ZPOST
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Go Back   ZPOST > BMW Z4 Roadster and Coupe > Regional Forums > Canada
  TireRack

SUPPORT ZPOST BY DOING YOUR TIRERACK SHOPPING FROM THIS BANNER, THANKS!
Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      01-19-2008, 01:37 PM   #23
buddrinker
Enlisted Member
buddrinker's Avatar
Canada
4
Rep
42
Posts

Drives: Bmw Z4 3.0i
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Alberta

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by pbdm4k View Post
Alright guys!!

All you canucks, where are you?!?!

First Canadian Regional Z4 POST!!

w00t w00t!
Hello all from snowy chilly alberta. Just bought my 2004 z4 3 weeks ago and got about 2 weeks of driving it until we just got a foot of snow.
budd
Appreciate 0
      01-25-2008, 10:21 AM   #24
BigLeo48
Private First Class
6
Rep
142
Posts

Drives: Z4MC
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Car Washes

Quote:
Originally Posted by CAN 217 View Post
i guess i'm not that anal about my cars. i've never had a problem with any of the car washes i like (there are some that i have tried and will never go back). i tend to own cars for +10 years at a time and although i love the way my cars look, i care more about how they feel when i drive. besides, i like to wash my cars regularly. good detailors cost $100 a pop. to do that regularly is a waste of money.
I am an owner operator of a large carwash including 8 Self-Serve Bays and 1 Touchless automatic. I also have a Z4MC

There many misconceptions about carwashes and detailing, so I'll try to tackle a few.

First, Touchless automatics. For a Touchless to work, you need a good machine that is setup properly and good chemicals (soaps, dry agents, hyper beadants). Big oil companies generally do a terrible job (IMO) as there is not one knowledgeable person who can set up, monitor and maintain the wash. So problems in quality are abundant and how they operate has many process problems. For example, Esso washes. The manager/franchisee has a $ allocation for maintaining the wash day to day (small repairs). Anything over $2K (I believe) Esso will pay...so there is no incentive to fix anything until it really breaks. They also contract chemical providers on a per/car charge. So say the contract is 15cents per car, Esso will only pay the chem provider 15 cents per car. It's very competitive and very hard for the chem companies to make money with these guys, so corners are cut and cleaning performance drops. Big Oil companies are also big on throughput, so pushing cars through fast is very important and that too cuts cleaning results.
Appreciate 0
      01-25-2008, 10:33 AM   #25
BigLeo48
Private First Class
6
Rep
142
Posts

Drives: Z4MC
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

In contrast, my wash works very well and here is why. First I have a good machine, a PDQ Laser M5. It can go to 1200PSI and has great ultrasonics that allow you to get very close to the car without touching it. I never touch cars (unless some idiot drives in with hugh towing mirrors). My dryers also don't drop down on the car, they are just very powerful.

Next, I use chems from 3 different brands that I feel are the best. This is my top wash. 1-Undercarriage and side gatlin guns for 25 sec to get any loose stuff off the bottom half of the car. 2-High pressure pass to remove snow if we've had a dumping (soap cannot penatrate when there is 2" of snow on the car). 3-Heated Low pH Soap pass (Transmate). 4-Heated Hi-pH soap (glass & chrome) Simoniz, 4- 20 sec Dwell Time (soaps need time to work) 5-HP Rinse, 6- Tripple Foam polish (Simoniz), 7-HP Rinse, 8- RainX Total Surface Protectant (last about a month and what a shine!) from Ecolabs. 9-Spot Free rinse (deminerilized water, so no left over minerals that leave spots). 10- 90 sec blow dry. I spend about $3 on chems per car. But the car comes out great. I run my Z4MC, Lexus through it 3 or 4 times a week with no problems. I have regulars with C4S, CLS-55 AMG, Maybacks, etc. and they are very happy with the results.

So it you want a good touchless, find an independant that knows his stuff.

