It appears you have already applied to xpel to protect the paint. Now it about protecting the xpel. My only worries with the touchless systems is the pressure used - some xpel installers talked against using car washes with high pressure that may peel the edges of the film back. I don't know that's a actual fact, noted that the detailers liked dis'ing on the competition's products, but that concern came up more than once. Luckily I can hand wash my own cars.
Hand wash or Touchless
Hi, I'm trying to figure out how I should regularly have my 18 Macan S cleaned.
I've had Xpel put on, and cquartz put on top of that.
I've taken it for a handwash once, it looked good after at a glance. I was going to return there but my friend told me the hand wash will result in swirls and I should use a touchless car wash instead, I haven't noticed swirls since that comment but I haven't inspected it either, plus it's dirty again so it's more difficult to tell.
So what's the better method for keeping the car looking great and not damaging the paint?
Also, there's no way I will be washing it myself.
And I have no idea if the hand wash place uses a two bucket system or not, but it is a very busy place doing a lot of high end vehicles, and I basically have to book a time to get an appt. so perhaps that says something about their quality.
I've had Xpel put on, and cquartz put on top of that.
I've taken it for a handwash once, it looked good after at a glance. I was going to return there but my friend told me the hand wash will result in swirls and I should use a touchless car wash instead, I haven't noticed swirls since that comment but I haven't inspected it either, plus it's dirty again so it's more difficult to tell.
So what's the better method for keeping the car looking great and not damaging the paint?
Also, there's no way I will be washing it myself.
And I have no idea if the hand wash place uses a two bucket system or not, but it is a very busy place doing a lot of high end vehicles, and I basically have to book a time to get an appt. so perhaps that says something about their quality.
1 - 20 of 43 Posts
I had Opticoat Pro put on mine and it takes 1 gallon of the cleaner to wash the car - amazing product. The detailer who applied it told me to use a pressure sprayer this winter to knock off all the heavy crap then use the cleaner to do the job (in my heated garage) and all would be good. That's what I plan to do - takes about 45 mins.Hi, I'm trying to figure out how I should regularly have my 18 Macan S cleaned.
I've had Xpel put on, and cquartz put on top of that.
I've taken it for a handwash once, it looked good after at a glance. I was going to return there but my friend told me the hand wash will result in swirls and I should use a touchless car wash instead, I haven't noticed swirls since that comment but I haven't inspected it either, plus it's dirty again so it's more difficult to tell.
So what's the better method for keeping the car looking great and not damaging the paint?
Also, there's no way I will be washing it myself.
And I have no idea if the hand wash place uses a two bucket system or not, but it is a very busy place doing a lot of high end vehicles, and I basically have to book a time to get an appt. so perhaps that says something about their quality.
If you take it to a car wash for them to do the clean, then you should expect swirls will happen, the more you use them the more swirls.
It is a DIY task, snow foam the car, pressure wash it off after 10 minutes, repeat if really crudded up.
Then use the two bucket method to wash the car followed by a rinse using 0 ppm water and the result will be stunning.
It is a DIY task, snow foam the car, pressure wash it off after 10 minutes, repeat if really crudded up.
Then use the two bucket method to wash the car followed by a rinse using 0 ppm water and the result will be stunning.
How can xpel swirl? It's a plastic-type coating, no?
One suggestion, may be a bit inconvenient, is to get some incredimitts, extra large, and take them to the handwash so they use your mitts, not theirs, which obviously aren't that clean or safe.
As for touchless, I don't care how powerful the spray is. If the car is dirty, no way no how it can get it clean.
One suggestion, may be a bit inconvenient, is to get some incredimitts, extra large, and take them to the handwash so they use your mitts, not theirs, which obviously aren't that clean or safe.
As for touchless, I don't care how powerful the spray is. If the car is dirty, no way no how it can get it clean.
+1^ My experience as well.....As for touchless, I don't care how powerful the spray is. If the car is dirty, no way no how it can get it clean.
I second that! Touchless should be changed to worthless. I have neve once had a car clean from a touches system. Once time I could see the pressure washer lines between the dirt it missed. Total garbage. DIY and you’ll be happy you did.+1^ My experience as well.
Tried many methods. Touchless is almost worthless is my verdict too. Although when I have a lot of time I sometimes still do the initial touchless foam thing but it removes only a bit of the dirt. Best is two bucket method hand wash. Do it yourself, use many micro fiber towels. It's fun and with practice you will be done within 30min. Try many different soaps the result varies a lot between the products. Friday evening when I come home from the beer with friends, this is what I like doing a lot - getting out with the family in a shiny Macan on Saturday morning makes me forget all the hassle at work...
Most important "ingredient" for the whole fun >> good earphones and good music.
Most important "ingredient" for the whole fun >> good earphones and good music.
I
Live on 3 miles of dirt/gravel road
My white S is opticoated.
