What Washes Damage your paint

[wn1998]

I am living in Suburban Chicago and in the winters (heavy salt use) I like to try to wash my cars at least once every two weeks depending on the weather.

I have heard rumors that the "Do it yourself" spray washes "recycle" the water and you are just shooting high pressue salt water onto your car. Does anyone know if that is true?

Also, When I am low on gas, I sometime splurge and get our cars washed at the local gas station for $4.99. You typically get a .35 cent discount per gallon of gas if you get a wash. I have a 15 gallon tank in my jeep so that typically works out to a Free wash if I am almost empty. Are gas station car washes (This one has brushes that spin) bad for your paint? I feel that the gas station wash does get my car alot cleaner then the high pressue "Do it yourself" spray and wash by my house.

Thanks for your replys!

[CTS-Veo]

Neither wash is good for your paint, but the one with the brushes is going to induce some pretty serious swirls in your paint. The touchless car washes use very strong chemicals to clean your paint, which will strip any wax on your car.

[wn1998]

are there any cost effective safe alternatives? In the summer I don't wash in my driveway because our water is so hard it leaves serious water spot deposits. We do have a turtle wax as well as a local full service wash/detail shop but the washes are roughly $10/each just for a wash and towel dry.

[RaskyR1]

I would think that the reclaim systems of most car washes are pretty good at removing dirt and chemicals in the water. In the winter I hand wash using only the rinse setting and have never seen any type of damage to the cars I wash.

If you can go late at night and hand wash when the place is empty that would be best. Other wise I would use a touch less over the brushes all day long.

[ICEMAN]

in the winter i use touchless washes (NO WAX), and i usually pressure wash the underside before i go through. if i get lucky and theres a warm day, i go pressure wash the underside and use the time thats left to get the worst off the exterior, mainly rocker panels. Then ill take it back home and do a nice warm water wash, then just wax it and let it shine until i drive it again and get salt dust all over it, lol.

my buddy is a semi mechanic, there is a pressure washer inside the bays, so i back the truck over the walk space in the floor, and pressure wash the underside VERY good!!!