Car Washes

[DivHunter]

That'll be great if it actually rained in melb...

We have 10 water tanks used to have 16 but some weren't needed and a couple rusted. The rusted ones still start to fill and piss water everywhere. We also have plenty of roof space so it doesn't take long for tanks to fill. Our grass is green even though we mow the shit out of it so seems we get enough water in the dandenongs.

[Gazee]

We have 10 water tanks used to have 16 but some weren't needed and a couple rusted. The rusted ones still start to fill and piss water everywhere. We also have plenty of roof space so it doesn't take long for tanks to fill. Our grass is green even though we mow the shit out of it so seems we get enough water in the dandenongs.

Hmm... well I still like paying $2 to wash my car with a bucket and a sponge lol

[SS8_Gohan]

a few things if i may...

never, repeat, never use the brush at the car washes. Giving it a quick blast with some water is NOT going to remove all the particles in the brush, and won't necessarily remove all the stones and shit either. Good luck picking your way through each bristle and cleaning the thing.

who the hell leaves their sponges lying around the garage floor collecting glass, stones, sticks, crap anyway? that's a pretty poor comparison to the car wash brash. Using your own sponge/mitt is a MILLION times safer than using an item multiple other people have used, for MANY different purposes.

Would you use your sponge on your wheels, and then clean the roof of your car? The car wash brushes are used EVERYWHERE!

Lasers washes, also not completely safe...

"Laserwashes use high pressure (sometimes upto 800psi) to spray chemical and water onto the exterior surfaces to clean your vehicle.

I raise Three issues that concern me with this process and others at Self-Serve Car Washes:

1. After Washing the car, is it washed by Hand using Mitts etc. If not, I fail to see how the car is properly cleaned and if, after the process, it is dried by chamois or drying towel the dirt left behind is being pushed into the surface creating swirls.

I guess this is OK for the fleet car but not for the pride & joy of most enthusiasts on this forum.

2. 800 psi is very, very high pressure. If particles in the water happen to come through the jets, this can cause some major damage. I am not assuming that this will happen though. Each self-serve carwash has different water filtration systems and the mean average particle filtration will determine whether or not the process is safe.

3. The quality of the chemicals. There are so many different self-serve cetres and so many of them use the cheapest, lowest grade soaps & degreasers. Many of them use caustic wheel cleaners etc. and some chemical stays in the line as you switch over from wheel cleaner to soap and rinse etc. You have to be very careful not to use any caustic chemicals anywhere on your car especially on your painted surfaces."

Bottom line. BRING YOUR OWN SPONGES/MITTS TO THE CAR WASH!! It's dead easy.

My process requires $3.

$1 - High pressure rinse #1(make sure the water runs for a little bit to clear the lines as much as possible)

- i have a spray bottle of my wash solution brough with me, i'll spray the car with it. Holds the dirt in suspension.

$2 - High pressure rinse #2

- spray wash solution onto microfibre mitt, wash car from top down. NO OVERLAPPING STROKES. Flip mitt over half way.

$3 - High pressure rinse #3

I use a waffle weave drying towel, but any microfibre towel would be fine.

Apply wax STRAIGHT AWAY if needed. If you wait till you get home, you've already picked up stuff on the car, dirt, dust, etc... which will further scratch the car on application. When the car is dry, and not too hot (important for some waxes) apply wax. Prep for waxes is super important. Just like prep for a respray.

cheers,

daniel

degreaser = meant for wheels, tyres, wheel arches, engine bay, etc. NOT PAINT.

[SKY031]

WINK FEST!!!!!

who the hell leaves their sponges lying around the garage floor collecting glass, stones, sticks, crap anyway? that's a pretty poor comparison to the car wash brash.

I'm assuming that was aimed at my comments, so I'm going to ask.. (if i may)

Why do people constantly misinterpret my comments, or try to read more into them?

What i said was...

"...It could have collected anything from being in the shed, or it could have collected sticks, pebbles or broken glass from being flung on the ground/falling out of the bucket."

I don't know what you do in your shed, but our shed is used for shed type purposes.

Inside, there are all sorts of nasties, like metal filings, paint stripper etc, and the ground around our home has pebbles and twigs and all the standard things on the ground like most peoples homes.

