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Before I screw up my Model 3 in the car wash...
- Thread starter MikeyC
- Start date
Mattopotamus
Member
The good thing about ONR is that future washes go much faster after a really good clean. I probably spent an hour on my first wash after the winter, and the next one only took 20-25 mins.
I also put some in a spray bottle and hit it with that first, and then come behind with the Big red sponge.
ONR is great! I still like to do a real wash now and then, as a wipe-down with ONR doesn't get all the dust out of the wheels and such. I have a spray-bottle filled with a dilute solution of ONR that is handy for quickly wiping down the bugs before they dry - a habit I got into from owning an airplane. The PPF on the front makes them come off even easier.
To the OP's question, have you thought about possible damage to the rims from the track? Depending on your wheels, there may not be much, if any, protection from the tire sidewalls.
I am like you. We have a great drive through car wash close to my house with monthly unlimited subscriptions. I have always taken my daily driver's through that car wash for many years without any issues.
When I got my Tesla Model 3, I was hand washing it based on what all the comments on forums were saying, but I was really missing the convenience of driving through the car wash whenever needed, and just doing the touch ups afterwards. Hand washing sucks.
So I got myself ready to at least try my familiar automatic carwash just one time to see how it went. What could wrong, right? Well, I ended up having to buy a new orbital polisher, pads, and polish (about $300 of stuff) and spend an entire day of hard labor (I'm not getting any younger) polishing out the absolutely hideous fine scratches all over ever inch of the paint. It really did look like it was covered in spider webs.
Sometimes, I have learn to hard way.
I look forward to spending a few hours washing and polishing my car....cleaning and coating the tires also. It looks like new and I get compliments on it all the time. If its worth having a nice car, its worth the time to keep it looking great. Once I get tired of having a nice car, ill just get a Honda and be done with it....till then, I still enjoy living.
oreobbq
Member
I see you've changed your mind which is great lol. Also, clay bar will remove contaminants but will leave more fine scratches. Only polishing will remove scratches. Rinseless washes are ok...after a few months you'll definitely see an accumulation of scratches. IME the safest methods are touchless or 3-bucket wash. These aren't showroom cars though. Gotta strike a balance between how much effort you wanna spend protecting your paint vs convenience.
Heck, years ago I'd scrub my old honda with a luffa sponge and dish soap and I thought I was doing a great job.
oreobbq
Member
A lazy but pricey method is getting self-healing PPF over the entire car and you can run through all the car washes you like. Parking in the sun will help heal away scratches.
I'm a little confused on that. Does the PPF actually take the brunt of the scratches or does it still scratch the paint underneath and the PPF just "melts" into those paint scratches and fill them in?
I don't really want to damage the soft paint so now I'm afraid to use car washes at all. Touchless is not an option for me because (a) they don't really work and (b) the manual says don't use high pressure spray which is basically what a touchless wash is. Seem you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Mike
joebruin77
Active Member
Yes, PPF will protect paint and is self-healing. It is 4-5 times as thick as paint so the vast majority of scratches will not penetrate the PPF, leaving the paint completely protected. The self-healing properties are truly amazing and unlike any other protection product on the market. Here is a video I have posted on TMC previously, but it demonstrates how scratches self heal and disappear:
I personally avoid touchless car washes. Making contact with the paint really helps to clean the paint. Since touchless car washes don't actually touch the paint, they often try to compensate for the reduced cleaning ability by using soaps that are not PH neutral. As a result, they often strip waxes and sealants. So you when you leave the touchless wash, you may be driving off with your wax or sealant removed.
I love using ONR. As long as you use proper techniques and as long as you do not have caked-on mud, a rinseless wash with ONR will not induce scratches.
It's definitely a solution, but so pricey, when you compare the cost of PPF + machine car was fees to having a mobile hand wash come to your house regularly, you'll probably sell the car before you break even.
rxlawdude
Active Member
I just do the calculation that full PPF costs about 8-10% of the car, and have to question this practice. How much is a quality full paint job compared to PPF installation? I'm guessing pretty similar. And assuming that is the case, one could save the money that would be spent on PPF, enjoy the car, and if the paint gets to the point of no return, then repaint.
YMMV.
rincewind
Member
I try my best to not look at this site. But it's soooo hard not to. Must.... resist....
joebruin77
Active Member
I totally understand and respect your point. After all, it is just a car and that $5,000 could be invested or put to use on something other than paint protection. Some Tesla owners may decide to apply at most an $8.00 bottle of Turtle Wax Seal and Shine for paint protection and that is a perfectly legitimate choice.
For me personally, there are several reasons why I went with PPF:
1) I plan on owning this car for 8-10 years and it will be parked outside unsheltered from the elements that entire time.
2) I live in an area where door dings in parking lots happen very frequently.
3) The design of the Model 3 makes it a bug and debris collecting magnet. Chances are high that the front bumper and rocker panels will get wrecked eventually if unprotected. Yes, I could live with it, but prefer not to.
4) I am a car, detailing guy. I love glossy, scratch and swirl free paint. With PPF, I will never have to do a 2 or 3 step paint correction and polish ever again.
5) Yes, PPF is expensive and you could get your car repainted instead. But PPF will protect your car and self heal over and over again. If you get your car repainted, the paint could get damaged again after the new paint job.
6) I have had a couple minor fender repairs. The PPF absorbed the impact and the paint underneath was not damaged at all. I had to replace the PPF, but it was relatively cheap to do a single fender and I was in an out of the shop in just over an hour. That is much more convenient than having to leave the car at the body shop for several days to have the fender repainted.
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