shortslr

I have a quick question. I am in the northeast. I got salt and other crap on my car when I was trying not to, because the dealer made an error in his timing. I was trying to get the stupid wire harness done in the winter when they are not so busy. Anyway, it's a pain to wash your car when it's twenty degrees out without turning the driveway into an ice rink. I washed the car in the garage with a big towel and a bucket of hot water. It crossed my mind to take the car to a car wash. It only crossed my mind momentarily and I didn't do it. I figuredthe intake manifold wouldn't appreciate getting that much water in it. Can a Porsche go through a car wash? I have always washed my own car, but the underside and wheel wells with a wet towel at 20 degrees was a pain.

mpm '95 C4

Can they? Sure... Should they? That's something only you can answer...

In the winter, I go to a booth and spray off the salt dust get it back into my heated garage and bucket wash. Not perfect, but it works in a pinch...

Mark in Baltimore

Your Porsche can go through a car wash but I would be concerned about at least four things: 1) make sure the wash is a touchless one with a high pressure spray and no brushes or cloths that will scratch your paint, 2) the wheel guides, regardless of whether the wash pulls your car through or not, may damage the exposed wheel rims due to the low profile tires, 3) the wheel guides may scrape the underside of your car, 4) the detergent used MAY be too harsh for the paint.

If your worried about the underside and wheel wells, why not wait until a good, heavy rain has washed the streets clear of salt and then take the car to a wash bay and blast all of the crud off? I, too, hate salt anywhere on my car but Porsche has done a really good job with the galvanized body. If you can't wait until a good rain, well, try cleaning it on a warmish 40 degree day.

Regards,

STLPCA

My daily driver 993 gets rather filthy during the winter. When it's above freezing (but still too cold for a hand wash) I take it to a local gas station "touchless" car wash that uses high pressure hoses which move around the car (car remains stationary) & a "bottom blaster." It does a good enough job to restore my car to black instead of speckled grey.
Haven't noticed any wax stripping.
You might see if there's a similar automated car wash close to you.

amfp

Check if any detailing shops have hand washes. I know by me, the car wash also does hand washes. Personally, I rather have the car be dirty than take through car wash, as I think over time, it does impact the wheels and creates more swirl marks. Especially with all the "recycled" water and detergents.

Actually I read someplace that all the salt on the car does not do any damage as long as temperature is below freezing.

Matt Vaughan

You may want to check into a product called Quick and Easy Wash. It's a waterless wash procedure that has been getting some good reviews. I don't recall offhand who makes it, but you can check it out on Autopia.org.

Ray Calvo

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">You may want to check into a product called Quick and Easy Wash.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Don't know if it's the same, but I've used something called "Dry Wash 'n Guard". Comes in a bottle; you apply it much like a thin liquid polish.

I've used it several times on cars with a light coating of dust/dirt, but I've never had the guts to try it on a really dirty car. Might recommend a good wash/flush with a hose, then try it.

davtes

There is place near me called Splash that calls itself a hand-wash. The car is pulled through via wheel guides and I have not had any scratches on my 18" rims. The soap and water comes from above and is drizzled on the car, but the washing itself is by people with wool gloves. They have two stages of people with gloves. Seems to be best of both worlds.

My black C4S is my daily driver and I hate it full of dirt and salt. Does anyone know if this is a good system and safe for the paint?

For the warmer weather, I just had the plumber put a hose mount in the garage for easy cleaning, can't wait for the warm weather.