What to do at a coin-operated wash?

[newb001]

Before (or instead of) doing ONR washes this winter (since my black Audi is filthy and caked with salt, dirt, etc... and I'm afraid of marring) I was hoping to either go through a touchless wash or, more likely, a self-service coin operated wash. Aside from not wanting to do ONR this winter, I don't have access to a hose, so my only real options are touchless or coin-op.

So I wanted to ask what does everyone do at these places (coin operated), and roughly how long do you spend doing it?


Do you simply use their pressure washer to give a good once over to remove larger particles (and maybe do the wheels) and then go home and do an ONR wash?
Do you bring buckets, car wash soap, etc... so you can use their pressure washer for a once over, then do a regular 2BM wash, then rinse again and go home? And if you do any sort of real washing, do you pull out of the bay and then come back in...
etc...

It's $2.75 for 4 minutes, so if I were to rinse first to get big particles, then do a regular wash, then rinse again, it would be $8. Or just $4 of course if I use the power washer and then go home and do an ONR.

There are not a lot of these in the NY/NJ/CT area so I have absolutely zero experience and don't want to look like a fool or hold up the queue of cars, etc...

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions!

[Double Dizzle]

I use the coin-op to get all the nasty stuff off as best as possible with the high pressure soap through the wand, then I go home and do an ONR wash in the garage.

[BobbyG]

I try do do as much when I'm home but there are those times that I need to be creative!

If one of my vehicles need a bath and it's too cold here's what I do.

Home

I mix up a 5 gallon bucket of hot water, my favorite car wash then pop the top on it and in the back of the truck it goes. Included in my arsenal is a car wash brush, wash mitt, and a pair of rubber gloves.

Car Wash

Use their pressure washer with high pressure water only. This blasts allot of the grime, salt, and debris off the finish.

Next the car wash brush and my soapy solution. I wash the surface liberally cleaning it with the soapy solution dipping the brush several times so that the dirt particles fall from the bristles. Rinse the surface with high pressure water only.

Follow this up by washing the entire vehicle thoroughly with the mitt and soapy solution paying particular attention to all areas. Rinse the surface with high pressure water only and be sure to clean under the fender wells.

Home

Drive home and dry the truck in a heated garage. Wax the surface as needed for continued protection.

[silverfox]

I just use the coin operated with plain water (don't use their soap)...then drive home and finish it home with rinseless wash. Every time I've ever attempted to do the 'entire" rinseless thing at the car wash place...the darn car gets dirty driving it home...after all, its winter and there are bound to be puddles with salt as you drive home...so why do all that work before you drive it home just to get it dirty again?.

..just wash it there with plain water...bring it home, and finish it at home.

[grambow]

I'm in NE WI so I do this all the time. First, I do it as early in the morning as possible like before 8am. This beats any rush and allows you to wash without feeling too rushed.
I mix a 5 gal bucket of regular HOT washing solution and bungee it in the back of my X3. I have also put it on the passenger side floor of my C350. Note: the bucket needs a lid!
I just use the pressure rinse as I don't trust the concentration or wax stripping ability of their pressure wash. Also, it takes too long to clear the lines of the soap when switching from wash to rinse. I like to wash as cheap as possible as winter washing is so temporary. So I rinse everything paying special attention to lower body, wheels and wheel wells. Then I wash with the mit and bucket...I dont use the two bucket method for simplicity and I will be polishing in spring anyway. Sometimes depending on how bad the wheels are, I will bring another bucket and mit for the wheels. Then I rinse again and waffle weave dry...keep these in the front of the car to keep them warm before using.
That's it...it cant be too cold or the water will freeze before you can dry. I have done it in the low 20s though.
Also, I have never run into a problem with anyone yelling at me. I have even been there while the attendant was cleaning the other stalls. I think as long as you are in and out (prob about 15-20 mins) and you're not holding anyone up, yer okay. Hope this helps.

[newb001]

Great, thanks for the advice everybody (I'll probably try just power rinsing and then ONR at home, not sure I'm up for an actual wash at the place as I'd feel rushed, self-conscious, etc...but perhaps once I use it once or twice I'll feel better about it.)

Relatedly, and I know that this hijacks my own thread, can anyone remind me the pitfalls of a touchless wash? Is it mainly that whatever chemicals they use may strip any protection that I have on my car? Or are there other potential dangers (I would never let them dry it by hand of course).

So let's say I put on a coat or 2 of Colly 845 right before the winter, would it be 'ok' to go through touchless a couple times during the winter? Or would it very quickly remove the 845 and leave my car unprotected? Of course if the touchless got it clean enough I could then reapply the 845. Or do the touchless, then ONR at home (or maybe even just opti-clean if the touchless did a really good job), then re-apply 845.

So similar to your suggestions on self-service, do you have any recommendations on how to utilize a touchless wash?

Thanks again!

[A4 1.8tqm]

I'll probably try just power rinsing and then ONR at home.

:props: Good plan

I think that a touch-less wash would both, compromise your wax protection and not leave the surface clean enough for waxing. My buddy (who always hand washed before) decided to start going through a touchless and ended up with water in a tail light and a leak in the passenger footwell... Coincidence? IDK.