Last edited by BigLeo48; 01-25-2008 at 10:59 AM..
Appreciate 0
      01-25-2008, 10:50 AM   #26
BigLeo48
Private First Class
6
Rep
142
Posts

Drives: Z4MC
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Soft Cloths.

They wash with friction, less soap. The cloth material can vary, but it should not scratch your car. However, if cleaning jets do not rince the cloth properly (like if they get clogged), the dirt on the cloth will. I would never put my cars through a soft-cloth owned by a big oil company!

Self-Serves. Most are crap. Soaps are so weak they do nothing. (Soaps lift soils off the surface and high pressure impact, get it off) HP Soap doesn not work (too much water). Presoaks (low pressure strong surfactant) will do the trick. "wax" in all carwashes are not wax, but drying agents that help the car dry, but leave no lasting protection. My SS bays have the following...Bug Remover Presoak, Grime Presoak, Tire Cleaner Presoak, HP Soap, HP Rinse, HP Wax, Clear-Coat protectant with Teflon, spot free rinse and hand held air dryer. It takes a little time, but you can to an excellent job in my bays.

Detailers. Like anything else, some are very good and some are terrible. Properly cleaning a car requires skill, knowledge and experience. Not many have all three. A local car wash operator I know also has a detail shop. He knows nothing about paint, chemistry and get this..."he's legaly blind"! So consumer beware!

In the end, you should wash your car regularly to remove corrosive elements like salt, bird droppings, bug guts, etc. And also protect the surfaces with a proper wax or regular hyper beadant like RainX. Even if the car is clean, acid rain and pollutants will eat away at the clear-coat finish and dull the paint.

Hope this helps Big Leo!
Appreciate 0
      01-27-2008, 02:23 PM   #27
pbdm4k
Lieutenant Colonel
pbdm4k's Avatar
Canada
74
Rep
1,689
Posts

Drives: 2010 335d
Join Date: May 2007
Location: North of the Border

iTrader: (3)

Where is your wash located?
Appreciate 0
      02-06-2008, 09:22 AM   #28
F360C
Major
United_States
366
Rep
1,373
Posts

Drives: E86 S54
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Hoboken, NJ

iTrader: (2)

Yea where are you located in Ontario? I would love to give your wash a try and give a fellow M Couper some business!
__________________

07 Z4 M Coupe AW/IR
Appreciate 0
      02-20-2008, 10:13 PM   #29
pmeloche
Lieutenant Colonel
pmeloche's Avatar
Canada
24
Rep
1,604
Posts

Drives: 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Montréal, Canada

iTrader: (0)

Hello fellow Canucks

Have not heard from anybody from Montreal. My dealer received my 2008 M Coupé yesterday and I am stuck in Tampa, Florida until March.

It was so cold yesterday in Tampa I had to zip up my windbreaker.

Go Habs go.
__________________

Patrice
2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Vermillion Red
Appreciate 0
      02-20-2008, 11:09 PM   #30
pbdm4k
Lieutenant Colonel
pbdm4k's Avatar
Canada
74
Rep
1,689
Posts

Drives: 2010 335d
Join Date: May 2007
Location: North of the Border

iTrader: (3)

Hey, congrats on the coupe...

pft... windbreaker...

it's so freaking cold here, i almost couldnt find my boys when i had to go piss...

It's like shooting icicles here...
__________________
2010 BMW 335d "Ha! She wants the D."
2006 VW Jetta 2.5
Once upon a time...
'03 VW GTI, '99 Audi A4 1.8TQ, '00 VW Jetta 1.85T, '09 BMW 335i xDrive, '04 BMW Z4 3.0i, '01 Audi TT 1.8T, '04 Volvo S80 2.5T
Appreciate 0
      02-21-2008, 10:17 AM   #31
BigLeo48
Private First Class
6
Rep
142
Posts

Drives: Z4MC
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Congrads on the Z4MC Patrice!

I'm not in Montreal, but about 2 hrs west off the 401!

