Are self-serve car washes a safe occassional alternative?
05-06-2008, 04:00 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Are self-serve car washes a safe occassional alternative?
I've recently noticed more swirl marks on my car, mainly while viewing the paint in direct sunlight, and I want to know why. I have always washed the car carefully by hand. However, I have been extremely busy at work recently, so to clean the car and save time I rinsed the car off recently at my local self serve car wash. It was the first time I have done this in the two years that I have owned the car. I did not use the car wash soap on the car. I only used the high pressure rinse followed by the spot-free rinse. I then allowed the car to drip dry, therefore nothing ever actually touched the car.
Is it possible that the high pressure combined with the dirt caused the swirl marks? The car was not very dirty to begin with. Or, is it simply that more wax has worn off the car revealing more swirl marks?
When I used the high pressure spray I tried to stay as far away from the cars surface as possible. Is this a safe method to periodically clean the car when I do not have the time to do a carefull hand wash?
Is it possible that the high pressure combined with the dirt caused the swirl marks? The car was not very dirty to begin with. Or, is it simply that more wax has worn off the car revealing more swirl marks?
When I used the high pressure spray I tried to stay as far away from the cars surface as possible. Is this a safe method to periodically clean the car when I do not have the time to do a carefull hand wash?
05-11-2008, 02:31 PM
#3
Drifting
Thread Starter
TOGWT - thanks for the link, however it does not apply to the question that I asked.
I did not use an automated touchless car wash. I simply used the open bay type in which you personally use the high pressure wand to wash and rinse your car. I did not use the car wash soap on the car. I simply rinsed the car off with the high pressure rinse followed by the spot free rinse and then allowed the car to drip/air dry, therefore nothing other than water ever came into contact with my paint.
I only asked this question because it appears that there are more micro scratches in my paint when viewing it in direct sunlight. Could these have been caused simply by the high pressure rinse? The pressure did not seem terribly high to me and I did take care to keep the wand as far from the paint as possbly. It could simply be my imagination thinking there are more fine scrathes or it could also be that some wax wore off thus revealing more scrathes. At any rate, it is a minor issue and the paint still looks excellent but I want to be sure to keep it that way.
I did not use an automated touchless car wash. I simply used the open bay type in which you personally use the high pressure wand to wash and rinse your car. I did not use the car wash soap on the car. I simply rinsed the car off with the high pressure rinse followed by the spot free rinse and then allowed the car to drip/air dry, therefore nothing other than water ever came into contact with my paint.
I only asked this question because it appears that there are more micro scratches in my paint when viewing it in direct sunlight. Could these have been caused simply by the high pressure rinse? The pressure did not seem terribly high to me and I did take care to keep the wand as far from the paint as possbly. It could simply be my imagination thinking there are more fine scrathes or it could also be that some wax wore off thus revealing more scrathes. At any rate, it is a minor issue and the paint still looks excellent but I want to be sure to keep it that way.