[embolism]

I was asking similar questions just a couple days ago. I think the touchless chemicals are pretty strong to be able to eat away at the road film without any mechanical means of agitation. If in doubt, use just the water jet at the self serve carwash bay and nothing else and by the time you get home there will be a film of salt and road grime on the side panels like you never did anything to the car. I have 2 coats of 845 on my car and have gone to the bays when I was desperate (and used their soap) but I'm going to do a correction in the spring anyhow.

The other thing about those washers is that they recycle their water but I doubt they desalinate it so imagine all those salty cars going through making the water saltier and saltier then you go through and get it sprayed under your car and everywhere else. Buddy of mine had to cut out some control arms on his BMW b/c he was having alignment issues and when they jacked up the car, the arms couldn't be adjusted cause they were rusted so bad. He got it covered under warranty but was complaining about his 4 year old car being so rusted while his dad's winter beater never had alignment issues and was 3 times as old. Mechanic told him about not going to those car washes (which he was doing weekly in the winter).

Like someone told me recently, there is a price to be paid for convenience...

[dougaross]

ONR at home after using wheel solution and rinse($2.50) to remove heavy stuff. Sometimes I don't even do ONR and car almost looks just waxed.

Tried touchless since it does undercarriage ($8.00)rinse. However, it does not do a good job on rear of car which the part of my car that really gets dirty.

[john b]

i live in iowa , so ifeel your pain-prior to snow this year i put a couple of coats of 845 on and when i go to carwash i just use water becouse i dont no what kind of shampoo they use-my thought is not to strip any wax that way or at least minimize it

[RaskyR1]

I'm in NE WI so I do this all the time. First, I do it as early in the morning as possible like before 8am. This beats any rush and allows you to wash without feeling too rushed.
I mix a 5 gal bucket of regular HOT washing solution and bungee it in the back of my X3. I have also put it on the passenger side floor of my C350. Note: the bucket needs a lid!
I just use the pressure rinse as I don't trust the concentration or wax stripping ability of their pressure wash. Also, it takes too long to clear the lines of the soap when switching from wash to rinse. I like to wash as cheap as possible as winter washing is so temporary. So I rinse everything paying special attention to lower body, wheels and wheel wells. Then I wash with the mit and bucket...I dont use the two bucket method for simplicity and I will be polishing in spring anyway. Sometimes depending on how bad the wheels are, I will bring another bucket and mit for the wheels. Then I rinse again and waffle weave dry...keep these in the front of the car to keep them warm before using.
That's it...it cant be too cold or the water will freeze before you can dry. I have done it in the low 20s though.
Also, I have never run into a problem with anyone yelling at me. I have even been there while the attendant was cleaning the other stalls. I think as long as you are in and out (prob about 15-20 mins) and you're not holding anyone up, yer okay. Hope this helps.


Exactly what I do.


I'd like to highlight the point above as I think it's very important. Always go late at night or early in the morning when there is no body waiting. Most owners will not have an issue with you doing a bucket wash as long as you are not holding people up. If you hold people up by hand washing/drying they lose money. The places by me are actually open 24/7 so it's never an issue.

I also do the pressure rinse and then ONR a lot at home too.


Rasky

[jlb85]

Many great ideas in this thread! Washing in winter is something many of us have to do. Bobby's hot water in bucket and lid is the way to go. Wait for a "warm" day, like 20's and up.

I take 3 buckets: hot soap solution, hot clean rinse, and another hot clean rinse just in case. Grit guards in the rinse buckets at least.

Take a wash mitt, a pair of drying towels, some plush mf, some high solvent QD like Dodo Juice Red Mist, and latex/nitrile gloves. Waterproof shoes help as well.

I don't like the coin-ops soap. Not all will be the same, but my local one, I consider to be one of the best I have seen, ripped collinite right off in an instant. Their wheel cleaners and degreasers are very bad as well. Always use the "rinse" or "final rinse" setting.

Rinse off car. Wash. Rinse again. Dry as much as possible but do not worry about streaks yet. Go over with the QD nice and heavy, wipe clear.

It may not be perfect, but I much rather a wash like this than ONR anyday ;)

[Old Tiger]

I do a touchless to get the undercarriage too and go home to a warm garage and a warm bucket of ONR.

[anthony73]

Keep the car running with the heat on so the doors dont freeze .Ask me how I know this.

[newb001]

Thanks again for everyone's advice. I did a power-wash last weekend and it went well. I did not bring anything else with me (ONR) or go home and do anything (ONR) as it was going to snow again in a couple of days. But for $4 at least I got off the salt and crud that was on the car.

I have a follow-up question: anyone have any thoughts as to whether there is any advantage (or disadvantage) to first spraying the car with either opti-clean or QD strength ONR before the power-wash? Would that help get anything off? Or, if I'm not drying the car afterward then I shouldn't use OC or ONR as they are meant to be wiped off, not rinsed off with a power-washer?

Thanks again!