Car Wash and my '08 Prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seekingsimplicity @ Oct 20 2007, 07:31 PM) [snapback]528289[/snapback]</div>

That's pretty normal when using a car wash. I just do the area by hand after going through the wash.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seekingsimplicity @ Oct 20 2007, 06:12 PM) [snapback]528269[/snapback]</div>

Unfortunately the dealer is lying to you. The "teflon coating" is a gimmick dealers sell at sometimes 1,000% markups. Its no better than any sealant you can buy a pepboys and it will do absolutely nothing to prevent damage to the car from anything, including carwashes. Within 90 days it will be completely worn away from the paint.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SW03ES @ Oct 21 2007, 02:23 PM) [snapback]528494[/snapback]</div>

Yes. I'm afraid the paint protection system these dealers sell is no better (& probably even worse in terms of durability) than many of the better sealants on the market. At minimum, the OP will definitely still need to perform the regular wash, polish & seal (semi-annually is usually recommended). It's a shame more consumers don't know the truth behind these paint protection systems sold by car dealers.

BTW, congratulations to the OP on the new Prius! Sorry, if I forgot my manners.

 

I'm glad to see someone's taken theirs through a drive-through (pull through) complete with brushes.

Green Hokie: What's

Is it like the clear 'orange peel' affect along the bottom of the chassis?

 

..... even if you hand wash a black car the paint will still swirl with a little bit of time. I can't believe your dealer told you that Teflon® line with a straight face. In my experience the Prius paint wears much quicker than other cars. Black is definitely beautiful when it is new (IMHO) but gosh they are a nightmare to own... again... IMHO.

 

I had the same problem with the back of the hatchback below the window has not been washed off. Then I tried a new place with touch free washing where two stick thingys go all the way back and spray all over. Now it washes great.

Congrats on the new car. Nice color BTW.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mhawkin1 @ Nov 20 2007, 11:40 AM) [snapback]542092[/snapback]</div>

That is true if you wash your car with grime. <_<

The more care and precautions you take while washing your car, the longer you will go swirl free.

Even just the mention of "swirl" while talking about hand washing tells me mhawkin1 isn't doing a hand wash job properly.

NEVER, EVER WASH OR DRY YOUR CAR WITH A CIRCULAR MOTION!!!! Circular motions are for waxing only. Wash and dry only with straight line motions.

Swirl marks (circular scratch) will reflect sunlight from just about any direction. That is why you so often see the swirl marks.
A straight line scratch will only reflect sunlight from one or two directions, thereby making the marks much less noticeable.

1) I use a portable electric pressure washer for a pre-wash to remove as much dirt and grime as I can.
2) Use a car wash mitt. (I once saw someone using old blue jeans. )
3) Never apply more pressure to the mitt than it takes to slide it across the car surface . . . in a straight line.
4) Never use the same mitt for the very lowest part of the car or to wash the wheels.
5) Before returning the mitt to the soap bucket, I rinse the mitt from the inside out. I place the garden hose into the hand of the mitt and clamp down on the sleeve with one hand and rub the outside of the mitt with the other. If there is junk embedded in the wash mitt, it will be washed out, not pushed further in. My bucket of soapy water stays clean through the entire wash.
6) Use a proper drying cloth . . . soft cotton, microfiber or chamois . . . which you use ONLY for drying the car.

 

Sufferin - I wasn't implying that my car has swirls with my post; I take all of the precautions you mention and my car has never been through a car wash. You couldn’t give me another black car; the mere thought makes my stomach churn (and my OCD go wild). My swirl free Prius is Super White. If you use car washes like this poster mentions you will certainly have swirls with a black car – very quickly.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mhawkin1 @ Nov 20 2007, 05:56 PM) [snapback]542229[/snapback]</div>

Fair enough.

My wife likes to tease me about my being a stickler about car washing.
Whenever we drive past one of those kids-doing-a-fund-raising-car-wash my wife laughs and says, "why don't you let them wash the car?" To which I would normally respond with, "I'd rather pay them NOT to wash our car."
That is the worst kind of car wash for swirl marks.
Sitting at a traffic light, I watched some kids throw soapy rags at each other, then one of them picked one up off the ground and continue <strike>washing</strike> scratching the car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Nov 20 2007, 11:20 PM) [snapback]542276[/snapback]</div>

My partner takes his 4Runner through the car wash every week and I just cringe. A couple of times he took the Prius somewhere and came back and said "I got your car washed!" Knowing that I would lose my mind! Although, it must be nice to not care so much – I look at him and my brother and they couldn’t care less how dirty their cars are or where they get them washed. I would love to have that feeling just once.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mhawkin1 @ Nov 20 2007, 11:40 AM) [snapback]542092[/snapback]</div>

When the shine starts to dull, a good high end polish (Klasse, Zaino, etc.) will make it look beautiful again. I am biased, but... there is no color like Black. It takes a lot of washing since the slightest amount of dust will show, but when clean.... Wow!

+1 on the congrats on your new Black Prius.

 

I learned a bit about car washing in the course of entering some car shows this summer. My report is here.

 

Made the mistake of not washing my black crown vic sport which was polished with Zaino, but sat outside all years without being washed. The paint is ruined by the dirt and other junk that sat on the paint. It looked great when I bought the Prius, but since it sat without being driven, ugh, time to get out the polisher and Maguire's 4 step.

BTW I take my Prius to car washes, but only touchless, and the back glass has the same problem of not getting completely cleaned. When it gets really dirty I wash it in the manual bay where they have the soft brush and it does a really nice job without scratching, just make sure the brush is fully rinsed before using it.