Touchless Car Wash - MB says don't use them
02-13-2014, 04:50 PM
#26
We're all individuals.
I don't hand wash my car. Just not something I'm interested in doing. I also didn't pay anything extra for "nicer" paint. Basic black was fine for me.
On the other hand, I got all the "cool" tech features. I get enjoyment out of them. Not so much paint.
I don't hand wash my car. Just not something I'm interested in doing. I also didn't pay anything extra for "nicer" paint. Basic black was fine for me.
On the other hand, I got all the "cool" tech features. I get enjoyment out of them. Not so much paint.
02-13-2014, 09:30 PM
#27
Senior Member
Something I noticed at a few touchless washes is that the soap chemical kind of discolors the black trim around the door windows. If you use a spray detailer or gentle spray wax on this surface, it seems to bring the color back. My local dealer operated soft brush wash doesn't do this.
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biker349 (09-26-2022)
There not good enough to upload, too many swirls??
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biker349 (09-26-2022)
02-13-2014, 10:31 PM
#30
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2004.7 C180 Kompressor, BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro LT, Mercedes S, Cesna 152.
What I use in *OZ, combined with hand waxing / machine buffing.
*Splash Car Washes Australia.
Unlike virtually all other car washes in Adelaide, Splash does not use precious drinking water or recycled tap water to wash vehicles. We extract clean water from our on-site bore then further treat it with Reverse Osmosis units & Carbon Filters. This guarantees that only the cleanest, chemical & mineral free water combined with Autoglym biodegradable detergents & non silicone based waxes is used to pamper your vehicles. No corrosive chemicals. No Chlorine. No Salt. No harmful bacteria breeding in recycled water tanks. It’s better for your car, better for the environment & it’s safer for staff & customers alike.
*Splash Car Washes Australia.
Unlike virtually all other car washes in Adelaide, Splash does not use precious drinking water or recycled tap water to wash vehicles. We extract clean water from our on-site bore then further treat it with Reverse Osmosis units & Carbon Filters. This guarantees that only the cleanest, chemical & mineral free water combined with Autoglym biodegradable detergents & non silicone based waxes is used to pamper your vehicles. No corrosive chemicals. No Chlorine. No Salt. No harmful bacteria breeding in recycled water tanks. It’s better for your car, better for the environment & it’s safer for staff & customers alike.
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biker349 (09-26-2022)
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biker349 (09-26-2022)
02-14-2014, 08:34 AM
#32
MBWorld Fanatic!
I hand wash, weather permitting....and never use brush washes....always touchless..never had an issue...I have c quartz finest protectant....honestly if the car was not black I would use whatever wash was handy 
02-14-2014, 11:34 PM
#34
Park Place Motorcars and Sewell in Texas both have an expensive car wash system in their dealerships so I heard. I never actually watched my car get washed but I believe it's not by brush. I might have to verify this later on sometime.
02-14-2014, 11:38 PM
#35
MBWorld Fanatic!
The swirls on the car are like round or orbital "texture" on the paint or the clear coat. How do you think these form?
To my knowledge no automatic car wash with brushes or hanging strips make round or orbital movement on car surface. I don't see how swirl marks would come from the automated car washing machines.
But, I do see how they can happen when hand washing and especially hand waxing and polishing the car as it uses exactly the movement that could produce swirl marks during the process. To not have swirl marks the polishing has to be done so very carefully. I don't have time for this as I wash my car twice a week in summer time. No way in he'll to do it by hand. And the thouchless washes don't do a good job other than if the car has only dry dust on it.
Seems a lot of the members bought the car just to look nice on the drive way. I bought it to drive.
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biker349 (09-26-2022)
02-15-2014, 04:13 AM
#36
Ok, my comment and question here.
The swirls on the car are like round or orbital "texture" on the paint or the clear coat. How do you think these form?
To my knowledge no automatic car wash with brushes or hanging strips make round or orbital movement on car surface. I don't see how swirl marks would come from the automated car washing machines.
But, I do see how they can happen when hand washing and especially hand waxing and polishing the car as it uses exactly the movement that could produce swirl marks during the process. To not have swirl marks the polishing has to be done so very carefully. I don't have time for this as I wash my car twice a week in summer time. No way in he'll to do it by hand. And the thouchless washes don't do a good job other than if the car has only dry dust on it.
Seems a lot of the members bought the car just to look nice on the drive way. I bought it to drive.
The swirls on the car are like round or orbital "texture" on the paint or the clear coat. How do you think these form?
To my knowledge no automatic car wash with brushes or hanging strips make round or orbital movement on car surface. I don't see how swirl marks would come from the automated car washing machines.
But, I do see how they can happen when hand washing and especially hand waxing and polishing the car as it uses exactly the movement that could produce swirl marks during the process. To not have swirl marks the polishing has to be done so very carefully. I don't have time for this as I wash my car twice a week in summer time. No way in he'll to do it by hand. And the thouchless washes don't do a good job other than if the car has only dry dust on it.
Seems a lot of the members bought the car just to look nice on the drive way. I bought it to drive.
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biker349 (09-26-2022)
02-15-2014, 06:14 AM
#37
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2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 (luxury)
Swirls are almost never in the paint, they are in the clear coat and most aren't actually swirls. They appear that way because that is how the light is reflected. Similar to the circular shapes reflected off or through glass. Waxing can help fill in the micro-abrasions in the clear coat and help prevent further damage to the clear coat. Both brush and high-pressure washes will make the micro-abrasions in the clear coat. I HIGHLY recommend you guard against using a power buffer too often because it can/does remove a very thin layer of the clear coat every time. A micro-fiber cloth or chamois will does less damage than cotton, because cotton is far more fibrous.
