does anyone take theirs to a automatic "touch free" car wash where there isnt any brushes or sponges that touch the car?

any downsides of this?

im only asking because sometimes i wont be able to get it hand washed

also anyone have any information on waxing? how often do you do it?

 

Without touching the car, you're leaving the majority of the heavy (and damaging) elements on the paint. Invest in a few buckets with grit guards, some quality microfiber cloths, and a can of Optimum No Rinse. All it takes is 1 hour a week (make it 1.5 hours if you finish it off with a detailer) and a few gallons of water.

Depending on how much rain you get, clay bar and wax the car every 4-6 months. Takes just a few hours.

 

So far I got away doing it in a DIY box using high pressure foam and carefully brushing with a waterbrush the underbody only.
Then rinse with demineralized water and a verry quick drive to dry.

I do not want to get into those brushless machines because of the wax (and the star)coming off.

I noticed there is a lot of rubber sealings around the doors etc and I threat that with special plastic and rubber care from Autoglym(not sure if you get that in the US; but surely there is an equivalent)
Same for the windows I have a special fast glass from the same brand.

For the interiour vacuuming first,then I use microfiber cloth for the wood and a special moist cloth from Tork for the seats and upholstery etc.

The engine I keep clean with that 'plastic and rubber stuff' as well.

 

If you want keep your car looking good, i recommed you use Meguiars products.
Step 1 : Wash the car with Megs' Ultimate Wash & Wax Shampoo by using Microfiber Wash Mitt
Step 2: Wipe it with microfibre towel
Step 3 : Spray Megs Ultimate Quik Wax to your car, wait 3-4 minutes and wipe the car with Supreme Shine Microfibre towel. Done.

It will maintain your car's paint protection and will give show car look every time.

 

For regular car washes, I go almost weekly to the automatic touch free wash. I hand dry it with a high quality bath towel. It gets detailed every 6 months by my professional with a multi step polish and sealant treatment. Keeps it looking like the prettiest S Class in town. I used to use Meguirs products, whatever their top end range was at the time of detailing. But with family and work I don't have the time anymore.

You shouldn't be too afraid of a touch less automatic provided you do some heavier cleaning maintenance periodically. If it leaves any sort of spotting, walk away. Otherwise, IMHO, it's a good option. Try to take good care of the wheels. I always wash mine inside and out each washing.

Oh, and my detailer does a clay bar pass first. I think that step is CRUCIAL.

 

If you have one to two layers of sealant or wax on the car, it will be gone if you go through those non-touch machines.

HOWEVER, I still think it's better to go through the no-touch machines than those horrible "hand" car washes where the people working there scrub contaminants from their fake wool mitts onto your car and impart swirls into your paint with their linty, dried up kitchen towels.

I used to take my car to the 100% hand car washes but my car eventually looked horrible because of all the swirls and scratches from their towels and mitts, which were usually dropped on the floor and then picked right up and pressed against my paint ALSO, those hand car washes and no-touch mechanical ones use ACIDIC shampoos, which eventually turn your wheel lug bolts rust-colored and damage the rubber around your car! ACIDIC cleaners on your precious S-class is a no-no!

That being said, here's a few notes I should share with you to make sure you keep your paint sealed and protected.

First, wash your car using a 2 bucket method (look this up on the internet, you'll find out what it is if you don't already) with Chemical Guys shampoo (preferably, since most of their shampoos strip away old waxes without harming the paint in comparison to stuff like Dawn). If you want to get the most out of your wax or sealant, DONT use a "Wash & Wax." Try not to use MF wash mitts (especially from Meguiar's) since the quality isn't so great and the fibers can scratch your paint. Use a premium mitt like the "rethickulous" merino wool wash mitt sold by Detailed Image (around 35 dollars, I think; off the top of my head) or a sheepskin wash mitt ($9-$12, I think)

Second, dry your car using a premium waffle weave drying towel (available at Detailed Image, Detailer's Domain, Autogeek, places like that). This will keep swirls to a minimum.

Now, clay your car using a light-medium clay bar to avoid as little marring as possible (I don't care what people say, clay bars do scratch! That's why they come in different "hardness" types). Use Optimum No Rinse for the lubricant (make sure to dilute it in a spray bottle).

Then, wipe down the car with 50/50 isopropyl alcohol/water to remove the residue from the clay or just rinse the car and re-dry.

