Car Wash for my 3

[Chirojan]

What is the story with washing my car.
I stopped by a local brushless car wash. They said I could not go thru the normal process and had to go around the side to get it washed by hand for $25 instead of $15. Then I read on this forum that the touchless wash uses a chemical bad for the paint. Is there a proper way to wash my car beside doing it myself?

 

[groovidad]

With the "conveyor" type washes, there has been difficulty with "neutral" and most of the conveyor washes don't want the responsibility of a car jamming up their system. As far as "chemicals bad for paint", I've never heard or read about that.

 

[640k]

What is the story with washing my car.
I stopped by a local brushless car wash. They said I could not go thru the normal process and had to go around the side to get it washed by hand for $25 instead of $15. Then I read on this forum that the touchless wash uses a chemical bad for the paint. Is there a proper way to wash my car beside doing it myself?

sounds like they upsold you. TBF - all automatic car washes contain caustic materials to dissolve the dirt easier. unfortunately this will take a toll on your paint. always better to hand wash.

 

[joebruin77]

From what I have read, car washes, esp touchless ones, use chemicals to remove dirt that can also remove sealants and waxes. I don't know if the chemicals damage the paint directly, but they are likely to remove sealants and waxes, thus leaving paint unprotected after the wash.

 

[srs5694]

FWIW, the only touchless car wash I know of near me does a rather poor job. When I get home after having used it, the car is cleaner than it had been, but there's still a significant amount of dirt -- especially bug-splat on the car's front and bits of dirt thrown up by the tires near the bottom of the car. Thus, I usually end up washing by hand even after having used the car wash. Overall, I don't think it's worth the bother, but it might be in the winter.

I may risk the non-touchless car washes once or twice in the spring, simply because they can clean winter road grime off the undercarriage. (The touchless wash near me doesn't do anything for the undercarriage.) IIRC, there's information in the manual about how to take the Model 3 through a car wash. It's basically a special procedure to get the Neutral setting to "stick" for long enough for the car wash.

 

[Chirojan]

FWIW, the only touchless car wash I know of near me does a rather poor job. When I get home after having used it, the car is cleaner than it had been, but there's still a significant amount of dirt -- especially bug-splat on the car's front and bits of dirt thrown up by the tires near the bottom of the car. Thus, I usually end up washing by hand even after having used the car wash. Overall, I don't think it's worth the bother, but it might be in the winter.

I may risk the non-touchless car washes once or twice in the spring, simply because they can clean winter road grime off the undercarriage. (The touchless wash near me doesn't do anything for the undercarriage.) IIRC, there's information in the manual about how to take the Model 3 through a car wash. It's basically a special procedure to get the Neutral setting to "stick" for long enough for the car wash.

Yes, neutral, the wipers and the mirrors...

 

[joebruin77]

I personally prefer washing myself. I like to go either rinseless using Optimum ONR, or waterless with Mckees 37 Waterless Wash on the Go or Meguiar's Express Wash and Wax. If you buy them by the gallon, they are super cost effective esp compared to a regular carwash. Plus you get a complimentary aerobic workout

 

[MikeInNTx]

I personally prefer washing myself. I like to go either rinseless using Optimum ONR, or waterless with Mckees 37 Waterless Wash on the Go or Meguiar's Express Wash and Wax. If you buy them by the gallon, they are super cost effective esp compared to a regular carwash. Plus you get a complimentary aerobic workout

This sounds like an eco-friendly way to keep the Model 3 clean...