Giving in to automatic washes

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BlackRam

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Hey all-
Background- 2013 blak ram 1500 crew hemi v8 4x4 - dream vehicle for me
i learned everything about detailing from you guys.
Currently have cquk2014 on it.
It takes me 1.5-2 hrs to just wash this truk though
Since having my first child 9 weeks ago, fitting in car washing time is limited. I also have since acquired some swirls from me drying which suck.
The truk still looks great but thinking about using automatic drive thru "soft cloth" washes. Has anyone ever made the switch from being super anal to letting something else wash their car? I know dirt and such can get stuk in cloth or detergents r harsh but dont know what to do???

Thanks all

Mike
 
A single tear just went down the cheek of every autogeek here.

Just teasing. Sort of.

If anything, use the touchless. Or power spray it down. If need be, maybe a detailer on here that's in your area would love to take over for you?
 
I think it's one of the forum rules that you have to resign if you take your vehicle through a tunnel wash.

Seriously though, it takes time to wash, about the only thing you can do is convert to rinseless if you're not doing that already. Either that or you have to live with the boatload of swirls that the tunnel wash is going to give you, until your life situation changes.
 
Since your car is coated, you can get it 90% clean in under 10 minutes. Go to a self-serve car wash. Spray your wheels with a wheel cleaner that can work without agitation such as Sonax. Once your wheels begin to change color, then insert your money or credit card and hit the car with the pre-soak option, then the high pressure soap, then the high pressure rinse, and then the spot free rinse and drive away.

When you get home, you can use a waterless or rinseless method to remove the very small amount of dirt if any that remains.

You can also coat your tires so that you don't have to worry about them for months.
 
If I have to..

1. Pressure washer from coin wash just to rinse down the thick layer of dirt
2. Use rinseless wash (been using method for a while actually)
3. Touchless car wash (no clothes or anything touching the car except liquid)
 
As always great insight. I know it pained me to even ask the question. I do like the high pressue rinse off with rinseless option. I do rinseless sometimes but crud and stuff gets b/w bumper or running boards and paint, though above method should solve it. I can only imagine the new swirls from the auto wash.

The soap at the car wash scares me as its not a neutral ph for a coating. I know i have read threads about what is safe for a coating but when it comes to ur own car its different.

Tough life choices..
 
BlackRam said:
As always great insight. I know it pained me to even ask the question. I do like the high pressue rinse off with rinseless option. I do rinseless sometimes but crud and stuff gets b/w bumper or running boards and paint, though above method should solve it. I can only imagine the new swirls from the auto wash.

The soap at the car wash scares me as its not a neutral ph for a coating. I know i have read threads about what is safe for a coating but when it comes to ur own car its different.

Tough life choices..
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Coatings are much more resilient than waxes and sealants. You'll be fine. Occasionally I use APC on mine, harsh touchless soaps, etc. and nothing seems to phase it. Because I have no way of properly washing my car while at school, I sometimes use methods that are slightly more harsh so I can avoid touching the car. So far so good.
 
SYMAWD said:
Coatings are much more resilient than waxes and sealants. You'll be fine. Occasionally I use APC on mine, harsh touchless soaps, etc. and nothing seems to phase it. Because I have no way of properly washing my car while at school, I sometimes use methods that are slightly more harsh so I can avoid touching the car. So far so good.
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Thanks man i appreciate it
 
Congratulation on the newest member of the family...but while time is tough/tight now it will loosen up a little bit soon, though just try to wash the vehicle as often you can also consider using a boars hair brush/foam/touch-less wash, and it bugs us all crazy to see our vehicle's dirty/swirled up your going to let it happen until you can squeeze enough time to remove some of that contamination/defects
 
If you can, try and do "touchless" washes. A descent power washer, foam cannon and a metro side kick (or some sort of mini leaf blower)
1-foam the truck
2-power wash off
3-free flow rinse
4-dry with blower
Not as 2bwm, but about 90%. I to have a young baby and it's a struggle trying to keep our three cars clean. I have a 2010 Tundra that's similar in size to your Ram. It takes me about 45 minutes from the time I pull everything out to wash to putting it all away. The best thing about touchless is you won't induce any swirls or marring from trying to rush your wash.
 
I would only wash my car once a month before I considered going through a swirlomatic. Can you not take 2 hours once a month to give it a wash?
 
jamesboyy said:
Congratulation on the newest member of the family...but while time is tough/tight now it will loosen up a little bit soon, though just try to wash the vehicle as often you can also consider using a boars hair brush/foam/touch-less wash, and it bugs us all crazy to see our vehicle's dirty/swirled up your going to let it happen until you can squeeze enough time to remove some of that contamination/defects
Click to expand...