How do I know this? I detailed cars for four years (5-10 a week) as I worked my way through college many moons ago. With all that practice, let's just say I got really good at it.
How do I know this? I detailed cars for four years (5-10 a week) as I worked my way through college many moons ago. With all that practice, let's just say I got really good at it.
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02-15-2014, 09:48 AM
#38
Junior Member
Swirls are almost never in the paint, they are in the clear coat and most aren't actually swirls. They appear that way because that is how the light is reflected. Similar to the circular shapes reflected off or through glass. Waxing can help fill in the micro-abrasions in the clear coat and help prevent further damage to the clear coat. Both brush and high-pressure washes will make the micro-abrasions in the clear coat. I HIGHLY recommend you guard against using a power buffer too often because it can/does remove a very thin layer of the clear coat every time. A micro-fiber cloth or chamois will does less damage than cotton, because cotton is far more fibrous.
How do I know this? I detailed cars for four years (5-10 a week) as I worked my way through college many moons ago. With all that practice, let's just say I got really good at it.
How do I know this? I detailed cars for four years (5-10 a week) as I worked my way through college many moons ago. With all that practice, let's just say I got really good at it.
09-26-2022, 02:47 PM
#39
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2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
I close the valve to my two exterior hose spouts in late November and they stay off until late March or early April. I could certainly turn them on temporarily when the weather is reasonable, even a little below freezing, to wash my car in the driveway, but I find it a little more convenient to do one of the following during the winter months:
- visit a touchless car wash that ends with a spot free rinse (down the street)
- visit a wash bay that accepts credit cards and bring wheel cleaner, sometimes my own soap and bucket, and my own drying cloth (a couple miles away)
Just curious, who lives in a cooler climate or otherwise has to wash their pride & joy away from the house at times? I find the wash bay convenient. The touchless automatic washes I've been to just don't do nearly enough to really get the salt and grit off the paint; I find myself getting some additional "stuff" off with a microfibre drying towel after the fact. The wash bay ends up being less expensive per wash *and* you can direct high pressure wherever you want using the hose.
As far as traditional car washes, I don't go near them - the used E-class I have seems to have been to one too many, as there's clearly paint swirl on the black paint I need to fix this spring.
- visit a touchless car wash that ends with a spot free rinse (down the street)
- visit a wash bay that accepts credit cards and bring wheel cleaner, sometimes my own soap and bucket, and my own drying cloth (a couple miles away)
Just curious, who lives in a cooler climate or otherwise has to wash their pride & joy away from the house at times? I find the wash bay convenient. The touchless automatic washes I've been to just don't do nearly enough to really get the salt and grit off the paint; I find myself getting some additional "stuff" off with a microfibre drying towel after the fact. The wash bay ends up being less expensive per wash *and* you can direct high pressure wherever you want using the hose.
As far as traditional car washes, I don't go near them - the used E-class I have seems to have been to one too many, as there's clearly paint swirl on the black paint I need to fix this spring.
As for touchless, they use very strong chemicals and I would never use one of those for any of my vehicles.
09-26-2022, 05:36 PM
#40
My car is ceramic coated, so it cleans up nicely using a DIY wash bay. I just bring a 1 gallon pump sprayer with my Carpro Reset solution already mixed up, and after spraying off any loose dirt with the high pressure rinse I spray on the Carpro Reset and agitate with a wash mitt, then rinse again and dry. Ends up being a $4 wash compared to the $15+ the automatic washes now cost.
Most of the DIY wash bays have signs posted prohibiting the use of buckets, wash mitts, etc but as long as you go during off-peak times and there isn't a lineup they don't usually care.
The chemicals used in touchless washes are very strong and will strip wax and sealants after a couple of washes. The "pre soak" treatment in most DIY wash bays is probably also something to avoid for the same reason. Those chemicals will even degrade a ceramic coating, or at the very least because they don't actually clean very well you'll end up with a layer of traffic film bonded to the coating, ruining the hydrophobic properties.
Most of the DIY wash bays have signs posted prohibiting the use of buckets, wash mitts, etc but as long as you go during off-peak times and there isn't a lineup they don't usually care.
The chemicals used in touchless washes are very strong and will strip wax and sealants after a couple of washes. The "pre soak" treatment in most DIY wash bays is probably also something to avoid for the same reason. Those chemicals will even degrade a ceramic coating, or at the very least because they don't actually clean very well you'll end up with a layer of traffic film bonded to the coating, ruining the hydrophobic properties.
Last edited by Andre91; 09-26-2022 at 05:42 PM.
09-29-2022, 08:11 AM
#41
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2012 E550 sedan 2019 E63 Wagon
Been using touchless since day one, car looks like new 117k miles. Hand washes monthly, and ceramic coat spray on both touchless and manual washes. Still looks like new. Maybe my special order color is better resisting chemicals.
09-29-2022, 09:08 AM
#42
I've used both and the touchless has been a waste of money. Car is just as dirty afterwards. Never had an issue with the brushes. Only complaint I have is that it sometimes tweaks my license plate since I use a tow hook mount. Otherwise, its cleans the car better than brushless. Im sure there are swirls but it's not a show car and if the paint was immaculate, I'd never want to take it out of the garage.
