes tend to be amazingly strong. I prefer to do the wheel's myself using mothers FX wheel and tire cleaner before I start the wash and then just use the high pressure soap to rinse it off. You get very good cleaning action with the combination of an acidic wheel cleaner and alkaline soap to neutralize it.
Also if you use a good quality QD spray (e.g TW Ice QD spray) your car won't attract so much dust to begin with and will stay cleaner longer.
There is a place by me that does a full hand wash, compound/waxing to remove swirls, scratches etc but its $120. You can't get in there on the weekend unless you show up at 6:30 AM(they open at 7). Place is usually packed and need to devote a few hours(4 hours) to have them do it.
I've yet to successfully get in there for the past 9 years. Their work is amazing though.
I've yet to successfully get in there for the past 9 years. Their work is amazing though.
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
I watched one car rear end another...so...
I wash my cars myself, thank you very much!
I've had a mirror and wiper ripped off, never seen that. I now wash my cars myself also.
John
I watched one car rear end another...so...
I wash my cars myself, thank you very much!
I've had a mirror and wiper ripped off, never seen that. I now wash my cars myself also.
John
The automatic wash I go to is not touchless; it uses hundreds o skinny, U-shaped (I think) rubber fingers instead of cloth. I tend to like the rubber idea better because it seems to me dirt and abrasives would rinse off the rubber pieces much easier than cloth pieces, meaning maybe it is nicer to my car's paint.
It does about as good a job cleaning as I think it is reasonable to expect, meaning pretty good, and it hasn't damaged anything on my car. I've been watching the paint on my hood and trunklid carefully, trying to notice if it is getting slap marks in it from the rubber fingers, but there is nothing.
I use it fairly often between waxings or whatever, though if the car is just dusty I still use the coin operated manual wash to knock the dust off, then use a quick detailer product.
It does about as good a job cleaning as I think it is reasonable to expect, meaning pretty good, and it hasn't damaged anything on my car. I've been watching the paint on my hood and trunklid carefully, trying to notice if it is getting slap marks in it from the rubber fingers, but there is nothing.
I use it fairly often between waxings or whatever, though if the car is just dusty I still use the coin operated manual wash to knock the dust off, then use a quick detailer product.
Originally Posted By: hooligan24
Carwash Swirls FTW!!! after about 10 trips thru the wash, your finish will look like this
Through a non-touchless one...I'm surprised it actually doesn't look worse! That's why you should use a touchless at least so it won't swirl the paint (nothing touches it).
Carwash Swirls FTW!!! after about 10 trips thru the wash, your finish will look like this
Through a non-touchless one...I'm surprised it actually doesn't look worse! That's why you should use a touchless at least so it won't swirl the paint (nothing touches it).
Back in the day when I had my old Neon that I would handwash only, I would throw a coat of NuFinish on it and it would last about a year being parked outside. I used to throw NuFinish on my patrol car and noticed after about 2 months of getting a touchless carwash for it several times, the water beading was completely gone. The chemicals in the touchless are very harsh and will strip off any wax that you have. I now take it to a car wash with brushes, although the chemicals might still be pretty harsh, I am still investigating this. I just put a coat of ZAIO on the patrol car yesterday. I am going to see how long it lasts through occasional use of a car wash with brushes.
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