I have a one month old, never washed, 2005 black 4x4 Lariat Screw. I have always been one to go to the car wash with my vehicles. After reading here and falling in love with my new truck this one will not go through that torture. I have a good idea of what I need to do from all the excellent info you guys have posted, but due to time restraints I am still probably two weeks away from being able to commit the time to wash, clay, polish, wax, etc. For now, would you run out and buy buckets, mitt, and nxt and give her a wash for or would you just wait till you can do it all at once. I don't want to damage the paint any more than I already have and from here on out plan to start practicing alot more care. Maybe even invest in a Porter Cable soon. Thanks for all the help.

 

Your call in my opinion... I'd probably wash with a high-quality shampoo and blot dry or utilize a blower to dry.

I did note that you mentioned bucketS... good call. I assume you're referring to the two bucket system for washing? If so, this is a necessity in my opinion to help minimize reintroduction or, with a newer vehicle, introduction, of swirls etc...

Don't skimp on your product selection. There are some really good mitts on the market but, by the same token, there are some that aren't worth the materials that they're made with in my opinion. It's important to remember that ANYTHING that is making abrasive contact with your paint (and, especially black paint) can cause swirls and other small scratches that are more work to remove than they are to introduce.

An ounce of prevention....

RP

 

I run a carwash. I have heard everything that anyone could ever come up with on how the carwash destroys their vehicle, and it is absolutely untrue. I wash $200K mercedes and Bentley's through my tunnel, and they look just as good as brand new, so if its good enough for that high a priced car, why wouldn't it be good enough for a $50K or less truck?

There are several things to consider about the carwash you use.

1) Is it a full service wash with people that vacuum, prep, and finish it?
If so, make sure they use a soft cloth system. As long as its soft cloth, it is actually better for your car than homewashing. The longtime myth that handwashing is better for the car has been disproven multiple times over. Think about it like this; If you wash at home, your wetting the car, soaping the mitt, and rubbing it all over panel by panel. That efficiantly rubs all the dirt around in the area you are "washing." When you run it through a car wash, there is constantly water running over every piece of cloth in there, as well as multiple lubricating soaps and cleaners. There is a greater chance of scratching or "spider webbing" you car in your driveway with a bucket.

2) Is it a BP gas station wash? If so, don't go back, nylon wraps and brushes will hurt your paint, and they take no responsibility for anything that happens

3) Is it a touch free? These washes depend on chemical application. Problem with that is that you can only put so much on the car before it becomes harmful. The other problem is that operators of these are usually so cheap that they turn down the chemical to cut costs, and then when you wash it it looks worse than before. Again, I wouldn't recommend this unless there was no other alternative.

4) Is it reputable? Carwash's have reputations to maintain. If they are a good location, you'll know about it from others who have had positive results. It just happens to be that the particular area I am in is very affluent and I deal mostly with large new SUV's and mercedes/bmw/lexus type crowds more than any others. (although, the ford expedition and F150 are my top oil change vehicles) If we damaged cars like so many think, we wouldn't be in business anymore.


So, before you judge all carwashes based on the experiences from one, I suggest you try a good, local reputable full service carwash, even if with your wifes car first to better judge the industry

 

Thanks for the advice guys. Your experience is priceless in my opinion. And yes, RP, I have listened to you guys well enough to realize two buckets are a necessity.

 

I see your point here but disagree on the point that it's better than home washing... not in all instances.

If you take the 'average shade tree' type versus a highly reputable wash then it's a fair comparison... The average type (my neighbor for example) will run outside with Sun Light dish washing liquid and squeeze off 1/4 of the bottle into one bucket and away he goes... he then asks me why his wax doesn't seem to be there any longer... DUH! LOL! Not only is he utilizing a caustic mix that could almost take paint off of panel but, he's tossing his sponge on the ground and then going straight to his paint and also using a towel that has been in his garage, on the ground, for the past 8 car washes that he's done... needless to say, you can almost wash the vehicle with 1500 grit and do a better/safer job than this method.

But, if you take a professional detailing approach to washing including continual two or three bucket washing methods with multiple full rinses of the all two or three buckets then I don't think it's a fair comparison to say that it's been proved time and time again... I detail for a very small client base including some high dollar vehicles (small base because it's a weekend business) and, as a 'home washing' and 'hand washing' detailer, I'd put my washing technique and chemicals utilized up against ANY tunnel or wand or brush wash anywhere. I still stand by my notion that washing is the SINGLE most important step in achieving and maintaining stellar finish. The chemicals, techniques, and procedures used are of paramount importance to keeping the vehicle in top condition from a paint perspective.

There are exceptions to every rule and I concur that roping in all car wash types of facilities into a negative connotation isn't fair but, by the same token, roping in all 'home washing' types of approaches into the same negative connotation isn't fair either...

