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Automatic car-wash

5K views 33 replies 18 participants last post by  FIA-WRC 
#1 ·
A quote from a Subaru sales document that I saw a while back:
There are a few cautionary notes on the spoiler.
...
Some automatic car-wash machines can damage the large rear spoiler and/or the body. Customers should follow the instructions of the car-wash.
From time to time, I enjoy washing my car by hand in the driveway. However, this is rather inconvenient for just keeping the car clean as a dailiy driver. I realize that it was my choice to buy a car that has different needs than your average everyday car, and I am willing to put forth the effort to do what's needed. It would be much more convenient, though, if I were to be able to take the car through the car-wash every once in a while for a quick once-over.

Has anyone had any problems with their STi in a car-wash? Has anyone taken their STi through an automatic car wash?
 
#2 ·
Just use automatic, touchless washes that have people operating them. They can raise all the stuff up so you should be ok. Automatic ones with brushes I would be worried about. Maybe call a few places around by you and tell them the deal and see what they say. Personally, I would rather drive the car dirty then take it through one of those or just rinse it mysleft at a DIY place. It won't completely clean it but it can make it look better than it did before. I don't know what I will do this winter though. I will have to find a place that does hand washing.
 
#4 ·
The only place in KC that sells 100 octane is down the street from a high school. One Saturday I was heading by there to get gas, and the cheerleaders were having a fundraiser car wash. That was a mistake. Not only did I feel like a pervert (some of those high school girls had some really nice fake breasts), but the car wash was was terrible! The car looked better dirty. Since then, I have been taking my car to the coin-op DIY places. That's ok, but I don't look forward to doing it when there's a -40 wind chill this winter.
 
#6 ·
hahhaha yeah... i know which fund-raisers to go to... i try to avoid the highschool jock washers... they tend to mess with ur car or do a half@$$ job of it... those church people seemed honest tho.. and i watch while they do it.. so its all good.. i just continually remind them they're committing a sin if they miss a spot =]
 
#7 ·
one... church car washes... i just pay them. no thanks, but i would feel bad if they break something and i have to sue them... :shudder:... plus bad karma.

2. high school cheerleaders... ummm... sorry... wrong forum.... ;) seriously, just pay them also. my sister was a cheerleader (in HS then in college) and they had to do so much fundraising for small stuff that it is crazy. so whenever i see one, i just give. i know what kind of hell she had to go through.
 
#8 ·
Do NOT wash your car by hand. You're just asking for it to rain! I hadn't washed my car for awhile and then I finally did, spent a good 4 hours washing and waxing on July 26...only to have it rain on July 29! It has NEVER rained in LA on July 29 in recorded history. Not until I washed and waxed my car. :evil: Turns out one of my friends did the same thing that weekend so it really was asking for it.

So, if you DO wash your car, make sure you don't drive it or keep it covered for at least 2-3 days so that Murphy's law can't kick in. And call all your friends to make sure none of them are washing their cars that same day! :wink:
 
#9 ·
I went throught a toucheless car wash with my 4Runner. It works pretty good and some of the wax stuff they put on is still on the windows. I did this the day before prom and, of course, it rained at my prom... lifes a bitch

Anyway, teh touchless car washes are great. The only thing I would worry about is any dirt getting into the water or air sprayers.
 
#10 ·
Never trust any automatic car wash or car wash by other people, they all use dirt cheap soap/wax that are harmful for the car. And those with brushes definitely scratch your car. Don't forget even using a terry cloth that's not made in USA will scratch your car, so how can you trust that dirty brush? When I go to self-service car wash, I only use water to rinse and then use my own soap/polish/wax. If you don't feel like washing by hand, just go to a car wash and use water to rinse out the dirt.
 
#11 ·
NOTHING replaces a good hand wash you do yourself. I would NEVER let those fund raisers wash my car. First off they are not going to rinse the car first and then they will use the same dirty water they just used on the 10 cars before you. Also they don't wash the towels, they just lay them out to dry. I also wonder how many times they dropped the sponges and towels on the dirty ground. Like I said I would rather drive my car dirty then have someone else wash my car. Also the touchless ones do not clean your car, the guys wiping it down are the ones wiping the dirt off. You guys that have black STis should not even consider anything other than hand washes.
 
