Anyone Used An Automated Car Wash Yet?

[musher51]

After five days of ownership, I'm now reminded of another reason why I was reluctant to buy a black car...it's damn hard to keep clean! Even though it hasn't rained yet, I've picked up some bug guts on the front grille/headlights, and the rest of the car is at least dusty.

While I'm sure I'll summon the energy to hand-wash the car now and then, I'm simply too lazy to do it every time. But I'm a bit nervous about using an automated car wash for the first time, not knowing if that black noir paint will end up with weird swirls or other cosmetic blemishes.

There's a car wash nearby where the staff vacuums the interior, presoaks the exterior with a hose, run the car through a brushless line (the only contact with the car is with what appears to be long chamois-like rags), followed by two guys hand-drying the exterior with terry cloth towels.

Has anyone ventured into a car wash like this with their new Genesis yet? This nervous papa is looking for some assurance that I won't come unglued when I see the results...

 

[musher51]

Well, apparently I'm the only one nervous about this (or perhaps all the other Genesis owners are out in their driveways, hand-washing their babies). But as they say: no guts, no glory. I just took the Genesis to the car wash and it seems to have come out unscathed. There are some swirly marks on the trunk lid, but I'm pretty sure I can remedy that.

Whew!

A warning to others, though...don't forget to leave the smart key in the car when you leave it for the attendants, otherwise all sorts of bizarre warning sounds will emanate from the car!

 

[jwaters943]

How'd your chrome trim hold up, in particular the window and trunk trim? Any light scratching? See here for more info. on what I'm talking about: http://genesisowners.com/hyundai-genesis-forum/showpost.php?p=2853&postcount=49

Unfortunately I live in a Condo, so car washes are a necessary evil (and part of the reason I don't own a black car). I usually try to stick w/ the touchless variety, but having tried some of the ones with the soft strips of fabric that drape over the car as your drive through it, but do not spin, I think they're pretty safe.

Generally speaking though, unless the car is really dirty, I usually try and stick to products like this (along with high-quality microfiber towels):

Summer:

Winter:

 

[musher51]

No scratches or marks on the chrome, at least per a cursory look. Today's wash is almost trashed already due to 90+ mph dash to the cabin (my first chance to let 'er rip...more on that in a separate post), so I may do a hand wash tomorrow...I'll letcha know if I see anything of concern that's attributable to the automated wash.

If I recall your previous post regarding the susceptibility of the chrome trim to marks/scratches correctly, I thought it was the interior. Is that incorrect, or have you noted scratches both inside and outside?

 

[jwaters943]

No scratches on the interior trim.

 

[musher51]

I usually try and stick to products like this (along with high-quality microfiber towels):QUOTE]

BTW, I happen to be on Griot's catalog distribution and could look this up, but doesn't your car have to be essentially clean before you use the products above? I'd be inclined to assume that applying a fluid-based product to a dirty car -- without copious amounts of water to direct the dirt away from the surface -- would promote scratches and the like.

 

[jwaters943]

They have lubricants that are actually designed not to scratch your paint while cleaning. I usually use the speed shine for dust removal. If it's anything more than dust I go to the self-service spray car wash. In the winter when the weather is really cold I've used the Spray on Car Wash with good results and no noticeable scratching on my other cars. For instance, the chrome trim on my Lexus never scratched using these products.

 

[musher51]

Interesting. Better living through chemistry, eh? I'll definitely give this stuff a try...thanks for the tip. My MO is to be rather anal about keeping a new car clean for ~15K miles or so, and then letting up a bit (although I ALWAYS keep my car uncluttered and practice meticulous preventative maintenance -- in stark contrast to the four-wheeled wastebaskets that my wife and kids drive ;-), so products like these would be of great value to me to facilitate random cleaning events.

 

[QQ007]

Picking up a old thread here...

It is time to give my new black Genesis its first car wash. I do not think I have the discipline to hand wash it for a long time. So, I am researching what my next best alternative is. I see a lot of “touchless” car wash places now. Are they really better than the traditional car wash places that you drop off your car, an attendant put your car in neutral and let a conveyer belt type of machine pull your car through a car wash tunnel with brush/cloth actually touches your car?

Thanks.

 

[Sayantsi]

Imo, if you can't hand wash it, you're next best option is paying someone else to hand wash it. Touchless will never get the slimy coating off the car, and car wash brushes are horrible on the finish - they pick up way too much dirt to not damage the car.

If its really cold, use hot water and wear a rubber dish glove to keep your hand from freezing while you wash the car.

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[TJPark01]

Picking up a old thread here...
It is time to give my new black Genesis its first car wash. I do not think I have the discipline to hand wash it for a long time. So, I am researching what my next best alternative is.

It's tricky. There is no good answer only less bad answers. Touchless may seem good because it's only spraying water and soap on the car, but the problem with that is that the chemicals they are using are more harsh to dissolve the dirt and grease on the car. The automated car washes are the worst. Besides doing it yourself, the best places are 100% hand wash, then forced air to dry and compressed air to blow out the seams.
The trick to keeping the car clean is in between maintenance, especially with a black car. What I do is use the California Car duster to lightly remove surface dirt, then Meguiars NXT Generation Speed Detailer using a microfiber towel. If you do this every 3 days or so you can go months without washing the car, so long as it doesn't rain.