RP

 

I couldn't agree more, and neither could Ford, chevy, porsche, etc... I have a poster with "recommendations" from all of them, and frequent washing is mentioned in every one.

I think I came off somewhat incorrectly in my statement. For most individuals who know less than nothing about paint and body, homewashing isn't a good idea. And dawn or palmolive is the worst thing I can think of and what most people use first. ( I know you know that RP, just re-iterating) One of the main problems in my area with the homewashing and mobile detailing is that water restrictions will earn you a fine thats the price of a paint job. All mobile detailers here are required to have a water reclamation system, which is expensive and out of reach of your average mobile guy. The water department guys ride around and hand out violations for $500 on the first offense, and $1500 on the next. Then they just cut your water off. And I guess the real point was, that just like the quick lube industry, the carwash industry gets demonized by a few bad apples. Most people don't think of us as professionals, but I have been through I don't know how many classes for an umta-million hours worth of training to properly diagnose and repair damaged paint surfaces. I didn't mean to knock you as a mobile guy, and I am sorry if thats how it came accross.

 

I couldn't agree more with you Navi... the water restriction problem is one that many mobile style detailers face on a day in and day out basis. Fortunately for me, my community really doesn't have much of that (especially considering that I do it in my driveway with my hose)...

There are a few bad apples out there and, like many industries, it gives the entire 'show' a black eye... it's ashame but, the unfortunate battle that nearly all industries, including detailing, fight daily...because there are some GREAT detailers and great carwashes out there...

RP

 

OK guys - I want your opinion on those car washes that have the new style of brushes - the material is very soft foam or rubber - I'm sure you have seen them around. They seem to do a very nice job for 4-7 dollars. I've never left one with a scratch or swirl, and I can do it every week, because I fill up that often.
I personally think that automatic car washes have come a long way in the last 2 years. So what is your unbiased thought?

 

Unbiased thought from someone in the business

Automatic carwashes have advanced light years in the past 5 years. There are several types of automatics, so its hard to aid you in judging one. There are a multitude of available "cloths" for the washes, from lambs wool to nylon. The nylon being the worst. I have not heard of a foam or foam rubber type. I will look at my catalogs and see what is out there. But just a side note....Those $3-$7 washes that are unmanned that have become so popular in the past couple years, they run on a high volume low cost mentality. The problem is, you get a cheap operator and they turn down the chemical and up the air and water so you get an end result that is not as good as it should be. I have an Ecolab chemist who does my chemicals, and I don't ever adjust them. He comes in and does a use/cost analysis and tells me what my online production chemical costs are, and we try and stay within a certain range. People who don't use chemists, or just buy chemicals and adjust them themselves will it seems, always try and skimp by with the least cost possible, resulting in poor results at times. (you'd be amazed the difference 3 or 4 degrees can make on this equipment)

 

The material I'm talking about is like a thick fake chamois. It's popping up at all of the Shell stations and Conoco/Phillips stations. It is very soft and thick - unlike those nasty nylon strings they used to use. You go in, get a soap series with the soft 'brush', then rinse, then no spot rinse, then air dry at the end. Actually, I like the 'basic' washes better because the higher end washes have wheel scrub cycles that keep the brushes spinning on your car while the wheel cleaner is working.

 

I can count on one hand how many people I would trust touching my paint...

One frequents this board... one lives in NYC...one lives on the west coast.... and one is a moderator here at f150online... LOL...

 

can i touch your paint?

 

Tun2One,

Well, I not sure about the new type foam/rubber brushes, but I think 98Navi answered your question in general... If you have a car wash that uses the correct type cloth, filters the water properly, and adjusts the chemicals correctly, the car wash may work fine. Of course, I don't how a consumer is supposed to know all those things ahead of time.

It sounds like 98Navi runs a fine operation and cares about the quality of the experience. However, even as he said, not everybody runs their operation that way.

It only takes one bad car wash to make a mess out of your paint. When I hand wash my vehicle, I know EXACTLY what is being used, and how well it is being done.

 

This is an excellent point. When we first opened, the original design had incorporated a high pressure arch (called a PE300) immediately after the wheel clear CTA's (thats the applicator) We were having severe wheel cleanliness issues. I complained repeatedly to the chemical company we used when we started, and they kept "adjusting" the chemical. For about 6 months that went on, with no results worthy of mentioning, and I called another chemical company. They came in and we moved that PE300 arch down the tunnel about 30 feet. Now, the dwell time on the wheel and tire cleaner has been increased by about 12 seconds, which made all the difference in the world how the wheels came out. You live and you learn!

 

You gonna let me touch it? I promise not to use 600 on it.