winter washing
 

Well I just recieved my car and of course the day after I bought it it rained. So its all dirty allready. I don't want to take it to a car wash, but how do I wash it when It looks like its going to snow outside? And in the future, when there is a foot of snow on the ground. the only shelter I have for it is a car port, and a crappy one at that. I sopose I'll take it to one of those no touch places and just be gentle with it? (ie, no high pressure and no scrub brush?) What does everyone here think I should do?

-JiM

(Even crappy) carport + you = better than "no touch carwash". :)

What is wrong with pressure washing / touchless car washes?

I'm reading with great interest guys... I need the same sort of BASIC advice. Until buying this car, I'd thought it was fine to just "drive thru." Washing the car by hand was a "summer" thing.

Dunno about US car washes, but in UK drive thru ons with roataing brushes wrecked my old car.

My 8 will be washed by hand only. Wether its Mine or my wife's has to be decided ..:)

The only problem I've encountered with pressure washing, and no-touch carwashes, is that they simply don't remove all the road film. When I got my black 8, I thought "no hand will ever touch this paint... no way... no scratches for me" but then pressure washing left the film... it still looked dirty. =(

So, of course, I hand washed it gently, with plenty of water, suds, and all, and now I have faint swirl/spider web marks that show in reflected sunlight.

I love the car, but I am not happy with the paint quality, or lack thereof. I'm seriously thinking in the Spring I might look into having a paint shop re-clearcoat it.

Also, fwiw, there is a difference between "brushless" and "touchless" car washes. Brushless usually just means that instead of the older plastic bristle type of brushes, they use strips of cloth. They are still on big rotating cylinders, but they're cloth instead of bristles, so they don't call them "brushes" They still touch your car and they still scare me. Touchless really means no touch... spray only.

Touchless car washes
 

I've heard the water is recirculated after being filtered to some degree. How much dirt is in the water if so? That could be like a liquid sandblast if the filter isn't effective.

I have a number of hand car washes in the area that wash the car from $6-$12 depending on where i go thats what i plan on doing and usng Zaino in my garage once or twice a month so it washes easly. No probles ie scratches except a chip in the nose from a rock while driving.

Brushless or "no touch" car washes use high pressure hot water (well in Aus they do!). The pressure needs to be REALLY high to get the dirt off effectivly for differnt shapes and sizes of cars.

Problem is they also tend to strip polish off... so all that zaino you have wroked so hard to get on the car comes right off!

IMHO the only way to wash an 8 (or any car for that matter) is by hand :)