this_sith

Advice needed guys'n'gals.

I'm going to be spending a few weeks away from home with my scoob and wont be able to wash my car by hand.

My question is, would you trust a carwash/jet wash for cleaning your car?

I have a MY00PPP with the high level rear spoiler and am a little concerned what those nasty spinning brushes could do to the rear wing.

The concerns I have with the jet wash is the colour coded bumpers etc. Ive heard the jet washes can lift the paint off these.

Unfortunately I cant afford a mobile valet every couple of days so any experience/assistance would be very handy.

SiCotty

I have a little jet wash (very powerfull) which has never taken any paint off the bumpers, even when somebody scratched the paint down to the pastic. I would never use a drive in car wash. Using
the jet wash at the local garage should be fine, using that brush thing to put on the detergent is a little iffy though.

Si

Big Lee

Take a sponge with you to the jetwash instead of using the brush supplied.

stevem2k

Jet Wash ... if you must. Just don't use the brush thing. Sainsburys allows you to pick what you want , you just pay for time on the machine, so just detergent spray it all, then power rinse off.

Still not as safe as hand washing, but if needs must .....

Steve

z80

Use a jet wash.

How's these for a few pedantic tips that I always follow:-

1). Firstly, secure the brush head on the guide rail at the side of the jet wash machine such that the brush head is nearest you. Using the jet wash nozzle, blast the brushes for about 20 seconds to get rid of other peoples stones etc. Try to do this without other people seeing you as it looks really weird and makes the front of the jet wash machine all foamy.

2). When using the jet wash on your car be careful at the time when your money runs out as the sudden decrease in pressure as the flow stops can cause the jet wash nozzle to drop onto the paintwork. The nozzle on my local washer has a rubber bungy thing fitted to it which is probably there the reduce dents etc. However its best to not let the nozzle clang on your pride & joy.

Best regards,


Simon




[Edited by z80 - 10/21/2001 12:31:16 PM]

sKunk

Jet wash.

I travel 30 miles to use one that allows you to buy time, not a pre-programed schedule. Those ones are the best.

LEE-69

Drive through bloody car washs arhhhhhhhhhhh.went to one on thursday paid me £2 guy said express wash i said ok.got out of wash car dripping wet drove off to shops.came out of shop now the car is dried.see theres still dirt where the wipers dont cover.go back to said muppets,they said well you paid for express,i said yes express WASH.they said talk to the machine then,i said you for real you took my money not the machine.i said trading standards have a field day with you not providing the service i paid for.he said tough.so i says when you wash your clothes at home you dont mind if they come out dirty.erm he says.still not sorting this out.so another customer pulls in behind me i start the dont wash here m8 its crap you pay for a service and dont get it.
end result got my money back and went to have a proper car wash.

SCOBY

Please dont use the car wash, or the brushes, reason being is that the nylon bristles on both of these scratch the paint work. They may seem soft but they do the paint no favours. Eventually you will see very fine swirl marks, this is from those dodgy nylon bristles.

I used to do car valeting and the state of some of the cars i would get that were in crap condition, just cos they didnt use a clean sponge.

I hope that answers your query.

barge

Got to bt the jet wash, either spray the brush first as suggested above or do what I do, but you need to get washes..

Take an empty bucket & sponge to the JW, start spraying the car off when the soap comes out put the nozzle in the bucket, carful as it sprays everywhere, you should have enough for 1 bucket of warm soapy water. then use the remaining time with or with out soap to give the car a good jetting, then use the soapy water & your sponge to clean the car, either in the JW if quiet or just outside. Then once you have washed te car back in the JW & proceed as normal, I usualy use the hot soap on the wheels in the arches uned the car & when rinse times comes give the bucket & sponge a quick blast followed but doing the rest of the car, sorted.

Steve Williams

Always use the jet wash......

Get most of the car clean..... not as efficient as hand job.... (ooohhh errr) but good if you do it weekly (or less) or are short of time....

Having thought that who has the time to clean their car by hand that often??? Much better things in life.....



NEVER USE THE BRUSH CAR WASH....... had an experience a few years ago... (toyota car) when the brushes ripped a strip of trim off the side of the car.