Brushless Car Wash: Against Morals?
 

So I've taken my baby thru the local brushless car wash 2x. Anyone else do this? It doesn't seem so bad since nothing but water and soap actually touches the car...

But the thing that bothers me the most is a ramp that you have to drive the left wheel onto. There's a bar on each side and you're supposed to put your wheel in between. The bars are covered in foam. It bothers me; I'm afraid that I might screw up the alignment. These wheels are so wide, it's hard to put it in there just right, and it's not easy.

Am I committing a crime against the z?

I have been thru a Laser wash once and no issues. No wheel ramp or anything, just drive in and park while it pins around you. I prefer hand washes, but when it is minus 15..... you do what you have to to keep the girl clean!!! :icon17:

My Z has been through a brushless (hand wash) car wash almost every week for the past year - no issues whatsoever (although at the one that I go to they drive the car into the wash, not me). I've even got a deal where I pay $35/month for unlimited washes that includes vacuuming, rim cleaning, and tire dressing.

I do it all the time to knock the Oklahoma prairie off of her.

Do what works for your situation best...it's your Z.

I've done it a few times with both my Z's with no problems, i mean the nissan paint sucks anyway. Only bad thing about the Z paint is so soft rub a bug off with your finger and your nail hits it "O no there's a scratch" but want ya goin do, too keep them perfect is to not drive or injoy them...

I am somewhat a perfectionist so I do my own from the very first day I own my car. Heck I even do my own shirt ironing. :)

yeah it sucks when it is cold outside. But I just add warm water in the bucket.

I've never gone through an automatic wash with my Z...closest thing to that is the high-pressure Pay-n-Spray that I'll do every once in a while to knock the dust off and blast bugs.

Let me repeat.... minus 15 degrees Celcius.....

The water bucket is an ICE BUCKET :icon18:

I normally hand wash but after a good rain I will use the laser wash to knock off the big stuff. No issues.

wat socal said...

I hand wash about once a month. I use the touch free once a week to get the dust off. I have a truck for a daily driver, so it is basically washing the dust off from being in the garage.

Heres a ritual I began a few months ago, go through the laser wash, let it blow dry er' to the best of its capabilities, park under the vacuum awnings (so as to not let the sun dry the droplets to avoid water spots), wipe excess water off with a microfiber towel, use a detailer i/e eagle one just to get the fine dirt film completely off, then spray on a coat of the nanowax to reduce the appearance of swirls, then of course a nice spray down with meguiars tire shine and wheel cleaner. Makes my baby look like a million bucks every time.

while i wish i could hand wash mine every single time, i can't so i either go to one of the brushless or the self serve car washes for quick washes. i'll go over it with a detailing spray afterwards.

when the weather gets better, i try to do a hand wash/wax about once a month.

Thanks for the awesome, detailed, plentiful and quick replies that this community is becoming known for. I’ll keep them all in mind.