"wax" mode on the self spray carwashes?

[CTATV]

what do you all think about the Wax spray at the self spray car washes. I have used it on previous cars it helps the water bead up on the windows and I figured helps protect the metal from salt in the winter months. A while back somebody who detailed cars told me that that wax from the self spray actually deteriorates the clear coat. What are your opinions on it all? I know washing in your driveway is the best wash you can get but I'm in RI (at school) and its winter so i think its the next best thing. I dont like paying for or going through those car washes that touch your car.

 

What do you all think about it?

[gianspi]

I go to those places with my own mitten and use the rinse and soap modes during winter. I drained my home's outside water system so it doesn't freeze in the winter, so this is the only option.

[CTATV]

I go to those places with my own mitten and use the rinse and soap modes during winter. I drained my home's outside water system so it doesn't freeze in the winter, so this is the only option.

 

 

mitten not a bad idea, what about the wax?

[Carter]

I have never heard that. I always get the best wash.

[mwiener2]

It's a really thin wax with a very low melting point. It wears off the car days after application.

 

It's better than nothing though and it's pretty mcuh all my car gets durring the winter months

[pillboy]

I have never heard that. I always get the best wash.

Hand job by topless girls?

[Bdubs]

I've been told it isn't good for rubber products, and shortens the life of the wiper blades. I really have no idea how much truth there is to that, but I've used it from time to time, and can't say I've seen any negative affects on any car I've sprayed it on.

 

+1 for bringing your own stuff, I bring my own sponge and bucket and drying cloth. Can't go wrong when your home is winterized.

[mwiener2]

The rumor that it isn't good for wiper blades is misguided. It collects on the wipers and then they don't work as well. Use a rag with some industrial windex (aresol foam) or other heavy duty window cleaner and wipe down the wipers. That'll fix it.

[nm]

I used to take a bucket and a mitt to a wand wash station, fill it up with their water and do it by hand until I got yelled at.

I never understood that. I pay at least 2x more when doing a bucket wash at a DIY place than when using thier crappy brush.

[canddmeyer]

We've used the wax option on our 1999 Accord and 2003 4Runner purchased new. No problem whatsoever with the paint or clearcoat.

 

The only thing I've used that has messed up the wiper blades is Rain-X from the bottle. The local carwash uses Rain-X, but we've never had an issue with the carwash application.

[CTATV]

I don't like that wax stuff, but the cheap wash without the wax doesn't do the undercarriage blast

 

I used to take a bucket and a mitt to a wand wash station, fill it up with their water and do it by hand until I got yelled at.

 

So I don't really care anymore.

 

its 2 bucks for 4 minutes and I usually run it twice. After rinsing the rest of the car I give it a spray as much as I can around the whole underside of the car. I go to one of the drive through touchless car washes once every spring when the salt is gone to get a good spray underneath the car for the summer. Keeping a car CLEAN in winter around here is impossible. I just dont like stuff do build up cause it causes scratches, looks woorse, and the salt isnt good for the paint/. I get a decent under spray with the sprayer nozzle long as i have some time left

 

Im going to have to bring my own mitten or brush next time.... I do two seperate 4 min runs so i can soap on the first one, then rub the whole car down, then put the next 2 bucks (4 min in) and use it to wax and rinse.

 

by the way you guys rinse the wax after spraying it on or just spray it on and then let it dry? my brother used to leave it on his car but I always rinse the car at the end after spraying the wax...

[Voytech]

I don't use the wax if I have a choice. It makes my wipers smear like crazy.

[Carter]

Remember Subaru reccomends a carwash 1 a week! ...or your warranty can be denied!

[iyalla]

The Wax is just cheap watered down wax. Its not going to eat your clearcoat. Clearcoat is a lot tougher than that. If I can use GoGone to remove tar from clearcoat I think wash bay spray wax will be OK. I use it when I am desperate for some extra protection during a loooong cold weather stretch. I let it dry, I don't rinse it again, I wipe my windows and hit the road for an air dry.

 

Its the brush you should avoid like the plague!!!!!

[Living Legacy]

People think I'm crazy for washing my car 3-4 times a month in the winter, but hell, I paid 20K for the damn piece of metal, it might as well look nice too!

 

Luckily for me, my town house has an attached 2 car garage with a water hookup so I can wash by hand at home. I always try to rinse beneath the car, but it certainly doesn't get 100% of the salt...

Am I crazy for washing so much or are the others just hating on my clean ass car? Should I not be washing this much?

 

P.S. I just washed the car last night after I put the new roof rack on and I drove to work... in the sleet :...(

[CTATV]

The Wax is just cheap watered down wax. Its not going to eat your clearcoat. Clearcoat is a lot tougher than that. If I can use GoGone to remove tar from clearcoat I think wash bay spray wax will be OK. I use it when I am desperate for some extra protection during a loooong cold weather stretch. I let it dry, I don't rinse it again, I wipe my windows and hit the road for an air dry.

 

Its the brush you should avoid like the plague!!!!!

 

haha I never use the brush only things that "touch" my car are things I buy and only get used on my cars. Ill have to try putting the wax on and not rinsing. I just bought a few of those microfiber towels at ocean state job lot for cheap so ill leave the wax on then wipe the car down before I hit the road...

