Touchless car wash questions & alternatives

[Quad2013]

While on holidays in a cold climate I took advantage of a commercial touchless car wash and liked the results.

Is a touchless car wash safe for the paint?

Is there an at-home product that would achieve similar results when starting with a dirty vehicle?

Is it safe to dry the vehicle with a waffle weave or similar product after a touchless wash, either a commercial one or an in-driveway process?


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[Bunky]

My concern with touchless is they can strip protection and just replace it with something that promotes beading. They may not clean well. If it is not complete clean, you will just be rubbing dirt into the paint when you dry.

The safer approach is to rinse at a DIY place then do a rinseless or waterless wash either at DIY or at your location.

[haris300]

I use an electric pressure washer and foam cannon to touchless wash my CQuartz coated cars. I then dry with a Master Blaster (cheaper electric blowers can be found elsewhere though). Works pretty well for me as long as they aren't excessively dirty.

[hoyt66]

Touchless uses a pretty strong cleaner. For winters here in Michigan I like to use a touchless (the cheapest option they offer)to get the heavy dirt off and then come home in a heated garage for rinseless wash. I then will use a quick application of spray wax.

[silverfox]

I've taken my car through 15 such commercial washes last winter without any issues. I had Duragloss 105. It still beaded in March. That's not saying the car was super clean as it wasn't and would not be without hand washing... But to get the salt off and the under carriage washed, it's a good method if you have a good LSP. Some coatings don't take likely to commercial washes especially the non ceramic types. FK1000p and DG 105 and Collintes were not effected by the touchless Washes that I used in my experience.

[Klasse Act]

Touchless uses a pretty strong cleaner. For winters here in Michigan I like to use a touchless (the cheapest option they offer)to get the heavy dirt off and then come home in a heated garage for rinseless wash. I then will use a quick application of spray wax.
This is the best of both worlds, gets into all the nooks and crannies as well as underneath and then you get home to do a proper RW or WW [emoji457]

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[David Fermani]

Is a touchless car wash safe for the paint?



Absolutely, but it might not get the car completely clean all the time and will eventually strip off your wax/sealant. If you have something like Opti-Coat it will do an excellent job of shedding the dirt and will not harm the coating. Not so sure about other "coatings" though?