Washing car with Toyota ProTect on

[PAISLEY1903]

I have the toyota protect on my Rav4. 

Always seen in instructions it said never to wash it with anything other than neutral shampoo and same again with alloys. 

Always took care of my car with hand wash using the nice kit I got with car (protect accessory pack). 

Car is going in for its first service on Monday where it gets a free wash!

It got me thinking will they just use normal on it and am I being too OCD in that the odd taking to a car wash (hand not machine) won't do any damage.. 

I just have this image of my car looking a disaster but If I'm overboard would the odd one be ok!

[Cyker]

Don't worry about it - if it was that fragile it wouldn't be worth applying as acid rain would have dissolved it by now.

The coating is very thin and would need to be reapplied at some point anyway - Mine was supagard and supposedly it's guaranteed for 3 years but it lost its hydrophobic effects within a few months, although it's still doing a good job stopping bird poo from welding itself to the car as badly. Still considering whether to get it reapplied or buy some and DIY, unless anyone has any recommendations of companies that do longer lasting coatings!

Would love to get it PPF'd if it wasn't so eyewateringly expensive, plus I'm always a bit worried about PPF ripping the paint off when it's removed as Toyota paint isn't the best...

 

[Llynyfan]

I know exactly how you feel and although my bad experience hasnt been with Toyota, I had a poor experience with BMW this year. Toyota have always returned our CHR in fab condition, in and out.

I detail our BM regularly using quality waxes etc. It is more often and not looking in showroom condition. As a result, when it went into them for service or recall work, I specified 'no wash' so it came out as it went in. The last time was at the start of the summer and it had been on a few long journeys and was very dirty going in. When they asked wash or not, I thought its a dealer, they should be using decent products. Far from it. The car was returned as if it had been wiped over with an old dirty floor mop, streaks and light scratching/swirl type marks on the bonnet.

I could go on, what Im trying to say is ask for a no wash so you know that what is applied  is what you approve of, i.e. doing it yourself. I was given a book full of BS when my car was returned. What I did find out is their cars go to a third party to be washed. It wont happen there again as I wont be returning.

Happy cleaning 😀

 

[Cyker]

Good point! A lot of members here also tell them not to was the car during the servicing as they much prefer to do it themselves.

 

[TonyHSD]

50 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Good point! A lot of members here also tell them not to was the car during the servicing as they much prefer to do it themselves.

 

+1 👍,

I can’t imagine someone to wash my car and particularly those free car washes. Giving your car to be washed for free in a dealer is similar to letting your gf having a shower with a stranger, would you do that ?! 😂👍

[ernieb]

I always request that they do not wash the car, having seen so many of them using pressure washers. I’m happy to use a pressure washer myself as long as I always use it at a distance and with the low pressure head. However, I generally use the two bucket method and like the fact that as I wash and clean the car I’m effectively giving it an inspection for chips and scratches.

[TonyHSD]

2 hours ago, ernieb said:

I always request that they do not wash the car, having seen so many of them using pressure washers. I’m happy to use a pressure washer myself as long as I always use it at a distance and with the low pressure head. However, I generally use the two bucket method and like the fact that as I wash and clean the car I’m effectively giving it an inspection for chips and scratches.

That’s what I meant 👌👍 Keeping nice and clean as part of the regular maintenance and care of the car. All owners should do, but it seems an old school thingy these days. 

[PAISLEY1903]

Great thank you.

Car does need a wash! And I always do power wash from distance then  buckets but it's miserable outside so it will have to go in unclean outside (spotless in).

I will tell them not to wash it and do it myself when it gets dry :-)

[fourbanks]

The problem with your thinking is that the dealer has already washed the car and prepared the car for you for delivery? 

If you can't trust the dealer to wash your car, why have you purchased the car from that dealer in the first place. 

[Llynyfan]

48 minutes ago, fourbanks said:

The problem with your thinking is that the dealer has already washed the car and prepared the car for you for delivery? 

If you can't trust the dealer to wash your car, why have you purchased the car from that dealer in the first place. 

When you collect your new, or used car, the dealer will have prepared it to a standard. A standard that will usually meet with your approval, i.e. free of fault or an accepted blemish maybe, if used.

In my experience, how the car is returned post servicing for example has varied greatly. My latest experience with BMW was qualified by them giving their vehicles to a 3rd party to wash prior to hand back.

In terms of trusting my dealer, I wont be returning to them for any work in the future, the catalyst being the condition of the car, the determining factor was the BS they gave me to cover things up.

Im prepared to drive a little further to get my car looked after. Returnimg to a local dealer because of convenience isnt something Im prepared to do. To be honest, it was a toss of a coin almost, which swayed me to BM from Lexus. I still love my BM, I just wish it was looked after by a Lexus style delaership, or my local Toyota one for that matter!

[PAISLEY1903]

3 hours ago, fourbanks said:

The problem with your thinking is that the dealer has already washed the car and prepared the car for you for delivery? 

If you can't trust the dealer to wash your car, why have you purchased the car from that dealer in the first place. 

I didn't... I purchased it via carwow from a dealer 300 miles away , this will be the first time ever using this dealer.