BTW...The Heatley, Spezza & Alfie line sure cooked Carbonneau's bacon last time! Go Sens Go!
__________________
Z4MC
Canada
Appreciate 0
      02-21-2008, 09:26 PM   #32
pmeloche
Lieutenant Colonel
pmeloche's Avatar
Canada
24
Rep
1,604
Posts

Drives: 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Montréal, Canada

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by BigLeo48 View Post
Congrads on the Z4MC Patrice!

I'm not in Montreal, but about 2 hrs west off the 401!

BTW...The Heatley, Spezza & Alfie line sure cooked Carbonneau's bacon last time! Go Sens Go!
Indeed they did. Daniel Alfredsson is a truly great player in all phases of the game. The Senators are definitely the class of the conference. At least we have a team that seems to be seriously competitive.
__________________

Patrice
2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Vermillion Red
Appreciate 0
      02-22-2008, 10:34 AM   #33
BigLeo48
Private First Class
6
Rep
142
Posts

Drives: Z4MC
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Patrice,

I spoke too soon...it seems that after that game the top line has done nothing and you guys are breathing down our necks! I was at the game last night and Alfie looked lost. In the last few games his passes are off, he doesn't seem to want the puck!?

I'm really surprized how well the Habs are doing this year! If you guys get Hossa to play with Koivu, we're in trouble!
__________________
Z4MC
Canada

Last edited by BigLeo48; 02-22-2008 at 02:59 PM..
Appreciate 0
      02-22-2008, 04:07 PM   #34
pmeloche
Lieutenant Colonel
pmeloche's Avatar
Canada
24
Rep
1,604
Posts

Drives: 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Montréal, Canada

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by BigLeo48 View Post
Patrice,

I spoke too soon...it seems that after that game the top line has done nothing and you guys are breathing down our necks! I was at the game last night and Alfie looked lost. In the last few games his passes are off, he doesn't seem to want the puck!?

I'm really surprized how well the Habs are doing this year! If you guys get Hossa to play with Koivu, we're in trouble!
Being in Tampa right now I am a bit disconnected with the latest rumors. Hossa from Atlanta? We definitely could use him. Of course, I would like to see Vincent Lecavalier in Montreal. I was at Lightning game on 12 Feb when they played Montreal and Vinny is absolutely amazing!
You should have seen his pass on the Lightning's second goal. Even his teammates were fooled by that move. The Lightnng Girls are also very good.

Don't get me started on Koivu. The team has been doing better ever since they got rid of Craig Rivet, the malcontent. All we need is to get rid of his buddy Koivu and that should be it. I wish we could get back Mike Ribeiro.

It would appear that Bob Gainey is getting good production from the youngsters and Carbonneau is less the whiner this year than he was last year bringing a less tense atmosphere in the locker room.

Hopefully, this will translate into a lengthy post-season. An Ottawa-Montreal conference final would be nice. Not as visceral as Québec-Montréal but very entertaining nonetheless.
__________________

Patrice
2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Vermillion Red
Appreciate 0
      02-23-2008, 08:35 PM   #35
BigLeo48
Private First Class
6
Rep
142
Posts

Drives: Z4MC
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

I agree, Vince to me is the best in the NHL right now! I really surprised that Mike Ribeiro is doing so well in Dallas...I always saw him as a one dimensional player.

When I go to hab games in Ottawa, half the crowd is from Montreal! Makes for a great crowd!

Ottawa played like crap again tonight and beat Pittsburg after being outplayed all night?!?
__________________
Z4MC
Canada
Appreciate 0
      02-24-2008, 09:46 PM   #36
veryhuman
Private First Class
Taiwan
4
Rep
112
Posts

Drives: 2005 Z4 2.5I
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Toronto

iTrader: (0)

Hi all, just got my Z4 on Saturday, loving every moment of it. I can't believe it everytime I see it in the garage.

I was wondering if there are any online retailers that sells OEM parts for the Z4 (other then Ebay) that ships to Toronto?

