[Tennberg]

I've been using Allston Car Wash since 2000 when I initially had a Volvo, then continued to use them when I had my A4.

I've only had my 328xi coupe for a week now, but it is definitely starting to accumulate a bit of dust and grime. I'm thinking of getting it washed this weekend, but there's one thing that concerns me about Allston Car Wash.

The blowers at the end to dry your car use the force generated by the air coming out to "hover" a few inches above your car. This way, they don't drag along the roof. However, since this is my first car with a shark fin, I'm concerned the blowers would drag along it and damage it.

Do those of you with shark fins find this to be an issue? Do you use Allston Car Wash? If not, any others around Boston you'd recommend?

[Brunotheboxer]

i recommend that you wash it yourself until its just too cold outside then find a good touchless one. i dont know anything about alston car wash but if its not touchless you are hurting the paint.

[ska///235i]

I heard good things about allston car wash, but I would never let ANYBODY wash my car....lol

[TrailBraker]

Even the touchless ones are real bad. They use very harsh soap that can etch your paint. I know becasue it happened to me.

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by Scotts335i

Even the touchless ones are real bad. They use very harsh soap that can etch your paint. I know becasue it happened to me.

this is from DavidN. he provided this forum with the detailing 101 sticky and i respect his opinions.

How to: Wash your car in the winter


I know many of the detailing pros in the forum may disagree with the content in this article. Winter washing can be a very tricky subject. My main objective when washing in the winter is to keep the salt and other dirt off of my car, and ensure that it stays swirl free. I’m not necessarily looking for the perfect shine.

I’ve come to accept the reality that my car will not stay clean for more than one day in the winter. No sooner do I wash it, it starts snowing, and the salt trucks are out in full force not long after that. With that said, I decided that it wasn’t worth it for me to freeze my pants off attempting to hand wash my car in my garage with warm water. The effort always seemed wasted. I needed to find a way to get the dirt off without damaging my finish in any way. Thankfully, I found it.

Imho, the most effective and painless way I have found to wash my car in the winter is to go through a touchless automatic car wash found at my local gas station. Touchless washes have many advantages:

- They don’t use any brushes whatsoever. No contact is made with your paint.
- They use recycled water. Many believe this is a bad thing. I don’t think it is. Recycled water tends to be softer, thus reducing the potential for hard water spots. Most reputable places will filter the reused water ensuring it is clean prior to reuse on your car.
- Many automatic car washes will also wash the underbody of your car, another area where salt can stick and cause damage.
- The water pressure is not directed at a concentrated area of your car, rather it is dispersed evenly everywhere with the express purpose of cleaning the finish safely.

The biggest key to avoiding swirls from a touchless wash is NOT TO DRY THE CAR AFTER YOU EXIT THE WASH!!!. Let the car dry on its own. Why you ask? Well, as good as touchless washes are, they will never replace a good home hand wash. There will still be a very thin film of dirt present on your paint. Guess what happens if you rub a towel on your paint with dirt on it? That’s right, nasty swirl marks will appear. Not a good thing. As mentioned before, there is no need to worry about water spots, because the water is recycled.

What I would recommend is wiping off your door-jambs and door sills, as water may find its way in there.

Many people advocate visiting a coin operated hand wash place. My question is why?? It’s really no different than hand washing at home. And I’ve already told you why I don’t like that. I also don’t like the high pressure of the spray nozzle. You could potentially push dirt into your clear coat.

I’m also not a fan of the quick detail in between washing, or worse yet, as a replacement for washing. No amount of qd can replace the thick suds of good car wash soap. No qd can lubricate and safely lift winter dirt and salt off your car safely. I guarantee you will create swirls using this method. Remember, friction is the enemy. The less you touch your car, the less micro marring you put in the clear coat. This goes not only for winter washing and drying, but also for year round washing and drying.

Many people have also expressed concern about the aggressiveness of the soap used at touchless washes. Will it dull my paint? Will it strip my wax or sealant? The answers are no, and no. I’ve been taking my cars thru touchless washes for the last few years and have encountered no problems to date. My klasse sealant glaze always sheets water the first time I hand wash my car in the spring. This tells me that there is still SG left on my paint. The fact that there is still a thin film of dirt present on my paint after existing the wash is another indicator that the soap is not as aggressive as believed.

It’s also very important to clay and use a paint cleaner on your paint during your big spring detail. Performing these two steps are the best ways to rejuvenate your finish after a harsh northern winter.

I can vouch for this method 100%. I have not had any issues with it. In my opinion it is the very best and most practical way to care for your car in the winter.

[Josh49]

Don't Go Through A Normal Car Wash!!

[Shinchan]

so where is a touchless in Boston area?

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by Shinchan

so where is a touchless in Boston area?

i dont know about boston but i know of one in Brockton, just remember your vest if you go there.

[superstarR]

There is a touchless car wash in Somerville. I think it's on Washington St. It's on the main street which goes to the UPS Distribution Center.

[DasBlitz]

I just do it myself at a car wash near me. Its the open style ones. Did it the other day. Dont want my white car looking brown.

[Spazdoc]

I live in the North End, so washing it myself is not an option.

What about this place - Bradford Auto Wax located at the 75 State STreet arking garage. Hand wash with armor all for $18.... not quite the $10 I paid in Chicago, but at least it is close.

http://www.bradfordautowax.com/door/

[Spazdoc]

Okay, when I traded in my beloved Jetta, I had it detailed at A-Z Autocenter. I did a complete detail job (about $200) for trade-in eval, and he just did a fantactic job with clay bar, polish, wax ,and interior conditioning. He even cleaned up a section that had an old 'ghetto' dent repair. I have to say that I was VERY impressed with his service, quality of the job, and speed.

The detialing is done at the Brighton shop, and they have full auto repair and body work services, so if you need a little more than detailing, then they can do that as well. They were able to give me realistic estimates on any minor repairs and recommendations on what I needed do for a trade-in.

I liked his service so much that I took the car to him for a basic wash this past weekend - my first wash in the new car. The wash is a HAND wash, with tire dressing and cleaning of door jambs, all for $19!! Hard to beat, even with those crappy automatic 'touchless' for over $20 that don't even touch the tires. Mind you, the car washing is done in the slot behind the shop (you just pull behind the shop). Plus, it was THE BEST hand wash I have had since coming to Boston.

Just ask for Marco, and you can tell him that Arthur with the Blue BMW recommended him (or not, but I will continue to go to him). They do hand wash on Saturdays until about 1 or 2pm.

[JDiggity1982]

I have used several touchless washes in the Boston area, including the famed Laser Wash in Wakefield and trust me when I tell you they all stink. Now don't get me wrong I am a huge fan of doing the wash myself, and I also have a buddy of mine who does it to his Evo 8 every friggin day; but I have found a pretty decent car wash in Medford named Randy's Car Wash. They do a pretty reasonable job for the money and if your a member of the car club you get numerous free washes including one on your birthday. Randy's also has several other locations - you can check them out at http://www.randyscarwash.com/

[Spazdoc]

It is still not quite touchless, right?

What really drives me nuts is that back in Chicago, there was a great chain of TRUE touchless washes - not a single brush - it was all pressurized jets with a final wipe at the end. It ran about $18 per run, and a free wash within 5 days. Plus, in the city, hand car wash with basic interior ran about $12-$18.

I am going nuts in Boston....

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by Spazdoc

It is still not quite touchless, right?

What really drives me nuts is that back in Chicago, there was a great chain of TRUE touchless washes - not a single brush - it was all pressurized jets with a final wipe at the end. It ran about $18 per run, and a free wash within 5 days. Plus, in the city, hand car wash with basic interior ran about $12-$18.

I am going nuts in Boston....

Spaz, once it warms up (if it ever does) you're welcome to hand wash your car up here. I have a garden hose, driveway, wet/dry vac, etc. I lived in the city last year and know how frustrating it is not to be able to wash your car.. Let me know..

[Spazdoc]

Thanks man. My wife no longer street parks the car (North End), and we have to walk 4 blocks to get the car.

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by Spazdoc

Thanks man. My wife no longer street parks the car (North End), and we have to walk 4 blocks to get the car.

No problem. My landlord pays the cold water bill, so feel free to come up and wash whenever you want..

[Mr. BMW]

Originally Posted by Josh49

No problem. My landlord pays the cold water bill, so feel free to come up and wash whenever you want..

You wash your car with cold water?

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by Mr. BMW

You wash your car with cold water?

You wash your car with hot water?

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by Mr. BMW

You wash your car with cold water?

You wash your car with water?

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by Brunotheboxer

You wash your car with water?

You wash your car?

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by Josh49

You wash your car?

no way, i just sand off the dirty spots..