C-HR and drive through car wash?

[Dozzydoe]

Does anyone here use a drive through car wash?

Went to use one today, was a "pit stop" thing,aftermath of a seagull deposit. The guy looked at the rear spoiler and gave a warning of possible damage!

Had several or more cars with high and loe rear spoilers NEVER been told that. Has anyone had this? is the rear spoiler a mechanical wash no no?

Went to a hand wash eventually but just thought it was weird.

[Big_D]

I took mine through a drive through car wash once. And once only. There was no issue with the rear spoiler. I had an issue with the sensors being activated by the brushes and the Hybrid warning system going off because the car was in neutral and couldn't charge the main Battery,

I now take it to a hand car wash, and occasionally do it myself

[Chrisg99]

I do it myself with known cleaning products. Have a small pressure washer, no recycled water, 2 buckets with grit guards and a blower dryer

[Roy124]

Round our neck of the woods you would be hard pressed to find a machine wash. I know a couple of DIY washed and two immigrant ones, a third closed recently. 

I did hear of one of these hand washes at a supermarket.  Drop and shop.  They would even load your groceries for you - service. 

Well used, particularly by your Porsche and Jaguar fans. One day all gone. Porsche, Jaguar, car washers, the lot 😂

[TonyHSD]

Cheap car washes are like the supermarket fuels, everyone uses them but no one likes them. I rather leave my car dirty than wash at any auto car wash or cheap and nasty corner car washes, all of these cause invisible and some even visible damages and never clean the car up to the minimum standard. Many years ago there were available jet washes for self service at some supermarkets and those were better option as you pay few quit and wash the car yourself. If washing the car yourself its not an option then a good review local car wash that its not very cheap or well known mobile valeter are way to go. 

[Rhymes with Paris]

The fellas who wash cars at the side of a Tesco's here charge £8 for a small car, basic wash, outside only.

Not perfect, but a reasonable job for the money, and at least don't cause any damage that I have seen.

[Roger F]

Never been in one and have no wish too. Avoid like the plague.

[Roy124]

Shell Grantham have a jet wash.

£8 for a small car - extortion - our just went up to £6 😀.  Before we sold it they did an E Class estate for £5.  It was SUV that cost more.

Best deal was Crowders at Horncastle where I had my headlights polished for just £25.  On the previous Merc I had to pay for the headlights to be taken off, I boxed them up, sent them away, and then paid to have them refitted. £££.

[Big_D]

I drive about 6 miles to a hand car wash. The guy does a good job at what I think is a reasonable price. There is always a queue. He never rushes, is careful, and does a good job. He’s been around for ages and is one of the recommended places t have your car washed. 

if I don’t get time to do it myself I take it there. 

[Llynyfan]

I havent used car washes for years, ever since the spinning brushes ripped off the door mirror on my car. Theres a lot of former petrol station sites with a gang of guys who seem to be popular and cheap. Theres two reasons I dont use these. Firstly and most importantly, I watched a programme last year where a high level policeman was saying that a lot of these are run by gang masters and very much in the guise of modern slavery. Some of the workers being paid a pittance. I cant support that Im sorry.

Secondly, when they spray your car with a fluid prior to power washing, this is often TFR, or Traffic Film Remover. In a well mixed formula its harmless, but will remove most of any wax you have on there apparently. Mixed incorrectly, it can be slightly corrosive and take off the finish off painted plastics, wheel nut covers for one. Think how dirty and brake dust strewn alloys are going in and how gleaming they are coming out. 

Like another member, I leave my car dirty until I can do it myself. I know what products are going on there then.

Just saying 😉

[TonyHSD]

5 hours ago, Llynyfan said:

I havent used car washes for years, ever since the spinning brushes ripped off the door mirror on my car. Theres a lot of former petrol station sites with a gang of guys who seem to be popular and cheap. Theres two reasons I dont use these. Firstly and most importantly, I watched a programme last year where a high level policeman was saying that a lot of these are run by gang masters and very much in the guise of modern slavery. Some of the workers being paid a pittance. I cant support that Im sorry.

Secondly, when they spray your car with a fluid prior to power washing, this is often TFR, or Traffic Film Remover. In a well mixed formula its harmless, but will remove most of any wax you have on there apparently. Mixed incorrectly, it can be slightly corrosive and take off the finish off painted plastics, wheel nut covers for one. Think how dirty and brake dust strewn alloys are going in and how gleaming they are coming out. 

Like another member, I leave my car dirty until I can do it myself. I know what products are going on there then.

Just saying 😉

And thirdly after they finish washing they spray with some sort of liquid wax all over the car and make your wipers smear your windscreen badly , cheap car washes are really bad. 

I can confirm that about gangs and slavery, been working closely within that business , also investigating and busting some car washes in the past because of that reasons. 👌

[Rhymes with Paris]

Well I would wash my own car if I could.

At £8,it doesn't seem bad value to me, as they take around half an hour to do it which is not much above minimum wage, and all the equipment and materials to replenish on top of that.

I think those are very good points about modern slavery.

I hope that I am savvy enough to recognise this if it was the case where I go.

I look at the demeanor of the people doing it, do they look ill, malnourished, stressed, bullied etc.

How does the boss if there is one,talk to the other workers, you can tell a lot from tone of voice, even if a foreign language.

The ones were I go seem to be ok and happy, and one of them always wants to buy the tsport when I go.

I try to be observant about this,as we had quite a big case here a year or two ago of gangmaster type slavery, where these odious characters targeted vulnerable men , made them work under threat of violence, kept them like animals in filthy caravans, and starving.

The guilty got a good few years inside IIRC.

So no, I certainly would not want to contribute to anything like that.

Don't know how to do links on this phone, but if anyone is interested I just googled "Lincolnite slavery case" at the story popped straight up.

[sh22]

The most common paint defect car detailers fix are the swirl marks from poor washing techniques and large brushes in car washes are great example of  inflicting damage to even the hardest lacquer top coats.  Hand wash only and you will minimise swirls but over time swirls will occur as sure as night follows day and then some degree of paint correction will be necessary, or not, depending if it bothers you.