Clubjazz - Honda Jazz & HR-V Forums

Diagnostics, Tuning, Modifications and Maintenance - all Hondas => Car Care & Detailing => Topic started by: VicW on February 05, 2018, 02:40:35 PM

Title: Car Wash
Post by: VicW on February 05, 2018, 02:40:35 PM
I took my dirty Jazz to a car wash (East European of course) for the first time ever today, I've never used one before. This one came highly recommended by a local chat room so of I gave it a try.
I think I have washed my own car for the last time, in the winter at least.
The guys and girl did a brilliant job including the door frames and inside the door edges.
It cost £6.
I must ask them if they will spray the underside next time I go as I always wash the salt off in the winter. (and the mud in the summer, Lincolnshire is a farming county!)

Vic.
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: Jocko on February 05, 2018, 02:48:18 PM
Same here. They do a fantastic job. I only wash mine if I get good weather and because I find it therapeutic!
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: peteo48 on February 05, 2018, 03:27:28 PM
I'm like Jocko - I quite like cleaning the car on therapeutic grounds but in this weather? No thanks. On car detailing sites - like detailing world - you'll find people arguing that taking your car to a hand car wash is tantamount to cleaning it with coarse grade sandpaper!

One of my neighbours is very fussy about his cars - gets a new one every 3 years and they are cleaned every 2 weeks. A bad back put paid to doing it himself so he uses the East Europeans down at Tesco. His cars always look good. I've been watching them in action at Tesco and, to be fair, they use Autoglym stuff, use plenty of water and have a bin for putting cloths in if they drop them. I had a gold service back in November for £15 - outside done, inside hovered, all other inside surfaces treated and polished including the air vents and they used AutoGlym Aqua Wax in the drying process.

I've got a voucher for £10 off a platinum wash - even includes a polish with Autoglym Super Resin Polish. £25 with the voucher - might just go for it!
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: Jocko on February 05, 2018, 04:55:09 PM
you'll find people arguing that taking your car to a hand car wash is tantamount to cleaning it with coarse grade sandpaper!
Quite possibly, but when you start with a car that has already done over 80K miles, I don't think it makes a lot of difference. Maybe I'd be a bit more particular with a brand new car. They certainly have put a crimp on the automatic car washes. Mind you, we will have to wait and see if they are still here after Brexit!
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: culzean on February 05, 2018, 05:41:31 PM
Mind you, we will have to wait and see if they are still here after Brexit!

Automation is the future of most things,  machines replacing people = more productivity = more profit.

Don't think we need car cleaners badly enough to stay with free movement.... (controversial).
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: Hobo on February 05, 2018, 07:11:56 PM
I took my dirty Jazz to a car wash (East European of course)

Been taking mine to some of these guys on an industrial estate near me for several years now, firstly my Jazz and now the Civic, they only hand wash and do an excellent job for £6 including washing the alloys spotlessly, when they first opened you could drive up any time and be more or less started straight away, now it is a lottery how long you may have to wait sometimes there can be a dozen cars queuing to be washed when you arrive.
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: peteo48 on February 06, 2018, 08:58:54 AM
Mind you, we will have to wait and see if they are still here after Brexit!

Automation is the future of most things,  machines replacing people = more productivity = more profit.

Don't think we need car cleaners badly enough to stay with free movement.... (controversial).

Read an article a few years ago about hand car washes bucking the trend towards automation. In short the number of automatic car washes had fallen. All to do with low wages meaning that it's easier to turn a profit from low paid workers than from the huge capital investment in machinery.
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: richardfrost on February 06, 2018, 09:01:11 AM
Only thing I miss with using these car washing services, is the chance you get to look at your car all over as you clean and polish. Spotting the little dings, spots of rust, loose bits and pieces, breeds of spider in the mirrors etc..

I can live with that!
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: Jocko on February 06, 2018, 09:32:05 AM
Read an article a few years ago about hand car washes bucking the trend towards automation. In short the number of automatic car washes had fallen. All to do with low wages meaning that it's easier to turn a profit from low paid workers than from the huge capital investment in machinery.
And, I would imagine, with considerably lower insurance premiums!
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: culzean on February 06, 2018, 10:43:33 AM
I took my dirty Jazz to a car wash (East European of course)

Been taking mine to some of these guys on an industrial estate near me for several years now, firstly my Jazz and now the Civic, they only hand wash and do an excellent job for £6 including washing the alloys spotlessly, when they first opened you could drive up any time and be more or less started straight away, now it is a lottery how long you may have to wait sometimes there can be a dozen cars queuing to be washed when you arrive.

With the amount they charge the economics simply don't add up...
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2015/11/dirty-dealings-how-car-wash-became-hub-human-trafficking

There are also a lot of people that say that car washes are used to launder dodgy money from drugs etc.

Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: peteo48 on February 06, 2018, 10:53:48 AM
I also read that one of the Tesco Car Washes - run on a franchise basis - had closed because an investigation showed they were in breach of minimum wage legislation. I think there are some dodgy operators out there.
Title: Re: Car Wash
Post by: JimSh on December 13, 2018, 12:24:37 PM
First time I used one of these this morning.
I had taken my wife to her dentist for a checkup and knew there was a carwash nearby. I was waved straight in.
The guy even started to spray the car before I could get out. Two guys then sponged the car, washed wheels,
rinsed off soap and sprayed wheel arches.
£5 and I was back at dentist before my wife had seen dentist.