Just got my car washed at a car wash place for the first time

turnsignalslol · 12-13-2022, 04:01 PM

I paid 40 bucks at a place called "Pearl Car Wash" in La Jolla and to be honest, it feels like I just threw my money away. There's water spots in the side of the car and trunk because there was still some water in the hard to reach spots (trim lines of the car and mirrors). I guess the only pro was that it was done within like 10 minutes when it usually takes me over an hour to wash it myself.

I just wanted to get the car washed because it was raining pretty hard for the past couple of days and I didn't want all of that dust and filthy rain water to etch itself into the paint/underbody of the car.

Moral of the story is that if you plan on washing your car semi-often, just buy some basic equipment and do it at home.

ShortSides · 12-13-2022, 06:35 PM

I've learned this lesson many times over. Unles you pay at least $150 for a professional service wash and wax, it's going to be an imperfect experience. I've found that I can't stomach paying a buck 50 for a solid wash and even when I did it was still an imperfect result more often than not. The only perfect result was when I washed it myself for "free."

m2ss · 12-13-2022, 06:43 PM

DIY

(K) · 12-13-2022, 06:56 PM

Get ceramic coating, it'll make washing easier moving forward. Also check with your detailer if they offer any sort of budget wash options. My guy has a $40 option and they'll do the rinse, wheel cleaner, hand towel dry, all that good stuff. Beats a car wash and you can build a good relationship with the detailer. If you're someone like me who absolutely despises washing the car, that's invaluable.

turnsignalslol · 12-13-2022, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m2ss

DIY

Away from home right now and don’t have any of my washing equipment so this was the only option.

turnsignalslol · 12-13-2022, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by (K)

Get ceramic coating, it'll make washing easier moving forward. Also check with your detailer if they offer any sort of budget wash options. My guy has a $40 option and they'll do the rinse, wheel cleaner, hand towel dry, all that good stuff. Beats a car wash and you can build a good relationship with the detailer. If you're someone like me who absolutely despises washing the car, that's invaluable.

I had it on my last car and plan on getting it for this one once I wrap the car matte white

m2ss · 12-14-2022, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

Away from home right now and don’t have any of my washing equipment so this was the only option.

c1pher · 12-14-2022, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m2ss

DIY

I do DIY now too. I will wash my car at home or at a self service place nearby.

Humdizzle · 12-14-2022, 11:52 AM

maybe im weird but if you can't wash it correctly, better to not wash at all. If you're in a pinch just go to a self service spray wash. At least with that its touchless so no paint marring.

dust and dirt sitting on your car isn't going to cause damage. especially if your car is garaged. improperly washing that dirt off is going to damage the paint.

FlashmanM2 · 12-14-2022, 03:46 PM

Wish I could but I live in an apartment and my resident parking is in the basement with zero electrical point or water points!! Pain in the arse

wjones14 · 12-14-2022, 05:43 PM

Rinseless wash like Optimum No Rinse might be an option for apartment renters if the car is not too dirty.

Otherwise do what Humdizzle suggests and go to a self service car wash with the high-pressure wand. I'll go weeks with a dirty car in the winter when it's freezing, rather than take it to a car wash that would result in micro scratches (or worse).

m2ss · 12-14-2022, 06:07 PM

ONR two bucket system.

Once you get used to it it's like riding bike...

turnsignalslol · 12-15-2022, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m2ss

ONR two bucket system.

Once you get used to it it's like riding bike...

I used to do a mix of Klasse and Optimum no rinse but now I just use chemical guys soap and their foam gun hose attachment and do two bucket wash

Just didn't have my brushes and towels to do it at a self wash place, if I was home, I would have just done it myself and I mentioned that it rained hard for a couple of days so that was why I was in a rush to get the car cleaned off

///393 · 12-15-2022, 09:06 AM

Worth sharing here:

Fred Conoway · 12-15-2022, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilson kop

Worth sharing here:

Great vid and worth sharing

Found this video last year when I picke d up my M2 and picked up quite a few tips from it. Highly recommend.

m2ss · 12-16-2022, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Conoway

Great vid and worth sharing

Found this video last year when I picke d up my M2 and picked up quite a few tips from it. Highly recommend.

Great tips indeed but who has the time to go through all that?

