Car Wash or hand wash?
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Surrey, UK
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My Ride: Its a 535d M-Sport... 19" Alloys, Carbon Black, Lots of bits and I love it!
Through all my time of owning a BMW I have always had my car hand washed, whether it be by my own fair hands or at the hands of my Eastern European friends at the local hand car wash establishment... however, in a moment of economic madness and laziness, I took it to through a car wash last week.... If you are expecting me to now tell you that it was a disaster, I can't! It was unbelievable!! My car has never looked so clean and shiny (Carbon Black 535d Sport).... It was simply awesome! So the question is, is the old adage that you should never use a car wash an old wives tail, because I am seriously tempted to take it back there!!
I would appreciate your thoughts!!
I would appreciate your thoughts!!
#2
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: UK with german roots
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My Ride: 535d Sport, carbon black, media pack, visibility pack, grey leather, heated seats, sun protection glass, voice control, Eibach ProKit, 19" 166 style wheels, e-maps ECU remap to 325hp and 640NM, top speed limiter removed
Look at it on an angle against sunlight. You will probably see quite a lot of very fine swirlmarks.
If not now, they will most certainly show after repeatedly using it.
The only carwashes I use are some when I'm back in Germany, that run with Microfibre towels only instead of brushes.
If not now, they will most certainly show after repeatedly using it.
The only carwashes I use are some when I'm back in Germany, that run with Microfibre towels only instead of brushes.
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: UK
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My Ride: Jan 2006 E63 650i Sport
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Options:
Sport version (includes: sport-seats, sport-suspension, M-Sport steering wheel, Anthracite headliner, Shaddow Line), Saphire Black, Black Dakota Leather, Anthracite Maple Wood trim, Steptronic Auto, Xenons, NAV-Professional with Voice Control, TV, CD-Changer, Bluetooth, Logic7, Head-up Display, Comfort Access, Seat Heating front, Auto Dimming & Folding Mirrors, Extended Auto Air Conditioning, PDC.
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Mods:
Spacers 5mm front & 15mm rear
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Wheels:
20" Alpina Softline (Classic) with Dunlop Sport Maxx non-RFT (255/35/20 & 285/30/20)
Originally Posted by olli_535d' post='400108' date='Mar 8 2007, 12:26 PM
Look at it on an angle against sunlight. You will probably see quite a lot of very fine swirlmarks.
If not now, they will most certainly show after repeatedly using it.
The only carwashes I use are some when I'm back in Germany, that run with Microfibre towels only instead of brushes.
If not now, they will most certainly show after repeatedly using it.
The only carwashes I use are some when I'm back in Germany, that run with Microfibre towels only instead of brushes.
One thing to watch out for with the car washes is your rims - not the towels scratching them, but curbing them on the car-wash rails that run either side. With my 275s on the back I was once only micro-millimeters away from scratching my M166s - it must have been my lucky day. It can a pretty tight squeeze when driving in to some car washes, so drive slowly and use your mirrors. You have been warned...!!!
#4
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Davidson, North Carolina
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My Ride: On Order as of May 6- 2007 530i Titanium Grey and Grey Leather, with Sport Package, Premium Pkg, Cold Pkg.
2006 Porsche Boxster
Most of the high quality car washes here in the US use towel type brushes. These car washes in the the business of car wash not just a gas station with a wash on the side for $4.99. Thus these types of washes run from $15.99 to $25 per wash for the 'Ultimate' wash. These businesses also have a bunch of folks at the end that will hand dry it. Often they also offer a 'quick wax' for about $29. This is not a deep waxing but it does a good job when I do not see a waxing by my own hands for a while.
The cheap gas station washes also use the plastic egg beater type brushes that will do wonders to your paint as discribed above.
I also like these full service car wash places since they also will also have an underbody wash/sprayer. Here in Hell, um, I mean, New Jersey, the salt from the roads gets stuck everywhere there. It is a place too that I cannot get when hand washing.
Overall I have been a big fan of the full service washes, especially in the Winter where it is a brisk 20-30 F. I still enjoy hand washing and waxing my car.
The cheap gas station washes also use the plastic egg beater type brushes that will do wonders to your paint as discribed above.
I also like these full service car wash places since they also will also have an underbody wash/sprayer. Here in Hell, um, I mean, New Jersey, the salt from the roads gets stuck everywhere there. It is a place too that I cannot get when hand washing.
Overall I have been a big fan of the full service washes, especially in the Winter where it is a brisk 20-30 F. I still enjoy hand washing and waxing my car.
#5
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My Ride: 530D , Msport, Deep Sea Blue , Cream Beige Dakota , Due April 2007.
Nothing i like more than a gleaming clean car but find forced into the nasty brush wash sometimes because the car is crying out for a clean and the hand wash's here are few with long long q's . Never have the time to take a sponge to it myself it seems.
#6
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Those men cleaning interior at the car wash usuall damage your iDrive and instrument cluster screen which should only be cleaned by microfiber or the like. Watch closely and you see what I mean.
#10
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Join Date: Sep 2006
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My Ride: Mini Cooper
Originally Posted by KAF' post='400211' date='Mar 9 2007, 12:58 AM
Always believed in a good hand job myself!!!