 

thats what you said you do right? I wash my car at least once a month, more if i have a chance. a lot depends on weather. If its continually snowing and slush/fresh sand on the road I usually wait to wash cause its going to get totally dirty between the wash and my school/house...

 

we turn our ouside water spickets off as well in the winter at my house so no home washing in the winter months

[iyalla]

^Yeah just wash it down with the wax water, wipe it down a little especially the windows, and off you go.

[1-3-2-4]

I always thought they did a poor job... nothing like hand waxing your car and hitting all the spots you can get to.

[Bdubs]

its 2 bucks for 4 minutes and I usually run it twice. After rinsing the rest of the car I give it a spray as much as I can around the whole underside of the car. I go to one of the drive through touchless car washes once every spring when the salt is gone to get a good spray underneath the car for the summer. Keeping a car CLEAN in winter around here is impossible. I just dont like stuff do build up cause it causes scratches, looks woorse, and the salt isnt good for the paint/. I get a decent under spray with the sprayer nozzle long as i have some time left

 

Im going to have to bring my own mitten or brush next time.... I do two seperate 4 min runs so i can soap on the first one, then rub the whole car down, then put the next 2 bucks (4 min in) and use it to wax and rinse.

 

by the way you guys rinse the wax after spraying it on or just spray it on and then let it dry? my brother used to leave it on his car but I always rinse the car at the end after spraying the wax...

 

That's what I do. Fill the bucket up with the water, then high power soap it up and get the wheels and inner fenders, and the rest of the car, use up the 3 mins and then scrub the car down with the sponge. When I'm ready to rinse, I just put another $2 in to rinse it off, I pull out of the bay and dry it. Can't go wrong, seeing the touchfree wash costs $9 and it sucks, and I don't speak of cloth washes.

 

I always rinsed the wax off, just didn't feel right leaving it on.

[CTATV]

to 1-2-3-4

 

yeah but I cant wash at home and car wont be clean enough to hand wax between the wash and getting home... I usually wax in the fall before we turn the faucets off and in the spring when we turn them back on

[CTATV]

 

I always rinsed the wax off, just didn't feel right leaving it on.

 

thats how I always felt too.... Ill have to give the wax-on a test run this week when i go get a wash...

 

brand new car I love washing it and now i got some new microfiber towels so can actually dry it on site

[SuperCleanLGT]

Cleaning your car w/o water is the best as long as it is not too dirty. I try to use a high quality detail spray w/ microfiber towels as much as possible. But winter months you have no choice but to go to the wash.

[ehsnils]

what do you all think about the Wax spray at the self spray car washes. I have used it on previous cars it helps the water bead up on the windows and I figured helps protect the metal from salt in the winter months. A while back somebody who detailed cars told me that that wax from the self spray actually deteriorates the clear coat. What are your opinions on it all? I know washing in your driveway is the best wash you can get but I'm in RI (at school) and its winter so i think its the next best thing. I dont like paying for or going through those car washes that touch your car.

 

What do you all think about it?

 

It may be good for the paint, but the beading on the windscreen is a bad thing. Large beads are OK, but small beads will form when the wiper is trying to get rid of the water effectively decreasing your vision.

 

Glass is normally water-friendly and the wiper blades can never do a perfect clean so remaining water forming beads instead of thin film patches will soak up light from different sources (like headlights from meeting traffic) in the dark and seriously causing your vision to be less useful. During daylight this isn't a big problem except when you get the sun about 2" over the hood.

 

The windscreen shall be as clean as possible and I sometimes resort to clean mine using warm water with hand-wash detergent or soap and scotch-brite. Both the screen and the blades has to be thoroughly clean.

 

Notice that on salted roads the salt spread can sometimes be mixed with something that stops it from forming clumps. This something can be diesel oil, and it's likely to be some kind of oil since salt doesn't dissolve in oil. This will in turn cause your windshield to catch some of it, even if the water and salt is washed away you will still have an oily surface left, so even if you aren't waxing your windscreen (which is pointless anyway) you will get residue that you want to get rid of.

[ehsnils]

haha I never use the brush only things that "touch" my car are things I buy and only get used on my cars. Ill have to try putting the wax on and not rinsing. I just bought a few of those microfiber towels at ocean state job lot for cheap so ill leave the wax on then wipe the car down before I hit the road...

 

Just beware - a towel and any kind of sponge or so can easily catch small particles that acts like a sandpaper on your paint. You may not hear or feel it, but they are there still.

 

A soft brush with fine hairs is better since it won't catch the particles but instead let the particles between the hairs. But - of course clean the brush after use.

[squishyface]

touchless drive up in the winter. Simple..high pressure water and soap (I use low pressure in spring-fall...helps retain luster and wax)

 

1. prewash

2. soap (fragarence free)

3. rinse

4. spot free rinse

5. Drive off.

 

I like the touchless...no brush and I don't have to get out.

 

Unless I need to get that pesky flyer off the windshield!! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjHNJZIkBc8]YouTube - Idiot loses his door in a car wash - Perdeu a porta[/ame]