///393 · 12-16-2022, 09:29 AM

Has the time? You mean MAKES the time. It just has to be prioritized by someone who wants swirl free paint that looks better than the normies who don’t know or care about this type of stuff.

A proper wash and dry takes me an hour start to finish. It’s not an unmanageable process once you have it down and have your kit.

It’s not for the weak, but the reward is having a swirl free car that looks better than the guy who, “just doesn’t have the time.”

MadM2C · 12-16-2022, 12:04 PM

I would avoid any of the generic hand washes, they will do just as much if not more damage than a decent drive thru wash.

Find someone who does PPF/ Paint correction in your area that will do a proper 2 bucket wash. Just expect to pay $50+ at least

BigKutta · 12-16-2022, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m2ss

Great tips indeed but who has the time to go through all that?

In the spring/summer/fall I follow this method except the pretreatment. It takes me over an hour to wash my car but I love doing it and I get every little corner of my car. No water spots or little pesky sticky asphalt spots left behind.

Unfortunately in the winter I do take it to a decent hand wash place for $40. I hate doing it, but its better than a automatic wash i suppose...

///M TOWN · 12-16-2022, 02:27 PM

I’d never… 😢

-Eidos · 12-17-2022, 10:52 AM

Any decent mobile detailer will do our exteriors and interiors for $50-$70. They'll use deionized water that won't leave water spots behind. The on-site hand car wash places are incentivized to pump out volume.

DB_Cooper · 12-17-2022, 03:20 PM

I wash/wax/detail once a year and pay ~$200 at a reputable hand wash place that I've been going to for years. The guy spends 5-6 hours on the car.
If needed I'll do an exterior wash occasionally in between these annual detail intervals depending on just how filthy the car is.

I'm not a fan of regular washing, it attracts too much attention esp on certain colors (LBB M2). People are less likely to fuck with your car if it isn't immaculately clean all the time.

