Where do you wash your car?

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
So I have a new toy on the way, and want to keep it a bit cleaner than my daily drivers. It's going to be ceramic coated, so I can't use acidic or alkali shampoos...

In the other countries I have cars, I use a snow lance and just wash them on the driveway.

This apparently isn't ok in Switzerland, due to ground water pollution laws (I have an old house, no drain... so it goes onto the street).

Where do people wash their cars? There's a few DIY carwashes around here, but they all make you use their soap... and no idea what soap it is...

2
My car rarely gets dirty here, so I mostly use spülung mode at self-wash, which is water only, and only occasionally wash with shampoo.

3
Yep, use the rinse function to fill your bucket and use whatever soap you want.

I use Oscar car was in Zug, but I don't bother using my own shampoo and the results are always great.

In addition to the regular rinse function they also have a rinse function with distilled water

4

Have you had any issues bringing your own stuff? The local car wash here has signs saying that's not allowed... (and with me intending to do a foam wash, and then a two-bucket... that's not the easiest )

5
Take it out of the garage when it rains!

6

I've not have any issues, but I use their soap and water. (I run a cleaning brush cycle to fill my bucket with soapy water and then clean my car with that water and a washing mitt)

Prior to washing by hand I also use the various foam cycle, wash cycle etc. So, in effect, I'm using all their products and services, but not exactly as intended.

What you describe may be taking things a little far and if busy you may cause some irritation.

7
On a car wash

Usually, the front is covered by insects, the rear part of fenders and rocker panels are covered with grease-like material from the road, and the wheels completely covered in brake pad dust.

So, I go to the manual part of the car wash and apply insect remover (mine), then scrub a bit with a cleaning glove and rinse with water from the car wash (1 coin). Then use a brush from the car wash with warm water and soap (1 coin) to clean the fenders and rocker panels. Next, I apply the wheel cleaner (mine), brush a bit and rise with water from the car wash (1 coin).

Then, I use the automated rotating brush machine (waschstrasse). The robot does a fine job, the polish at the end is flawless. Finally, dry the remaining water droplets by hand.

8
I would never use the brush on the body of the car, as these brushes can hold dirt /sand, which can damage the paintwork. (But I'm guessing as the OP is using a two bucket method they wouldn't do this anyway!)

Also, if the OP is getting a 'toy', I'm assuming a sports car, which could have wide tyres. The waschstrasse, that drags the car can damage wide wheels with low profile tyres. My car dealer has seen a fair share of cracked wheels from this very thing.

9
I've only seen that primitive system that pulls the car through the fixed brushes in a car wash in a shopping mall in Oftringen, never go there haha.

In most of car washes the car is parked while the robot thingy moves back and forth. So, no prob with wider tires....the rotating brushes, they're as soft as my cleaning glove. And I pre-wash/rinse manually the car, so no scratch risk.

Also, the road is ruthless. I have to repaint one of the rocker panels because a metal thing fell from a truck and hit the car. Stone damage is relentless too. The only way to avoid it is to never drive

10
The brushes at carwashes are horrendous - they cause all sorts of swirl marks. Even on the duster I wouldn't use them.

Not to mention that the water is recycled, and it's not uncommon that the filters on carwashes get clogged allowing dust/dirt through to the rewash.

The rotating brushes on wheels I saw - but how do they wash the inside of the rims rather than only outside?

Here's some high level info on the two bucket method: https://www.detailingwiki.org/guides/two-bucket-method/

I tend to also put a grit-guard in the dirty bucket (it's like a mesh at the bottom that stops grit swirling in the water).

For stonechips, ceramic coatings do advertise some protection, but I find a film-coating works quite well... It's a cost every 5 years or so, but if done professionally isn't visible.

I guess a lot is down to how shiny you want a car... if you want to be able to see your reflection, then you don't go near automated carwashes... if on the other hand you see the car as a tool to abuse... then an auto-carwash isn't so bad...

11
I always find this a bit strange. When I bought my car, I was offered PPF, but when I looked at the costs it was higher than having the front of the car resprayed

12
Is there a self-wash place that is indoor? I'm willing to do the bucket-method but not outdoor in the middle of winter... and winter is the time when the car needs to be washed more often

13
Depending where in Zürich you are then this may help

https://tankstelle-wyss.ch/

14
Indeed swirl marks may appear, not significant yet after a couple years or washing once, most of times, twice a month. If they ever become a problem, there's polish and sealing, it's just part of the maintenance budget.

For the wheels, I spray the rim cleaner with another brush I bring and rinse it with water before going into the robot.

It has some parts protected by film coating, but one of the damned stones hit in the hood (bonnet) where coating would just look ridiculous.

It's a real world car, it may get hit at the Coop parking, stones, salt, whatever. Finally, it's a bit like a leather bomber jacket, it's not damaged, just patina

15
Autop - sometimes in Zürich, mostly in Richterswil.

16
A multilayer ceramic pro coating (not in CH) costs around 1000 euros (just over the border in Italy, Germany or France).

The same thing costs around 4000 in Switzerland....

It's officially guaranteed for life - with most garages offering free annual checkups and fixes...