ZHP at the Car Wash

[woody underwood]

The question is: Do you take your BMW to a car wash? Well, I never have but there's an excellent touchless close by (Used for my truck and the wife's VUE) and out of desperation I ran the 330ci/ZHP through it yesterday. The crew went nuts over the car! By the time they were finished it was probably nine tenths of what I'd have it looking like after 2 days of washing/cleaning. (All glass washed inside/outside, wheels spotless, tires blacked etc) Best $10.99 I've spent in a long time.

[Salvator]

The question is: Do you take your BMW to a car wash? Well, I never have but there's an excellent touchless close by (Used for my truck and the wife's VUE) and out of desperation I ran the 330ci/ZHP through it yesterday. The crew went nuts over the car! By the time they were finished it was probably nine tenths of what I'd have it looking like after 2 days of washing/cleaning. (All glass washed inside/outside, wheels spotless, tires blacked etc) Best $10.99 I've spent in a long time.I take my 325Ci / Non-ZHP ( :neener: ) through the car wash (touchless only) because I don't have time to do a thorough hand wash, and since I live on a dirt road, the pleasure is short lived... Except for one time when they changed the stop pad to something meant for Mack Trucks (and which ended up damaging my rocker sill :mad: (They removed it after it ripped the side pipes off a couple of Corvettes :eeps: )) I have never hand any problems with going through the car wash... however, my car is far from perfect looking, so I can understand when some people think it is heresy...

[Lanc3r]

Would you mind if I gave your wife a bath? Then why the ZHP! :bigpimp:

[woody underwood]

Would you mind if I gave your wife a bath? Then why the ZHP! :bigpimp:
She came home kinda smelly today...but don't ask that question again OK. Was supposed to rain here in the afternoon and the carwash was the only way to get it clean for the winter wax job this weekend FYI.

[allaboutme]

You can wash regular old BMW's at the car wash, but never a ZHP.

Personally, I wouldn't trust them with any car of mine.


They certainly wouldn't have gone nuts for any ol' regular BeeEmDoubleya

[Dave 330i]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Would you mind if I gave your wife a bath? Then why the ZHP! :bigpimp:

[Jever]

She came home kinda smelly today...but don't ask that question again OK. Was supposed to rain here in the afternoon and the carwash was the only way to get it clean for the winter wax job this weekend FYI.It's been raining almost all day out here. Bad day for a wash, no? Yesterday would have been perfect...well, except for all the work going to waste today.

[JAWJr]

I used a pressure wash station in France- here I'm not so sure about taking it to a car wash. I just don't think I'd trust them driving the car, no matter how short it is. And sometimes there are those tracks they have to drive onto- those would kill our wheels. What exactly is a touchless car wash?

[Cliff]

Not unless I'm really pressed for time and willing to run a risk of damage to the car. I've used a full service car wash 5 times with this car, and on 4 occasions there was some form of damage (scratch on roof - permanent, scratched tint - permanent, scratched radio faceplate - permanent, scratched trunklid - polished out with PC-ROB). I have to be fairly desperate to visit a full service car wash at this point.

[Double Vanos]

Would you mind if I gave your wife a bath? Then why the ZHP! :bigpimp:


Well put. :thumbup:

[RandyB]

Imagine if you pulled up to one in a lowly ZSP? They probably wouldn't even come out to help you. :rofl:

Just joking...

If I'm pressed for time I might spray my car off at a do-it-yourself carwash, but no way anyone else touches her.

[nzDave]

I have a touchless car wash were I drive into the bay, the machine moves around the car, I drive out. Works great, nothing ever touches the car, I don't even have to talk to an employee as you can just swipe your credit card.

[BahnBaum]

I have a touchless car wash were I drive into the bay, the machine moves around the car, I drive out. Works great, nothing ever touches the car, I don't even have to talk to an employee as you can just swipe your credit card.

I finally found one of those that didn't have wheel guides, just a flat open floor. It's going to be my winter wash solution. All other times, my own hands only.

Alex

[Salvator]

I have a touchless car wash were I drive into the bay, the machine moves around the car, I drive out. Works great, nothing ever touches the car, I don't even have to talk to an employee as you can just swipe your credit card.
:stupid:

[kyfdx]

I run mine through a "soft cloth" car wash regularly.. No problems.. It is in an area of town where people like to drive flashy cars, If you knowhutimean.. They do a great job on the detail work after you come out.. I started doing it after spending an hour cleaning my wheels one day... The wheels look about 95% as good as me doing them. I guess if you live in SoCal, washing it yourself all the time is okay, but it is too cold here..

