The local car wash - evil or partner? Remember our drought

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dpmanley

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For a daily driver that want to stay nice - you guys are causing me to question what "nice" is - how do I keep it clean and balance my challenges.

1. It's a drought - no more driveway car washing. $500 fine possible for excess water use.
2. Time - an hour or two per week with a 4 or 6 hour once a month is possible but "proper" detail weekly is not.

My local car wash has an unlimited monthly exterior wash for about $30 a month. Drive in and get rinsed and soapy sprayed, floppy cloth scrubbed, air and towel dried. It is a pretty good place - I have used it for 30 years, right up until I started reading AG.:doh:

I can polish, wax, trim, wheels etc once a month or so.

What is the thought? Are car washes a no-no or can I partner up?
Is rinseless realistic if I only can spend quality time once a month?
 
Unless it it a touchless car wash then I would just stay away.

For your rinseless it depends on how dirty your car gets in a month, although honestly I would just do a weekly waterless wash so it never gets too bad. You can do it almost anywhere and you will also be finished faster than if you were to use rinseless as well as adding protection since many waterless washes leave behind protection.
 
I'm just down in the South Bay. I discovered Meguiar's Rinse Free Express Wash and Wax last year and am hooked. I have been washing a Midnight Blue Tahoe daily driver with it and am absolutely blown away by its performance. It seems expensive at first, but when mixed correctly is a reasonable price IMHO.

I've also switched to using it as a detail spray in between washings, but I double the dilution. Watch the AGO video on it as it is excellent at explaining the correct procedure for use. As far as the local car wash.............never again, swirls galore.
 
Megs rinse free for $40 here on AG is not expensive compared to the $30 per month for the local wash. I will read some threads on rinse free and see if I can handle it.
 
dpmanley said:
Megs rinse free for $40 here on AG is not expensive compared to the $30 per month for the local wash. I will read some threads on rinse free and see if I can handle it.
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I love D114 its provide plenty of lubricity and has a wonderful smell. If you dilute it at 1oz per gallon it should be more than enough to handle your monthly washes.
 
My understanding is that it you can wash during certain days as long as you have a shut-off nozzle (who doesn't?) on their hose.

A $500 car wash? New California fines for wasting water take effect - CBS News

With that said, if you're really concerned, you can always bring your own 5-gal container of pre-mixed Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax to the local coin-op. Just be sure to pre-rinse the car with the high-pressure wand before using rinseless wash.

I would also encourage you to consider a paint coating such as CQuartz Finest/UK or Opti-Coat Pro (or 2.0) to make rinseless washing go easier.
 
I just bought the house I am living in last June, for a few years before that I had been living in a trailer park (saving money while GF was in college) No washing cars in the park.
During that time I got very good at using the 75 cent car wash in town. Used their water and sometimes the soap if it had been a while. Wash it off with a really wet mitt as i went. I didn't know about the rinseless or waterless washes back then.
Maybe I'd use the brush to knock the dirt loose on the wheels or in the very bottom of the car and behind the tires, AFTER i washed and rinsed the brush off as well as I could.

Our new car wash in this town will actually take a credit card swipe and it is cheaper to do that than to drop in quarters. I can knock out a car for less then 4 bucks, usually closer to three because i just tell it stop if I need a minute or two to wipe things down and then restart again. Great for knocking off the big stuff before i get down to the fine detail work.
 
I'm pretty sure you're OK as long as you have a nozzle on the hose. It's the people who don't have nozzles on their hoses and leave it running the entire time that they're after.
 
GettingStarted said:
I love D114 its provide plenty of lubricity and has a wonderful smell. If you dilute it at 1oz per gallon it should be more than enough to handle your monthly washes.
Click to expand...

Suggested dilution for D114 is actually 1/2oz per gallon...making it an even better deal.

The cap of the one gallon jug is 1/2oz
 
Or just wake up early to wash the car in peace and without "fear" of being busted. If you have a lawn, wash it on the lawn so you're watering the lawn at the same time= no waste.
 
I work at these type car washes. I'm a prepper (I spray the cars down before you go in the tunnel). DON'T GO! I had to scrub the wraps two days ago. I can't even describe what type of bad things are on them.
I work tomorrow. If I remember and get a chance I'll get a picture.
 
I think I see a theme.....
So I toured the local stores and do not find rinseless so I will order it.
Next, to find an hour a week to spend on the car - in shade.

Thanks as always for the great feedback.

Hmmmm.....that also means I have to vacuum my own car.
 
I didn't get a picture today at work, but I can say I had to clean out the blower room. This has 15 air blowers to dry the car which is nice because it's a touchless dry. But the whole room was filled with mulch, leaves, some small screws, and rocks that blow out if truck beds....
 
Electric power washer in the garage, maybe? When ever I use my power washer, I end up using enough water to get the ground around me damp and that's about it.
 
wytstang said:
Or just wake up early to wash the car in peace and without "fear" of being busted. If you have a lawn, wash it on the lawn so you're watering the lawn at the same time= no waste.
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good idea until you get one nosy neighbor that enjoys getting people fined.
 
dpmanley said:
I think I see a theme.....
So I toured the local stores and do not find rinseless so I will order it.
Next, to find an hour a week to spend on the car - in shade.

Thanks as always for the great feedback.

Hmmmm.....that also means I have to vacuum my own car.
Click to expand...

Until you can get some rinseless ordered, you can find Meguiars Ultimate Wash and Wax Anywhere at most of our local Oreilly's Auto. It is the consumer version of the Megs Detailer product. Although a little pricey, it was my first experience with rinseless that led me down that path. It has amazing lubricity and smells good enough to drink, although I wouldn't recommend doing that.
 
If I was ever in that situation I would put up some plastic on my garage walls and just wash in the garage. I hate the government trying to tell us what we can and can't do
 
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