OK, now to the wax or sealant. The best thing you can do for your car to protect it from the elements is put on a sealant. Why a sealant instead of a wax? Well, waxes are natural ingredient derived while sealants are artificial waxes. This means that sealants usually have stronger, modified polymers in them, which cross link together on your paint to create a solid UV and element protectant barrier. Sealants also last longer so you don't have to go through the rigorous process above so often. Also, if a bird poops on your car, it will become embedded in the wax and clear coat while this doesn't happen with a sealant as often.

Sealants are applied just like waxes, so what I recommend is Blackfire Wet Diamond, Zaino Z-5, Zaino Clear Seal, or Opti-Seal. Apply with a foam applicator pad or by a dual action polisher. These sealants protect against the elements for months and make an ultra-slick finish with great durability. If you want the easiest to apply and remove sealant, go with Blackfire! It's great. Apply and let haze, then remove with a QUALITY microfiber, like the "Rethickulous" towel from Detailed Image or similar.
ALWAYS use Korean microfiber, never Chinese ones! Most Microfiber sold OTC or in cheap multi-packs are horrible and bad for your paint...TRUST ME!

After you apply Blackfire, you can top it off after 12 hours or so or the next time you wash your car with a wax, like Dodo Juice, P21S, or Natty's Blue Paste Wax.

Now, when you wash your car again, what I recommend is spraying the paint while it's wet with some Ultimate Quik Wax and wiping dry, otherwise known as waxing-as-you-dry lol. This will maintain the shine and polymers in the sealant below (even though Ultimate Quik Wax is also a sealant since it is artificial wax) and give it a slick finish!

GOOD LUCK! Happy detailing

 

Here's a quote from the Owner's Manual:

"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."

Regards,
Don

 

I've also seen excellent results after using Optimum Instant Detailer and Gloss Enhancer when drying after the wash. I used to have to wash almost right after the rain to prevent water spotting, but now I can leave it at least until the weekend with no problems.

I apply Optimum Car Wax every 2 months and Sealant every 6 months. I also do a pass with Meguiar's M205 every 1.5-2 years to remove the micromarring that is inevitable no matter how careful you wash the car. When buying a used car, I would start with M205 before applying the sealer to get the paint to the right condition first.

 

Holy crap I did not thing it would take so much time and effort...

Does anyone recommend turtle wax or something?

Where can I take it to get washed? I don't want to wash it the day after it rains either...

 

It all depends on how good you want the car to look. Many people have no problem driving a W221 with horrible buffer trails and they probably don't even notice them. Black or red paint looks awesome when taken care of, but requires tons more effort to keep pristine than, say, silver.

I wash the car myself with Optimum No Rinse inside the garage. Takes about 3-4 gallons of water.

 

Nice write up and I second all that you have written. Long story short; there is no quick and dirty way to keep your paint looking good. I have several MB's and one of them is black. I now understand the saying "Black is not a color , it's a part time job". Thanks for the write up.

 

crap, i was hoping some sort of product is out there where you can attach to a water hose and wash like that?

 

Dude, no offense, but it seems like you're searching for a quick way out. For true detailers, there is no such thing. And, since I have a wife and a young family, I don't have time to be a part-time detailer anymore. Especially since I'd have 3 cars, and if we followed the process outlined above, I might as well close my company and work out of my garage full time. It's a never-ending pursuit because you drive the car, right? If you bought it to "show" it, different story. I'm in the market for a Ferrari now too, and if I can stick to my own guidelines, then rules be damned. I'm not a "Concours" kind of guy.

Just get the damn thing detailed by a professional periodically and keep it clean on your own. My professional detailer says it's OK to use select washes in my town as long as I'm not going through the rotating brushes. Bottom line: does it look good to you? If so, job done. If not, go make it right. Jesus. You could be at it forever if you're a perfectionist.

As for attaching to a hose, there have been and may still be some. But they suck, so be prepared for that. Amaycg has dictated a very good process, but it might not fit your lifestyle (does not fit with mine). I do agree with his post about "hand" car washes. I've never gone to one, and never plan to. I'll also take a touchless rinse wash over that any day. It's good advice to stay away from rotating brushes.

Turtle wax... you're gonna get flamed for that man!

 

lol, thanks for the post.

i always took my range rover though the touchless washer, but i read on here that the soaps are really bad for the paint/rubber,etc...

i guess i can wash it myself at home, and take it to an automatic touch free place to get a rinse and dry....

i think thats my best option