Beat up by a car wash

I've taken my ST to a car wash 2, maybe 3 times total. It's not a touch-less car wash but it has always cleaned my cars adequately. The first couple of times the result was a clean car and a bent out rear license plate (i don't have a frame). It was bent enough to see it in the backup camera.

The 3rd time also ended up with a bent plate AND a missing rear wiper cover. It must've flicked it right off. It's the cover that covers the rotation point of the rear wiper (over the bolt). $7 from dealer but still...sucked.

Learn your lesson yet?

I hand washed it today

Get a boar’s hair brush, makes washing much easier

Only touch less car washes...ever!

Hand wash only for mine. I use the Turtle Wax hybrid ceramic line of products and so far I like the results.

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I had a 2017 Explorer Limited before this and went to car washes all the time. The last one and this one are both company provided vehicles but I am treating this one like it is mine! Just bought a Griots foam sprayer and love it. I can wash and dry this thing in about 20 minutes now. Then all of the other detail work starts!

Ceramic coating only hand wash and touchless, period!!!

Hand wash as needed and I have unlimited carwashes at Holiday gas stations and opt for touchless. Keeps her nice and shiny.

I have unlimited carwashes at a local place (Flagship). Run through there at least once a week. Only issue I've had is one time it removed my hitch cover, but I got it back. Now I just take it off (and fold mirrors in) f before going through.

Why would anyone go to any car wash if you care about your vehicle's finish? It takes less than 10 minutes to wash a car if you have the hose reel on the side of the house. I use a 3/4 inch pure rubber hose and get plenty of water pressure. Dual bucket system with an extendable cleaning sponge. I wash my ST pretty much every day and it takes less than 10 minutes and I detail every Sunday with wax and Clay bar.
I'll ask again why would anyone go to a car wash?

Because we don't have time or inclination to wash a car every day or even once a week.

Why would anyone feel the need to wash daily or weekly?

Well...
I am retired (51), OCD and it rains/showers 4 days a week in Florida. The other days you get hit with a sprinkler on every corner just driving around town. It only takes me 10-15 minutes to hose it down, do a speed run and quickly dry it. I would rather leave it dirty than have a car wash mar the finish whether brushless or not. Florida uses recycled water and the attendants rush because every senior citizen here jam the lines at the car washes. Cars are my hobby and a big part of my life. It is good exercise, the weather is outstanding most of time and I enjoy detailing my cars and working on my tan at the same time. ;-)
Did I cover all the bases. LOL.
No harm to anyone and to each his own. Just my opinion as I attend to my cars more than most with regard to wash and detail. I would never own a dark color car because the swirl marks would drive my insane. White is the only color to own especially in the South Florida Sun, it is the coolest and it is the easiest to keep looking showroom.

I can never complete a 2 bucket wash, dry and detail spray in less than 3 hours. My pressure washer is a bit of a pain in the ass.


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If you can wash your car in 10 minutes with a hose and a bucket, then it wasn't dirty to begin with. Simple as that. If it is actually dirty, then it is going to take at least 20 minutes+ with a power washer and an hour or two hand washing to bring it back to 'like new'.

Are you crazy, a power washer? Lol. Dude I live in South Florida and I wash my car everyday because I like it to look spotless. Why would I need to wash my car with a pressure washer? All roads are beautiful here. We never get snow, so no salt on the roads. I do not off-road or even go on the beach with the ST. It is not allowed here. 10 to 15 minutes max is all it takes to keep her looking showroom on a daily basis, and that's including detailing my wheels quickly with soap and water and some tire shine. I have it down to a science. Waxing and clay bar on a Sunday takes about 2 hours max with McGuire's clay bar 2 system and quick detailing spray and a coat of meguiar's quality wax. My ST is spotless all the time and is never that dirty (I never once said it was), just dusty or water spots from the well water used in the sprinklers that overspray at random areas around town. When I take the 4-Hour Drive between my homes I have to use Turtle Wax bug and tar removal spray on front fascia, grill and bumper when I get to the other side in order to remove the dead carcasses that I encountered along the way. I do this within a few minutes of getting to my destination as not to let the dead bugs ferment and ruin the paint. The same quick wash, speed run and wipe down is performed. Other than that, it's easy peasy.
If it takes you 2 to 3 hours to wash your car I must be missing something or you must move in reverse.
If you wash your car less frequently than most then I can understand why it would take so long to get road crime and debris off the vehicle. If you would wash/detail more often it would take a lot less time. As with anything, you would become more efficient at it and the time it takes will decrease.

Ya, you are missing something. We don't all live in the sunshine state, retired, with ample free time to wash our vehicles each time they get a water spot.

The world is a lot more diverse than just what you get in Florida.

For instance: 8 months out of the year here, a trip around the block to drop the kids at daycare could result in an inch of snow/slush/salt/mud buildup on the vehicle.

Even when it is dry, out roads are rarely clean like yours are.

So why a carwash? Because the majority of us have better things to do with our time.

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You sound bitter. I'm sorry. There's no need to get upset dude we just talking about car washes.. I simply stated what I do and what works for me and my love of my vehicles. You immediately made a comment saying that it's impossible. You have no knowledge of what's possible or not on my end. With that said, whatever works for you and your vehicles really are no concern of mine nor do I care. I paid my dues , for years I've worked overseas in the Middle East as a DOD contractor. I sold my business, retired and now I get to enjoy life and do things that make me happy. There's no need to get angry as we choose our own path in life.

Really that long... Maybe you should come to Florida for a vacation and I'll give you some tips on how to cut that detail time in half..

Nah...Who am I kidding. Lol... I'll just take you to Pure Platinum gentlemen's club in the VIP room and we'll have a blast...lol..

I'm not angry. You called out a guy because he used a car wash/power wash, and stated it should only take 10 minutes to wash a vehicle with a hose and bucket.

I called you out, because that's not a true statement for, I dare say, the majority of people who wash their vehicles.

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