Learner drivers @ car wash garages

[Imrana]

Hi,

I wash my car at the garages occasionally. Most of us blindly trust those who wash our cars as capable drivers, whether it is based on age, looks, or what we have been watching.  I recently learnt the bitter lesson when the garage driver got the brake and accelerator mixed up, ramming the car into the wall. I know its messy, wet, inconvenient and feels awkward to not trust the garage driver, but you have every right to drive your own car. I learnt my lesson. It doesn't help that as cars get more sophisticated, it ain't easy for a learner driver.

[Crishan]

7 minutes ago, Imrana said:

Hi,

I wash my car at the garages occasionally. Most of us blindly trust those who wash our cars as capable drivers, whether it is based on age, looks, or what we have been watching.  I recently learnt the bitter lesson when the garage driver got the brake and accelerator mixed up, ramming the car into the wall. I know its messy, wet, inconvenient and feels awkward to not trust the garage driver, but you have every right to drive your own car. I learnt my lesson. It doesn't help that as cars get more sophisticated, it ain't easy for a learner driver.

These people don't even know how to wash a car properly. I wash my car by myself other than the regular engine oil change/once in six months service. So no other idiot will touch/get in to the car/or will give any bs comments. 

[tux]

In many car wash places, they just use a one cloth to scrub/wipe car from top to bottom (and even wheel arches and skirting). This will cause minor scratches by sand particles which got caught in cloth. 

[carboy2011]

5 hours ago, Imrana said:

Hi,

I wash my car at the garages occasionally. Most of us blindly trust those who wash our cars as capable drivers, whether it is based on age, looks, or what we have been watching.  I recently learnt the bitter lesson when the garage driver got the brake and accelerator mixed up, ramming the car into the wall. I know its messy, wet, inconvenient and feels awkward to not trust the garage driver, but you have every right to drive your own car. I learnt my lesson. It doesn't help that as cars get more sophisticated, it ain't easy for a learner driver.

oh sorry about what happpened to your car 

I'm also not at all keen on car wash fellows reversing or driving my car (though mines not a new one)

[aamarakoon]

Self washing the car not only saves money,  gives one a bit of exercise and also the best time to scrutinize the problems that the car will have early. 

[Magnum]

I go to a service to wash my vehicles when its time to change the oil or else I always wash at home. Also only one designated person moves the vehicles at the service station which I go to

[PreseaLover]

I never give my car to car wash dude's.. i take the key out so whenever they need to move the car they have to come to me and I say 'nah let me move it for ya'.. even when vacumming, i never let the dudes touch the dashboard, not even wipe it.. i go home and wipe it myself, its just the dust i get rid of in the carpets by vacuuming also.. 

[Imrana]

Sounds like I am better off washing my own car at home. 

[Imrana]

On 14/01/2017 at 11:36 AM, tux said:

In many car wash places, they just use a one cloth to scrub/wipe car from top to bottom (and even wheel arches and skirting). This will cause minor scratches by sand particles which got caught in cloth. 

I rather wash my car in future

[Quiet]

I normally do a wash, interior cleaning and wax once a week @ c**e Poin* since 2011 Nov. No issues up to date. I Make sure that either me, my wife or her driver is present at all times to make sure they are extra careful with the vehicle.

[NamalJay]

Hello guys,

What do you think about auto car wash. is it bad for vehicles? or safe?

[iRage]

1 minute ago, NamalJay said:

Hello guys,

What do you think about auto car wash. is it bad for vehicles? or safe?

The flappy brushes and mops can leave swirl marks and scratches...so I personally would never use it. Having said that...I have a few friends in Japan who use the auto washers at a particular place and haven't seen any seriously damage to it. So perhaps it also has a lot to do with the material that is used for brushing in the machine and how its maintained ?

[NamalJay]

So that's mean, is better to go for manual wash any way. other hand even though after manual wash appears very small lines that cant be stopped i guess. it is up to how washing process carry out . in our country auto car washers are very less in to the country. so most of the people doesn't have experience and scared to use it.

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by NamalJay

[Jor-el]

51 minutes ago, NamalJay said:

So that's mean, is better to go for manual wash any way. other hand even though after manual wash appears very small lines that cant be stopped i guess. it is up to how washing process carry out . in our country auto car washers are very less in to the country. so most of the people doesn't have experience and scared to use it.

 

It's better to wash your car yourself.

• Use 2-bucket method with a grit guard
• Use separate microfiber wash mitts to wash top and bottom parts of the car
• Use a third microfiber towel to dry the car
• Use a fourth microfiber towel to wax the car ( I'm using eagle 1 spray wax )

This way you can avoid swirl marks 100%.

I usually give a touch-less wash using my pressure washer before giving a touch wash as described above. 

[iRage]

11 hours ago, Jor-el said:

It's better to wash your car yourself.

• Use 2-bucket method with a grit guard
• Use separate microfiber wash mitts to wash top and bottom parts of the car
• Use a third microfiber towel to dry the car
• Use a fourth microfiber towel to wax the car ( I'm using eagle 1 spray wax )

This way you can avoid swirl marks 100%.

I usually give a touch-less wash using my pressure washer before giving a touch wash as described above. 

All this is fine..but in a lot of parts of the world you simply can't wash your car at home because you will be breaking a few dozen city ordinances. Thankfully in Nagasaki, Japan I can wash my car at home...but in other places in Japan I haven't been able to. It is not just a developed country thing now either....It was illegal to wash the car at home even in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania...although behind closed gates with high walls people did do it at a very high water cost) as well as in some suburbs in Hanoi.