#12 ·
what? you must not have been in a true touchless. I drive it until it tells me to stop. It sprays the car with water, then with very soapy water, then sprays it with water again. This is all done at high pressure of course. Then it sprays a film of wax or something on the car and as you drive out it drys it.
 
#13 ·
The touchless I was talking about are the drive through kind where a bunch of people are waiting at the end to wipe it down. Spraying stuff on the car alone will not clean it, unless your car is not real dirty and has a good coat of wax on it. BTW, I would be very nervous taking an STi with the spoiler through the type you are talking about.
 
#14 ·
SnowbordrWRX said:
I hadn't washed my car for awhile and then I finally did, spent a good 4 hours washing and waxing on July 26...only to have it rain on July 29! It has NEVER rained in LA on July 29 in recorded history. Not until I washed and waxed my car. :evil: Turns out one of my friends did the same thing that weekend so it really was asking for it. :wink:
Sorry, you and your buddy can't take the credit for this one. You can make it rain in Southern California in the winter by washing your car. But, to make it rain in the middle of the summer you need to buy a sparkling new STI that's just been detailed. I know because I bought my STI on 7/28 at 9:00 pm in Long Beach . . . . just in time to drive it home in a thunderstorm. :(
 
#15 ·
MKIVSupra said:
The touchless I was talking about are the drive through kind where a bunch of people are waiting at the end to wipe it down. Spraying stuff on the car alone will not clean it, unless your car is not real dirty and has a good coat of wax on it. BTW, I would be very nervous taking an STi with the spoiler through the type you are talking about.
Yeah, I think I would always wash my STi by hand. This machine did wash my 4Runner pretty well, except for the running boards. I dont know how the intercooler on the STi would like High pressure water coming at it too... :-?
 
#16 ·
Sha_zapple said:
I dont know how the intercooler on the STi would like High pressure water coming at it too... :-?
What about driving in the rain? The water coming out of those hoses is fast, but I don't know if it beats driving highway speeds in the rain. Even if the pressure washer is faster, you tend to drive longer in the rain that you would hold a pressure washer to you hood.
 
#17 ·
Blur said:
Sorry, you and your buddy can't take the credit for this one. You can make it rain in Southern California in the winter by washing your car. But, to make it rain in the middle of the summer you need to buy a sparkling new STI that's just been detailed. I know because I bought my STI on 7/28 at 9:00 pm in Long Beach . . . . just in time to drive it home in a thunderstorm. :(
Oooh. You! You're the one that got our cars dirty!! :evil:

:wink:
 
#18 ·
Canadian Sti driving experiences

What about driving in the rain? The water coming out of those hoses is fast, but I don't know if it beats driving highway speeds in the rain. Even if the pressure washer is faster, you tend to drive longer in the rain that you would hold a pressure washer to you hood.
I took my STi through a laser wash at the Exxon station down the road from me the first time I drove back from Houston. That was 6 weeks ago. The car still works fine. So go wash your cars to your heart's content. The laser wash is safe :).
 
#19 ·
Again, touchless laser car wash will always still leave film of dust on your car, try to wipe your hood with your fingertip and u'll see. Car wash that has people wait at the end and wipe your car still not good, unless they use clean 100% cotton terry towel that's made in *USA*, otherwise there will be a risk of having your car scratched. FYI most towels out there are made in Pakistan and they are not 100% cotton as it says on the tag.
 
#21 ·
i take my sti to a truly touchless carwash every week. i talked to the owner and he uses the same carwash for his back porsche 911 carrera. my car looks great every weeked but their air freshener sucks and their tire dressing lasts about a day. otherwise im very happy with it
 
#22 ·
I've found a good carwash here in the Bay Area (Marlins, at Stevens Creek and San Tomas) that so far seems to be pretty good. I have a couple friends who also use it to wash their M3/G35, and have for a while, and they're so far satisfied. I'm awaiting my order of Zaino to arrive so I can just use a good duster to keep it clean, and not have to worry about carwashes as often.

jason
 
#24 ·
mistkerl said:
Bunch a lazy owners over here, :)

I wash it myself by hand only. I don't trust anyone else getting anywhere near it. If someone is going to screw up my car, it's going to be me.
Truly agree, my car can only be washed by me :wink:
 
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