Euro Car Washes, are they really that bad?
- Thread starter MBrennan
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Nickyyy
RMS Regular
Yes
pablo
RMS Moderator
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Nickyyy
RMS Regular
I heard they're not too bad if you leave a tenner on the dash....
Ace_vaux
RMS Regular
Glengormley stopped doing that ages ago ;(
Chris Mac
RMS Regular
They use a strong TFR which strips any polish/wax from the paint that was there. They also use the same mitts for the whole car, rarely clean them then go and do the wheels.
They also power wash the wheels as soon as you go in, high chance of warping a brake disk if you've been doing abit of driving on the way there
They also power wash the wheels as soon as you go in, high chance of warping a brake disk if you've been doing abit of driving on the way there
jimcupra
RMS Regular
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Put it this way I would use a roller car wash before I would let them near my car. I see them every day washing away dropping the stinking mitts on the ground. No rinse straight back onto the panels. I cry when I see something decent in, there was a black 997 turbo in on sat get scratched sorry washed 
...
...There grand if your not into washing/ detailing, It's a £3.50 to a £5er for a wash and leaves your motor clean and looking shiny, (if you squint and don't look up close)
What else would you expect? They aren't complaining, they are rammed everytime you drive past one.
What else would you expect? They aren't complaining, they are rammed everytime you drive past one.
alpha-dog
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the wee plastic thing they use to get the excess water off the car could be dropped on the ground and when they used it, it will scrape the **** out of the car
azzymo
RMS Regular
I can't get my head around some motors you see in these places. If you cared so much about what you're driving to spend 15 or 20k+ on your car how come you don't care how it's looked after and how it's cleaned?
I know cleaning can be a pain and this is a no effort (lazy?) thing to do but even when i didn't have facilities before to wash my cars at home I would have filled up a celebrations tub, lid on, drove to self service car wash and worked away there on my own. A full wash that way cost me £1. 50p to rinse/shampoo then 50p to rinse/wax.
I know cleaning can be a pain and this is a no effort (lazy?) thing to do but even when i didn't have facilities before to wash my cars at home I would have filled up a celebrations tub, lid on, drove to self service car wash and worked away there on my own. A full wash that way cost me £1. 50p to rinse/shampoo then 50p to rinse/wax.
roverspeed
RMS Regular
5th Gear I think it was did a thing where they got 3 identical cars and took 1 to the drive through car wash, 1 to the jet wash and 1 to the typical side of the road Clean ur car for a 5'er set up and then got some detailer guy to check the paint for damage afterwards, results were Win to the CarWash! 2nd to jet Wash and 3rd to guys at the side of the road.
I always clean my car at home only, but the van I always either do in the Car wash or jet wash, tip for the jet wash. If you are using the brush, blast it will the power hose lance to get any crap outta it.
I always clean my car at home only, but the van I always either do in the Car wash or jet wash, tip for the jet wash. If you are using the brush, blast it will the power hose lance to get any crap outta it.
alpha-dog
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maybe because its on finance and theyre gonna give it back after the 3 years anyways?
roverspeed
RMS Regular
yeah thats the one, nice one alpha dog. Actually the hand wash came 2nd, but I think they must have just used a terrible jet Wash
alpha-dog
RMS Regular
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haha i would never take my car to places like that! fs for all its going to take you with a decent wash mitt and drying towel 30mins tops
big_pete
RMS Regular
One bad wash is enough to damage paintwork. Even using mitts, grit guards, foam etc is no guarantee. Technique and proper use of equipment and products is the only way to try and prevent defects
Even though my paint is awful on the civic I'd only ever wash it myself. After I got the corsa resprayed there was no chance of it seeing anything but me washing it. For all it takes to do it yourself it isn't worth the risk if you have decent paint. Even on a crap daily I'd rather do it myself but maybe thats the tight ******* in me that wouldn't pay a fiver for what I could do in a few minutes, and better lol
sloaner
RMS Regular
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- Ballyrobert, the one near Ballyclare
totally agree with Pete here.
I also think that the drying process is almost as important as the wash stages.
Anyone use a leaf blower to dry their car? Drying a car properly in the winter is a nightmare..........
detailguy76
RMS Member
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I tried it but i rekoned it wasn't clean enough, always ended up with a little bit of oily residue from the blower, same wen tried a compressor. Worked ok with a line filter tho.
Shannonsir
RMS Regular
Wouldn't let them near something fresh but if the car is in average condition then let them work away... £3.50 to save myself from frostbite and fishing for my finger tips in a bucket this weather is well worth it... would make more of an effort myself in the better weather months though.
Was he there for the special wash?ask Cooper he is never out of the glengormley one
sloaner
RMS Regular
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- Ballyrobert, the one near Ballyclare
my dad gave me his leaf blower - i turned it on once and decided it was too powerful (if that makes any sense) Im on the look out for one with adjustable power or a way to reduce the air flow. I also had a few thoughts about contaminats like you experienced (sorry - wandering off topic)
as for euro car wash - they probably do a good job for the majority who aren't fussy like us. I guess there is a market for all needs out there.....a bit like cheap burgers etc at the minute.
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