Cars that are seldom washed have less swirls

DRamsey

DRamsey

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I've washed several cars lately that have almost never been washed. I'm wondering if I just got lucky or if you've also noticed that vehicles that are seldom washed have fewer swirls. The vehicles I cleaned were filthy, which meant there was a huge visual impact in the before and after. I looked closely and the vehicles didn't seem to be swirled and cleaned up very well. Have you also noticed that vehicles that are seldom washed have fewer swirls?
 
Would make sense... not sure if that is true or not but since most swirls are done by improper washing, if someone never washes the car it has less chances of getting swirled out. On the other hand, a car that is filty has greater chances of being damaged by anything touching it... not sure how it balances out.
 
I've gone to touchless washes at local car wash during winter months and I can tell you for sure I have fewer scratches come spring ...than I did when I was doing winter rinseless washes by hand...no matter how meticulously careful I was.

There is no doubt that we are our own worse enemies when it comes to damaging paint. Since going to coatings I'm not the least bit concerned about using touchless car washes in the winter.
 
silverfox said:
I've gone to touchless washes at local car wash during winter months and I can tell you for sure I have fewer scratches come spring ...than I did when I was doing winter rinseless washes by hand...no matter how meticulously careful I was.

There is no doubt that we are our own worse enemies when it comes to damaging paint. Since going to coatings I'm not the least bit concerned about using touchless car washes in the winter.
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How well do this clean the car?

Never used one.
 
silverfox said:
I've gone to touchless washes at local car wash during winter months and I can tell you for sure I have fewer scratches come spring ...than I did when I was doing winter rinseless washes by hand...no matter how meticulously careful I was.

There is no doubt that we are our own worse enemies when it comes to damaging paint. Since going to coatings I'm not the least bit concerned about using touchless car washes in the winter.
Click to expand...


The downside is that touchless car washes use so much pressure that it can force water into areas it should not be. I'd prefer doing it by hand. I've had some swirls come up but with sealant it pretty much keeps the paint golden. I still haven't tried coatings yet! Need to get my car taken care of soon!
 
I have notice this as well. I'll admit, I bought my ranger new in 2010. Sense I have owned it, I have maybe washed it 6 times ( I work out of my older taco). Mainly due to I never drive it and it just sits unless im going on a riding trip (has 6k on the od). If you look at the finish they are hardly any swirls, if any. Although when I do wash it, sense its so heavily soiled. I take every precaution when washing it, not to marr the finish.
 
These cars may have fewer swirls but they are usually loaded with contaminants that need clayed off.
Touchless washes don't get the surface nearly as clean as hand washing. They aren't bad in the winter months though.
 
Another possible plus:
Cars that have a build-up of soil/dirt, contaminates, etc., from being seldom washed,
probably don't have paint with a lot of oxidation/UV-rays damages.

:D

Bob
 
I am absolutely convinced that I jacked up the finish on my car when I started using "quick detail" products instead of doing a proper wash. I realized that I'm just not patient and careful enough to properly use these products. Now I wait a few more days and wash using the two bucket method, etc. Driving around in a dirty car is not the end of the world!
 
There is something to be said about keeping a really good coat of wax or sealant on the cars... The slicker the better....

Then all one has to do is basically rise that puppy off because the dirt etc just slides right off....

Those places that have the power washers are great in the winter, just spray the car down really good and go....
 
You know I've used coin-op or touchless autos first, to knock the dirt off, then a waterless wash or even a quick detail spray when I get it home. Using waterless wash on a dirty car makes me nervous. But of course a touchless doesn't get it very clean, either! I also wax often in the winter months because I think the touchless autos use harsh, cheap detergents that may strip wax.
 
Romans5.8 said:
You know I've used coin-op or touchless autos first, to knock the dirt off, then a waterless wash or even a quick detail spray when I get it home. Using waterless wash on a dirty car makes me nervous. But of course a touchless doesn't get it very clean, either! I also wax often in the winter months because I think the touchless autos use harsh, cheap detergents that may strip wax.
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I don't have a pressure washer yet, so I have also used the coin-op to blast the big stuff off before doing a Two Bucket Wash w/ Optimum Car Wash. I use the high pressure soap followed by the high pressure rinse. The spot free setting doesn't seem to work very well.

It doesn't get the vehicle particularly clean.

I am convinced that the coin-op soap is pretty harsh. I have Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant on the vehicle and after six washes, it seems to be degrading. This is faster than when I was using my Gilmour Foammaster at home followed by 2BM w/ Optimum Car Wash (smells great).
 
I washed and waxed a car with 65,000 miles never garaged and 8 years old. I was hard pressed to find any swirls and this car was never washed or waxed before.
 
allenk4 said:
I don't have a pressure washer yet, so I have also used the coin-op to blast the big stuff off before doing a Two Bucket Wash w/ Optimum Car Wash. I use the high pressure soap followed by the high pressure rinse. The spot free setting doesn't seem to work very well.

It doesn't get the vehicle particularly clean.

I am convinced that the coin-op soap is pretty harsh. I have Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant on the vehicle and after six washes, it seems to be degrading. This is faster than when I was using my Gilmour Foammaster at home followed by 2BM w/ Optimum Car Wash (smells great).
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No it doesn't get it very clean but it knocks the dirt off. I always just rinse first, then high pressure soap, then rinse again. Towel dry using thick MF towels and use a quick detailer or waterless wash as a 'drying aid'.

There's always so much grit and dirt in the winter. The rain doesn't evaporate as quickly so when it rains, muck, mud, grit all pools up. Snow brings slush and salt. Just no other way around it, your daily driver is gonna be caked in filth.

By the way, on the swirls comment; before AGO I handled my vehicles differently. Mike bike is swirled up a LOT more than my cars. Why? The cars are a daily driver. Washed every few months at the touchless automatic. The bikes were hand washed (incorrectly) and waxed (incorrectly) at every opportunity. They truly were 'love marks'! Now I just need to get a 3" DA to deal with those swirls...
 
Romans5.8 said:
You know I've used coin-op or touchless autos first, to knock the dirt off, then a waterless wash or even a quick detail spray when I get it home. Using waterless wash on a dirty car makes me nervous. But of course a touchless doesn't get it very clean, either! I also wax often in the winter months because I think the touchless autos use harsh, cheap detergents that may strip wax.
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Some of the recycle the water as well.
 
RLucky82 said:
I washed and waxed a car with 65,000 miles never garaged and 8 years old. I was hard pressed to find any swirls and this car was never washed or waxed before.
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So you're saying the car was recently repainted.:xyxthumbs:
 
Just my opinion. If the paint is never "Detailed" it is more subject to clear coat failure.
 
RLucky82 said:
I washed and waxed a car with 65,000 miles never garaged and 8 years old. I was hard pressed to find any swirls and this car was never washed or waxed before.
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My buddy has a Tundra 07 or something like that. Washed 2 times a yr maybe. I looked it over after one wash and it was the best car paint I have seen ever!!! Really, this thing looked great. I was in awe.
 
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