Touchless Automatic Car Wash - paint damage?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 96
From: Northeast USA
AMG CLE 53
Touchless Automatic Car Wash - paint damage?
The W205 owners manual (page 243) says:
"Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless Automatic Car Wash as these use special cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can damage the paintwork or plastic parts."
Does this apply to all car washes that don't use cloth or brushes? I've always used Touchless washes to avoid potential damage from dirt embeded in the cloth or brushes of contact washes.
Are all Touchless washes the same and do they use the same chemicals?
I've had my C400 for a week and it needs to be cleaned.
"Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless Automatic Car Wash as these use special cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can damage the paintwork or plastic parts."
Does this apply to all car washes that don't use cloth or brushes? I've always used Touchless washes to avoid potential damage from dirt embeded in the cloth or brushes of contact washes.
Are all Touchless washes the same and do they use the same chemicals?
I've had my C400 for a week and it needs to be cleaned.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,822
Likes: 33
From: Whitefield, NH
2015 C300 Sport: Palladium, Premium, Multimedia, Leather, BLIS
I've never had any damage from touchless car washes, and I've used them on many cars for many years.
I think MB is just covering their butt in case you ever do see problems with the finish or trim. And how exactly would they be able to prove that you did use a car wash ... and that is what caused the damage?
During the long winter months, is it better to leave your car encrusted in salt than to take it through a car wash?
I think MB is just covering their butt in case you ever do see problems with the finish or trim. And how exactly would they be able to prove that you did use a car wash ... and that is what caused the damage?
During the long winter months, is it better to leave your car encrusted in salt than to take it through a car wash?
Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
2015 C400 4matic W205
How would you get swirl marks from a "touchless" wash? You usually get swirl marks from dirt on rags and brushes in a traditional wash. The only risk of a touchless wash is if the soap products the washing machine uses has a reaction with the paint... Doubt It would be worse than what you would use for a hand-wash. The bad thing about a touchless wash is that it doesn't clean as well and often leaves watermarks (depending on the paint colour).
Last edited by jbbeauso; Sep 28, 2014 at 04:35 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,073
Likes: 85
From: San Francisco, CA
2017 E300
Also all commercial car washes reuse the water from previous washes and just filters it. If the car wash doesn't change out the filters or if they don't have good ones, the recycled water with bits of dirt are being hurled at your car in high pressure.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 562
Likes: 43
.
How would you get swirl marks from a "touchless" wash? You usually get swirl marks from dirt on rags and brushes in a traditional wash. The only risk of a touchless wash is if the soap products the washing machine uses has a reaction with the paint... Doubt It would be worse than what you would use for a hand-wash. The bad thing about a touchless wash is that it doesn't clean as well and often leaves watermarks (depending on the paint colour).
And I agree it wouldn't be worse than a hand-wash. My fault!
Trending Topics
Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
2015 C400 4matic W205
A proper handwash with a good two bucket system and rinsing materials after each application to avoid build up of dirt debris is quite time consuming. For a lot of people in colder climates it is impossible to do during a large part of the year (especially when you are 6 feet deep in snow and your water pipes are frozen). I personally think a touchless wash is a pretty good option in those situations.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Mercedes C-300 4MAtic 2015
The manual says: 'Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless Automatic Car Wash as these use special cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can damage the paintwork or plastic parts.'
But here in Canada and I guess also in the North East US, it is difficult to hand wash your car in this weather and you want to get out the dirt and salt from your car.
Is it preferable then to use a carwash with brushes or a car wash that does it by hand? I would have thought that those two options would give more swirls...
Stan, what do you do to keep your car clean in this dirty winter weather?
Any input by fellow Canadians?
But here in Canada and I guess also in the North East US, it is difficult to hand wash your car in this weather and you want to get out the dirt and salt from your car.
Is it preferable then to use a carwash with brushes or a car wash that does it by hand? I would have thought that those two options would give more swirls...
