vjd3

Anyone know of a "touchless" car wash in Boston or nearby? Gonna winter drive and would like to keep the car relatively clean ...

Vic
99 C2 cab

j09333

Any one??

stinky

The Lechmere family of car washes claims to use "touchless." I know they're in Cambridge and the Sommerville area.

ksimpson

The only real touchless car wash is hand washing. The only way to really protect the paintwork on your Porsche.

rcwelch

I have two car wash's and I know what kind of chemicals they use to loosen the dirt and such...IMHO I would't go near one with my p-car.

MD993

Hi Vic !

I lived in Boston from '97 to '01 and I used to take my Porsche to Chestnut Hill mall (they would handwash and detail my car while I ate at Cheesecake Factory.)

This way I would combine a great drive at Route 9 (that's what it was called if I remember well), a great meal & desert, while my car was treated to a great hand wash. The only thing to remember : make an appointment because it can get pretty busy, especially on weekends. The same would sometimes apply for the restaurant as well.

Another alternative is to go to across the river on the other side at the CambridgeSide Galleria, where there is an equally good detailing service (kinda of think of it I think it used to be called Mr. Detail , same business).

Also in that are if I remeber well, there used to be a self-car-wash center if you are really in a mood to do it yourself. (I would go sometimes, but not in the winter, too cold...)

Anyway, there must other places now as well (it's been 3 year that I haven't been to Boston)
but you could probably try some of the above.

MD993

JasonAndreas

Outside of Boston in Worcester(& Auburn & Spencer) is Ernie's Car Wash.

sleddog

There is a laserwash (touchless) on rt. 110 in westford. I take my truck there in the winter after I use it to sand & salt my driveway.

here is a link to the manufacturer of the system
http://www.pdqinc.com/laserwash-4000/index.shtml

24FPS

hey 'vjd3' please keep us posted as to your winter experience (esp. w/ a cab.) would like to know how the p-car weathers.

i remember well, driving through the colorado rockies in my97 (then new purchase) in december. i was so surprised how well the car held the road & equally surprised how airtight the 'cab' was.

cheers
r.

vjd3

I actually made that original post a year ago. I drove a 1999 996 C2 cab through the winter (on Dunlop WinterSport M2 tires and 17" Boxster rims) and had zero problems, even in the three heavy snowstorms we experienced -- and I drove right through the thick of two of them. Only problem I had was trying to get into my plowed-in driveway. The car was at least as surefooted as the 02 Audi TT Quattro my girlfriend (at the time) had on Pirelli all-season tires. I know because I drove them back to back in the same blizzard, while it was still snowing. The weight of the engine over the rear wheels on the 911 is a significant advantage for traction.

This year, I'll be in a 95 C4 cab and the only thing that concerns me is the plastic rear window (I had a hard top on my 996). I will probably just throw a towel over it if it's going to snow when I'm at work so I won't have to try and clear it later.

I never did find a touchless car wash, but I did go to a "spray it yourself" place and rinse it off regularly. It was none the worse for the wear after a good cleaning in the spring.

YMMV

Vic
95 C4 cab

24FPS

thx!!! nice to hear. re: the rear window... wonder if there's a type of silicone based product that could aid in protecting the plastic as well....