I don’t know how to wash my car

[Naiart]

So I took my Z4 to the wand wash where I spent 10 min high pressure soap washing, rinsing and even using the “spot free” rinse and wax. The car came out like utter garbage, salt and dirt stains everywhere. So I wanted to know if I can take my car through the Shell touchless automatic wash. I had really good results with my previous car (hardtop vert). I’ve done a search and the consensus seems to be split between absolutely fine and big no-no. Thanks!

[Steeler]

Try a valet car wash.
You pay a premium but they do a good job.

[Emmrbee]

Originally Posted by Naiart

So I took my Z4 to the wand wash where I spent 10 min high pressure soap washing, rinsing and even using the "spot free" rinse and wax. The car came out like utter garbage, salt and dirt stains everywhere. So I wanted to know if I can take my car through the Shell touchless automatic wash. I had really good results with my previous car (hardtop vert). I've done a search and the consensus seems to be split between absolutely fine and big no-no. Thanks!

Try washing it by hand, your own hands.

http://www.fw1shine.com/images/FW1-Pack.jpg

This stuff works very well

[Huz-Z]

I only wash mine by hand using a low pressure hose and a foaming soap dispenser. I'm careful not to direct the water at the roof / body interface, particularly just rear of the door side windows - to avoid flooding the power top motor.

A buddy of mine washed his car with a pressure washer last year and soon after, his top motor died. He is adamant the two are coincidences and not related. Sure.

[mziggy16]

I can't comment on the verts, but my move in the winter when it's too cold to wash in my driveway is to spend about 10 minutes slowly power washing the whole car (body, wheels, underside) in a local heated bay, then either:

1. If there's no line, hand wash with my soap and mitt in the bay and then dry with waffle weave towel.

2. If there's a line, drive home (2 miles) wet and use Optimum No Rinse to hand wash and dry the car.

In either case, hand wash.

[RossBMWZseries]

The thread's title made me LOL. Anyway, I never let anyone wash my car simply because they won't put the same love into it as I would, and I understand why they don't; it's not their car. I'm not saying they wouldn't do a good job, I'm just not willing to pay money for the risk of someone swirling up the paint or flooding the top motor. IF I did allow someone to wash it, it'd be this self employed man that travels throughout Texas. An appointment has to be booked because he's always busy washing exotics and hyper cars, (yes, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Koenigsegg, you name it). Every now and then he'll do M's & AMG's. I am too cheap to pay for paint correction and car wash so I do it all myself. The last paint correction I did was about 2 months ago, took me 18 hours but the car looked flawless. A week later, I washed it again because it rained. I created swirl marks on the hood, should've thrown away the microfiber mitt...

Always start from top to bottom, ALWAYS. And NEVER go to a machine car wash.

[rockstar93]

I'm another one of those - hand-wash only (by my own hand) because I don't trust most others, and don't want to risk bringing it to somebody ignorant or careless.

Have you thought of a ceramic coating? Bring it to somebody (reputable) once for a wash and paint correction, then they apply a coating. It helps keep the car clean, and makes a big difference in cleaning (dirt lifts off easier and I found it was much easier to dry afterwards). With a good coating most washes apparently only need a power washer and a leaf blower.

[Our03z4]

I take mine through the touchless. Use to do it by hand and finally got the nerve up to go through one...no issues at all. Mine is just a 2.5 but if it was an M I might worry more.

[garz747]

Self taught detailing expert here- U dont say what color your car is but if its dark its never going to look clean from high pressure wash. Hand wash is the only way, with horizontal strokes only and clean wash buckets. Im in TO too and took my wifes Benz GLK thru a petro canada wash and I thought roof was caving in from brush pressure lol. Touchless wash in emergency or hand only!

[racerbruce]

Originally Posted by Naiart

So I took my Z4 to the wand wash where I spent 10 min high pressure soap washing, rinsing and even using the “spot free” rinse and wax. The car came out like utter garbage, salt and dirt stains everywhere. So I wanted to know if I can take my car through the Shell touchless automatic wash. I had really good results with my previous car (hardtop vert). I’ve done a search and the consensus seems to be split between absolutely fine and big no-no. Thanks!

https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/...26-26-oz-spray

My beloved Red Roadster doesn't see rain anymore (yes, even though I'm in Seattle)....and I use this product in between hand washes - works as advertised.

[Kazansky]

Always by hand, with proper auto shampoo, top to bottom, using 2 buckets (clean and dirty water).

[bosstones]

If your car is salty/crusty and dry then high power anything can be a disservice since you might just be embedding and/or dragging the particulates into/across your clearcoat (hopefully not the paint). You need to soak and soap that stuff.

Also note that it can be trickier to get a clean rinse and dry in colder weather. Some of what you saw on your car could also be soap residue.

Lots of people take their cars to touchless car washes. Personal preference.

[Diesel_d66]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

I only wash mine by hand using a low pressure hose and a foaming soap dispenser. I'm careful not to direct the water at the roof / body interface, particularly just rear of the door side windows - to avoid flooding the power top motor.

A buddy of mine washed his car with a pressure washer last year and soon after, his top motor died. He is adamant the two are coincidences and not related. Sure.

+1. Yup, if you have the roady be very careful about flooding the motor. I learned that the hard way - did the same thing as your buddy, took to high end hand wash place and they killed the motor by using power washers.

[StigJ]

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by StigJ

Holy sh*t it looks like a herd of elephants jizzed all over your car.

Here's mine...There's a blue car underneath all that creamy white foam somewhere.

[primm907]

Just a thought, but definitely plan ahead if any kind of new construction is in your future! We finished up a new home build about a year ago. I intentionally designed the garage to be double deep with an 18' foot ceiling, 10' garage door, center drain, and hot/cold faucet. It's VERY handy to have the option of washing cars by hand inside during the winter now. Eventually we'll have the ability to put a lift or two in if desired or even pull in a class B RV. Attached pic shows the handy dandy drain.

[racerbruce]

Originally Posted by primm907

Just a thought, but definitely plan ahead if any kind of new construction is in your future! We finished up a new home build about a year ago. I intentionally designed the garage to be double deep with an 18' foot ceiling, 10' garage door, center drain, and hot/cold faucet. It's VERY handy to have the option of washing cars by hand inside during the winter now. Eventually we'll have the ability to put a lift or two in if desired or even pull in a class B RV. Attached pic shows the handy dandy drain.

Nicely done!

[abelgonzaleZ4]

Originally Posted by StigJ

[img]https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1924/...834167bf_o.jpg[/img]

I've always wanted to Power wash my engine bay, but i'm too scared of messing something up.

Are there any components that should be covered up before power washing?

Thanks