[Jor-el]

23 minutes ago, iRage said:

All this is fine..but in a lot of parts of the world you simply can't wash your car at home because you will be breaking a few dozen city ordinances. Thankfully in Nagasaki, Japan I can wash my car at home...but in other places in Japan I haven't been able to. It is not just a developed country thing now either....It was illegal to wash the car at home even in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania...although behind closed gates with high walls people did do it at a very high water cost) as well as in some suburbs in Hanoi.

Thankfully we don't have such restrictions in Sri Lanka.

We Wanniye people have no water cost anyway  we do have a municipal water supply but we have pipes running from a spring of the nearby mountain which gives free clean spring water, 24/7. In some ways we're damn lucky to be born in Sri Lanka

[iRage]

22 minutes ago, Jor-el said:

Thankfully we don't have such restrictions in Sri Lanka.

We Wanniye people have no water cost anyway  we do have a municipal water supply but we have pipes running from a spring of the nearby mountain which gives free clean spring water, 24/7. In some ways we're damn lucky to be born in Sri Lanka

Yes...but the way things are going one has to wonder for how much longer we can enjoy the beauty of the country and enjoy its natural luxuries.

[Kavvz]

38 minutes ago, Jor-el said:

Thankfully we don't have such restrictions in Sri Lanka.

We Wanniye people have no water cost anyway  we do have a municipal water supply but we have pipes running from a spring of the nearby mountain which gives free clean spring water, 24/7. In some ways we're damn lucky to be born in Sri Lanka

Lucky bugger! This must be in the Kandy area then?

 And ditto on the lucky to be born in SL part. The only issue I have with Sri Lanka are the damn politicians. If only the whole 225 of them could be thrown on a boat and set adrift towards Australia or something, we'd be all set!  

[Jor-el]

33 minutes ago, iRage said:

Yes...but the way things are going one has to wonder for how much longer we can enjoy the beauty of the country and enjoy its natural luxuries.

Agreed 

13 minutes ago, Kavvz said:

Lucky bugger! This must be in the Kandy area then?

Yup Matale 

[Croozer]

On 1/17/2017 at 12:38 AM, Jor-el said:

It's better to wash your car yourself.

• Use 2-bucket method with a grit guard
• Use separate microfiber wash mitts to wash top and bottom parts of the car
• Use a third microfiber towel to dry the car
• Use a fourth microfiber towel to wax the car ( I'm using eagle 1 spray wax )

This way you can avoid swirl marks 100%.

I usually give a touch-less wash using my pressure washer before giving a touch wash as described above. 

Reopening an old post

Can someone explain me what is this 2 bucket method with a grit guard is all about

By the way is it alright to let the car dry on its own naturally or it is important to dry using a towel?

TIA.

[K.o.N.o.S]

Treat your car like your baby. I mean you wouldn't wanna give your baby to someone else to wash him or her for you right? You should have a bond with your car and should be able to take care of her on your own.

[Davy]

15 hours ago, Croozer said:

Reopening an old post

Can someone explain me what is this 2 bucket method with a grit guard is all about

By the way is it alright to let the car dry on its own naturally or it is important to dry using a towel?

TIA.

It's basically using two separate buckets - one for your soapy water (car wash diluted in water), the other for your clean (rinsing) water. A grit guard is a mesh that is placed at the bottom of the buckets so that when you dip the wash cloth in, it doesn't sink all the way to the bottom and capture all the dirt that has sunk to the bottom of the water. See image below:

I personally think the two bucket method is okay if you don't have access to a garden hose. On the other hand, you save a lot of water when using the two bucket method as opposed to using a hose. The important thing is to keep the wash towels free of dirt every time it touches the surface of the car.

As for your question about letting the car dry on it's own, you might end up with water spots all over the car - especially on the windows. In a country like Sri Lanka where it's hot, humid and a bit dusty, you're better off using a clean microfibre towel to wipe the car dry. Water spots - see image below:

Edited January 26, 2018 by Davy

[Magnum]

I first spray water all over the vehicle using the water hose.

Then slow down the water and clean the mud/dirt using my hand( to prevent the body from scratches caused by dirt which get stuck on the cloth) while running the water over the body.

After that I water the body again and apply car wash( I wash my vehicles often so I apply car wash only like once a week)

Finally water the body for the last time and wipe it.

I do keep a different cloth for car wash and for wiping.

[Croozer]

1 hour ago, Davy said:

It's basically using two separate buckets - one for your soapy water (car wash diluted in water), the other for your clean (rinsing) water. A grit guard is a mesh that is placed at the bottom of the buckets so that when you dip the wash cloth in, it doesn't sink all the way to the bottom and capture all the dirt that has sunk to the bottom of the water. See image below:

I personally think the two bucket method is okay if you don't have access to a garden hose. On the other hand, you save a lot of water when using the two bucket method as opposed to using a hose. The important thing is to keep the wash towels free of dirt every time it touches the surface of the car.

As for your question about letting the car dry on it's own, you might end up with water spots all over the car - especially on the windows. In a country like Sri Lanka where it's hot, humid and a bit dusty, you're better off using a clean microfibre towel to wipe the car dry. Water spots - see image below:

Thanks a lot Davy - this is a detailed one from you as usual. Appreciated.

[Croozer]

16 minutes ago, Magnum said:

I first spray water all over the vehicle using the water hose.

Then slow down the water and clean the mud/dirt using my hand( to prevent the body from scratches caused by dirt which get stuck on the cloth) while running the water over the body.

After that I water the body again and apply car wash( I wash my vehicles often so I apply car wash only like once a week)

Finally water the body for the last time and wipe it.

I do keep a different cloth for car wash and for wiping.

Thanks Magnum - I really wanna get used to the habit of washing the ride more frequently just like you cheers!