Car Wash

[Vincenzo Veyron]

Originally Posted by mrbmwx5

my stays this ways.

given what weve seen of your engine bay, that pic shows a relatively clean X5...for you.
obviously j/k

[chilliwilli]

Considering that your 4.8iS has fender flares...I advise that you go with the touchless car was or just wash yourself if you have the time.

Was in a rush to an out of state gig and made the mistake of going through one of those brush car washes...
http://www.x5world.com/x5-e53-forum/...el-arches.html

[Tomaz]

I've run my car through the car wash at least 40 times a year for the last 5 years. They have spinning brushes and soapy pads they drag across the car. My paint and trim still look like new. For the $12 "basic" wash I get a wash, interior including rear vaccumed, windows inside and out cleaned, and detailed wheels and tires, all hand dried. That would take me 3 hours at home. When I have time once a year, I wax, treat the leather, and treat the interior.

[FSETH]

I agree with everyone that handwashing is best if possible. There are a few things that can go wrong in a drive-thru setting that can potentially mess up your car. Do you have any good hand wash places where you live? I woud use them first and if that is not an option I would then use the touchless ones. It also depends on how obsessive you are about your car. Most people can use drive-thru's and never think twice about it. If you are asking the question, you may be more towards the obsessive side.

I have been forced to find alternatives to hand washing myself and it is driving me crazy. We are under fairly heavy water restrictions here is Georgia becasue of drought conditions. I have not been able to wash my car in my own driveway since last summer!

[rastaFarai]

Originally Posted by Vincenzo Veyron

you might also try some simoniz liquid diamond .

Damn you vince. LOL.

I'm pretty obsessive about the X so I always do touchless. also since I got my 214 rims I just hand wash her, I don't need a reason for them to lock me up :-D

[Vincenzo Veyron]

Originally Posted by rastaFarai

Damn you vince. LOL.

I'm pretty obsessive about the X so I always do touchless. also since I got my 214 rims I just hand wash her, I don't need a reason for them to lock me up :-D

Ok, this will sound dumb but what is a touchless car wash? is that the kind where you can hose it down and soap it up yourself?

stay out of jail until you get those rotors installed!

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Vincenzo Veyron

Ok, this will sound dumb but what is a touchless car wash? is that the kind where you can hose it down and soap it up yourself?

No, that is a wand wash.

A touchless wash is a drive through, usually no track to mark up your wheels, with a moveable carriage that sprays strong soap, water, wax, etc, without ever touching the vehicle. The carriage uses sensors to get close to the vehicle without touching it. No brushes. Some risk of soaps stripping whatever wax you have applied, and in some locales they recycle the water.

[blktoptrvl]

Originally Posted by JCL

No, that is a wand wash.

A touchless wash is a drive through, usually no track to mark up your wheels, with a moveable carriage that sprays strong soap, water, wax, etc, without ever touching the vehicle. The carriage uses sensors to get close to the vehicle without touching it. No brushes. Some risk of soaps stripping whatever wax you have applied, and in some locales they recycle the water.

Also, in many places they dont have enough pressure to actually clean the car, they just take off the top layer of dirt.

[realchef]

Any auto wash using brushes is going to scratch/the worst is the soap brush wand at the corner car wash. Take a look at the other cars there and it speaks for itself.

www.detailersparadise.com has clay and lubricant, cut, polish, S21 Carnauba and the s21 polymer that lasts out to 6 months depending on how often you wash and how aggressive a detergent you use. WET WET WET. Also, they have towels, Leatherique etc. and at a fair price. Something you don't always find shopping for your BMW.

[Vincenzo Veyron]

Originally Posted by rastaFarai

I'm pretty obsessive about the X so I always do touchless.

now that i know what it is, where is the closest touchless car wash to NYC?