Costco car wash

[BlancoRaptor]

Has anyone run their Ranger Raptor thru a Costco car wash?
Does it clean truck well?
Any issues given the size/width of the truck?

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[T-Rev]

My general opinion is that touch vehicle washes are bad because the cleaning surface will be dirty and isn't good for the paint. Touchless vehicle washes are often bad because they contain harsher chemicals to get the vehicle clean enough. Typically, the damage I've seen is to rubber or plastic parts.

 

[Cliff]

Has anyone run their Ranger Raptor thru a Costco car wash?
Does it clean truck well?
Any issues given the size/width of the truck?

Has anyone run their Ranger Raptor thru a Costco car wash?
Does it clean truck well?
Any issues given the size/width of the truck?

Has anyone run their Ranger Raptor thru a Costco car wash?
Does it clean truck well?
Any issues given the size/width of the truck?

i was wondering the same thing about the Tidal Wave car wash

 

[Ag3ntC00p3r]

My general opinion is that touch vehicle washes are bad because the cleaning surface will be dirty and isn't good for the paint. Touchless vehicle washes are often bad because they contain harsher chemicals to get the vehicle clean enough. Typically, the damage I've seen is to rubber or plastic parts.

Touch washes are horrible in my opinion for the exact reason you said. You have strips and brushes that can hold onto material from the washes before you.

Never really thought about toucheless being an issue with chem strength. They are sure better than nothing if you live in areas with salt on the roads in winter.

With my rack system on the bed I use manual washes, even in winter. Only down side is we don't have any with underbody wash stations.

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

We don't have any Costco ones around me but I do use the touchless one at Petro Canada and it does a pretty good job of cleaning everything to get the salt and crap off in winter.

 

[Kev38]

Worst thing for your paint job running vehicle through a car wash.

 

[jeffers]

My general opinion is that touch vehicle washes are bad because the cleaning surface will be dirty and isn't good for the paint. Touchless vehicle washes are often bad because they contain harsher chemicals to get the vehicle clean enough. Typically, the damage I've seen is to rubber or plastic parts.

Indeed, you will end up with those fine scratches all over your truck, aka swirl marks. Some people don't mind but it makes the pain look a little dull. When you take a car to a professional detailer they basically just buff all these out, that's why the paint looks like new. My 10 year old GTI has almost none of those swirl marks, I've only hand washed it.

 

[BlancoRaptor]

Good points!
I guess I'll just have to roll up my sleeves and get to work!

 

[boraxman]

Best bet^^^

I actually enjoy washing mine.

 

[RR_Alaska]

Not everyone lives in a place where handwashing is an option. Here in Alaska you can't from October through mid April.

 

[T-Rev]

Not everyone lives in a place where handwashing is an option. Here in Alaska you can't from October through mid April.

What part of Alaska you referring to?

Even when I lived pretty far up North, there were hand wash bays with pressure washers where both ends had doors and were usable outside of abnormally cold days.

 

[RR_Alaska]

I live in Anchorage. Every spray yourself place says no handwashing. Even if that was allowed I wouldn't try it. I was referring to an at home wash.

 

[Massman]

I never take my vehicles through the car wash. I use a self wash car wash and tend to go light on the detergent. I just want to get the salt off. My brother was a manager for Nation Wide Ins. and he tells the story of some jerk who drove his truck, which had a load of barbed wire in the bed, through the car wash. The rollers picked up the barbed wire and destroyed 7 cars before it was shut down. Steve tells the story because 3 of the cars were insured by him. He joked that it didn't help is bottom line.

 

[T-Rev]

I live in Anchorage. Every spray yourself place says no handwashing. Even if that was allowed I wouldn't try it. I was referring to an at home wash.

Appreciate the clarification. I use the pressure washer for rinsing in one hand and hand wash with the other. As long as the time is running it's not a concern at any place I've been. I interpret handwashing as don't fill a bucket and use the space without paying while you are doing it.

 

[T-Rev]

Before I knew about the often-harsh chemicals used in touchless washes, I had a monthly membership to one. Took my near brand new RS3 through it and the exit door malfunctioned and dropped on the back deck lid. Owner was good about fixing it, so I kept going there. Couple months later one of the worm clamps let loose and sent the drying nozzle flying at the car again doing damage which he also fixed. That was enough for me and cancelled my membership.

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