caddyowner

I've been driving the LS for the past couple weeks as the entire state of Michigan has been melting and flowing onto the freeways. The car was getting really dirty. With the weather turning colder and windier, hand washing didn't look likely this weekend.

Last summer, I noticed a new automated touchless carwash opened and I took the Subaru through it. It did a pretty good job, so I made a mental note to remember that option if I needed a wash for the LS during the winter - especially to get an underbody flush.

Fast forward to this afternoon and I decided to stop at the touchless wash. Aside from parts of the car looking untouched, the darn touchless nozzles hit the front bumper when they came down. I didn't detect any damage, but still, touchless? Heck, I would have been better off going through the conventional car wash at my usual Shell station and getting 10-cents off per gallon on my gas.

AlexusAnja

Unfortunately, northerners either have to go through the whole winter with a dirty car, or take a risk and go through the carwash. I've brought my LS through the BP automated wash and it's done fine. It's a stationery washer and the machine moves around the car. So far so good, truly "untouched" except for the washing strips.

Jabberwock

Automated car wash...just say no. I feel for you guys up North...that would be a problem.

GLIDESUL

I only do the touchless mainly in the winter but they are a joke on my black car. Seems like I have to wipe the whole car down anyway afterward. Only plus is undercarriage wash.

warminwisc

They have a pretty good touchless here in Wisco. Even has a hub scrub to clean the chrome wheels well. I am enviouse you all so proud of your cars. Been there done that with 130 k on er she is just my daily driver.

warminwisc

Plus mu car is millenium silver and cleans up pretty easy.

CarGuy89

Caddy: I use a touchless one that's part of a crappy looking gas station near the North East side of MSU campus. The wash is actually pretty good, undercarriage + several rinses + hot water + dryer at the end. I still need to wipe it down afterwards though...but isn't that part of the OCD ownership experience?

randal

I use a car wash that pulls the car through multiple stations. No, I do not like the "soft" cloths and brushes on my car but so far not noticed any appreciable swirls or scratches. It's the lesser of two evils: Leave the salt on the car or take the risk of micro-scratches. In my estimation, the salt is more evil.

And I might point out that I am picky on the car wash from a filtered water standpoint. All car washes recycle their water and it is important to get the salt and dirt removed via a filter. One car wash that I had been to did not change the filters often enough and I actually had salty water sprayed back onto my car. I found out because there was a residue on the exterior right after the wash that I later confirmed as salt. I never went back to that particular wash.

AlexusAnja

I actually find that the automated wash that I go to that has the blower at the end does a pretty decent job. I actually avoid the automated ones with people at the end that use "clean clothes" to dry the car off. I always figure they reuse them at some point later before cleaning them and particles would end up scratching the car.

Bocatrip

If the owner is fanatical (as I am), totally brushless is the only way to go. It won't get the car perfectly clean, but it will avoid the scratches and damage caused by any dirt or grit that gets onto the noodles or brushes of the automatic washes.

AlexusAnja

Okay, I've always wondered, how does totally "brushless" clean the car? If there is no noodle or brush, then what is cleaning the car? Jet sprays?

jac430

That's right.
Just like in a dish washer. High pressure water.

Let us hope the chemicals in a car wash are a bit less aggressive though

Jac

caddyowner

Yes, rotating jet sprays - and probably harsh cleaners that are bad for your paint.

Bocatrip

This happens to be true. The cleaners used are fairly rough on the paint. How else could they get anything off the surface? Other than getting out there and personally giving your baby a massage, the options are limited.

CarGuy89

The worst part is all the wash packages that include the useful underbody spray includes those chemicals. I just want a wash that sprays some water, gentle soap, water and gives me an undercarriage spray. I don't mind wiping the car down after.