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I usually wash my cars myself. As much as I enjoy it there are times when I don't feel like it.
Recently, I find that my washing pleasure has been decreasing, probably due to age. I recall begging my father, when I was young(er)
to let me wash his car. Any pro detailer will tell you that drying the car is the single most important step in the whole washing process. Gotta have clean white terry towels (and a chamois). Of course I didn't know any of that back then. Drying was simply fun and what got me started with this little hobby (or fetish). Needless to say, I had to shake the excess water from unreachable places by driving the car around the neighborhood afterwards (that was the fun part). Got myself in (serious) trouble a couple of times (no driver's license). Unfortunately, my son still has half a decade to go before he's even aware of Cars (or girls, they come of age together) and I'd say a whole decade to go before I can trust him "drying" my Bimmer. Maybe I'll let him practice on the wife's car first. Yeah, that's it... but I digress.
So, I find myself on the border line when washing my cars is sometimes a hobby and sometimes... let's just say there are times when I regret getting a JetBlack. For those times, I used to run it through automatic touch-free washes, those found in major gas stations. The advantages: fast and touch-free. The disadvantage: it's touch free! I also suspect the soap they use is very strong (it has to be to melt away grime and grease touch free) and probably melts away the wax as well. Anyways, if you run a white tery towel down the sides after the wash, you'll see why touch free is a 2-sided sword.
Often, we see high school kids and their fund raiser washes. I always tell my wife that I'd glady pay them to... stay away from my car. The other day a local radio station had one outside a sports bar with 2 blondes in wet T-shirts and short shorts. My wife asked if I still felt the same way about fund raiser washes... I digress again.
In my continued quest for a little TLC for my Bimmer, I've been trying Mister Car Wash (a local chain in Austin), with mixed results. Their claim for fame is that they dry your car by hand (with clean white terry towels). Unfortunately, the wash itself is automated and very touchy. It's a long wash tunnel, with lots of rotating brushes and zig-zagging strips hanging from the top. It's fascinating to watch the many steps through the long window, that is, if following the little donut balls through their birth process in Krispy Kreme attracts you.
The results from the automated wash is consitent: better than touch free, but not perfect. As expected, the guy/gal doing the drying is the key to success. Unfortunately, that part is highly umpredictable. Predictably, they never spend enough time on the wheels. Fortunately, that is somewhat fixable with a little tipping.
Yesterday, I got this unresistable coupon from Mister Car Wash. An Express wash (I usually go with the Full Service) for $1.99. Yes, the sky was gray and forecast called for rain. But it's been raining on and off for 2 weeks, and I have a JetBlack!
I had an hour free while waiting for my wife outside her office... what the heck. Besides, they have a 48 hour rain policy - just bring it back for free. :thumbup:
One difference between the Full Service and the Express is that in the former, you drop the keys and pick up the car at the other end, while in the latter you drive the car through the wash yourself. I thought it'd be interesting to see the wash from the inside for a change. Holy crap! The car took a serious beating. It was so noisy it was scary. I thought I'd have body damage on the car (or course nothing happened, as they've done this thousands of times). But it was scary.
Another shortcut in the Express package is that they only use the towels on the outside. They never even opened the doors. As usual, not enough time on the wheels, even though this time I bought the extra wheel cleaning option, which comes with tire dressing.
As I drive back to pick up my wife, rain starts. Oh well, guess I will find out how good that rain check works. :banghead:
Recently, I find that my washing pleasure has been decreasing, probably due to age. I recall begging my father, when I was young(er)
to let me wash his car. Any pro detailer will tell you that drying the car is the single most important step in the whole washing process. Gotta have clean white terry towels (and a chamois). Of course I didn't know any of that back then. Drying was simply fun and what got me started with this little hobby (or fetish). Needless to say, I had to shake the excess water from unreachable places by driving the car around the neighborhood afterwards (that was the fun part). Got myself in (serious) trouble a couple of times (no driver's license). Unfortunately, my son still has half a decade to go before he's even aware of Cars (or girls, they come of age together) and I'd say a whole decade to go before I can trust him "drying" my Bimmer. Maybe I'll let him practice on the wife's car first. Yeah, that's it... but I digress.So, I find myself on the border line when washing my cars is sometimes a hobby and sometimes... let's just say there are times when I regret getting a JetBlack. For those times, I used to run it through automatic touch-free washes, those found in major gas stations. The advantages: fast and touch-free. The disadvantage: it's touch free! I also suspect the soap they use is very strong (it has to be to melt away grime and grease touch free) and probably melts away the wax as well. Anyways, if you run a white tery towel down the sides after the wash, you'll see why touch free is a 2-sided sword.
Often, we see high school kids and their fund raiser washes. I always tell my wife that I'd glady pay them to... stay away from my car. The other day a local radio station had one outside a sports bar with 2 blondes in wet T-shirts and short shorts. My wife asked if I still felt the same way about fund raiser washes... I digress again.
In my continued quest for a little TLC for my Bimmer, I've been trying Mister Car Wash (a local chain in Austin), with mixed results. Their claim for fame is that they dry your car by hand (with clean white terry towels). Unfortunately, the wash itself is automated and very touchy. It's a long wash tunnel, with lots of rotating brushes and zig-zagging strips hanging from the top. It's fascinating to watch the many steps through the long window, that is, if following the little donut balls through their birth process in Krispy Kreme attracts you.
The results from the automated wash is consitent: better than touch free, but not perfect. As expected, the guy/gal doing the drying is the key to success. Unfortunately, that part is highly umpredictable. Predictably, they never spend enough time on the wheels. Fortunately, that is somewhat fixable with a little tipping.
Yesterday, I got this unresistable coupon from Mister Car Wash. An Express wash (I usually go with the Full Service) for $1.99. Yes, the sky was gray and forecast called for rain. But it's been raining on and off for 2 weeks, and I have a JetBlack!
I had an hour free while waiting for my wife outside her office... what the heck. Besides, they have a 48 hour rain policy - just bring it back for free. :thumbup:
One difference between the Full Service and the Express is that in the former, you drop the keys and pick up the car at the other end, while in the latter you drive the car through the wash yourself. I thought it'd be interesting to see the wash from the inside for a change. Holy crap! The car took a serious beating. It was so noisy it was scary. I thought I'd have body damage on the car (or course nothing happened, as they've done this thousands of times). But it was scary.
Another shortcut in the Express package is that they only use the towels on the outside. They never even opened the doors. As usual, not enough time on the wheels, even though this time I bought the extra wheel cleaning option, which comes with tire dressing.
As I drive back to pick up my wife, rain starts. Oh well, guess I will find out how good that rain check works. :banghead:
