In a few days I'm going to bring my 2012 Fit Sport to the automatic car wash. You know the type of place that pulls your car through, soaks it and then the brushes go over it. I was just concerned because I've never owned a car with a spoiler on the back. Anybody here use an auto car wash?

 

I rarely, if ever, subject my car to an auto wash with brushes. The Fit's paint is very thin and easily scratched.

If at all possible, i'd do it yourself, or find a brushless wash, or a full-service (not automatic) wash for those times where it really needs a good scrubbing.

I've never really cared much about brush vs brushless with my other cars, but i've taken the Fit through an auto brush wash one time and it came out with less than desirable results. Never again.

 

Definitely, hand wash.

 

HANd Wash

 

DON'T DO IT! The Fit paint is easy to swirl and you'll have work to do if you go this route. Always wash it yourself or take it down and hand wash with their sprayer and bring your own bucket of soap and microfiber mitt. Wash and then spray off with their water, then use the absorber or microfiber to dry.

Those brushes will have every ounce of grim and dirt imbedded in them from the previous dirty, muddy cars which will scratch your car as they are raked over your paint.

 

Would you brush your teeth with a fraternity communal tooth brush? Trust me, im a professional Auto Detailer, i see damage from those things on a daily basis. They should be reserved for Fleet vehicles and construction trucks.

 

+1 Hand wash only.

 

I'm with the others.
don't use a cheap carwash it will make your paint worse in the long run.

However, handwash is not necessarily the "best".

There are plenty of brushless "soft-touch" automated carwashes that do just as good and non-damaging if not better than handwash places. They're the ones with the curtains of rags

These typically are not unmanaged carwashes, but part of full-service carwashes where an employee will drive it through or if it is customer drive-through, it will be staffed and they will tell you what to do.


If you do need a quick unmanaged self wash inbetween "full-service" carwashes, look for true touchless "laser" car washes.


That being said, I will also note that if you get a proper car wash with a proper wax, it will actually stay cleaner longer, and be easier to clean on subsequent washes.
So putting in either the time/money does work as an investment to avoid more frequent visits later.

 

I'd love to hand wash it. But I live in a condominium and there is absolutely no car washing. There's not even a spigot to hook a hose to. So I am kinda limited on my choices. In the past, I've never had any problems with other cars going through the auto car wash.

 

The dealership I went to had a soft-touch wash

That being said - for the people out there - what's your regimen? What have you found that works?

I'm still in adjustment, I prefer glossy interior (and reflection from the dash be damned) so I still do my armor-all for the interior until I find something better.

I've found Invisible Glass (Aerosol - safe for tint) does a good job on keeping the windshield clean.

I've been looking at We Are Car Care -- Car Wax, Car Polish, Auto Detailing Supplies, Car Buffers & Car Accessories Store
Which has a wealth of options, and I'd love to hear from everyone and anyone about their experiences good and bad.

Also - for the apartment/condo dwellers without wash access - I noticed waterless washes that where supposed to be top notch in there (any experiences with those.

I'm finding the Black pearl to be very difficult to keep clean - I used some Armor-all wash and wax (walmart special) and was not pleased at all with water spotting etc.

Would love to know how to keep the car nice without having to do a detailer's regimen every day!

 

if you have a shaded area, you can use this stuff. i use it on occasion on my hobby cars after driving through puddles.

Complete Spray-On Car Wash Kit - Cleaners - Car Washing - Car Care - Griot's Garage

basically buy a lot of towels and use the clean surfaces only. it's a waterless wash. safe on paint if you use common sense.

 

I use car washes all the time. No problems with the spoiler.

 

I am a full time RV traveler, and most campgrounds do not allow hand washing of the Fit. I never use carwashes with brushes, but look for the laser no brush washes, or just a spray wand. Then a little time with a microfiber rag (or 3), and some quik detailer spray - comes out fine.

 

I have a car wash membership through a company here in Vegas called Terrible's. They have quality drive through car washes. I have used them for over 10 years. I kid you not I go through at least 3 times a week. No problems with the spoiler or scratches. Here is the deal, every car wash is different. I only trust what Terrible's uses otherwise I skip drive through car washes.

 

Anyone use delta-sonic? In Chicago they offer a membership that is affordable.

There is a detail shop that will handwash for $10.00--I need to figure out what I'm doing before Salt season hits.

Living in Chicago winter sucks.

 

The only automatic car wash I will use is touchless.

Using automatic car washes with the brushes is like
running sandpaper over the exterior finish of your vehicle.

I've been using a touchless wash on my Fit for almost
2 years now... the finish is as good now as it was when
my Fit was new.

However, having said that, if you want a thorough cleaning
best to do a handwash yourself.

 

Besides hand washing giving better results, I'm not so sure that a Fit could even clear the rail that pulls your car through.

 

I use the brush less drive-in car wash, laser wash and the stall with spray wash. Two concerns I have at home is (1) I am on a well worry about water usage in the summer, (2) and we have hard water which when you wash the car if it drys fast it looks worst than before. In the winter hand washing is not a option but you have to wash to get the salt off the car. So far no problems with the paint.

 

The only car wash I use is ME, NO ONE and NOTHING touches my cars finish but me. Simply put as others have stated automatic car washes are garbage. I don't care what anyone says, a iridescent light in a garage will show MILES more than you can see with the naked eye and sun light. Do yourself and your car a favor, go do some research on cleaning/washing/waxing on the meg's forum: Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online TONS of info, TONS of product guides and Meg's is pretty easily available everywhere. Is there better products out there, yes but widely consumer available is another thing.

So please, DO NOT put your fit in an auto wash, you will regret it.

 

I tend to agree about auto-washes but there are times when it's necessary. You can mitigate any damage by taking necessary steps to prevent severe permanent damage to the vehicle.

Automatic car washes are pretty crappy but to get salt off your car during the winters in Chicago or other cold climates it can be the only option.

I'm a former detailer and my brother is a paint repair guy. We have experimented and found a regimen that works for us. What we do is auto-wash during the winter when necessary then buff and wax with airplane wax at springtime. The buffing is more important than the wax, we use the airplane wax because it gives the car a shine that lasts for a long time and is extremely durable. Since spring weather here can often teater back and forth between warm and snow the airplane wax's longevitiy and durability are a huge help. My Fit is not a show car but my brother has done this with his Dodge Charger which regularly takes first at shows all over the area and his daily driver Tahoe (he's the paint repair guy) and it works fine, though typically we end up claying the charger before show season.

The paint that they use on cars now is thinner and softer but provided you take care of it by using good quality wax regularly and are willing to buff it once in a while I don't think there will be any major problems. You gotta know how to buff too, I've seen some of the "best" detail shops in our area with employees that can't buff a car properly.