Besides, I'd rather be driving... the outside is just paint and sheetmetal... I'm not in love with that part of it.

And..if you want to wash the wife? Throw in a massage for $10.99 and you can do it.. I'll be $50 ahead.

[brkf]

The question is: Do you take your BMW to a car wash? Well, I never have but there's an excellent touchless close by (Used for my truck and the wife's VUE) and out of desperation I ran the 330ci/ZHP through it yesterday. The crew went nuts over the car! By the time they were finished it was probably nine tenths of what I'd have it looking like after 2 days of washing/cleaning. (All glass washed inside/outside, wheels spotless, tires blacked etc) Best $10.99 I've spent in a long time.

I use a all hand wash place that does a bang up job. no swirl marks, they clean between the spokes of the zhp, etc. $10. $3 tip and they do an astounding job.

Edit: I cannot physically wash my own car effectively, so I must pay someone to do it no matter what.

[brkf]

They certainly wouldn't have gone nuts for any ol' regular BeeEmDoubleya

Actually in 2003 when I get my ZHP the crew kept coming up to me and commenting on how they love the car. This was in San Diego where you can't swing a cat without hitting a Bimmer. The little differences in the car are noticed by people who know their cars. Shrug.

[MG67]

The question is: Do you take your BMW to a car wash? Well, I never have but there's an excellent touchless close by (Used for my truck and the wife's VUE) and out of desperation I ran the 330ci/ZHP through it yesterday. The crew went nuts over the car! By the time they were finished it was probably nine tenths of what I'd have it looking like after 2 days of washing/cleaning. (All glass washed inside/outside, wheels spotless, tires blacked etc) Best $10.99 I've spent in a long time.I take my Touring to Pasadena Car Wash every 2 weeks, $14.95 and $3.00 tip does the trick... looks great!:thumbup:
I took my wife's Coupe to a different car wash in Encino and they screwed up major...:dunno: :mad:

[mkh]

I use a all hand wash place that does a bang up job. no swirl marks, they clean between the spokes of the zhp, etc. $10. $3 tip and they do an astounding job.
Yeah, this is what I want to find out too. I'm in LA county. Is there a decent place for all hand wash? Most of the all hand and touchless wash I've seen are using wheel guides which is an absolute no no for me. I have yet to find one that doesn't use rollers to push the car forward in the washing process.

[brkf]

Yeah, this is what I want to find out too. I'm in LA county. Is there a decent place for all hand wash? Most of the all hand and touchless wash I've seen are using wheel guides which is an absolute no no for me. I have yet to find one that doesn't use rollers to push the car forward in the washing process.

This place uses a wheel guide. Haven't had a problem. Around here so many cars have big rims on nice car that they try to really do a nice job.

[mkh]

This place uses a wheel guide. Haven't had a problem. Around here so many cars have big rims on nice car that they try to really do a nice job.
I know, but be careful. I got screwed once with my M3/4 with the ///M forged alloy. :mad: They were not willing to get me a new one but did apologize and offered me 10 free coupons for future washes. No way I would return, even for free! That's why I'm scared of wheel guides.

[Patrick]

I don't have a ZHP ... :cry:

But that does not stop me from NOT washing my BMW.

Oh well, it is just an E39 Touring.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40240


.

[Salvator]

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40240


.Sooo, what does "Ajamisen iloa" mean? :dunno:

[Patrick]

Sooo, what does "Ajamisen iloa" mean? :dunno:

It translates to, "Wash Me " :eek:


No, it means, "Driving Pleasure", or something like that. "The Pleasure of Driving" might be better. Anyway, it sounds dumb to my ear in Finnish.


.

['Cane]

I take my car to the same "brushless" car wash all the time. Yesterday when I was there, my car went in behind a 1963 Corvette. This place does a great job.

[JonathanIT]

I've had my Bimmer since January and it's only been washed 4 times. Three of them I hand washed myself, once was a hand carwash. The first time was a week after i got it home when I had to correct the pathetic job the dealer did in detailing the car. I also clayed and applied a multi-coat Zaino treatment.