I use the Sams touchless wash periodically and the car looks ok, no all the dirt does not come off.
When weather permits in the Midwest I do it myself.
The Opticoat dealer told me I can use a high quality car wash occasionally.
Live on 3 miles of dirt/gravel road
My white S is opticoated.
I use the Sams touchless wash periodically and the car looks ok, no all the dirt does not come off.
When weather permits in the Midwest I do it myself.
The Opticoat dealer told me I can use a high quality car wash occasionally.
I have a PPF on my hood that the prior owner applied when the car was just a few miles old. It looks like crap today. Swirl marks all over it, funny fold lines near the corners, a chunk missing on the front edge, and a few other small issues. It looked to me like the prior owner used a car wash daily as it took me 15 hours to buff most the swirls out. I somewhat gave up when I realized the PPF was swirled. Part of the issue here is that mine is black, and black is not a color....it's a full time job.How can xpel swirl? It's a plastic-type coating, no?
One suggestion, may be a bit inconvenient, is to get some incredimitts, extra large, and take them to the handwash so they use your mitts, not theirs, which obviously aren't that clean or safe.
As for touchless, I don't care how powerful the spray is. If the car is dirty, no way no how it can get it clean.
I use the touchless to save a few minutes before doing a wash when the car is super dirty. They don't work except to get some of the big stuff off. Deep into winter I'll use them before I do a rinseless wash in the garage.
What is the downside of washing my SUV in a touchless auto car wash and hand waxing it afterwards?Hi, I'm trying to figure out how I should regularly have my 18 Macan S cleaned.
I've had Xpel put on, and cquartz put on top of that.
I've taken it for a handwash once, it looked good after at a glance. I was going to return there but my friend told me the hand wash will result in swirls and I should use a touchless car wash instead, I haven't noticed swirls since that comment but I haven't inspected it either, plus it's dirty again so it's more difficult to tell.
So what's the better method for keeping the car looking great and not damaging the paint?
Also, there's no way I will be washing it myself.
And I have no idea if the hand wash place uses a two bucket system or not, but it is a very busy place doing a lot of high end vehicles auto detailing annandale va, and I basically have to book a time to get an appt. so perhaps that says something about their quality.
I hand washed my SUV for 7 yrs and when I traded it in it wasn't worth anymore than a car that was auto washed. But what downside is there?
Also,
What product is good to use to remove scuff marks from shoes on the interior door panel of my SUV?
here is an article that I found:
While many people believe that hand washing is safer to a vehicles finish than automatic washing, this is not necessarily true. A few years ago, The Technological University of Munich did a study for Mercedes Benz to discover which method of washing was safer for the finish of a vehicle. A few years later, the University of Texas was commissioned by the International Car Wash Association to conduct a similar test. The results were quite startling. It was found that hand washing a car 26 times and washing a car 26 times at an automatic cloth car wash, the surface of the hand washed vehicle showed damage. This was determined by taking microscopic pictures of the paint finish. When enlarged, these photos revealed deep and numerous scratches in the paint of the hand washed vehicle.
Why did this happen? It was determined that each time the hand wash sponge or mit is placed on the surface of the car, it continually picks up girt in the fibers that are not rinsed out. This grit acts like a very fine sandpaper putting scratches in the paint.
In an automatic car wash however, the car is constantly flooded with water and shampoo. This forms a protective layer between the washing material and the paint surface which washes away girt and dirt before it can damage the finish.
Is that to say all hand washing is damaging? Not at all. What both tests determined was that in order to prevent the grit from harming the finish, the hand washed must keep a hose in one hand with the water running on the area being washed while washing the vehicle surface. This will keep a protective layer of water between the mit and the paint and will rinse away grit.
They must have super duper clean car washes in Munich. I’ve never seen, across the US, any car wash that continually floods the vehicle with shampoo or water. Your car goes in, they use high pressure guns to go over most but certainly not all of the car, shampoo, as they call it, comes down and if you are lucky covers 80 percent of the car, and then dirty strips of cloth, the same cloths that wash a hundred cars a day, slap across your vehicle, again not hitting every area. And if you or they are speaking of washes I use once in a while, where it is only soap and water, No agitation, they’d need lye or acid to clean the dirt.What is the downside of washing my SUV in a touchless auto car wash and hand waxing it afterwards?
I hand washed my SUV for 7 yrs and when I traded it in it wasn't worth anymore than a car that was auto washed. But what downside is there?
Also,
What product is good to use to remove scuff marks from shoes on the interior door panel of my SUV?
here is an article that I found:
While many people believe that hand washing is safer to a vehicles finish than automatic washing, this is not necessarily true. A few years ago, The Technological University of Munich did a study for Mercedes Benz to discover which method of washing was safer for the finish of a vehicle. A few years later, the University of Texas was commissioned by the International Car Wash Association to conduct a similar test. The results were quite startling. It was found that hand washing a car 26 times and washing a car 26 times at an automatic cloth car wash, the surface of the hand washed vehicle showed damage. This was determined by taking microscopic pictures of the paint finish. When enlarged, these photos revealed deep and numerous scratches in the paint of the hand washed vehicle.
