Automatic Car Wash?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 352
Likes: 158
You will scratch the heck out of your paint, even if it is "soft touch".
If you don't want to DIY, look for a "maintenance package" from a good detail shop with a weekly hand wash. Stay away from the scratchomatic.
If you don't want to DIY, look for a "maintenance package" from a good detail shop with a weekly hand wash. Stay away from the scratchomatic.
Last edited by amphicar770; Dec 24, 2021 at 08:20 PM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 403
Likes: 161
From: Boston, MA
Get a ceramic coat and use a touchless wash. When I go through touchless washes I put the suspension on Lift.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 352
Likes: 158
I have done ceramic coats on all my vehicles. Honest detailers will tell you that they are a sacrificial layer, not the impenetrable armor some manufacturers claim. It can scratch and even touchless wash will degrade it. Car washes use recycled water and high alkalinity detergent. When you prep a vehicle for removal of old sealers or coatings, the first step is to foam and wash it with ... a high alkalinity detergent.
Sometimes you have no choice, but if the goal is protecting your paint, 2-3 bucket handwash.
Sometimes you have no choice, but if the goal is protecting your paint, 2-3 bucket handwash.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 494
From: Southern California
I have done ceramic coats on all my vehicles. Honest detailers will tell you that they are a sacrificial layer, not the impenetrable armor some manufacturers claim. It can scratch and even touchless wash will degrade it. Car washes use recycled water and high alkalinity detergent. When you prep a vehicle for removal of old sealers or coatings, the first step is to foam and wash it with ... a high alkalinity detergent.
Sometimes you have no choice, but if the goal is protecting your paint, 2-3 bucket handwash.
Sometimes you have no choice, but if the goal is protecting your paint, 2-3 bucket handwash.
Ive never hand washed my cars myself but having gotten my first Porsche (a 22 Panamera), I got it ceramic coated and recently ordered all kinds of things to hand wash myself. With the right stuff, it seems painless and not time consuming.
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 403
Likes: 161
From: Boston, MA
I have done ceramic coats on all my vehicles. Honest detailers will tell you that they are a sacrificial layer, not the impenetrable armor some manufacturers claim. It can scratch and even touchless wash will degrade it. Car washes use recycled water and high alkalinity detergent. When you prep a vehicle for removal of old sealers or coatings, the first step is to foam and wash it with ... a high alkalinity detergent.
Sometimes you have no choice, but if the goal is protecting your paint, 2-3 bucket handwash.
Sometimes you have no choice, but if the goal is protecting your paint, 2-3 bucket handwash.
I previously washed my own vehicles but at my condo I have no hose access so I'll go through a touchless wash then come back to the garage and use either AMMO Frothe or ONR (Optimum No Rinse --the green kind) and dilute it in distilled water for my hose-less washes. These products work great on my aircraft as well.
I sometimes top off with an SiO2 booster, I think Ceramic Pro Care (the same as my detailer does for the annual coating maintenance wash). My garage gets dusty so if the cars aren't particularly dirty, just dusty, I'll spray with AMMO Spit on the paint and AMMO Mud on the tires and go off to the car show.
I know I sound like I'm trying to sell you all on the AMMO products, I like the products but the pricing is more towards boutique than weekend warrior. I've got a completely different regimen when I do have access to a hose and power washer!
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Joined: Jun 2017
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From: New Albany, Ohio
Additionally, they can provide some protection from ‘environmental incidents’ (aka ‘Bird Bombs’) which could otherwise permanently etch the surface. Again, not 100% bulletproof but then again, not much is.
Some more detailed info on ceramics can be found here: ESOTERIC: The Ultimate Porsche Detailing Thread: ESOTERIC FAQ: Ceramic Coatings - Are they for you?
As for the automatic car wash, we definitely recommend washing by hand regardless of no matter if wax, sealant, ceramic coating or Paint Protection Film (PPF).
