Automatic car wash: Yes or No?

[alanf]

Background: 2006 911 Cabriolet. I'm not super anal about my car, for example, I have to admit that it hasn't been washed for 6 months. :(

The local gas station has an automatic car wash called a "laser wash". No brushes - just water/detergent that is sprayed at the car.

I'm tempted to put the Porsche through it. Anybody tried anything like this? Any horror stories that will dissuade me from taking this course of action?

[Ross1]

Background: 2006 911 Cabriolet. I'm not super anal about my car, for example, I have to admit that it hasn't been washed for 6 months. :(

The local gas station has an automatic car wash called a "laser wash". No brushes - just water/detergent that is sprayed at the car.

I'm tempted to put the Porsche through it. Anybody tried anything like this? Any horror stories that will dissuade me from taking this course of action?

Why bother? A touchless car wash isn't going to remove 6 months worth of grime anyway! :rolleyes:

[355bhp]

If that's the usual interval between washings, I'd spring for a hand wash; they usually run about $25 down here in L.A.

[1schoir]

Background: 2006 911 Cabriolet. I'm not super anal about my car, for example, I have to admit that it hasn't been washed for 6 months. :(

The local gas station has an automatic car wash called a "laser wash". No brushes - just water/detergent that is sprayed at the car.

I'm tempted to put the Porsche through it. Anybody tried anything like this? Any horror stories that will dissuade me from taking this course of action?

Alanf:

Regardless of which method is used at the car wash, make sure your car can easily clear the pulley chain system that the car wash used to pull your car along. Otherwise, you may have to replace some underbody panels, or worse.

Regards, Maurice.

[White987S]

Never. Nadda. Zilch!

The soaps will kill your cloth top.

[JeTexas]

The water pressure on those touchless car washes are too high. I had one peel paint right off my front bumper. Mind you, my car is a a few years older, and I'm pretty certain that a cheap touch-up job had been done to the bumper, but why risk it?

[1schoir]

Background: 2006 911 Cabriolet. I'm not super anal about my car, for example, I have to admit that it hasn't been washed for 6 months. :(

The local gas station has an automatic car wash called a "laser wash". No brushes - just water/detergent that is sprayed at the car.

I'm tempted to put the Porsche through it. Anybody tried anything like this? Any horror stories that will dissuade me from taking this course of action?

+1 on the negative effects of the detergents on your convertible top canvas.

Regards, Maurice.

[dphatch]

If your current wash schedule is once every 6 months it really doesn't matter how you wash the car. Car wash, touchless on not, won't do much additional damage to a car that never gets washed any other way. Kind of surprised it makes any difference to you one way of the other. As for damage to the top seems like a moot point.

[sstockton]

Guess we don't even want to know when oil was last changed! :-)

[phillipj]

Why even have a Porsche if your going to wait 6 months to wash it. :o You are making the Porsche police very angry B)

I agree, what does it matter regarding the type of wash at this point :rolleyes:

Edited July 8, 2009 by phillipj

[alanf]

I consider myself chastised for the wash interval.

Bottom line I will take away is that detergents are bad for the top, and water pressure is potentially too high. I will take to a professional washing operation.

[phillipj]

I consider myself chastised for the wash interval.

Bottom line I will take away is that detergents are bad for the top, and water pressure is potentially too high. I will take to a professional washing operation.

You are absolved of your sins.. :D :D :D

[tekky]

I consider myself chastised for the wash interval.

Bottom line I will take away is that detergents are bad for the top, and water pressure is potentially too high. I will take to a professional washing operation.

^ Good idea, this should cost you $50/year based on 355bhp's quote.

[Deanski]

It kills me to hear or see 997's or other high $$ cars in this condition and then owners just being cheap or lazy, but can purchase a high value vehicle and just neglect it for so long, it just burns me up.

Have the car maintained both mechanical and visual, this way, you'll get more enjoyment out of the car.

Have a professional detailer clean and detail the car, then work out an arrangement with one to even come to your home or business to clean it when it just needs a quick wash and QD.

Never take it through a tunnel wash, most will not handle the wheels as they are too wide for the guides. The soaps used are very high on the scale to remove road dirt w/o physical contact with "brushes". Some wash sites will "wash it on the side" which is worse as they use dirty mitts and water to clean it. You may as well have the guy take that 16lb terry buffer and ruin the paint.

Porsche paint is very soft, let a professional do it for you. If you can afford the car, afford the correct washing!

Deanski

[chanda]

I don't think Porsche will recommand you using any automatic car wash with high water pressure on cabs, at least my last Boxster's owner manual didn't recommand that. Never used an automatic car wash on my Porsche ever.

[phillipj]

It kills me to hear or see 997's or other high $$ cars in this condition and then owners just being cheap or lazy, but can purchase a high value vehicle and just neglect it for so long, it just burns me up.

Have the car maintained both mechanical and visual, this way, you'll get more enjoyment out of the car.

Have a professional detailer clean and detail the car, then work out an arrangement with one to even come to your home or business to clean it when it just needs a quick wash and QD.

Never take it through a tunnel wash, most will not handle the wheels as they are too wide for the guides. The soaps used are very high on the scale to remove road dirt w/o physical contact with "brushes". Some wash sites will "wash it on the side" which is worse as they use dirty mitts and water to clean it. You may as well have the guy take that 16lb terry buffer and ruin the paint.

Porsche paint is very soft, let a professional do it for you. If you can afford the car, afford the correct washing!

Deanski

+1 Dean..

I saw a 997 S Cab the other day driven by a "Mom" in Pasadena. I didn't look like it had EVER been washed. I wanted to take the keys from her and give her the Prius she deserved. That stuff makes me crazy :angry:

[ivanuf]

I am a car wash owner and have owned several Porsches, MB, BMW, ect.. thru the years.

My current car is a Black Carrera S Cabriolet. All my cars go thru my tunnel at least twice a week.

Not all automatic car wash systems are the same, as a matter of fact I can almost assure you that near your area there

will not be two identical Car Wash tunnels.

I will recommend you survey the tunnels in your area and look for one that has the following combinations:

1. No roll overs (the ones that move back-and forward around your car)

2. Pressure prep-guns (like the ones on the self-service bays) on the entrance used by employees.

No automatic high pressure inside the tunnel. Tell them to spray the convertible top from far away, not close.

The rest of the car is ok.

3. Conveyor system with a full tunnel length Rim protection cover. A plastic cover to protect wheels from rubbing

against conveyor wall.

4. No top brush, only curtains on to wash the top.

5. All curtains and brushes from cloth or foam (no bristle hairs).

6. Look for tunnel with plenty of car wash soap and water along the wash.

Once you locate a tunnel like this, wash your car every week and have it waxed every 3-4 months.

[stubenhocker]

This is a joke right?

[ivanuf]

This is a joke right?

No joke. I wash over 80,000 cars a year and been doing so for the last 20 years.

I have seen my share of misinformed people that have a generalized wrong idea about

the industry.