The second and third were after road trips in May (Bimmerfest!) and August (Laguna Seca Historic Races). After I got home from Monterey, I took it to a car wash in Studio City I frequent (with my other car) just to see what kind of job they would do. This is a typical L.A. carwash where most cars are worth twice as much as my little 330 cabrio; L.A. folks aren't easily impressed. However I did notice that they took better care of it than when I take my daily beater there (a Toyota). Among the little things to look for in a good carwash: compressed air hoses to blow out all the excess water from between body panels, doors, and mirrors. Also a tip that makes them do a better job: grab a rag and join them! I like to start with the wheels, I start carefully cleaning between all the spokes. They usually notice this and continue the work on all the other wheels. I find demontrating is much more effective than trying to explain (usually there's a language barrier anyway). They pick up fairly quickly that I like a thorough job; seeing the owner grab a towel and jump in (rather than sit over with the other fancy owners trying to look L.A. cool) always makes them give an extra effort (of course followed by a decent tip, up to $5 if they do a good job).

A couple weeks after that I washed it again by hand before I did another full Zaino treatment at the end of Summer. It hasn't been washed since the end of August.

Do I drive around a dirty car most of the time between washes every three or four months? No! Quite the opposite, I prefer keeping the car clean ALL the time so it doesn't have to be washed! After every drive in my car I use the California Duster to wipe the light coating of dust off the car. I wipe the wheels down with some detail spray (also which only have light coat of brake dust after each drive). Then I use detail spray (Adam's or Zaino glossing spray) on any body panels which might have some extra spots (like behind the wheel wells, under the front bumper). Then the cover goes on and the next time I drive it's like that first week she came home from the showroom! And she hasn't felt a drop of rain yet :D

Someone mentioned that they liked driving the car instead of cleaning it (yada yada) yeah, I know, it's drivers car and all. But hey, honestly, to me half the pleasure of driving my car is driving a clean car. Just funny that way I guess. And for that reason I take almost as much pleasure in cleaning my car as driving it!

--J.

note: of course my Bimmer is my weekend fun car, so I don't have to drive it everyday.

[Lanc3r]

[QUOTE=JonathanIT]
Someone mentioned that they liked driving the car instead of cleaning it (yada yada) yeah, I know, it's drivers car and all. But hey, honestly, to me half the pleasure of driving my car is driving a clean car. Just funny that way I guess. And for that reason I take almost as much pleasure in cleaning my car as driving it!

QUOTE]


AMEN! I love BMW quarter panels. I can rub on them for hours.... :eeps:

[IBCNUNHELL]

Anybody know of a good car wash place near philly?

[mkh]

Someone mentioned that they liked driving the car instead of cleaning it (yada yada) yeah, I know, it's drivers car and all. But hey, honestly, to me half the pleasure of driving my car is driving a clean car. Just funny that way I guess. And for that reason I take almost as much pleasure in cleaning my car as driving it!
Exactly, I just can't tolerate brake dust on the rims or looking out with a hazy windshield. I also find myself driving slower and more carefully with a clean car or right after a wash so that the bugs won't mess up the windshield and the front bumper, or dirty water won't splatter on the quarter panels. Maybe I'm weird. :dunno:

[Salvator]

It translates to, "Wash Me " :eek:


No, it means, "Driving Pleasure", or something like that. "The Pleasure of Driving" might be better. Anyway, it sounds dumb to my ear in Finnish.


.Cool! Thanks... I need to find me one of the German version ones that say "Freude am Fahren" or something like that... Although over here, you'd probably just get "'Fahrvergnugen'?... Wrong Car, Dude!" :rolleyes:

[woody underwood]

This place uses a wheel guide. Haven't had a problem. Around here so many cars have big rims on nice car that they try to really do a nice job.
The place I went to (Which started this thread) is owned by Simoniz...the cars run on a conveyor with no wheel guides (I checked that out first thing). I had no idea this would get this much response, but after my car came through an X5 was right behind it so I didn't feel quite so guilty about car-washing the Bimmer.

[swchang]

What's wrong with wheel guides? And what do you mean by wheel guides? The ones that run the length of the automatic car wash bay that help to move your car down? Or is it just the 2 foot long bump in some of the ExxonMobil touchless washes that helps you know where to position your car?

[swchang]

I don't have a ZHP ... :cry:

But that does not stop me from NOT washing my BMW.

Oh well, it is just an E39 Touring.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40240


.

So BMW only offers "Dirt Gray" in Europe? Yet another way they stiff us Americans! :mad: