New Owner of 2014 SVT

[BAJA1K]

I have been using a touchless laser wash for years now with no problems with my graphics at all. I just have to pull in my mirrors because of the width of the truck. It surprisingly really does a good job.

 

[AlbanyRaptor]

Great to be part of the RAPTOR World!!!

Thanks for the welcome and great feedback on best practices for cleaning and maintaining that sweet appearance. I just love driving the SVT around with the looks of acknowledgement and jealousy - it's awesome.

 

[DrippinRaptor]

I use plenty of drive through car washes. Never had a problem.

 

[adeerchaser]

I use plenty of drive through car washes. Never had a problem.

Just a FYI, had been driving on snow/salt roads, so went to one of those car washes where my truck is moved thru by the chain on the ground. My truck got stuck! After they shut it down and got it out, no damage to truck or tires when jumped chain, they now tell me that has happened before with a Raptor.
I have a local place where they hand wash and hand dry. Now she stays dirty till I get home

 

[jdruzik]

Welcome to the site... I never have used a car wash. I only hand wash using the double bucket method. Enjoy the ride...

 

[The Macf]

Guten Tag

 

[LSBRaptor]

hand wash. if you cannot hand wash use the laser/ touchless car washes to get the salt off. another good option is to use chemical guys ecosmart waterless wash, it cleans and waxes the car quickly.

https://youtu.be/lbGfxCFhuzA they even wash a raptor in this video

 

[AdamsPolishes]

How the heck did I miss this New Member thread that starts off with a question about how to wash a black Raptor?

Epic fail...

Anyway...

Welcome to the forum @AlbanyRaptor!

Congrats on your Raptor!

The best way to wash a vehicle, especially a black one, is by hand with good quality products and tools, along with proper technique.

Now what does that mean? Depends on your definition of what clean is and how you want the exterior to look. If "clean" just means NOT covered in dirt, then your washing regimen would be different then if "clean" also means shiny, in which case more effort, better products/tools and proper technique is required.

Improper washing or using low quality products will result in micro-scratching and swirls, which may not be super-noticeable the first time you wash, but the cumulative effect over multiple washes results in dull-looking paint. This is also evident when the reflection of the sun brings out thousands on swirls and fine scratches that look like spider webs.

Since you asked about automatic car washes, I will say that they are very bad for the paint, since the spinning brushes are typically always dirty, having washed hundreds of vehicles between cleanings. Some of the worst paint I have seen are on vehicles that make weekly trips through the tunnel wash.

While the touch-less car washes may not use brushes, they do use harsh chemicals (since it does have to clean without touching) that are also hard on paint and especially rubber and plastic trim. These harsh chemicals can dry or bleach out plastic and rubber, and also oxidize the clear coat. I have seen vehicles that have trim so bleached-out you would not know that it used to be black.

At the risk of starting an argument or offending people, I will say that anyone who says they use the automatic car wash and doesn't get swirls either has poor eyesight or does not know what a swirl is. But, if you are only looking to get the dirt off, and don't care if the paint ends up dull and swirled, then carry on.

So that leaves the "hand-wash" places. These are really hit-or-miss on the results being harmful for the paint. It all depends on who is washing it, what tools they have, and how fast their boss makes them work. There are good hand-wash places out there, I have seen cars that go to certain ones every week and are still in decent shape, and there are places that can hammer your paint in one visit.

A good example of a bad hand-wash is at my local auto dealer that I used to have service my old truck. I did not use their wash service, but would watch the person, since the wash bay could be seen from the service counter area. The person would use a brush on a pole, and had very bad technique. He would go around the vehicle, but from bottom to top and top to bottom without any rinsing of the brush. Scrubbing the tires on a muddy truck and then going straight to the paint on the upper areas without rinsing the brush is sure to scratch the heck out of it.

Finally, the self-service pay-and-spray is a good option if you can't wash at home, or it is winter, or you need a pressure washer to get the mud off. The tips for these are to NOT use the brush, it is likely dirty and can even be full of sand or gravel. Only use the RINSE option with the wand, to avoid the harsh soaps and other chemicals. The better option is to bring your own buckets and a good quality, pH neutral car shampoo (not dish detergent), and your own wash mitt that is clean and properly cared for. Then use some good technique to keep your paint in good shape.

To make cleaning easier, a layer of protection with a sealant or wax helps make the dirt come off with less scrubbing, and the sealant or wax will also help prevent oxidation of the clear coat.

If your goal is to have paint that looks better than new, a machine polishing is needed, along with some sealant and/or wax to add more depth and shine.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Dan

 

[TheWolf]

hand wash. if you cannot hand wash use the laser/ touchless car washes to get the salt off. another good option is to use chemical guys ecosmart waterless wash, it cleans and waxes the car quickly.

https://youtu.be/lbGfxCFhuzA they even wash a raptor in this video

In my opinion, a truck with the level of dirt shown in that video is going to get scratches during a waterless wash. The poor technique he uses in the video, going back and forth across the dirtiest area with the same side of the towel, will result in scratches. Maybe not big sratches, but micro-scratches that make the paint look dull. Waterless washing is best for light dust, anything more than that should be rinsed off with a hose before touching the paint, if possible.

Now, there are areas with water restrictions that prevent hose washing at home, so waterless washing can be the only option. However, find the videos that show better technique, like rolling the towel as you wipe so as to not rub the dirt into the paint, and switching to a clean side after each pass. Another option is to do a rinseless wash, which involves using multiple, wet/sudsy towels that are discarded once dirty.

Also, there is very little wax in these spray-type products, and the amount of "protection" is really negligible.

 

[str8fast]

You shouldn't own a raptor if your worried about washing it....but hey the gen 2 is almost out so wth welcome


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