 

[ctrcbob]

The carwash I use has Felt Pads that are very soft, which touch the paint. Just like the old ads for "Bon Ami". "Has not scratched yet"!

As for black cars, I've owned two. First was a beautiful Pontiac Grand Am. Back then, I said I'd never own another black car. Well a few years ago, I bought a Mercury Marauder. Now for sure, I WILL NEVER AGAIN OWN A BLACK CAR.

 

[TJPark01]

dup

 

[TJPark01]

It's not only the wash cycle that can create swirls in the paint. It's also the drying process. Check out the drying section of this video. The rest of the clips are long and detailed if you care. Remember, car wash places are about, speed, volume of customers and profit margins. No one is going to do it better than you or a pro you hire. Some people will come to your house and do it for you, if you so desire.
Paint Care

 

[wallymn]

Man I find this thread funny.
Differences in where we live..... I live in the upper mid west not southern California.

6 months of the year we have road salt.
If you like you car at all, wash frequently
(undercarriage is very important).
Parts of the year it is too cold to wash (below -10)
nothing worse than frozen doors etc...
always machine wash..(I prefer "soft touch" near my office).

I try to wash twice a week to keep the salt from building up. (about 250 miles between washes). Note: I am a member so I can wash as frequently as I want for 26$ a month.

3 months a year (spring/fall) is planting harvesting time. So blowing clouds of dirt. nice deposits of dirt clumps on the highways from the tractors......
Here I try to wash at least every 2 weeks.
If it is above 45 I hand wash.


Final 3 months a year is summer, nice clean roads...
I hand wash (and wax) during this time.... as needed

 

[TJPark01]

Man I find this thread funny.
Differences in where we live..... I live in the upper mid west not southern California.

Yeah, in 9 months the car has seen rain 3 times. It's been washed 5 times and does not know what this snow, or road salt is you speak of.

 

[medhat]

I use a "touchless" car wash biweekly in the winter, particularly for the underbody and rocker-panel flush, and find the exterior treatment more than acceptable. I touch up the edges and door sills, etc... with a microfiber when I get home. It seems to me more gentle than the semi-automated manual wash places that do inside and out. I always seem to be displeased with their attention to detail on the inside, and prefer to do that myself. Haven't ponied up for a full detail at this point, maybe as a 1 year old present to the car (and myself).

 

[scottdk]

Man I find this thread funny.
Differences in where we live..... I live in the upper mid west not southern California.

6 months of the year we have road salt.
If you like you car at all, wash frequently
(undercarriage is very important).
Parts of the year it is too cold to wash (below -10)
nothing worse than frozen doors etc...
always machine wash..(I prefer "soft touch" near my office).

I try to wash twice a week to keep the salt from building up. (about 250 miles between washes). Note: I am a member so I can wash as frequently as I want for 26$ a month.

3 months a year (spring/fall) is planting harvesting time. So blowing clouds of dirt. nice deposits of dirt clumps on the highways from the tractors......
Here I try to wash at least every 2 weeks.
If it is above 45 I hand wash.


Final 3 months a year is summer, nice clean roads...
I hand wash (and wax) during this time.... as needed

Good post Wally! This is my first brand new car I've ever purchased and by far the nicest.

Since I only drove my car on the weekends usually, I didn't have to wash it too often. I also Waxed my car once a month and also used the liquid ice spray wash in between waxes after I hand washed it. My car always looks fantasic I'm glad i'm storing it for the winter BTW, I'm driving a 1993 Ford Taurus (I know) with no rust and all the maintaince work done to it. New tires and no rust....bought it last summer from Fridley High School for $450. The car had only 56,600 miles when I bought it. I now have about 62,000.

I'll let this car take the abuse in commuting to work and dealing with the winter

 

[wallymn]

Good post Wally! This is my first brand new car I've ever purchased and by far the nicest.

Since I only drove my car on the weekends usually, I didn't have to wash it too often. I also Waxed my car once a month and also used the liquid ice spray wash in between waxes after I hand washed it. My car always looks fantasic I'm glad i'm storing it for the winter BTW, I'm driving a 1993 Ford Taurus (I know) with no rust and all the maintaince work done to it. New tires and no rust....bought it last summer from Fridley High School for $450. The car had only 56,600 miles when I bought it. I now have about 62,000.

I'll let this car take the abuse in commuting to work and dealing with the winter

I thought about going the that route, but winter is 6 months I spend 2 hours a day in my car. On the worst days I have a 1 ton duelly Chevy PU but otherwise I will drive the Genesis like I stole it.

 

[ilovemygenesis]

The carwash I use has Felt Pads that are very soft, which touch the paint. Just like the old ads for "Bon Ami". "Has not scratched yet"!

As for black cars, I've owned two. First was a beautiful Pontiac Grand Am. Back then, I said I'd never own another black car. Well a few years ago, I bought a Mercury Marauder. Now for sure, I WILL NEVER AGAIN OWN A BLACK CAR.

DITTO, I said the same thing after i had my Acura 3.5 RL until i saw my Genny in black and i couldn't resist. But after i drove 25 miles home and got out and saw the dirt marks left by the wind on the driver and passenger door i said THAT'S IT, NO MORE BLACK CARS FOR ME!!! ...and by the way does anyone else get that mark on their car, it's on the arm of the door from the dashboard to the roof, just one streak from front to back on both side doors, I've never seen anything like that in my other car, some aerodynamic wind thing or something i guess