Auto car wash for the day to day washing

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shigman

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Yeah ill hand wash a car, usually to avoid breaking the deadly sins of sports car ownership. But Ill be damned if I’m going to spend hours on this truck all to end up with more water spots than I had before.
 

Sharpie69

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I signed up for the monthly membership car wash about 7 years ago, right after I received the Raptor, one of the best things I've done, it's a quality wash and convenient.
The only problem I have had, was leaving the auto wipers on, I've never used them since.
 

NinjaRaptor

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If you can do any autowash, I would go with a touchless. I autowashed my MB GLE - black in color and had it was 3 times a week... I will tell you the crazy amount of swirls it had from the autowash. If you plan on auto washing your raptor don't even waste your time getting it Ceramic coated etc... the autowash uses acidic products on purpose to get your raptor really clean and that wash will strip every thing off.
 

CleverGirl_

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If you can do any autowash, I would go with a touchless. I autowashed my MB GLE - black in color and had it was 3 times a week... I will tell you the crazy amount of swirls it had from the autowash. If you plan on auto washing your raptor don't even waste your time getting it Ceramic coated etc... the autowash uses acidic products on purpose to get your raptor really clean and that wash will strip every thing off.
This. That acidic soap is brutal.


Also, can we see the supra?
 

Keith88

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I'm gonna share this to see if I'm "special"

I take all my vehicles through a Bluebird automated car wash once a week and I get just the basic wash. All of them are white. After the wash I use their vacuums, air hose and mat washer. I then dry the vehicle off, blow out all the nooks and crannies, treat the trim with a specific product (every other wash) and proceed to use a detailer inside n out, spray the wheel wells and suspension with Giots and clean the wheels by hand with the appropriate products.

Then after winter I will do a full one step paint correction.. maybe a 2 if it calls for it, steam clean the interior, underside and engine bay followed by "ceramic coating" inside and out.

Buuuuuuuut I've had 3 chains turn me away at multiple locations because I'm too wide. Bluebirds in Idaho are the only ones that take me. I still have to fold the mirrors though.
 

MDJAK

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I have the best of both worlds. Nearby an awesome gun store is a hand wash. Owned by a disabled vet who lost a leg. On the coldest days this fine specimen of a man is in shorts, his prosthesis on full display, on his hands and knee cleaning the mats and then the rest of the truck for 50 bucks. Takes him
About an hour while I’m shopping for guns etc. hardest working gentleman I’ve seen.
 

RollTigers

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I’m tempted to do a ceramic coat of some sort and then do the spray booths with minimal use if any of the brush.
Be careful if you’re gonna ceramic coat then take it to a car wash.

Everything I’ve read and have been told that after you ceramic coat your vehicle, you need to make sure the shampoo is close to a zero ph shampoo or it can eventually lessen the amount of years of protection from the ceramic. I’ve switched everything over to a zero ph shampoo for my 2 cars. I’ll NEVER run my vehicle through a brushed car wash. The spiderweb swirls the brush’s leave from other vehicles dirt is terrible. I’d only use a laser brushless wash if my vehicles weren’t ceramic coated but they are. No light scratches or swirls on my cars!
 
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