Unfortunately, that is not possible for all due to varying circumstances but if you must use an automatic wash, be sure to choose one that is touchless and even the best of those will not completely clean your car and will degrade your wax, sealant or coating more quickly than normal. Also, in the case of PPF, they may damage some edges or seams due to the close proximity of the pressure nozzles and the use of the large dryers at the end of those facilities. It's best to avoid them if at all possible if you are reasonably concerned with overall appearance and paint condition.
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ESOTERIC Fine Auto Finishing - America's Premier Exotic Detailer
Detailing . Paint Protection Film . Window Tint. Ceramic Coatings . Car Care Products . Training
HRE Wheels . Vossen Wheels . BBS Wheels . Akrapovic Exhaust . Fabspeed Exhaust . KW Suspension
Columbus, OH
Cleveland, OH
Contact@EsotericDetail.com
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EsotericCarCare.com
ESOTERIC on YouTube
Last edited by Esoteric_Detail; Dec 27, 2021 at 12:29 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2017
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From: MA
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2006
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Answer should be where do live. If your in a snowy state and dealing with road salts and cold weather. You only have a few options.
Touchless car wash your fine if that is all you got access to. I may be worry if it tracked system with weird rails on the side and rear tires maybe to large. So I would just avoid those.
I live in Wisconsin and touchless car wash does an ok job at making the car appear clean. But it doesn't get all the dirt off. I usually run it through a touchless and then every three times or so I'll take it straight home and use a waterless wash to get the rest off and hand dry it. I have zero swirls. I only it run it through a touchless in the winter time. Otherwise I do it all myself the rest of the year.
If I lived in Arizona or something and didn't have access to a hose to do my own washes. I'd pay a service once a month to come clean it and I'd probably just take a good detail spray to it once or twice a week to keep it looking nice if its just lightly dusty.
Touchless car wash your fine if that is all you got access to. I may be worry if it tracked system with weird rails on the side and rear tires maybe to large. So I would just avoid those.
I live in Wisconsin and touchless car wash does an ok job at making the car appear clean. But it doesn't get all the dirt off. I usually run it through a touchless and then every three times or so I'll take it straight home and use a waterless wash to get the rest off and hand dry it. I have zero swirls. I only it run it through a touchless in the winter time. Otherwise I do it all myself the rest of the year.
If I lived in Arizona or something and didn't have access to a hose to do my own washes. I'd pay a service once a month to come clean it and I'd probably just take a good detail spray to it once or twice a week to keep it looking nice if its just lightly dusty.
Last edited by skylolow; Dec 27, 2021 at 06:53 PM.
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Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2021
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Yeah, I live in NE Ohio in the snow belt. We don't have any touchless washes near me. I may just use a pressure wash bay to get most of the salt off. I will have to wait for warmer weather to hand wash. I have a black Mercedes at my southern residence. I had it ceramic coated about 3 years ago. I use either touchless or I hand wash it. It still looks great.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 259
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From: Central OH
Just moved outta NE Ohio a few months ago, Mentor/Chardon area. Most Sheetz stations had a touchless drive thru's w no rails. Would run coated cars through 2 or 3 times a Winter, soap/rinse only cheapie wash. Not ideal but sometimes ya gotta adapt 😄
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Yeah, I live in NE Ohio in the snow belt. We don't have any touchless washes near me. I may just use a pressure wash bay to get most of the salt off. I will have to wait for warmer weather to hand wash. I have a black Mercedes at my southern residence. I had it ceramic coated about 3 years ago. I use either touchless or I hand wash it. It still looks great.
I have to believe you got some touchless car washes around or at least not that far of a drive away. They are way cheaper to put into car wash bays over the soft touch systems.
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Joined: May 2021
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My Panamera is a daily driver. I don't care to keep it showroom new and I don't have time or desire to hand wash very often but I do like it clean. In Indy, we have Mike's Carwash which is better than most automatics and that's what I use about once a week. I do put it in high suspension mode and have had zero problems. Hope this helps. No need to flame because I don't care one way or the other.