drewdogg80

If you guys hang out at the autopia forums, you already know to avoid dealer washes. If not, ignorance is bliss and enjoy the free washes.

If a really dirty car was washed before yours was run through the machine, all that dirt can introduce swirls. If you have a silver or lighter car, it won't be as noticeable as a dark color.

LexusNN

iTrader: (5)

All Car washes in general are required to use partially recycled water. This means that the water is of course re used and it is spraying partially dirty water on your car. This causes things like the paint protection film to become discolored.

07LXgs350

lol nothing in this statement is true....my family owns a car wash btw.

Liferules

Agreed. There's a lot of fear mongering going on about car washes. The truth is that DIY can be just as bad as a car wash if you don't take care. I just don't have the time to do a detailed home wash myself at the frequency that my car needs a wash. If I get a little swirl, so be it, but I've taken my other car to car washes and didn't get bothered by it, so maybe I've been lucky...

07LXgs350

well my family car wash is a touchless system, I agree I wouldn't go through a tunnel type care wash with brushes...especially with a dark car.

SpEe1113

Great point. I've taken mine to the dealer and haven't noticed any swirls at all after they wash it (obsidian too). They have actually done a pretty good job.

jre002

I ALWAYS let them wash my car at the dealership. No problems.

Then again, my car is white and there are much too many things to obsess about than swirl marks. No car remains perfect forever if you actually drive it daily.

Room4Tu

Maybe because your car is still pretty brand new? Let's give it a couple more months worth of washes. I'm not saying that dealership washes are bad or anything. God forbid if I do ever get scratches or swirls which I'm sure will happen, I just want to be the one responsible for my own swirls rather than hand it to someone to put swirls on my new car for me. I know, I'm a little twisted that way.

LexusNN

iTrader: (5)

Must be Virginia

SpEe1113

Very well could be the case, it is brand new. As long as it stays waxed and clean, I hope swirls never show up!

gyung

iTrader: (1)

I have this foam gun I bought from Amazon - they have other options as well but I like it:
http://amzn.to/I0SOtO

I just use regular car wash soap and it works fine - just add less water than you normally would and you can adjust the amount of water it mixes. I'm sure there are better soaps, but I use it as a lubricant and just to get the light dirt off, even though I have a pressure washer as well.

Don't use the California Scratcher - terrible idea.

I have a couple waffle weaves, including the HD and I love them - pricey but I take care of mine and last quite a while.

As for using the stealership car wash, a couple times they took in my Obsidian it looked pretty bad. Usually I tell them "NO WASH". I polished the swirls out myself, but I would not recommend it if you have a color that shows swirls easily.

As for our Knight's Armour Pearl GX460, I've been kinda lazy as it's such a big car to wash =/
Swirls don't really show on it, but I wouldn't go all the time - just when it's really dirty and for service.

Got PSI

Thanks for the tip. I'll remove the California blade... I just read some reviews, and apparently it leaves streaks. Not a good idea. Do you you use any sort of wax as you dry spray detailer ? what do you recommend ?

gyung

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure what you mean, but the was I use now is the Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Wax - I've had a lot of success with it (http://www.autogeek.net/pinliqsouvwa.html)

If I had to try something new I would probably buy the P21s (http://www.autogeek.net/p2concarwax.html)

i don't use any spray waxes, so can't tell you much about them. I have a set of Zaino stuff but didn't work for me.

I also haven't found a good detailing spray yet - haven't tested a ton but FK425 left streaks for me and I have a gallon left, Zaino is too expensive, so next time I'd try these to keep the car clean:

http://www.autogeek.net/ultima-waterless-wash-plus.html

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-inst...iler-17oz.html

Otherwise I'll just use Meguiar's QD as a throwaway.

Also if you can wait, look for the free shipping + 20% off coupon from Autogeek.net, it comes up every now and then. Just as a disclaimer, I'm not a pro but I enjoy detailing and polishing my car =)

If you have questions please PM so I don't turn this into a detailing thread haha but hopefully this will help out a couple members.

07LXgs350

Possible that different states have different laws.

Silver10

I don't care what excuses people use DO NOT GET A FREE WASH.... Not only do minimum wage guys that don't care wash and dry but the reclaimed water stinks so bad that you will have to change out your cabin air filter and they're vacuum skills lack.