12-13-2022, 04:01 PM	#1
turnsignalslol Captain 275 Rep 617 Posts Drives: '24 G87 M2 Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Just got my car washed at a car wash place for the first time I paid 40 bucks at a place called "Pearl Car Wash" in La Jolla and to be honest, it feels like I just threw my money away. There's water spots in the side of the car and trunk because there was still some water in the hard to reach spots (trim lines of the car and mirrors). I guess the only pro was that it was done within like 10 minutes when it usually takes me over an hour to wash it myself. I just wanted to get the car washed because it was raining pretty hard for the past couple of days and I didn't want all of that dust and filthy rain water to etch itself into the paint/underbody of the car. Moral of the story is that if you plan on washing your car semi-often, just buy some basic equipment and do it at home.
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12-13-2022, 06:35 PM	#2
ShortSides First Lieutenant 405 Rep 332 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW M2 Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW M2 [0.00]	I've learned this lesson many times over. Unles you pay at least $150 for a professional service wash and wax, it's going to be an imperfect experience. I've found that I can't stomach paying a buck 50 for a solid wash and even when I did it was still an imperfect result more often than not. The only perfect result was when I washed it myself for "free."
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12-13-2022, 06:43 PM	#3
m2ss Captain 1790 Rep 962 Posts Drives: people crazy Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: . iTrader: (0)	DIY __________________ 2020 M2C 2018 M2 LCI Gone 1M, 991.1, 991.2, 718S, 991.2 TT, R8 Spyder RWD
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12-13-2022, 06:56 PM	#4
(K) Captain 1278 Rep 837 Posts Drives: '21 M2C 6MT (R.I.P.) Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Massachusetts, USA iTrader: (6)	Get ceramic coating, it'll make washing easier moving forward. Also check with your detailer if they offer any sort of budget wash options. My guy has a $40 option and they'll do the rinse, wheel cleaner, hand towel dry, all that good stuff. Beats a car wash and you can build a good relationship with the detailer. If you're someone like me who absolutely despises washing the car, that's invaluable.
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12-14-2022, 11:52 AM	#9
Humdizzle Brigadier General 6069 Rep 3,626 Posts Drives: GT3 + M2c Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Missouri iTrader: (0)	maybe im weird but if you can't wash it correctly, better to not wash at all. If you're in a pinch just go to a self service spray wash. At least with that its touchless so no paint marring. dust and dirt sitting on your car isn't going to cause damage. especially if your car is garaged. improperly washing that dirt off is going to damage the paint. __________________ 2018 Porsche GT3 6MT 2021 M2C DCT Previous: Ferrari 458 \| R35 GTR \| F80 M3 \| E46 M3 \| E36 M3 \| Scion FRS
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12-14-2022, 03:46 PM	#10
FlashmanM2 New Member 3 Rep 14 Posts Drives: M2 F87 Join Date: Dec 2022 Location: Sussex iTrader: (0)	Wish I could but I live in an apartment and my resident parking is in the basement with zero electrical point or water points!! Pain in the arse
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12-14-2022, 05:43 PM	#11
wjones14 Captain 659 Rep 891 Posts Drives: 2021 M2C Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Niantic CT iTrader: (0)	Rinseless wash like Optimum No Rinse might be an option for apartment renters if the car is not too dirty. Otherwise do what Humdizzle suggests and go to a self service car wash with the high-pressure wand. I'll go weeks with a dirty car in the winter when it's freezing, rather than take it to a car wash that would result in micro scratches (or worse). __________________ Vehicles: 2021 Alpine White M2C 6MT; 2011 Kawasaki Z1000 (1/4 mile 10.3 seconds @ 129 mph - stock) Previous: 2018 Camaro 2SS 1LE 6MT; 2015 BMW M235i 6MT; 2015 Mini Cooper F56 6MT; 2005 Mustang GT 5MT; 2003 Mini Cooper R50 5MT
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12-14-2022, 06:07 PM	#12
m2ss Captain 1790 Rep 962 Posts Drives: people crazy Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: . iTrader: (0)	ONR two bucket system. Once you get used to it it's like riding bike... __________________ 2020 M2C 2018 M2 LCI Gone 1M, 991.1, 991.2, 718S, 991.2 TT, R8 Spyder RWD
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12-15-2022, 09:06 AM	#14
///393 Captain 829 Rep 647 Posts Drives: X6 Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: US iTrader: (0)	Worth sharing here:
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12-16-2022, 09:29 AM	#17
///393 Captain 829 Rep 647 Posts Drives: X6 Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: US iTrader: (0)	Has the time? You mean MAKES the time. It just has to be prioritized by someone who wants swirl free paint that looks better than the normies who don’t know or care about this type of stuff. A proper wash and dry takes me an hour start to finish. It’s not an unmanageable process once you have it down and have your kit. It’s not for the weak, but the reward is having a swirl free car that looks better than the guy who, “just doesn’t have the time.”
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12-16-2022, 12:04 PM	#18
MadM2C Private First Class 74 Rep 125 Posts Drives: Bmw m2 comp Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I would avoid any of the generic hand washes, they will do just as much if not more damage than a decent drive thru wash. Find someone who does PPF/ Paint correction in your area that will do a proper 2 bucket wash. Just expect to pay $50+ at least
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12-16-2022, 02:27 PM	#20
///M TOWN . 16539 Rep 8,424 Posts Drives: M GmbH Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: North America iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 M2 [8.82]	I’d never… 😢 __________________ ///
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12-17-2022, 10:52 AM	#21
-Eidos @lbb_kev 491 Rep 514 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW M2 (LBB) Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Any decent mobile detailer will do our exteriors and interiors for $50-$70. They'll use deionized water that won't leave water spots behind. The on-site hand car wash places are incentivized to pump out volume. __________________ Speedtech Stage 3 (8474) \| Remus Exhaust \| Wagner EVO 3 \| XClutch \| DS2 + Lift Kit \| Nostrum S2 Injectors \| TI E5LM \| Torqbyte EKP \| Intrax 1K2 \| SPL \| Drexler GT Race Light LSD by limitedslip.de \| Schirmer Diff Lift Kit Full E85 DI-Only 717WHP Flex Fuel tuned by BendCalibration (ECUTek) \| Built by SD Garage
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12-17-2022, 03:20 PM	#22
DB_Cooper First Lieutenant 600 Rep 307 Posts Drives: F87 Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	I wash/wax/detail once a year and pay ~$200 at a reputable hand wash place that I've been going to for years. The guy spends 5-6 hours on the car. If needed I'll do an exterior wash occasionally in between these annual detail intervals depending on just how filthy the car is. I'm not a fan of regular washing, it attracts too much attention esp on certain colors (LBB M2). People are less likely to fuck with your car if it isn't immaculately clean all the time.
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