Lasers washes, also not completely safe...

"Laserwashes use high pressure (sometimes upto 800psi) to spray chemical and water onto the exterior surfaces to clean your vehicle.

It would be irresponsible to quote (alleged) figures without providing the source, and also a comparison.

(Eg; the pressure supplied by the standard wash bays?)

The standard "home use" pressure washer operates between 1400 and 1600psi and I'll even provide a source to back that up

Based on those numbers, wouldn't everyone who owns their own pressure washer, (by your calculations) be driving around in a bare metal car?

CarLovers are so confident of their laserwash, that they advertise it as "no scratches, ever", and I've used it regularly, and guess what?

I haven't had any scratches... ever.

I guess this is OK for the fleet car but not for the pride & joy of most enthusiasts on this forum.

The only thing I have to dispute there, is the fact that many of the people who have been trying to pass themselves off as "enthusiasts" have outed themselves as hoons recently, and to be quite honest, a couple of scratch marks should be the least of their worries.

800 psi is very, very high pressure. If particles in the water happen to come through the jets, this can cause some major damage.

800psi isn't massive, remember, we're talking about water pressure here, not turbos

.....about the only thing I agree with out of all that you've said, is that degreaser wasn't meant for paint... but in the quantities supplied from a public car wash it would be so massively diluted, that you'd have to be actually TRYING to damage the car with it.

[beefy]

If you were to use a bucket and a sponge without asking them when its not busy would it be a bad thing?

I never ask em i just do it lol providing its not busy i dont really want people to start bitching n moaning about having to wait....

Probably not but I just like to do the right thing. It is someones business plus I was looking for a place to use long term. I have been going there for 7 years now. I have had someone (another user) come up to me and tell me that I am not to use a Bucket/Sponge

[eMsta]

haha, hope not

they probably would have....i made the mistake with the tinter....and they kept changing their story - first it was "we might have dented it while working on the outside window", then it was "we didnt do it", then it was "you keep changing your story", then it was "we might ahve done it" and finally "we dont know how it happened in the first place"

damn it, where are those stolen rocket launchers when u need them.....

[Do-Luck]

Yes they did still charge me for the wash, but I payed with EFTPOS, and decided not to ask for a refund, so I could keep the receipt as proof that I had been there.

Anyway, I went to my panel beater today, and they are doing a 3rd party claim for me (either through the carwash owner, or their insurance) to get the repairs done. They are also going to fix a crack I have on my quarter panel

The panel beaters seem pretty confident that they will get money out of them with no trouble, so it looks like my car will be repaired in the next week or so

[eMsta]

Yes they did still charge me for the wash, but I payed with EFTPOS, and decided not to ask for a refund, so I could keep the receipt as proof that I had been there.

Anyway, I went to my panel beater today, and they are doing a 3rd party claim for me (either through the carwash owner, or their insurance) to get the repairs done. They are also going to fix a crack I have on my quarter panel

The panel beaters seem pretty confident that they will get money out of them with no trouble, so it looks like my car will be repaired in the next week or so

yeah they should be able to....anyway the car wash people are liable, they got no where to run or hide.

[Do-Luck]

Yeah exactly. They wanted me to go out of my way to bring my car to their panel beater, which wasn't going to happen. I told the owner that yesterday.

[krzysiu]

CarLovers are so confident of their laserwash, that they advertise it as "no scratches, ever", and I've used it regularly, and guess what?

I haven't had any scratches... ever.

With the lancer, its got almost 5000km on the clock. Always use the laserwash. Car hasn't got 1 swirl mark as a sponge has never touched it. And yes the paint is still there...

[TracidTrax]

Do-Luck, so how much did u get quoted on for the front bar repair?

[Helio]

I think that next time that I need to take my car anywhere for some work, I will take photos with a camera that date stamps the image for some proof.

[eMsta]

I think that we should be careful namin businesses, as I'm sure it is against forum rules to slander a business. Other wise the Mods will close the thred and give warnings.

I think that next time that I need to take my car anywhere for some work, I will take photos with a camera that date stamps the image for some proof.

better yet, ask on the forum before u go - that way u can find out for sure which places are good.

[R31Nismoid]

Yet another thread edited.

Warnings handed out accordingly.

Im REALLY getting sick of this