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      11-25-2022, 04:09 PM   #23
KennyP
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Drives: 2009 Havana E89 Z4 Sdrive35i
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I never use automatic car washes that use brushes. These ruin the paint fast.
Been to a touchless/ brushless automatic carwash once with the Z4 during almost 7 years of ownership. Mainly just to see how the roof would hold up. Mine at that one time held up fine. Zero leaks.

But I have seen pictures where water was coming in from the ceiling between the seats at such a car wash.

check this:
https://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=560845

So that was the first thing that made me avoid automatic car washes. Second thing is that i think those carwashes dont do a proper job. Mainly they dont dry the car perfectly and you get waterspots on it.


I mainly use 2 ways to wash my car:

1. Wash it myself or use self service carwash for that. I always have a bag with microfiber towels in the trunk. Once im done washing and rincing the car off i take 2 microfiber towels, make them damp and wipe/ dry the car over including door gaps, trunklid seals , inside gas cap door and other panel gaps. I check towel after each wipe ,if it got dirty, say you missed a spot when washing then flip it and change the side. Thats why i use 2 towels for drying the car. 1st on gets dirty i use the second one.
Result is perfectly clean car with no watersports or anything. And you can use your own products like wheel cleaners at selfservice carwashes too if needed.
Of cource this method is not ideal when your car is really dirty, its better if you do it more often and maintain cars cleanliness. And all selfservice carwashes are not equal. Some use better products like shampoos etc. and after the wash your car is actually clean and towel does stay clean when doing the drying. But i have come across a few selfservice washes where even if you take your time and be thorough it just doesnt fully clean the car and when you start drying your car with a towel it just gets dirty right away. So try to find a proper, newer selfservice carwash for that, where people running it dont use the cheapest products. Also it helps if you have ceramic coating or wax on the car to protect it. Ceramic coating does really protect the paint when drying it with the towel. Wax helps but you have to do it often and it doesnt protect as well. But IMO wax does give a better shine and look than ceramic coating.

2. If i dont have time or place to wash the car myself i take it to a handwash service. Theres one handwash place here that has a proper cafe for its customers. So i can just turn up, give my keys, go to the cafe,sit down, enjoy some coffee and do some work on my laptop. When car is done i get notified and can leave. Not the cheapest but i like the place, service is good, coffee is good and they do everything as i would, handdry the car, do door gaps and even wipe the dash and clean floormats. Almost as good as if i had gone and washed it myself.

Last thing what i would say is dont rush with the cleaning of your car. Sometimes its better to just wait, keep it dirty and do it properly later than do it quickly in an automatic carwash with brushes or even wash it yourself in a rush. Take time, do it properly: your car will look spotless and paint lasts longer.
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2009 35i DCT Havana brown with ivory white interior. Mods: Cobb stage 1+FMIC, Wagner EVO1 FMIC, BMS DCI, KW V3 suspension, M3 front control arms, Hardrace RTAB, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.

Last edited by KennyP; 11-25-2022 at 04:18 PM..
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