Stan, what do you do to keep your car clean in this dirty winter weather?
Any input by fellow Canadians?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,822
Likes: 33
From: Whitefield, NH
2015 C300 Sport: Palladium, Premium, Multimedia, Leather, BLIS
If you want to wash my car in sub-zero F temperatures, you're welcome to try.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Modern Chemical touchless car washes work well & won't damage paint & trim. They do however tend to react with some plated parts where plating contains zinc. They can also strip certain protective waxes from door interiors etc over time.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 911
Likes: 22
From: Ottawa, Canada
2014 C63 507, 2012 R350
I always go through automated washes with brushes, most of these washes with brushes keep spinning to spin off the dirt from their brushes, I go to a higher end one where the actual brushes are sprayed. I went with my black C63 and it had some swirls, but I wax the car twice a year anyways. i'd rather that than damaging the paint or clearcoat.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
B200T
I've been washing all my cars with both touchless and on occasion softcloth.
I know about the swirl marks that the softcloth causes over time, but sometimes you have just too much dirt for the touchless to handle.
The only adverse effect is the yellowing of the applied 3M protective film on my car (at least that's what the guy that i). He suggested to use a highly diluted acetone/water mix once in a while to remove the yellowing, but I never confirmed this.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Things like Benz wheel lug bolts can develop a fluffy white deposit & I've noticed cars like Australian Holdens that use a zinc plated bolt to attach the windscreen wiper arms corrode.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
I always have my cars coated with long life polymer sealant like Auto Armor when new. Then pressure wash before hand wash. Never suffer swirls with this regime. I never polish my cars in the traditional sense. Nothing sticks with Auto Armor including bird crap. Glasurit, Sikkens & Spies Hecker tech guys will all tell you to preserve the nano clear coat skin at all costs. The minute you micro scratch the clearcoat surface maintenance becomes an ongoing chore. These are not the comments the detailing industry likes to hear of course.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Feb 24, 2015 at 08:03 AM.
Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
From: Boston, MA
2015 C300 Luxury
Boston based here. (You guys in Canada do pay like 50% more for your cars, so maybe your dealers are better).
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 480
Likes: 33
From: Waterloo, Ontario Canada
C300 4Matic Tenorite Grey
My last Land Rover and current Mercedes Dealer both use automatic car washes. It's very obvious when they ask me if I want to run my car through the car wash when I pick it up.
Boston based here. (You guys in Canada do pay like 50% more for your cars, so maybe your dealers are better).
Boston based here. (You guys in Canada do pay like 50% more for your cars, so maybe your dealers are better).
Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 199
Likes: 2
From: Midwest
2015 C 300
I wonder if it's a Canada vs. US thing, or at least a dealer specific thing. The Lexus and MB dealers around me definitely just send it through a normal car wash. With my seat bleeding issue they did do a full detail as a nice gesture.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 393
Likes: 25
From: S. Ca.
2015 C300, 2015 F-350 Platinum, 1969 Mach 1 428cj, 2007 Roadking
Our dealer does hand washes on every car coming in and also offers free washes for however long you own the car if you bought it from them.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,351
Likes: 90
From: Germantown, MD/Rehoboth Beach, DE
2024 GLS450
My dealer has a carwash.
In college, I worked in the service department of a Saturn dealer as a detailer. We handwashed customer cars... upwards of 100 a day. I don't think that water got changed out at all on average... oh God the swirls.
2 bucket method with grit guards and a boar's hair brush is the only route for me. Sold my 9 year old Saturn VUE when I ordered my C250... ran and drove like garbage, but not a single swirl.
In college, I worked in the service department of a Saturn dealer as a detailer. We handwashed customer cars... upwards of 100 a day. I don't think that water got changed out at all on average... oh God the swirls.
2 bucket method with grit guards and a boar's hair brush is the only route for me. Sold my 9 year old Saturn VUE when I ordered my C250... ran and drove like garbage, but not a single swirl.