Edit: Does anyone recommend a specific shop/dealer to do work on your Z4?

Thanks!

Last edited by veryhuman; 02-24-2008 at 10:21 PM..
Appreciate 0
      02-27-2008, 06:43 PM   #37
speedygirl
Private
speedygirl's Avatar
Canada
1
Rep
74
Posts

Drives: 2006 Z4 3.0si, Jet Black
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada

iTrader: (0)

Congrats and welcome!

Now all we need is some decent weather!!!
__________________
Nooooooooooooooo!
Appreciate 0
      02-29-2008, 10:24 PM   #38
veryhuman
Private First Class
Taiwan
4
Rep
112
Posts

Drives: 2005 Z4 2.5I
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Toronto

iTrader: (0)

Friday night, snowed in
Appreciate 0
      03-21-2008, 02:40 PM   #39
mazzawi
Private First Class
Canada
4
Rep
140
Posts

Drives: before 05 Z4 2.5 now 08 MRdstr
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2005 Z4  [5.00]
I have a black Z4, I live in Thornhill. I drive it to work everyday...

I use the touch less esso car washes all the time... never had any problems. I can't stand having the car dirty. plus you get tonns of free carwashes with the points you get off the premium gas. on your esso speedpass.
Appreciate 0
      03-24-2008, 10:13 AM   #40
pbdm4k
Lieutenant Colonel
pbdm4k's Avatar
Canada
74
Rep
1,689
Posts

Drives: 2010 335d
Join Date: May 2007
Location: North of the Border

iTrader: (3)

Quote:
Originally Posted by mazzawi View Post
I have a black Z4, I live in Thornhill. I drive it to work everyday...

I use the touch less esso car washes all the time... never had any problems. I can't stand having the car dirty. plus you get tonns of free carwashes with the points you get off the premium gas. on your esso speedpass.
I may have seen you on occasion.

I drive an Alpine White one and I work in Richmond Hill.

Esso washes always leave residues but for the price (free), I don't mind them for a quick "rinsing" to get major dirt off the car if I don't have time to give it a good hand wash at home. (Or if its too cold outside).

But this is only for my other cars. My Z4 never sees the touchless or touch washes. The only touch wash it gets is my personal touch.
__________________
2010 BMW 335d "Ha! She wants the D."
2006 VW Jetta 2.5
Once upon a time...
'03 VW GTI, '99 Audi A4 1.8TQ, '00 VW Jetta 1.85T, '09 BMW 335i xDrive, '04 BMW Z4 3.0i, '01 Audi TT 1.8T, '04 Volvo S80 2.5T
Appreciate 0
      03-24-2008, 07:28 PM   #41
speedygirl
Private
speedygirl's Avatar
Canada
1
Rep
74
Posts

Drives: 2006 Z4 3.0si, Jet Black
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by mazzawi View Post
I use the touch less esso car washes all the time... never had any problems. I can't stand having the car dirty. plus you get tonns of free carwashes with the points you get off the premium gas. on your esso speedpass.
Hey, that's good to know, I will have to get a speedpass
__________________
Nooooooooooooooo!
Appreciate 0
      03-24-2008, 10:45 PM   #42
takedown8
Major
takedown8's Avatar
United_States
56
Rep
1,068
Posts

Drives: 2005 BMW Z4 3.0i
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Seattle, WA

iTrader: (0)

I won't put my Zed under those touchless wash jets. No way.

Got a local self-wash bay and for $2.75, I can give her a decent wash (for winter) every 1-2 weeks. Then in the summer, she gets regular hand washes.

She is spoyyy-allled!
Appreciate 0
      03-24-2008, 10:53 PM   #43
pbdm4k
Lieutenant Colonel
pbdm4k's Avatar
Canada
74
Rep
1,689
Posts

Drives: 2010 335d
Join Date: May 2007
Location: North of the Border

iTrader: (3)

Quote:
Originally Posted by takedown8 View Post
I won't put my Zed under those touchless wash jets. No way.

