Mr. Clean Autodry really really works!

I have not yet seen this product in stores. What is the approximate cost per wash?

Water accumulates under the hood, hatch, and behind the doors. These areas still have to be hand-dried.

 

I have been using the (high) pressure brushless car washes since they first became available. That was because I noticed "swirl like" scratches developing either from my hand washing or brush-type car washes. Expensive but effortless. I had wash the wheels.
I would like to try the Autodry system but since there is still dirt on the surface at the stage you use the sponge or mitt does this not just continue to scratch the original pristine surface/wax and leave these swirls?

 

I use the Mr. Clean Autodry system every week. There's nothing better. The soap really cleans the car well. Everyone should try this. It's so easy to wash your car. No buckets. I just use the device and a microfiber towel. That's all you need for a perfect shine.

 

What is the approximate cost per wash? Apparently Richard tried to answer this question but I don't see the reply.

 

I really like the high pressure touchless washes too... They really do a great job. With advanced multiple wash purchase card, they work out to about $3 per wash... much less than Mr. Clean - which works very well but costs too much per wash, IMHO, and still reqquires the hose wrestling etc.

I use a wool mitt and a big bucket of warm sudy water to hand wash once a month or so to get all the bugs off. I launder it between uses and ALWAYS RINSE THE CAR VERY WELL BEFORE TOUCHING IT to prevent picking up and swirling grit. Rinse the mitt after every wipe in the bucket so sand goes to the bottom. No swirlies after 4 washes

 

A few wash tips I picked up a while ago when I first got my Prius in January:

-Always pre-rinse the car. This will eliminate a lot of the loose debris that can scratch your paint.

-Wash from the top down and shake out the cloth/mitt in the wash bucket after every few strokes. Some people use a different cloth/mitt for different areas of the car if the car gets dirty quickly.

-Do not let the soap dry on the car! If you find that the soap is drying before you finish washing, do half the car (or less, depending on your climate), then rinse that portion before proceeding to the next area.

-When washing, use left/right or forward/backward strokes. Circular strokes are the absolute worst because any scratches will "swirl" and will show from any angle you view the car from. At least if there are minor scratches when you go left/right or forward/back, you'll need to be at a very precise angle to see the scratches

-When you've finished washing and rinsing, take the nozzle off of the hose, and use a low-pressure flow of water to "rinse" the small water droplets off so they bead together and flow off the car. This will help the drying time tremendously if you're using a shammy/chamois!

I always wipe down the black portions of the car with a cotton towel to make sure I don't get any water spots.

My car still looks as good as the day I picked it up, aside from a few miniscule chips on the front bumper from rocks and the back bumper where someone very slightly scraped me.

Dave.

 

After the initial investment of $20 for the device. The per wash cost is about one dollar. You get 10 washes per filter and soap refill that cost $5 each. I purchased my Mr. clean autodry on sale for $16. Comes with starter kit for three washes. I think I got 4 or 5 washes out of the start kit. If you pay 26K for the car, you can pay $20 for something to keep the car clean.

 

And on the other hand you may not have enough $$ left.

 

I haven't been as successful with the Autodry. It still leaves spots on the car. I've tried making sure that I get all of the 'normal' water replaced by the 'ionized' water but I still get spots. Anyone else have this problem?

 

You can get a $3 off coupon by going to http://www.homemadesimple.com/mrcleanautod...ry/coupon.shtml

You can also download the manual as a pdf file.

I'm still waiting for my coupon to be sent to me. Testament from a friend with a new BMW 330 sold me on trying it, plus the used chamois I had left ugly greasy streaks on the first wash.

Bill
04 Black BC "HIGHBRED"
04 White BC

 

Also having a black Prius, I have experienced minor spotting even with the Autodry product (though it does help a lot).

I have been able to get around this by waiting a few minutes after rinsing with ionized water for the larger sections of the car to dry, and then hand drying the remaining wet spots. Though I still have to hand dry, it is much less work (and nearly spotless) than without this product.

 

I really like it too. I have been using it since May. It does wounders. Saves my back like crazy, because I don't need to dry it.

 

I thought that maybe the original 'starter' filter may be the culprit so I purchased a new 'about 10 washes' filter and have used it three times with spotting every time (and it is installed correctly). And no, :lol: I haven't swapped the dial settings (you forgot to ask if I connected the garden hose to the Autodry and turned on the water :wink: ).

On another problem, I've noticed that it uses quite a bit of soap solution and if you accidently store it on the fill side the soap will leak out of the soft fill cover.