GUILTY- gave in to drive through car wash and touchless car wash..

[vibedrivermatt]

Hello. So I have to admit this winter and a few times last winter I used a touchless car wash and even went through one of those drive through ones. Im fully aware that these are terrible for my cars finish but oh well. My car was dirty I wanted to clean it and it was too cold to go outside and stick my arm in a bucket of soapy water.. Its just a pain to keep the car washed during the winter anyways. I'm noticing you really have to plan it around the weather because even if its slightly wet outside the car gets covered in dirt and road salt on just one drive. It's almost better to let it stay dirty. I thought these car washes are really bad for your finish are they?

[Whelan]

Everyone does it, especially if you live in snowy areas during winter. I'll admit I've used them from time to time, when the temps are 20 or below and it's just too frigin cold. As long as it's kept up in the warmer months you don't lose much going through once in awhile in the winter.

[bull77]

I'm actually due for a touchless wash soon -- my vibe looks more white than blue

[TONY TAT2]

Quote, originally posted by bull77 » -- my vibe looks more white than blue Same here,but Ill waite till spring & do it myself

[BlueCrush]

It's all I have ever done. 5+ years of touchless and softtouch drive thru car washes and my Vibe still looks great! However, I'll be having someone detail it, inside & out, this spring for the first time ever! She'll look brand spannkin' new again.

[DrunkenMonster]

I have had a bad experience going through one of those with a dryer at the end. I had a 93 Bonneville going slow through the dryer and the whole thing landed on my trunk and put a nice crease in it.

[TONY TAT2]

I always wondered since thay recycle the water if thay remove the salt & chemicals or your just getten a salt water/chemical wash !!!

[Wolfman213]

I am HORRIBLE at washing a car so I only go through the touchless car washes. I've tried many times to try and wash the car myself and it looks horrible every time i finish

[lovemyraffe]

I'll admit that I use a drive through car wash.

[Whelan]

The air inlet comes out the drivers side of the top of the engine, then down the side under the hood and does this nifty U-shaped pipe dream to fit snug in front of the wheel all protected. No need to worry unless you have CAI or the intake tube from the supercharger.

[KNINE]

Quote, originally posted by Whelan »Everyone does it, especially if you live in snowy areas during winter. I'll admit I've used them from time to time, when the temps are 20 or below and it's just too frigin cold. As long as it's kept up in the warmer months you don't lose much going through once in awhile in the winter. Isn't that like a sin for detailing guru like you?

[djkeev]

Nope.I haven't ever taken my car through a car wash. That would be about 50 years of hand washing, often multiple cars and trucks.My wife does say that should I die, she will indeed take our car through the car wash.Dave

[vibenvy]

I just took both mine and my mom's Vibes to the Car Wash last night, but I just sprayed them off in one of the self-serve bays. I sprayed them off with plain (warm) water because I heard the soap they have at Car Washes strips the wax off the paint.I can honestly say I have NEVER been through an automatic car wash and I will never go through one.I will be hand washing the Vibes this week/weekend because the temperature is going to get above freezing! As long as the temperature is above freezing and the outside faucet isn't frozen, I hand wash my cars.

[star_deceiver]

Never been through an automatic car wash!And I see little point in wash it more then once or twice per winter as 1 short drive to work and it looks the same as if it had never been washed! Little to no salt is used here.

[ajb812]

Never have used any automatic car washes on the Vibe at least. I've never thought there was an issue with them, provided it was a decent car wash. There's some places I've seen that I would never trust my car to! Always hand washed the Vibe (have used the self-serve bays though) and kept covered too ...

[oriden]

i loive in the country i get those dirty gravel roads plus all the snowy crap to go with it. i like to use those 24/7 coin op car washes!

[vibolista]

In Florida, you are too spoiled. Even during this "tough" Winter you guys had down there, at least it warmed up above freezing during the coldest days. Up here in the thoroughly frozen north, hand washing in Winter is nearly impossible. The water in the hose freezes, even if you use hot water, any water you get on the car freezes right away, and then you freeze as well. To melt snow/ice (and to help keep the car industry alive), our state's road department drops huge amounts of salt on the roads. They also drop plenty of dirt/sand to help drivers without snow tires keep a little traction going. This does two things. First it melts the snow slowly, causing you to drive on a muddy and very slick slurry of muck that, secondly, gets splashed all over your car. The salt attacks your car, especially wheels and suspenssion bits like hungry termites attack soft wood. The sand and dirt sticks to your paint and then, anything that touches your car panels acts like a sand paper sheet. The only solution for us, a touchless car wash when outside temperatures fail to move above freezing. I try to get my Vibe into one of those car wash places at least once a month during the coldest weather. Usually best right after a big snowfall is finally cleared off the roads. Your car will then generally stay clean until the next storm!