Who braves the automatic car washes?

[REZolution]

I’d like to hear opinions and experiences with non-touchless automatic carwashes. We have a growing number of laser washes locally but I’m a bit more concerned with the LC than I was with my Tundra or our Audi Q7.

-Rob

 

[doctorres112]

I’d like to hear opinions and experiences with non-touchless automatic carwashes. We have a growing number of laser washes locally but I’m a bit more concerned with the LC than I was with my Tundra or our Audi Q7.

-Rob

We do, but we also have 4 kids and our free time is....lacking. I used to details cars for a living prior to joining the Army, granted that was almost 16 yrs ago, but I swore I'd never take my cars through a touchless or brush car wash. Now I do it once or twice a month. I can always corrected the hazing/marring that they leave behind, but I've just accepted this as my life for the moment.

Perhaps when my kids get older I'll spend more time on the exterior, but with the pin striping we are getting from the trails, it makes the automated car washed more palatable.

-Chris

 

[UCrazyKid]

When a third of the year the water in my hose is frozen solid and the driveway has snow in it, I run the LX through the car wash once a week to get the road salt off. So yes, I do.

 

[Reckless]

When a third of the year the water in my hose is frozen solid and the driveway has snow in it, I run the LX through the car wash once a week to get the road salt off. So yes, I do.

+1 I'm in Chicago as well. I have to go 2-3 times a week to keep the salt off my truck. My Cruiser is a Bruiser so he doesn't need to look soo prissy and delicate. He just needs to be wiped clean of salt.

 

[zmf]

I never have, but I plan to start. This winter has been salty, and I cringe to think of the damage it's doing just sitting there. Much worse than the car wash, I imagine.

-Z

 

[terdrocket]

I will take mine through just about any car wash, with my Gobi rack. I rarely have or take the time to hand wash.

 

[kevinfoutch]

I detail mine at home with a good sealant (chemical guys jet seal) once a year for a great base coat protection. But I do use the local car wash with hand wash bays (not automatic) to wash off the salt and grime. Then, I drive home, dry in the garage, and finish with chemical guys v07 quick detailer and I’m good to go in these winter months. I find it a good compromise of time and paint care.

 

[mooneywa]

I kind of winced opening this thread thinking I was the only goon to use the auto wash and it was going to be a bunch of people living in Southern California with great car-washing weather and/or tons of time on their hands flaming the idea. Glad to see there's some (or a lot) of folks on here that appreciate a good looking ride but also have real lives!

 

[FatHero]

All the time. Even when the rigs were almost new. Still take my 100 series through a drive-thru, but since I added the snorkel to my 200 I've not tried it.

Anyone here with a snorkel on their rig do the drive through carwash? I'm wondering of the wash will shoot water into the snorkel and then it gets into my intake.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I see the local dealership run everything through the auto wash including rigs with racks and snorkels

 

[drmwvr]

My 200 is white so I use it all the time no problem

 

[Mogwai]

Soapy Joe's here in Southern CA, about $20/month unlimited washes. Cause you know... Gotta get the SAND off!!

I'd say I roll Soapy's once a month, and hand wash and a wax a few times a year.

 

[gearguywb]

Like most here, I use the automatic this time of year to keep the salt/road grime off.

 

[Docboy]

I do, I run it through the dealership's car wash every 2 weeks or so.

When I had my Porsche 911 Turbo, I would always hand wash it to avoid any paint whirls, etc.

With the LX, now that I'm busier with work and kids stuff, I just don't have the time or energy to wash cars by hand anymore. Not to mention the LX is just huge...

 

[Sandroad]

I find the commercial DIY wash faster and using the wand I can pay special attention to those areas I know accumulate gunk/sand/etc. It's only $1.75 per visit. I don't bother with soap because my goal is not a pristine truck, it's to get the salt off. Around here in the winter it's silly to go for pristine, because the roads retain residual gunk in the potholes all season. I hand wash and wax in the spring after the snow is gone.

 

[NCMTNS]

I'll use the car washes. But twice a year I will polish with Liquid Glass. Awesome stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Glass...?srs=2595548011&ie=UTF8&qid=1516725924&sr=8-1

 

[texas]

I do. I go to a Mr. Carwash on Kirby Drive in Houston. I also see Porsches, Land Rovers, Bentleys using the car wash. If its good enough for those type cars, its good enough for my truck! But I do hand wash every once and a while, but only when the weather is warm.

 

[TeCKis300]

We do, but we also have 4 kids and our free time is....lacking. I used to details cars for a living prior to joining the Army, granted that was almost 16 yrs ago, but I swore I'd never take my cars through a touchless or brush car wash. Now I do it once or twice a month. I can always corrected the hazing/marring that they leave behind, but I've just accepted this as my life for the moment.

Perhaps when my kids get older I'll spend more time on the exterior, but with the pin striping we are getting from the trails, it makes the automated car washed more palatable.

-Chris

Likewise! I have an arsenal of detailing supplies and I use to spend hours cleaning my cars in my younger days. With kids and life in the way, I only quickly hand wash my sports car as I won't dare take something of that value through any car wash. So the LX gets the Costco car wash treatment. Fortunately, the paint on the 200-series is great and durable.

Fortunately, I garage park my cars, and have a parking garage at work with a short commute so the cars don't get as dirty quickly.

 

[tominboise]

I take my 200 series and both Porsche’s thru the automatic washes. Don’t have the time anymore to hand wax, etc. in the summer I will use my own pressure washer and hand wash in the driveway.

Like so many things in life, it’s made the ownership experience much more enjoyable if I keep my OCD in check.

 

[SWUtah]

car washes about once every couple weeks and then I take it home and takes about 10 minutes and I spray it down with turtle wax liquid ice wax and use a microfiber towel and it looks brand new keeps most the dirt off for a couple weeks to