Can Automatic Car Washes Damage Your Car?

[buckshot85]

I ALWAYS wash my truck by hand. it may take longer but i know it gets clean even under the truck. and i can get the water spots off.

 

[Nick The Great]

I HATE water spots! I'm still trying to figure out how not to get them. Also, I really need to learn how to wax and polish my truck properly.

You could try distilled water

 

[Darth Bama]

I ALWAYS wash my truck by hand. it may take longer but i know it gets clean even under the truck. and i can get the water spots off.

That's my biggest thing. The damn water spots.

 

[Longshot270]

I've started washing by hand about once a week. I get a wrag and a water hose and spray it as I use the rag. That way the paint get wet and the dirt gets washed away as I go. My truck is also getting taller and I dont trust 1 inch of clearance on the autowashers. Not all of them have that 7' of clearance marked outside.

Also not so bad when I've got the smallest vehicle in my immediate family besides the jeep and go cart.

 

[junior3815]

Like Dave said. Plastic brushes are not safe but the cloth brushes are perfectly safe. and in all actuallity washing a car at home is worse for a cars finish. the sponges and stuff collect dirt and rock and etc which scratch the finish. Laser washes just plain suck ass

 

[Zembonez]

I NEVER wash a vehicle by hand or use one of the car washes with brushes. Laser wash or hand held spray wash only... and my vehicles always still look new when I sell them.

ANYTHING that actually touches the finish when it's not perfectly clean will scratch... anything.

I also always wipe my vehicles down with a microfiber cloth when I'm done washing. I challenge anybody here to have a cleaner or more scratch free vehicle than I have in my garage. Nobody is more picky than I am regarding this. Nobody!

 

[batman]

I NEVER wash a vehicle by hand or use one of the car washes with brushes. Laser wash or hand held spray wash only... and my vehicles always still look new when I sell them.

ANYTHING that actually touches the finish when it's not perfectly clean will scratch... anything.

I also always wipe my vehicles down with a microfiber cloth when I'm done washing. I challenge anybody here to have a cleaner or more scratch free vehicle than I have in my garage. Nobody is more picky than I am regarding this. Nobody!

 

[Zembonez]

Sometimes I like to wash mine like this though.

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WOW... just WOW.