i hate them. the automatic washes dont get my wheels clean at all. i just go to the spray wash, drop in 2 bucks in quarters. i bring a microfiber spounge with me to wash then race home and dry it off.
its been in storage since december 1st i think i am having g withdraw

 

touchless for me too. I had my car detailed professionally last month, and was told to look for laser touchless car wash. supposedly the other touchless ones can cause fine scratches on the finish; nothing that can't be fixed with a good detailing, but annoying nonetheless. Kash

 

just bring out lots of warm buckets of water

 

If they recycle their water, there should be a sign... When I live in an apartment, the one next to it, had a sign saying they recycle their water... Just because there is a drain, doesn't mean it's connected to the sewer. Automatic washes have drains in em' too....

My neighbors already think I'm crazy. I've been known to wash my car while it was raining, while it was snowing, and at 2am before. (Tho I don't use the leaf blower at 2am)

when I first got the leaf blower at our old house, I got strange looks from neighbors when I busted out the leaf-blower to dry the car and go back inside, and didn't do anything about the leaves scattered all-over the yard

That's what I do. Drive it into the garage, then dry it and wax it.

If you still must use one of those DIY no-touch ones... Be careful. I've seen people catch a rock chip in just the right way with the jet-stream of water, and strip off a huge section of paint.

 

thank god. We had a neighbor who would use it at 6AM every sat morning!

 

In my experience (coldest I've ever washed the car was 16 degrees), I filled the soap bucket with straight hot water, and the rinse bucket with moderately warm water.

When you go to wash the car, the soap bucket will only be hot the first time you dip your mit in it. When you rinse the mit in the warm rinse bucket, and then dunk it in the soap bucket, it will gradually cool the soap bucket. If you do the two-bucket method, a quick dunk in the soap bucket is sufficient, since the mit is already sufficiently clean. It will gradually cool anyways, sitting on your stone-cold driveway.

By the time I'm done, the soap bucket is still warm, so you don't need to worry about refilling it or anything.

 

Yeah...not all car washes recycle their water...it all depends on how it was permitted & built. The ones that do recycle them use "reclaim tanks" or a reclaim system. Just ask them next time you're at the car wash.

 

I don't think all so-called 'touchless' are the same. The two I used to go in the Bay Area are exceptional. But now I live 3 hours away it's a DIY job.

 

i curbed one of my wheels in a "touchless" wash.

i creid for 3 hours like a little girl.

 

I have this setup Only problem is it uses up my hot water in like 5 minutes.

 

Why don't you people in cold weather areas (like me) just get some Optimum No Rinse (ONR) or Quick and Easy Wash (QEW)? Both are rinseless washes that can be used in a garage or outside if you like that sort of thing. You would not believe how well they work. I started useing QEW when we got our first decent snow in December. It takes salt and junk right off. If you have any questions about how to use it, just ask. Also, I think it cost me $29 for a gallon - you only use 1-2 ounces per wash. Huge value.

 

my solution for winters!! you should get one as well...

 

+1. I haven't used ONR but I do use QEW and it works great. I'd highly recommend it to anyone in a colder climate.

Here's a good how-to on QEW.

http://autopia.org/forum/detailing-p...?highlight=qew

 

Wow...never even heard of this stuff. Two questions though....1) how long does it take to wash your entire car w/ this method? and 2) When you do wash your car this way, do you wash your undercarriage?

One of the main reasons I use a touchless car wash in the winter is for the undercarriage wash to pressure wash away the salt.

 

atleast you didn't get a 3inch hole ripped into your new tires .....but I had road hazard coverage,so I got another tire