Why did this happen? It was determined that each time the hand wash sponge or mit is placed on the surface of the car, it continually picks up girt in the fibers that are not rinsed out. This grit acts like a very fine sandpaper putting scratches in the paint.
In an automatic car wash however, the car is constantly flooded with water and shampoo. This forms a protective layer between the washing material and the paint surface which washes away girt and dirt before it can damage the finish.
Is that to say all hand washing is damaging? Not at all. What both tests determined was that in order to prevent the grit from harming the finish, the hand washed must keep a hose in one hand with the water running on the area being washed while washing the vehicle surface. This will keep a protective layer of water between the mit and the paint and will rinse away grit.
Hand washing can of course impart damage. Any time you touch the paint it will. You just need to be gentle and not rub hard.
And I completely agree, hand, auto, thousands spent on PPF, never ups trade in value.
Did they use the two bucket method? With a grit guard? Another way is to use five or more sponges or mitts and wipe a quarter of the car with each.
I do a 2 bucket hand wash with dirt cyclones in the bottom every 2-3 weeks with soft water, and use a touch less wash between those few weeks when I don’t want to get the buckets out.
Griot's Garage recommended using a horsehair (?) brush years ago arguing that it released contaminants when returned to
the bucket and minimized contact with the painted surface thereby avoiding scratching.
I'm still using the one I bought many years ago - although it's lost some of its hair - and does so each time I use it.
Griot - about that product warranty...
the bucket and minimized contact with the painted surface thereby avoiding scratching.
I'm still using the one I bought many years ago - although it's lost some of its hair - and does so each time I use it.
Griot - about that product warranty...
Your first sentence doesn't align with the discussion...that is not a touch free. As for touch free, high water pressure is the agitation. That said, it isn't enough to clean the car anywhere near what a handwash does....and then dirty strips of cloth, the same cloths that wash a hundred cars a day, slap across your vehicle, again not hitting every area. And if you or they are speaking of washes I use once in a while, where it is only soap and water, No agitation, they’d need lye or acid to clean the dirt.
I see flaws in that study...where is the measure of cleanliness? Sure, comparing a job where you are rubbing a sponge (used generically) on the car vs spraying with high pressure water is going to turn out how they said...but the car isn't clean from the latter. That just tells me that if I touch the car with something, it will leave a mark...well, duh.
With regards to the question about touch free wash followed by wax, don't do it. There is still a film of dirt on the vehicle, so trying to wax it at that point is not going to turn out well. Well maintained vehicles do add some value, more so as you move up price range. I had an old FX35 that I traded in, and they told me they gave me more $$ due to the condition of the interior/exterior (though it wasn't enough to pay me for the time I spent on it.
).
When you have a ski box on top, and it is the middle of winter, you have to find a touchless car wash or your car will rust away under you. The soaps they use are pretty harsh, but the rinses should get most off. I carry a pile of microfiber cloths with me to finish the job off and a hand vacuum.
![Wheel Tire Vehicle Car Plant]()
"...your car will rust away under you..."
A bit over dramatic... I have lived all of my life in MN (aside from a year each in CA and CO), and I wash my vehicles about once a month in the winter. Zero rust issues.
A bit over dramatic... I have lived all of my life in MN (aside from a year each in CA and CO), and I wash my vehicles about once a month in the winter. Zero rust issues.
Gimme a break . Basic at my Touchless, Level 1 of 3, is just fine. I admit, I don't get out my magnifying glass and look for dirt afterwards.
. Basic at my Touchless, Level 1 of 3, is just fine. I admit, I don't get out my magnifying glass and look for dirt afterwards.this is one of the reasons we did not PPF our GTS. It's going to be driven during 4 seasons.......in Ohio. I am a madman when it comes to fair-weather car washing (Kranzle power washer, CR spotless D/I system, etc), but when it's 20 degrees (or less), with slush outside, I have no car wash options at the house. Touchless is not good enough for me since, in my experience, it really does not get the car anywhere near clean when winter sludge gets on the paint. So, during the winter, we use one of several big name contact car washing locations. When spring comes, I get out the RO buffer, get the swirls out and we are good to go until winter comes again.
I went to college in Duluth and because of this am paranoid about rust, having watched cars disintegrate at the curb. No drama here, just watching what a VW Beetle would do in three years."...your car will rust away under you..."
A bit over dramatic... I have lived all of my life in MN (aside from a year each in CA and CO), and I wash my vehicles about once a month in the winter. Zero rust issues.
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