RE: [DML] Automatic car washes? Pros/Cons?

["Gus Schlachter" <gus@xxxx>]

The main objection that most auto enthusiasts have to automatic car washes
is that they are there to make your car CLEAN, not to protect it's surface.
The chemicals tend to be very strong and remove wax in addition to dirt.
The machines that use brushes, etc., further damage the paint through small
scratches that dull the finish. Then they finish with a "wax" that isn't
very effective since wax in a water base really won't stick.

With a DMC-12, these things really aren't a problem, except for maybe with
the fascias. The biggest problem I'd see is the spinning brushes breaking
off antennas, cracking louvers, etc. There's high pressure water (sometimes
followed by high-pressure air for drying) that will find any loose part and
send it flying, in addition to conveniently finding any hidden leaks in your
door seals.

Ideally, you want the grain in the stainless to be front-back for the best
finish, but I think you'd have to go through a hundred such car washes to
have a deleterious effect. Skip the wax treatment, since nothing will
effectively stick to SS and at best you'll end up with ugly streaks.

Refinish the entire car about once a year with a Scotch-Brite pad and you
should be OK.


Gus Schlachter
Austin, TX
VIN# 4695


> -----Original Message-----
> From: SEDeLorean@xxxx [mailto:SEDeLorean@xxxx]
> Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2000 2:34 PM
> To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [DML] Automatic car washes? Pros/Cons?
>
>
> Ok, I have a few questions about the automatic car washes. I
> have been debating on putting my car thru one of the washes
> because I am too lazy to wash my car every week.
> 1) If it IS a 'TOUCHLESS' car wash, the car should come out AOK, right?
> 2) What about wax? Should we decline that offer? If the car
> gets waxed, then what?
> 3) And just what would happen if the car was washed and you
> didn't go 'with' the grain? What happens?
>
> Just curious.
> If someone knows, let me know. My car is in dire need of some
> Mr. Bubble...
>
>
>
>
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