Re: What do you think about using an automatic car wash to clean salt and grime off a 740i after the snow storms?

[James McElroy <mcelroy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I always hand wash my car in the summer, but my garage has no drain 
and no water, so in the winter I either use a self-serve car wash 
(works great unless it's too cold - last time I tried this the soap 
froze on the car) or a touchless automatic car wash in the winter. 
I'm not sure why touchless car washes aren't more popular - I feel 
much better using one of those then even a soft cloth car wash (the 
cloths may be soft, but just a little dirt left over from another car 
would seem to make great sand paper).

Unfortunately the touchless car washes in my area (southern NH) seem 
few and far between.

James



>Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2000 09:05:34 -0600
>From: "Stephen Robinson" <stever@domain.elided>
>Subject: What do you think about using an automatic car wash to 
>clean salt and grime off a 740i after the snow storms?
>
>My 95 740i is coated in salt and grime from the last few weeks of snow and
>mess here in Maryland.  Lots of snow, as your all know.  It's too cold to
>use the hose to clean the mess off as it's frozen, so I sometimes in years
>past just bring it in the garage where it's warmer than 33 degrees (putting
>the 911 in the driveway for an hour) in the winter and clean it down with
>warm water from a cleaning mit,  then towel it dry with old tee shirts (my
>favorite lint free method).  BUT, I was thinking this morning that this
>could rub into the paint alot of grit and grime, and taking it to one of
>those brush free car washes may not be the worst idea.  Anyone have any
>opinions on this?  Are these big automatic car washes ok to use?  The owner
>said his brushless wash is harmless to my car and alot of Benz and Porsche
>owners have been trusting their cars to him for years!   I just had the car
>waxed 2 months ago, and hate to think that the harsh detergents they use
>would really mess with the car.
>Steve Robinson
>95 740i parking in the driveway now and having to scrape off major amounts
>of snow and ice for the first time ever!
>88 911 safe in the garage
>95 540i the new fiancee's car, safe in the garage...urghhhh

______________________________
James McElroy
95 M3
mailto:mcelroy@domain.elided

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