How often do you wash your car in an automatic car wash?

1lieutenant said:
Been using a monthly subscription brush car wash 1-2x per week. Has an underbody spray. Car is a 2015 and looks great, even very closeup. I do use Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic spray about once a month because I enjoy it. Not sure it makes any difference but I get compliments all the time.

I used to spend all day washing and waxing. Used this wax called Zymol. Could only do one square foot at a time or you couldn’t remove it. Now I would rather golf, bike or shoot. Guess it just depends on how you want to spend your time.

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Very nice, back when Lexus didn't have a gigantic ugly grill.
 
I've gone through automatic car washes with rentals but never with any of my vehicles as far as I can remember. DIY pressure wash as needed, on average once a week. A thorough hand-wash and interior cleaning once a month or so. Paint, plastic, and top protectant every 3 months.
 
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Been 10 years probably. I got a cheap electric power washer for free that someone was going to throw out, stronger than the hose but nowhere near strong enough to damage the paint when it's fanned out. It's got a spot to add soap. I just use that
 
duck__dodgers said:
So nearly all of the automated car washes in my neck of the woods are pushing unlimited monthly wash subscriptions----ie, raising the price of an individual wash so that a monthly plan is cheaper so long as you wash your car >=3x a month.

Being that it's salt season, I signed up and wash 2x/week, but going back to the touch-free washes once the salt stops.

Would you take it? How often do you wash your car at drive-thrus?

With my old Honda that I drove to 180,000 miles, I rarely used a brushed, drive-thru was and I had rust issues in the exhaust system at year 14. My parents were religious about washing their cars (automated, brushed washes) in the winter and they didn't have any rust issues w/their Honda even with 290,000 miles.
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In the Midwest used to wash when it was supposed to be near freezing for highs or all kinds of annoying things freeze up. Maybe a couple times from November - March. Salt. Yuck.

Now I basically wash with an auto wash when it's "free" with a dealer oil change. Or myself at home. I get the Black Friday "buy 4 get 2 free" gift cards. I'm on the same six (3 left I think?) from December of 2022.
 
I hate washing cars manually; such a waste of time that could be spent doing something more valuable, like spending time with my wife and kids. Maybe once they get older, I can try to wash it with them(make them wash it instead of me, ha ha). Until then, automatic car wash at least weekly with a top-of-the-shelf option via monthly subscription.
 
Only one summer, 1973, when I lived in an apartment for 3 months. After that never until this past February when I washed the new wagon at one. Main purpose the high pressure spray to blow out decades of debris behind trim and to clean the underside. Now back to never.
 
belbers9715 said:
I'm sure this comment will get everyone riled up. For a couple years now I've had a subscription to our local Mister car wash. During the winter I have my truck washed weekly whenever I'm driving by, and during the summer once or twice a month. Automatic car washes have not seriously damaged clearcoat or paint in decades. Everything is now usually soft foam based (can't hold on abrasives) and is rinsed as the motors spin. Everyone comments how great my truck always looks, and I'm not concerned with tiny scratches that could potentially happen. All the fear around automated washes is overblown.
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Couldn't agree more. Through the car wash near me...$8.00 for a great wash. $2.00 tip to the guy that wipes it down with towels and plenty of newer free vacuums. Once every few weeks I'll apply Ice Seal&Shine or similar. Both cars. Both Lexus.
 
Never thought I needed a monthly subscription for a car wash until I lived in Syracuse for 2 years. It's nicknamed "Salt City" for a reason. I went once a week during winter months, November to April. When needed the rest of the year.
 
I own a dealership so I typically have subscrib to paying 100 tickets a year since my lot is on a busy road that kicks a lot of dust and dirt.

If it were my own vehicles I would just use the two 5 gallon pails I have at home and do it in the mornings every few weeks. I live in a temperate climate and also doing this with dovetail pretty well with emptying out about 5 gallons from my water heater since we're here is extremely mild and not loaded with minerals.
 
I have a subscription for unlimited washes for both cars through Russell Speeders which also gives us access to their vacuums and interior cleaning products for about $30/mo. per vehicle. I think it's a good value.
 
dtownfb said:
Never thought I needed a monthly subscription for a car wash until I lived in Syracuse for 2 years. It's nicknamed "Salt City" for a reason. I went once a week during winter months, November to April. When needed the rest of the year.
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I spent a bit of time commuting from Princeton NJ to Ithaca NY in the early 2000's. That central NY area is rough in the winter - so much cloud cover from October to April. Nice area but the climate isn't for me.
 
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