[fourbanks]

17 minutes ago, PAISLEY1903 said:

I didn't... I purchased it via carwow from a dealer 300 miles away , this will be the first time ever using this dealer.

I see in that case I would play safe and do it yourself. Our local Lexus dealer has one of the finest showrooms in the country, and you can clearly see what's happening to your car when being serviced as the glass Partition runs the full width of the showroom. The floor also mirror finished so that the customer can see under the car. Special lighting so that you can see the paintwork in all its glory 

[Centaur]

In my experience, the motor trade all use traffic film remover with a jet wash to clean their cars.  That's fine, if the car is being prepared for sale, as they will then wax it or apply whatever paint sealant that they have sold you in addition to the car.  However, if you are just having a wash as part of a service, the traffic film remover will strip off the wax / paint sealant.  I very much doubt that any dealer, of any brand, will use a ph neutral Snow Foam, followed by a shampoo and rinse and then dry it off with a pristine microfibre cloth...

As an aside, I have never found that any of these paint sealers last for very long, regardless of what attention they are given / not given (other's experience may vary 😄).  They are, though, a great profit opportunity for the dealer, as they usually charge several hundred pounds for a bit of paint sealer out of a £30 bottle...

[ernieb]

Agree about the real cost of these sealer and paint finishes, this is also made worse by the fact that often they are not used correctly to do the job effectively as witnessed by the number of ‘half used kits’ that pop up on a well know auction site.

[PAISLEY1903]

Got mine for free when took Dashcam and mats and to be honest it's done a great job when washing car but I do think ... would I know If wasn't there the following day 🤣

[Jimota]

Hand washing your car using the two bucket method is the safest way to look after the paintwork.  There are a few car wash premises nearby but as they use the same sponge for every car that comes through and apply liberal amounts of Traffic Film Remover, it’s only a matter of time before scratches or chemical damage will appear.  

[Hornet3D]

3 hours ago, Centaur said:

In my experience, the motor trade all use traffic film remover with a jet wash to clean their cars.  That's fine, if the car is being prepared for sale, as they will then wax it or apply whatever paint sealant that they have sold you in addition to the car.  However, if you are just having a wash as part of a service, the traffic film remover will strip off the wax / paint sealant.  I very much doubt that any dealer, of any brand, will use a ph neutral snow foam, followed by a shampoo and rinse and then dry it off with a pristine microfibre cloth...

As an aside, I have never found that any of these paint sealers last for very long, regardless of what attention they are given / not given (other's experience may vary 😄).  They are, though, a great profit opportunity for the dealer, as they usually charge several hundred pounds for a bit of paint sealer out of a £30 bottle...

The length of time any sealant lasts varies greatly dependant on many factors such as, how it is applied, how it is looked after, the conditions under which the car is used and the type of sealant used.  I never take the life given as gospel so mine, which should have a life of one year is applied every six months and topped up most months.   As a guide you can see just how well water beads run off the paint work.

There are some trusted detailers on you tube that give long term reviews and some sealants do indeed last more than a couple of years.

[Roy124]

On 9/11/2022 at 11:34 AM, Cyker said:

Good point! A lot of members here also tell them not to was the car during the servicing as they much prefer to do it themselves.

 

My dealer always asks and do an excellent job. 

[Roy124]

On 9/11/2022 at 12:28 PM, TonyHSD said:

+1 👍,

I can’t imagine someone to wash my car and particularly those free car washes. Giving your car to be washed for free in a dealer is similar to letting your gf having a shower with a stranger, would you do that ?! 😂👍

Depends 😁

[Roy124]

Seriously, as I approach my 80s I am happy for the dealer to give it a wash.  They applied the finish and they have to maintain it. 

In between I do use a car wash team and they do a 90% job tending to miss the bent knee jobs. 

As for pressure washing, I got a Lance specifically for wheel arches and underbody work. This is brilliant. 

Come Spring I jack the car up and t wash the wheel wells, so rewarding when thick layers of road dirt, mud, and other P stuff sluice off to leave clean paint. 

[TonyHSD]

The thing is that the free car wash included in the service recall or whatever else car been booked in for will differ from new car preparation or used car sales. I usually watch behind the scenes and go around the back yard playing dumb and not knowing where to park so I can look at the garage mechanics, car washers, equipment etc, been in the trade for long enough not to trust anyone. Well in most cases what I see it’s not exactly how I personally will treat my car. But again, not suitable for some and a welcome extras for others. 👍

[PAISLEY1903]

Does anyone use they angled adaptors you get for pressure washers to go under car.

Something I've never done. 

[Roy124]

46 minutes ago, PAISLEY1903 said:

Does anyone use they angled adaptors you get for pressure washers to go under car.

Something I've never done. 

Yes, read my previous post. 

[Vainona70]

I've heard that you can use the patio cleaning attachment on a pressure washer upside down (without contacting the car).

Not tried this method yet!

[PAISLEY1903]

Got myself some polar blast and polar wash today and with my Titan Power washer I gave the car a good wash.  was probably first time it was enjoyable haha reminded me of my younger days in Ibiza having a foam party.