Drive-through Car Wash
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Springfield, PA
Drive-through Car Wash
Greetings All:
My black '04 SCAB FX4 is looking pretty bad these days owing to all of the salt and dirt from a recent snow. Up to this point, I have always hand-washed the truck. It's a bit too cold to be outside with a hose and bucket at the moment, so I'm wondering about using a drive-through car wash. Do these facilities generally accomodate pick-ups or shoud I avoid them? Thanks.
My black '04 SCAB FX4 is looking pretty bad these days owing to all of the salt and dirt from a recent snow. Up to this point, I have always hand-washed the truck. It's a bit too cold to be outside with a hose and bucket at the moment, so I'm wondering about using a drive-through car wash. Do these facilities generally accomodate pick-ups or shoud I avoid them? Thanks.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
From: CT
If you have a bug deflector or window shades I would advise against using a drive thru car wash as they 'beat' them off.
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh NC
I have a MUCH better way of getting this done. I have a teenage son. He ****ed me off on something the other day and as punishment, he had to clean the truck. That is A LOT of mettle. By the time he was done, the lesson was learned ... that and my truck was REAL clean. 
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 214
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Look for a decent "touchless" car wash. We have a good one around here that does a great job. No swirl marks on the paint, no damage to the bug deflector, antennae or mirrors. Undercarriage wash too!
This one seems to use clean water too. Some just filter the dirty water and leave a dirt film behind.
This one seems to use clean water too. Some just filter the dirty water and leave a dirt film behind.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 851
Likes: 0
I also recommend the "touchless" systems. They accomodate the truck real well and no need to fold in the mirrors. In a pinch they do a darn good job. I just get the basic wash. Best to add the protectors and wax by hand anyways.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: san diego
yea go brushless. i would never go through the regular ones with the spinning rangs go so fast the entire vehicle is always shaking and any pieces of debris on them will be smacking all over your paint.
or you can hire a detailer to get a basic wash. winters pretty slow for them so they might not charge as much.
or you can hire a detailer to get a basic wash. winters pretty slow for them so they might not charge as much.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,977
Likes: 1
From: South Texas
I tried one of those touchless car washes, but it was not big enough for my truck. The arm that goes over the top of the truck did not reach all the way to the middle of the roof and felt an nice straight racing stripe of dirt about a foot wide, other than that it was ok.
