Hey Guys, I have seen very few comments regarding the dangers/benefits of going to one of the local car washes with the high pressure water. Just curious about how you guys feel about using one of these self serve facilities. I currently live in an apartment, so its one of the few options I have if I want to do the job myself.
High Pressure Washers
- Thread starter Meistersinger
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I don't like high pressure.
I don't like their soap.
I don't like the spray coming over from other bays.
I don't like driving the car after washing and before waxing.
I don't like their brushes (of course you could always use a mitt instead).
I don't like having to wait to get a bay.
But, I also don't like a dirty car - so use it if there isn't a better choice.
I don't like their soap.
I don't like the spray coming over from other bays.
I don't like driving the car after washing and before waxing.
I don't like their brushes (of course you could always use a mitt instead).
I don't like having to wait to get a bay.
But, I also don't like a dirty car - so use it if there isn't a better choice.
Used them for 25 years and the only problem is when they run out of soap. I never use their brush though.
Another option is using a product called Protect All Quick and Easy Wash (QEW). All you need is a bucket with one gallon of water (I would use a separate bucket of clean water to rinse your wash mitt), one ounce of QEW, a good wash mitt, and a waffle weave towel and you can wash your own car in about 15-20 minutes. Completely safe to your paint.
I really like Protect All QEW. Can you tell me where to buy it? I used to get it at WalMart, but haven't been able to buy QEW there for a long time. Some camper catalog has it listed, but I've never ordered from them. It is a super product for washing an airplane, and would work well on anything that doesn't get really dirty between washes.
A friend of mine who bought a new, black Pontiac Grandprix coupe years ago used the brush at the coin-op the first time he washed his new car. It was full of swirl marks.
My dad had a VW bug repainted some 20 years ago and he blew off some paint off the fender, but that was at a coin-op in Minnesota that had heated water available.
I generally don't like High Pressure DIY washs but some are really nice. Just a couple of months back I took my girlfriends car to a High Pressure wash because she had a few species of bugs all over her bumper and headlights because of our Chicago to Colorado trip. This place had the nicest wash I've ever seen. NO ripoff and maintained VERY well. The soap flowed by the ounce and when going from tire degreaser to water it took a few seconds rather than half a minute like other rip off places. I also make sure to check the brush for tar and thoroughly spray it down with HIgh Pressure hose before use. Only thing that sucks is that **** rubber house slapping your car as your soaping and the soap not completely cleaning your car. Take a foam pad with your.
I've taken my Civic through one of the 'touchless' car wash stalls here in town, usually in the winter is when I do- otherwise I wash it down in my driveway. I have a pressure washer if I desire to blast the underside but I don't like using it when it's freezing out. The automatic touchless wash will do so for me when it's cold.
The coin car washes are great for cleaning wheels, wheelwells and the undercarriage after some elbow grease at home. Of course, you can always go to Home Depot and rent a pressure washer as well.
I've been using coin washes for over thirty years with no real problems (except first time as a kid with a V8-428 FORD).
I like CASTROL Super Clean for brushing the bad spots full strength, and diluted slightly for everything else that gets greasy. Carefully.
I've been using coin washes for over thirty years with no real problems (except first time as a kid with a V8-428 FORD).
I like CASTROL Super Clean for brushing the bad spots full strength, and diluted slightly for everything else that gets greasy. Carefully.
bring your own wash mitt, bucket, and quality shampoo, and synthetic chamois(the absorber brand is great) Pour a capful of your shampoo, fill the bucket with water, then wash away.
If you don't want to get hairline scratches or swirls, BLOT!!!!!!! the water with your The Absorber chamois. BLOT BLOT BLOT, can't say that enough!!!!!Don't wipe or wipe in a circular motion. Blotting is enough.
If you don't want to get hairline scratches or swirls, BLOT!!!!!!! the water with your The Absorber chamois. BLOT BLOT BLOT, can't say that enough!!!!!Don't wipe or wipe in a circular motion. Blotting is enough.
High pressure washers are super sweet. Anyone who is worried about high pressure water take a motorcycle ride at 60mph and get a real world idea. High pressure washers seem to have the pressure of driving in a rain storm at 50~80mph IMHO.
It takes a bit over 60 lb/in^ to get water moving at 60 mph. Pressure washers run at well over 1,000 lb/in^2. More than a slight difference.
Full velocity rain doen't hit seals head on, a presure washer used carelessly does.
I now have 165,000 miles on my 97 Dakota that was pressure washed every week for about 3 years since I lived on the beach. The only seal that ever failed was the front seal of the power steering pump, but really it was the bearing getting sloppy that killed that. The truck still looks brand new, and still no other "seal leaks"
If you stick the nozzle up the seals --- then maybe you can fail it. In the real world, I haven't seen a problem, and I know many others the same way.
If you stick the nozzle up the seals --- then maybe you can fail it. In the real world, I haven't seen a problem, and I know many others the same way.
Kestas
Staff member
XS650 and nick, I'm glad you brought up pressure washers and seals. At work we ran controlled studies of sealed bearings and pressure washers. We found that pressure washers aimed directly at the seals failed the bearings every time. We're trying to get the word out to trucking fleets to stop this practise.
GREAT IN THE WINTER
I just attended the auto refinishing class at www.I-car.com for my ASE cert and remembered this thread when I saw them use a pressure washer for just about everything. Washing the engine, taking the liquid spray mask off, etc. About the only way to get liquid spray mask off is a pressure washer from what I saw, unless of course you want to spend double to triple the time by hand. I plan to start using that stuff myself, its like a dream come true.
IMHO - anyone worried about pressure washers on their car need not be.
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