Car wash

[Chainsaw]

I ran my TRX through plenty of automatic car washes, maybe once every couple of months.

The newer car washes (the fancy ones being built on every street corner it seems) handle the extra width just fine.

No issues with paint that I could see or care about. I also had a portion of the truck wrapped in matte 3M vinyl, again, no damage or wear.

Ironically, I had more issues with the "touchless" washes that swivel completely around the truck. If the truck was not perfectly - and I mean perfectly - centered in the bay, the spray arm would sometimes bang into one side or the other.

TL;DR it's not a 150k vehicle. Running it through a car wash every once in awhile ain't gonna hurt anything.

Oh, and don't be a cheapass.. get the $30 wash with all the hot wax and stuff. Sexy.

 

[RADA]

Oh, and don't be a cheapass.. get the $30 wash with all the hot wax and stuff. Sexy.

LOL! I wish it was $30... I live in Southern Expensive Taxifornia...

The cheapest wash at the hand-wash - power rinse place my wife and I take our vehicles to is $28.99.

I usually don't get out of there for less than $60, with a tip.

I ALWAYS tip the hands-on guys very well. I've even bought them all breakfast before. Treat folks right; they return the favor.

 

[Deange2001]

Yes, RHO - Twice so far - tunnel soft cloth. No Issues. I used to run my 21’ Rebel through-still looked new when I traded. I’ve also been running our 22 Wagoner through the same wash weekly, no issues and still looks new. It is the only wash I use. Note: please don’t hate because I’m lazy. I also trade cars every 3-5 years.

No judgement...I don't think I have ever kept a car longer than 4-5 years :/

 

[RADA]

No judgement...I don't think I have ever kept a car longer than 4-5 years :/

We drive them till the wheels fall off...

2016 Fusion I traded in for 9 years
2013 Explorer XLT for 10 years
2007 Fusion SEL we had for 9 years
2001 Mustang GT for 15 years


We have an '88 Bronco with around 325,000 miles on it, too.

 

[BilletRHO]

I'm switching back to auto washes with this truck. $30/month for unlimited washes. I can get it detailed/buffed/polished for a few hundred bucks after a year or two. I hand washed my last truck for the past couple of years because it's ceramic coated. The paint is in perfect shape, but it's not worth the effort anymore (about an hour per wash). It's not just avoiding the rain, drive on the highway in the summer and the front is covered in bugs after one day and the spring you can wash your truck and in a few hours it's coated in pollen.

 

[AFX]

I'm switching back to auto washes with this truck. $30/month for unlimited washes. I can get it detailed/buffed/polished for a few hundred bucks after a year or two. I hand washed my last truck for the past couple of years because it's ceramic coated. The paint is in perfect shape, but it's not worth the effort anymore (about an hour per wash). It's not just avoiding the rain, drive on the highway in the summer and the front is covered in bugs after one day and the spring you can wash your truck and in a few hours it's coated in pollen.

Agreed. My wash includes hand applied spray wax too when you get the “all you can eat”. $500/yr. Includes inside/out too, as much as you want. I get my moneys worth in spring pollen season alone! The owner of the car wash has an 93’ White Bronco, not that Bronco but a dead ringer, and he runs it through the wash and waxes it twice a month and the thing looks new.

 

[RamFan]

It definitely takes some time. About 1 1/2 hours start to finish but it’s therapeutic for me.

The problem with auto car washes is ALL the black plastic we have on our trucks will look like crap in no time. If they were all painted, different story.

Trust me on the plastic. You’ll hate how it looks before you know it.

Chris