Thank you she is a joy. Would you say have a boars hair brush saves time over a wash mitt? Thanks for the advice.

fly07sti said:
If you can, try and do "touchless" washes. A descent power washer, foam cannon and a metro side kick (or some sort of mini leaf blower)
1-foam the truck
2-power wash off
3-free flow rinse
4-dry with blower
Not as 2bwm, but about 90%. I to have a young baby and it's a struggle trying to keep our three cars clean. I have a 2010 Tundra that's similar in size to your Ram. It takes me about 45 minutes from the time I pull everything out to wash to putting it all away. The best thing about touchless is you won't induce any swirls or marring from trying to rush your wash.
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Its good to hear u r in a similar situation. 45 min- that is quick. An ok rinseless takes me about 60-75 min. Im going to find a touchless neat me
 
Great to hear, and in a sense yes a boar's hair brush cut's washing time in half cause your cleaning a larger surface area able to reach virtually every inch of the truck without taking time out to move/be careful on a work platform, also when washing the vehicle the excess soapy water from the brush is soaking the left over contamination off the lower panels making cleaning the next panel easier, basically all I am saying is that a boars hair brush removes most of the "extras" that adds time to our washing process, lastly look into a leaf blower or shop vac with blower feature to aid in your drying process too
 
You've got to be kidding me.

At least go to a brushless car wash. Or do Rinseless washes. For my crew cab Silverado it takes me about 20-30 minutes.

If I did it with twin infant boys and 2 crazy dogs and a wife. Im sure you can too. Cangrats! btw.
 
Forgive me for not saying earlier. Congrats on your baby! It's a wonderful feeling being a dad.
 
KillaCam said:
I would only wash my car once a month before I considered going through a swirlomatic. Can you not take 2 hours once a month to give it a wash?
Click to expand...

No no i can.

jamesboyy said:
Great to hear, and in a sense yes a boar's hair brush cut's washing time in half cause your cleaning a larger surface area able to reach virtually every inch of the truck without taking time out to move/be careful on a work platform, also when washing the vehicle the excess soapy water from the brush is soaking the left over contamination off the lower panels making cleaning the next panel easier, basically all I am saying is that a boars hair brush removes most of the "extras" that adds time to our washing process, lastly look into a leaf blower or shop vac with blower feature to aid in your drying process too
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice!

JHL88 said:
You've got to be kidding me.

At least go to a brushless car wash. Or do Rinseless washes. For my crew cab Silverado it takes me about 20-30 minutes.

If I did it with twin infant boys and 2 crazy dogs and a wife. Im sure you can too. Cangrats! btw.
Click to expand...

Thank you - jeez that is quick. But duely noted. Yah i got 2 crazy beagles too hah

fly07sti said:
Forgive me for not saying earlier. Congrats on your baby! It's a wonderful feeling being a dad.
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No problem and yes i love it!!
 
I have two little ones and my recommendation is just cut down, use a long lasting sealant, and just shorten the steps. I have two little ones and do all my detailing at night. Though my car is only driven on weekends.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I think it's one of the forum rules that you have to resign if you take your vehicle through a tunnel wash.

Seriously though, it takes time to wash, about the only thing you can do is convert to rinseless if you're not doing that already. Either that or you have to live with the boatload of swirls that the tunnel wash is going to give you, until your life situation changes.
Click to expand...

And then it will take you 10-12 hours plus to polish out all the damage. :buffing:

Trade it in for a white or silver truck. :D
 
9 week old - in da house!! Congrats man - I still remember my time doing laps in front of the couch at 2 in the morning! Totally loved it.

I'd rather leave that Ram dirty and grungy and give it a careful hosedown + rinseless once a month than take it to whereever you think you want to take it - I can't even say the name of the place without trembling!
 
Congrats on the new baby! :dblthumb2: Man it seems like yesterday we were there for 23 hours of labor, then an emergency C-section. (And it's been 26 years July past.) :D

Normally I'd say:

Q: What's the second most expensive thing you've ever bought in your life?
(With your home being the 1st.)

A: Your vehicle

At which point I'd pontificate about how such an expenditure should be worth protecting. :)

But now BY FAR the most expensive thing you've ever bought (even though you're just starting into the spending part) IS INDEED THAT NEW LITTLE ONE. :props:

Followed by your home, and then of course your vehicle(s).

That aside; Isn't your vehicle(s) worth a couple hours a month, or even a couple hours bi-weekly?

There'll come a time when you'll be GLAD to get to the garage/driveway/carwash just to get away from a house full of kids. :laughing: That surely isn't now, but trust me.... it'll come along sooner than you think. ;)

But as for the answer to your question.... NO any drive through wash that has brushes, hanging matts, wiggling floppy thingy's, and any other type of matter that TOUCHES your vehicle(s) in ANY WAY is to be avoided at all cost.

Drive through "touchless" could possibly be done in a pinch, but even those rub the tires too much for my taste. PLUS..... once it comes out you have a host of minimum wage earners standing in line with wet/dirty/gritty/crappy/altogether WRONG towels of all sorts that they've been using for days if not WEEKS just waiting to wipe your precious investment down with from bottom to top, (perhaps in that order). If you think it's swirled now..... pfffffttttt...... :rolleyes: :eek:
 
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