Opinions on no touch car wash?

Has anyone here taken their Z4 (or Z3) to one of those no-touch car wash places? You know, the kind that spray high pressure blasts of water, soap & wax at the car instead of the traditional wash that uses rags on rollers to clean the car.

I cleaned the car a couple of weeks ago, but rain, coupled with a dusty garage dirty it up pretty quick.

There are several no touch car wash places in my area, and I was tempted to take my Z4 convertible into one today, but had some doubts because of the convertible top. I've taken other cars though without issue, but I'm concerned because I don't know what kind of effect the soap & water may have on the material (i.e. leaving soap scum, discoloration, etc), and the seals around the windows.

I've read some stories about people in other types of convertibles (mustangs, corvettes) that have taken their cars through those washes and were surprised by streams of water blasting in through the seals that couldn't hold up to the high-pressure water.

Opinions?

Don't know about anyone else, but I would never take my Z3 to one of those or any other car wash for that matter!!

Yeah, water comes through my seals with just a regular wand wash... :S

Took mine through once and got my ears cleaned at the same time Car was nice an clean and no damaged done, but won't do it again, thank you!

BK85

Aside from the possibility of getting water in the car, I'd be more concerned about all the other crap that those things spray on your car ("wax", "sealant", "spot free rinse") and the effects they might have on your top. I have no idea if this is a valid concern as I only hand wash, but the only stuff besides water that touches my top are my Raggtopp products.

If you are just looking for a quick way to wipe off a thin layer is dust, you should check out a product called Optimum No Rinse (ONR). This stuff is awesome for doing a hoseless wash in you garage, or for using as a quick detailer to remove a layer of dust after a recent wash. I can wipe down my own car in less than the time it takes to go through a Touchless carwarsh.

I will say that for our non-convertible cars, I have no issue with taking them through a Touchless wash if I don't have the time to wash at home.

No touch = no good.

Also, don't go through one of these monsoons if you have a clear bra. It can damage it.

Better option if it's not always practical to wash your car yourself: find a hand job joint that doesn't use any sort of machines but washes strictly by hand.

Originally Posted by wmschlone

aside from the possibility of getting water in the car, i'd be more concerned about all the other crap that those things spray on your car ("wax", "sealant", "spot free rinse") and the effects they might have on your top. I have no idea if this is a valid concern as i only hand wash, but the only stuff besides water that touches my top are my raggtopp products.

+1

Ok good replies here! Based on what you've all said, I'll be steering clear of the no touch auto wash places.

Hand wash it is!

I wouldn't trust the no touch car wash. As small as the Z3 is it is rather quick and easy to wash. Takes one third the time as my Toyota Highlander and one twentieth the time as my airplane.

I don't believe a no-touch car wash really removes all of the dirt. There is no substitute for wiping the car down with a sponge. I pull my X5 into a spray wash stall whenever I have to drive over the mountains in the winter and there is salt on the roads. I rinse the salt off as soon as I can and those stalls feature the under chassis spray. It gets the salt off, but the car is not nearly as clean as a hand wash.

No touch car washers leave a film of dirt on your car, only the rinse is fresh water, washing is done with filtrated recycled water ...
With my 740 I used to only do no touch when I had no time to do it myself, 740 was Jet Black so the film of dirt would show big time.
Only went in a car wash once in 8 years with the Z3, lots of water got in ...

I ran my Z4 through one once to try and get the remains of a deer carcus out from under the car (hit the remains of a deer on the freeway out to a weekend car club drive. I swear the flys would follow me and show up when I stopped).

anyway, on the way back I ran the Z4 through a touchless with the undercarriage wash to see if I could knock some of the smell out. (I had already tried to use a wand underneath earlier). I did not have any leaks, the car wasn't washed very well, and it did knock out some of the smell.

Would not take my Z4 through one !

I run my E46 M3 through a touchless car wash every so often. It had a clear bra installed the evening I picked it up at the Performance Center. NO problems.

But a convertible? No way. Too many places for water to come in.

I've got a 2003 2.5 Z4 that I've run on occassion in the winter. Mine tends to leak a small amount at the seal the windows curve. However, this past winter I had one of the side marker roundels ruined by a touchless car wash and at that time I decided no more laser wash for my Z4.

the tire guides on the floor can scratch the rims

I would never use any kind of auto car wash ever. Long story short, back in the 80's bought a blue car, ran it through car wash at a gas station prior to road trip. Got to where I was going and thought I had ran through bird dropings or bugs, white flakes everywhere. The burshs had slapped the car so hard it left marks all over the car, and I was 1000 miles away from the car wash. So no going back and saying hey, ate that paint job. After that I have never ever washed a vehicle other than by hand.

Regards

I never go to car washes. I prefer to wash them myself. I'm not positive but I think it's cheaper than therapy...

Originally Posted by wheaton2010

i never go to car washes. I prefer to wash them myself. I'm not positive but i think it's cheaper than therapy...

+1

Originally Posted by KevinC

No touch = no good.

Also, don't go through one of these monsoons if you have a clear bra. It can damage it.

Better option if it's not always practical to wash your car yourself: find a hand job joint that doesn't use any sort of machines but washes strictly by hand.

...nothing like a good hand job.

Ive had my coupe since 06. It gets a spray-off wash about once a week for 7-9 months a year. My car doesnt get very dusty, I dont use the wax, just the soap, rinse, spot free rinse and I do it my self, not those automated ones.