In between good hand washes/waxes i like to go to a do it yourself carwash down the street... All i do is spraythe soap on... rinse... then get a good spray of the wax(which seems to work very well) and then rinse it all off.... But i was thinking, is this doing any long term damage to my paint? I understand that they are not using the best quality products but is applying this wax and using the high pressure sprayer ok for my paint?

 

IDK. I find the drive through ones to work best. their newer and you drive your car in park it and pay like $8 for the full show and your car comes out nice. doesent dry it to well though.

 

Well...you will get many opinions on this one...personally I have never done it with the Stang...but in my other two vehicles I do it all the time...one for over 8 years and the paint still look good. Of course, I clay, polish and wax often too...

 

You never get a car fully clean by using the wand alone. If you try to dry your car afterwards, you are rubbing that remaining dirt into the paint. Plus, the soap used in car wash places are often very strong and remove the wax or sealant you have on there. The "wax" is nothing special and probably lasts a day or two.

You aren't necessarily "hurting" your paint, but you are really not doing it any favors. It all depends on your level of interest and standards.

 

I will NEVER go to a car wash. We were at a crank it up competition once several years ago. My husband took his S-10 to the car wash to get the bug guts off, and it took the paint off. Another guy with us who had a newer S-10 washed his and it took his clear coat off. I will not chance that.

 

Ahh... so just washing it in my driveway will actually be better for it? ... And my paint looks amazing right now but i definately plan on doing the clay/polish and regular waxing before it starts to fade any at all..

Damn... to take your clear coat and paint off that must have been one hell of a pressure sprayer

 

I try to stick to a touchless drive through myself. I always think about all of the dirt and sometimes rocks in the cloth wipers if they touch my car. I sometimes go to the new drive-throughs if I now they are cleaned and are new. There is a nice one near my house I frequent. It gives rain-x options and many other nice features.

 

Drive thru washes really aren't good on paint at all. The touchless washes use very high pressure to remove dirt. Brush car washes use brushes that touch anything from a truck that just went mudding, to a car that gets washed every 6 months, to the weekly washed well kept car. And they'll scratch all of them. Those brushes hold dirt and pelt the cars that go through there. Also most of them use pretty acidic soap to help remove dirt and bugs. They work great but also remove wax, sealants, and most forms of paint protection. Best thing for a dirty car is a quarter wash, your own wash bucket with a nice car wash soap (like meguiars gold class), a good wash mitt, and a good chamois. The pressure washer that is held atleast 6" from the paint will get the worst of it off without harming the paint. The mitt will get the rest with a nice soap that is effective but yet gentle. And the chamois will do a nice job gently drying the car. This method will really help prevent swirls and scratches. Don't forget to use a different sponge/mitt for your wheels. So, the drive-way method is probably the best. Automatic car washes suck for your paint, plus it never looks as good as it does when you hand wash it. BTW I do this everyday at work and have seen the results of automatic washes. Even after just one pass, scratch city! Nothing beats a hand washed, regularly waxed, well-kept car IMHO.

 

In over 30 years of driving I have never used an automatic car wash, and never will. I don't want to chance scratches or swirls. Once in awhile I might use a do-it-yourself wash but only with the "rinse", never with the caustic soap they use.