What are touchless car washes?

 

my car has never and will never be washed by a machine or car wash.

 

Touchless car washes get the job done using harsher detergents and cleaners then what you would typically mix up in a wash bucket.

This means whatever wax you had on at the start of the wash is probably gone by the end.

I prefer lambswool washmits and soft towels (microfiber being my choice, 100% cotton is okay). Kit Carnauba, Meguiars Gold Class or NXT wash are all good and a little goes a long way.

 

Actually touchless car washes don't use anything but water or combination of soap and water to wash your car.

ONes that are not touchless have some kind of cloth fingers that go over your car or brushes that touch your car.

I know I used to work at a car wash last year

 

what he said + most gas station drive through car washes dont use nice soft brushes or soft flaps usually its either some really hughe bristle brush or rubber flaps that beat the hell out of your car

 

Ah, I disagree. My friend works at one and after going through the wash once, there was no more wax on. And mind you, I had a combo of Poorboys EX-P and Meguiars #16 professional paste, which has lasted me and customers up to 2 months.

edit: high pressure sprayers + fairly strong detergents. The touchless car washes here (delta sonic chain) use two overhead towel bars to get the top of the car. There is no possible way these touch all down the sides of the cars--yet the car is "clean" after. I've never seen the film left over at the Delta washes, so it's possible that the chain uses a slightly different system (what i'm describing) then what places in your area have. You also live where the "worst case scenario" isn't going to be nearly as bad as a Buffalo-Rochester "worst case scenario."

 

What are you disagreeing with? I was just describing the difference between a touchless and non-touchless. Both can strip your wax.

And actually non-touchless car washes are worse for your paint than touchless. Reason being is that the dirt and crud from other cars goes along your paint as you pass by. Causing scratches.

 

Oh I didn't quite understand what you said.

But if it is touchless then the only ways it will strip your wax are: the minimal use of overhead rags, the pressure of the soap/water, or the soap itself. I'd put my bets on the soap itself.

Touchless=swirl mark city. :wtc:

 

i just use the touchless ones...where u pull in get out put your quarters in then soap up the car then rinse off that lsoft bristle brush they have and get the rough stuff with that then rinse 2 times to make sure no soap is left running out of cracks and crevices then i use a shammy or whatever its called to dry off the car and if it needs wax i wax it if not i leave it alone