automatic car wash- will it scratch

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Hemipower95

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Will an automatic car wash scratch my paint? (Its a new truck)I like to wash by hand, but my truck picks up dirt really fast, and i like to have it clean. I know it might not make a really noticeable scratch, but just wondering.
 

sbarron

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I like to wash by hand as well, but in Alaska in the winter that's not an option. Go to a touchless and you'll be fine.
 

Mineralram

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Stay out of the scratch and dent washes, i wash by hand or only go thru touchless washes

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Farmer Fran

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Go Touchless and you will be fine...

Problems I have noticed (at least in my area)...

-The "special wax/polishes" they put on the truck might mess with your auto wipers (if you have them)
-They do not do a great job only a decent job. I have tried 5 in my area only only 1 is remotely worth it
-I love the under carriage blast for removing road salt and debris, especially before an oil change.
-
 

Brian_Ram

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More than likely it will not scratch your paint. However, it will scratch your clear coat. Even hand washing can do that. That's what swirls are. I am pretty meticulous about how I wash and wax my vehicles. Hand wash and a good sealant before winter. If I cant hand wash in the winter I only use touchless washes with undercarriage but no polish or wax.
 

BigRed4x4

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Always touchless. The only do it yourself car wash within 15 miles of me ends up costing me $10.00 at minimum and that's when I'm rushing so I don't run out of time. I swear 1 minute is more like 30-40 seconds.

9 out of 10 times I wash by hand in the summer. The closest gas station gives you .10 off a gallon of gas when you buy a car wash so I look at like it's a win win during the winter.
 

RAMblin1217

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It won't scratch the paint but will leave swirl marks like crazy. If you have a machine polisher, then do it at risk and fix the swirls when it warms up. I will never take my vehicles through them, especially after seeing the way the previous owner of my truck treated it...worst swirls ever.
 

7777xm

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I've never really had issues with automatic car washes. Over time, they may leave swirl marks, but you see that on 99% of the cars out there. There's a few here that are pretty **** about their swirl marks but most of us have them.

One thing I recommend doing before going through the automatic car washes is beef up your third brake light gasket. I have a theory that people that use automatic car washes or pressure washers destroy the OEM junk gasket and could lead to water leaks down the road.

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RodRam

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touchless only works to blow the big dirt off, when your done the road film from raining is still there I also found the high price touchless put some kind of wax crap liquid on that makes my windshield look filmy at night if raining, I'm done if I go now its just the cheap wash with no wax. I might run thru a regular wash at some point.
 

Pull Ya

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I refer to the drive thru car washes as "tunnels of destruction". A touchless is the most preferred if you have to use a car wash, but the ones with the brushes will, without a doubt leave swirls and some small scratches in your finish. You can "correct" your paint by using a polish and an orbital buffer before you seal and wax again. I understand that some circumstances can't be helped, but just realize that anytime you have a brush rotate on your paint, it's going to leave either swirls or scratches. There are some really really soft type brushes but I don't think you will find them in a commercial car wash.
Jay
 

xrsman

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I wish I could go through touchless..lifted truck probs lol

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Informal

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Touchless carwashes are only good for getting the first layer or two of mud off, which makes washing your driveway off easier when you give it a proper bath.

YMMV
 

THETANK

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I am allergic to any carwash other than me doing it by hand, oh so are my vehicles. My wife's vehicles, well that is another story.
 

02Steve15

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I power wash the under carriage in the winter then i run it through the car wash once a week. Ill wax it in the spring which will take car of the swirls. I care more about the underbody in the winter so im not so picky about the body until spring and summer. In the summer i wash it by hand.


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atc06jh

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I've seen car washes fade door handles on other cars before. Some friends worked at one while in high school and used it like 3 times a week and their handles were black...ended up bluish.
 

Andy578

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those touchless washers never seem to get my rims clean.anyone else have that problem?

they seem to have issues with trucks. always missing the wheels and parts of the tailgate as well as the rear window. i just assume it's because they are designed with cars in mind
 

BigA

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Hand wash only for my truck. I don't want any more swirl marks then necessary on my black paint, plus I'm not found of the heavy duty detergents they use which is hard on everything and can dull headlight lenses and everything else. During winter we usually get a warm enough day like 30 degrees or warmer and I take a warm bucket of water to the do it yourself car wash which also has heated water.
 
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BlueRT

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I blast off the worst at the quarter do it yourself car wash in the winter when above freezing. Then I take it straight home and do a 2 bucket rinseless wash in the garage.
 
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