Got a local self-wash bay and for $2.75, I can give her a decent wash (for winter) every 1-2 weeks. Then in the summer, she gets regular hand washes.

She is spoyyy-allled!
And that's the way uh huh uh huh she liiikes it!
__________________
2010 BMW 335d "Ha! She wants the D."
2006 VW Jetta 2.5
Once upon a time...
'03 VW GTI, '99 Audi A4 1.8TQ, '00 VW Jetta 1.85T, '09 BMW 335i xDrive, '04 BMW Z4 3.0i, '01 Audi TT 1.8T, '04 Volvo S80 2.5T
Appreciate 0
      03-25-2008, 01:36 PM   #44
BigLeo48
Private First Class
6
Rep
142
Posts

Drives: Z4MC
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by pbdm4k View Post
Esso washes always leave residues but for the price (free), I don't mind them for a quick "rinsing" to get major dirt off the car if I don't have time to give it a good hand wash at home. (Or if its too cold outside).

But this is only for my other cars. My Z4 never sees the touchless or touch washes. The only touch wash it gets is my personal touch.
Esso uses Zep detergents with an alkaline presoak and a booster, getting total pH to 14 (like drano). It's cheap but works decent. The problem is that without a second acid based deterngent to neutralize it, it stays on the car (film) and will cause long term damage to the paint Look at the floors of their washes...the cement is being eaten away!

BTW...the vast majority of people do not clean their cars properly and cause more damage than good. Escpecially now that paints are softer and easier to scratch (water based instead of lead based). Have a look at this,

Hand vs. Automatic Car Washing
Driveway car washing is widely considered a wholesome ritual for those who care about their cars. Yet it's one of the worst things you can do to your car's finish. First, rags and sponges used in the process inevitably become impregnated with tiny grit particles that scratch the paint and clear coat. And since garden hoses often fail to remove all soap film, soap residue can "bake" into the finish and eat into the paint for days afterward.
University Studies Confirm Hand Washing Harms Vehicle Finishes...

A landmark study by the Technological University of Munich (Germany), in association with Mercedes-Benz, showed automatic car washing to be far superior to driveway washing for preserving automotive finishes. Subsequent tests by the University of Texas Construction Research Center confirmed these findings.
In the Mercedes-Benz tests, 25 washings were conducted on identical new-model sedans having pristine factory paint jobs. Before each washing, the test vehicles were coated with a mix of street dirt, under-fender accumulation, oily water and thawing-salt residue. The grit particles in the mixture were heavy enough to damage the toughest painted surface.
The hand-washings were performed by average car owners, unaware of the test's purpose, who were asked to get the cars as clean as possible, using the washing supplies of their choice (garden hose, bucket, sponges, towels, detergents, etc.).
The "sandpaper" effect of hand washing
For the tests, scientists used electron microscopes able to record the density and depth of abrasions down to 0.27 of 1,000th of a millimeter. After 25 hand washings, microphotography revealed a dense, crisscross pattern of scratches on the vehicle finish, penetrating as far as 10% into the paint thickness. Under high magnification, these scratches formed "sandpaper" patterns attributable to the action of tiny dirt particles trapped in the pores of the rags and sponges used.
A failure to perform under pressure
The tests also showed that typical household garden hoses were unable to generate sufficient water volume and hydraulic pressure to remove all detergent residue from the finish of the car.
A positive reflection on the automatic wash
The machine washes, also, were done under real-world conditions, unannounced beforehand, at a modern commercial car wash. After 25 trips through the automatic wash, micro photos of the vehicle's surface showed no sign of the tangle of deep scratches created by hand washing. In the Texas University tests, especially, machine wash "reflectiveness readings" (i.e., retention of the factory paint's original luster) were 300-700% higher than with hand washing.

BigLeo
__________________
Z4MC
Canada
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:11 AM.




zpost
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST