Is 2010 Prius safe at a car wash?

:eyebrows: :evil: :boom::faint:

 

You'll never know 'till you try... :drum:

 

actually newly PAINTED cars should wait a minimum 30 days before waxing. but your car is usually beyond that date by the time you get it. but considering the rush job Toyota did in getting the 2010's to market, it might not be a bad idea to wait a few weeks before waxing

 

Oh wow, thanks! The Optimum No Rinse is AWESOME! Here is a demo video I found of a guy cleaning a Ferrari!

[ame=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-744800996428313622]Optimum No Rinse Demo[/ame]

 

I see a bunch of No Rinse videos on Youtube - is this a pyramid / alternative marketing scheme, or are there just a bunch of happy users?

 

I promise to let you know, but I was on a detailing site I like, "autogeek.com" and they had it on there. So, I think it is legit. Now, wether or not it works well or not is yet to be seen. I ordered it so I will definitely report back on that.

The thing I like the most, is all year round, I can clean the car in the garage.

 

Brad, I have but one suggestion for you. Have you ever tried to clean the dirt off your mitt in a bucket of clear water before resudsing? I know all the dirt is suppose to drop to the bottom of the bucket but some of it stays suspended in the water.

I sure like your method of washing. Unless my cars and airplane are really dirty, I do it the same way you are doing the only difference is that I use a rinse bucket to get all the dirt out of my mitt.

You gotta love that Ferrari of yours!!!!!!!

Dan

 

Come on guys/gals... it's just a car. I have owned 4 cars in the last 8 years and yes, initially I was washing them by hand, but the "luster" disappears after the first year or so... now I don't care how old the car is... automatic car wash is it... even with my old Boxster with cloth top and plastic rear window...

 

No no!!! hehe not my car. That was somebody on googlevideo. I think it's at a dealer where he works, or owns though. He seems to have tons of expensive vehicles. =) I might try the rinse bucket, but with this stuff, it is supposed to use some sort of polymer and a lubrication to do the job.

 

I think the guy you are talking about is Scottwax, he is a professional detailer and hes made several ONR videos. He's a big contributor on the Autopia detailing forum.

Its not a MLM scheme, just a great product...

 

steve,
the wash i use is $8.00, it is manned at the start to clean up the wheels, and soap down the glass surfaces, then high power wand spray grit etc from car. Then it proceeds thru the revolving brushes, gets rinsed off, lathered with wax solution, the sprayed clean and blown dry. It just takes a few minutes to wipe down door jambs etc after.. I believew the car wash manufacture is belange or some similar name like that. But it is best wash we have in our area. Others i wouldn't trust with new paint finishes.

 

i went throught a car wash in my 07 prius touring and the antena was took off.....as for the navigation screen i use the iklear from apple.com... thats what they reccommend for there computers and the screens fill the same so um yea i use that.

 

I agree about not going to the car wash - I could not believe how old are carwashes are here, in a major metropolitan city. Before I left Boise, a new 4 million dollar car touch less car wash was built that was wonderful. Would think Portland OR... is it the rain

So after reading various threads I purchased the Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine jug - Amazon had the best price (I like their ratings site too - regular people like me sharing experiences). I have not used it yet since its spent most of its time inside since purchasing - due to body shop repairs correcting something the selling dealer did.

Since I was taking it in to the Toyota Certified Body Shop in PDX, I asked the manager about all the swirls in the blue ribbon metallic paint - you have to look at certain angles and in certain light.

Sometimes sun but even more in my garage which has two four foot rectangular florescent fixtures (two bulbs each - some days I want to rip it out). He told me that the swirls come in the clear coat off the ship...he took me over to several brand new dark color cars and when I looked a certain way I could see the swirls.

So I am going to attempt to take the time and wash it using ONR but with Toyota's paint quality, I think it’s a loosing battle. Will I wash it myself yes - so the spoiler does not break, and the wrong chemicals don’t get on the window frame covers (some auto car washes malfunction and apply the wax coating at the end even when you decline). Heaven knows that once I get the new covers put on next week, would like them to stay nice for awhile

 

That's because all of the cars on the dealer's lot have been prepped, run through their automatic car wash, and wiped down occasionally by the lot water boy using the rag he keeps in his back pocket.

Whenever I order a dark-colored car, I make it very clear to the salesperson that I will not take delivery if they have prepped it and swirled out the paint. I want it straight off the delivery truck.

Enjoy the ONR. You will like it, especially when you realize how much water it saves. Make sure you use good microfiber towels.

 

post deleted.

 

I have learned my lesson . I had to call 50 dealers in 3 states, in order to find a BRM (III with out NAV) and get titled prior to 7/31/09. That's when WA's sales tax holiday for hybrids ended - saving me $2,000. Thus I was not in the drivers seat (pardon the pun). In hindsight as I mentioned in another topic thread, while both are borrring (to me), I wish I had gotten silver or pearl . Thats one of the reasons that I will not buy my CRV off lease, even if they offered it to me at auction price - because it's black. That said, I have always found Honda's paint quality better (on my 3rd vehicle from each). Thanks for all the info!

 

pdxrose, there is still hope. If you find a good professional detailer (or want to learn to do it yourself -- it's not that hard), your swirled paint can be polished back to glossy perfection.

If you use your Prius as a daily driver, you may want to let the swirls accumulate until you can't take it anymore, and then polish. Each polishing session removes a thin layer from the clear coat, but boy is it worth it.

Then, using the right protectants and wash techniques (such as avoiding automatic washes at the dealership and those using brushes as pictured in this thread), you can make the bling last for quite a while.

Good luck, and enjoy your car!!!

 

I brought No Rinse car wash from autogeek and wash my Prius myself once every two weeks. Just wash one section at a time and wipe it with another soft cloth. It takes no time and does a really good job. Once a year, I normal had my 2007 Prius detail, and I will do the same with my 2010 Prius. And it is inexpensive and uses very little water using No Rinse car wash.

 

I too live in the frozen north, 25 miles from Buffalo, NY. I went to this thread to find out about possible damage to a sensor in the door handle etc. from the heated water and pressure at a car wash. In the winter up north we drive the majority of the time in slushy, salty melted snow, when it thaws a little (which may last a few days) I try to wash my car by hand. Sometimes this is not a possibilty and the only way to rid the car of the metal eating salt is a quick run thru a car wash. I know antennas need to be removed etc. but is there a danger to any of the electronics in the car? This is my daily driver not my show car. That would be my 1985 Mercedes 380SL or my 1966 VW Bug neither of which have seen a winter in Buffalo or a car wash!

 

How can anyone even THINK of washing a Prius. There's, like, 500 volts AC in that sucker! It would light up like a Christmas tree and lightning would shoot out of every crack!

Seriously, I may have killed my front left wheel sensor from car washes and freeze cycles - I have an ABS light on and the code indicates this part (currently on order). Not sure this is what did it in, but it doesn't appear this is a highly common part to go. That said, I doubt it will have any effect on my using touchless drive-through washes.

Waild, I'm jelous of your '85 Merc. I am looking at a '83 W-123 coupe (300CD) on Ebay right now and lusting something awful. I miss my '91 560SEL but want a W-123.