Hey everyone,

Long-past WRX owner returning to the fold. I used to have an '02 wagon, and I specifically chose silver for the ease of care.

Now I've moved to an '09 hatch, in OBP. It looks great, but you know, it's black, and I'm afraid Subaru paint seems a bit fragile.

So anyways, besides saying "hi" to the original BAIC again, I was wondering if anyone has used one of the local "Clear Water Car Wash" places - it's one of those no-touch, pressurized-water wash-your-own-car places (the thought of those automated brush places and people swirling the hood with dirty rags puts me on edge). Any comments, good or bad? The few reviews on Yelp seem positive.

Thanks!

 

Welcome Aboard! errr, Welcome Back Aboard! How do you like the 09' wagon vs. your previous 02'? It would help if you told us what city/area you live in, so that the fellow Subaru owners in the area that have had long term experience with a specific car wash place can chime in and let you know...

There are at least two knowledgeable enthusiasts on this forum that I know that could help you with your question - their screen names are "Detailaddict" and also "Ballz". If I owned a Subaru that was brand spankin' new I would definitely ask for their recommendations on paint maintenance. Now that summer is on its way here, its actually a nice time to wash your car in your driveway if you can!!

 

Clear Bra it.

 

^ yea, do the whole car.


haha welcome!

 

drive through car wash is no good. they reuse the water, even they filter it, the chemical they use on the wheel gets recycle onto your car.

do-it-yourself car wash... forget it, brush will kill your paint. brush is only good for your wheels, and even that it can be bad depending on what kind of wheels you have.

best is to wash it with a dual bucket system with grit guard. pressure wash to rinse the big dirty off. Then foam the car down the break down the remaining dirt. Then wash away with fresh microfiber and dual bucket. yeah, lot of work, but to reduce swirl marks. have fun and welcome!

 

Thanks! Duh, should've mentioned - I'm in Redwood City. I really like the '09 so far. There have been quite a few refinements to everything since the first-gen, and all those little details add up to make a big difference. The 2.5L engine and 40HP boost are really noticeable too, the new car has a lot more low-end grunt than the '02. I do kinda miss the bug-eyes, but then again I haven't seen the car much from the outside yet

Thanks detailaddict. I wouldn't use the brushes at the DIY place, just the pressure washer (and I'd bring my own microfiber cloth for any direct paint contact). Is the water OK at the DIY places, are do they also use recycled/filtered water (with all that tire stuff, soap and wax all coming out of the same nozzle)?

As an apartment dweller without easy access to a garage/hose, my options are limited (plus, I promised myself I wouldn't be quite as obsessive about caring for the new car)

Thanks again all.

 

I believe in the State of California, it's required by law all car wash places have to have a reclamation system to reuse the water after filter.

Leo

 

I have an OBP car and its been driving me crazy trying to keep it clean. I got a used 04 so it came "stock" with some swirl marks that I haven't been able to get rid of with just normal turtle wax.

Hey Leo, how do you feel about armorall products? I bought a armorall microfiber mitt with the microfiber fingers.

I've heard clay bars are great for deep grime too, but I have yet to try it.

 

I have yet to see ANY good mf over the counter. If you think what you have is good, try mine.

No wax can get rid of swirl marks, not even cleaner wax.

clay bar only removes surface containment like industrial fallout and brake dust. Basically anything you can FEEL after a good wash. Some would tell you that it removes swirl marks as well is because it does 'cut', therefor 'level' the surface/clear coat for you.

To really get rid of swirl marks, you have to go with Polish. I have just recently stocked some Menzerna products. Do a search on it, and you'll see how highly recommended Menzerna is for polishing use. I also have Adam's Polishes for easy home use (noob use )

Leo

 

yeah im not letting go of my bug eye hehe

 

I go to the DIY wash places because I have no choice. I haven't noticed anything horrible happen to my car other than swirl marks, but I have a black car so I expect those.

 

i have a 08 obp legacy has my other car, and i can tell u that it is hard as hell to keep it looking like new but i use mr clean wash, and p21s wax on it(twice a year) and it looks like it has just rolled off the show room floor. save yourself the greef and just wash and dry yourself, it takes less than a couple of hours, and at least you know if you scratch it, its ur fault and not some machine or underpaid worker.

 

oh yeah, P21s has some pretty good wax too! Concours is a bit hard to use, but they came out with the 100%, which lets you leave it on longer and easier to buff off. And they are both great! (and I just stocked them too! )