Winter washes

Discussion in 'General Subaru Discussion' started by bobafett04wrx, Nov 12, 2008.

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  1. bobafett04wrx
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    bobafett04wrx New Member

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    I need a good place to go wash my car during the winter. Anybody have recomendations on good places to wash cars during winter? I try to wash once a week once the salt is down. I used to go to the fire hall, where my is a volunteer firefighter. But that 100 mile round trip to wash.
     
  2. badbennyb
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    badbennyb Has no title

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    Any ol do it yourself place works if you go in the middle of the night be prepared to see some odd people once in awhile though. But I use my heated garage at work too.
     
  3. gc8
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    gc8 Well-Known Member

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    I plan on using my friends washing stall in her apartments underground parking garage
     
  4. TheHoboMan
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    TheHoboMan Well-Known Member

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    Get a membership thing @ Bobby and Steve's, only thing is that its a machine wash..but it gets the undercarriage pretty well.
     
  5. bobafett04wrx
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    bobafett04wrx New Member

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    I might have to go that route, How much would it cost?
     
  6. deegee
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    deegee Well-Known Member

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    I joined the Holiday program. $20/mo. Applicable with any holiday that has a car wash. The new one off of Industrial blvd. is quite nice granted I would never buy gasoline there. The only thing is, bring a small towel to wipe off the excess water that the air dry doesn't get.

    edit: it is touchless, and seems to do a fair job.
     
  7. hella_sti
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    hella_sti Well-Known Member

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    As much as I hate to say it I use a machine wash (omg it touches the car!!!) in the winter, it gets all the crap off and the underside is so much cleaner then the crappy touchless around here.
     
  8. Bullwinkle
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    Bullwinkle Well-Known Member

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    I self-wash at a coin-wash about once a week or two. Good spay and I try to go when I can bring a bucket and wipe the whole car down and then quick dry it.
     
  9. qstarin
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    qstarin Well-Known Member

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    I have a Mister Carwash membership. Unlimited monthly, like $32.

    They finish with a hand towel dry while still inside (in the winter - summer they dry outside). They don't dry everything, but I'm inside long enough so that, say, ice doesn't form on the brakes :eek: which somtimes happens on the short gas station machines.

    Also, with the membership, $5 buy up gets you interior vacuum, glass, and general wipe down.

    I currently wash mine about 4 times a week, less in the winter, and buy up the interior every weekend.


    However, I am looking for a better place. Their wash isn't touchless. I don't care too much since my paint is far from perfect, but it's not ideal.


    Oh, and their tire shine stuff is the best I've had yet. Lasts days and looks great.
     
  10. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    yes, self serve car washes!!!! I also go late night and bring my plastic ramps so I can spray/wash the undercarriage then also wipe and use spray wax.

    the self serve in Chanhassen is super cheap, like 2.50. the one in EP is 3.00+ IIRC. Both are within a 2 miles of my house:)
     
  11. Dream
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    Dream Well-Known Member

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    I do this as well. I run it though almost everyday on my way home from work :)
     
  12. twofiveRS
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    twofiveRS Well-Known Member

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    I think I'm going to do this as it's near my house.

    http://www.holidaystationstores.com/wash/washpass.html

    $30 for works or $20 for basic
     
  13. Dream
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    Dream Well-Known Member

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    Looks like the price went up a little from last year. Still worth it imo.
     
  14. Shibbs
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    Shibbs The Daywalker

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    Anyone know of any unlimited place near Wayzata?
     
  15. mosc
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    mosc New Member

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    Anybody know if these places stay open year round? I mean, I see long lines at the touchless booths only when it goes back above freezing. I guess I just assumed they'd close for the winter.
     
  16. qstarin
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    qstarin Well-Known Member

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    I know Mister Carwash is open year round, except when it dips below a certain temp - something like 0 degrees F or maybe -10. They are also open during most inclement weather, unlike during the summer where they often close on rainy days.

    I've seen a similar pattern with the gas station washes, but I couldn't say specifically who's open and who's not there.
     
  17. subytek
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    subytek Well-Known Member

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    But if I recall, they do use a high pressure hose before it goes through the brushes, which means their brushes should be very clean, compared to other quick washes.
     
  18. qstarin
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    qstarin Well-Known Member

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    They do.

    The part of their washer that makes me nervous is the dryers. They have what look like hard plastic rollers that run along the car, and with the Subaru they often catch on the hood scoop and spoiler.

    Also, their rinse isn't so hot. I'm in the habit of wiping the soap off the windows that splatters out of the side mirrors every single time.

    But, to be fair, it's been good enough to keep going to for 11 months almost every other day.

    They like to play with the Hella horns! :)
     
  19. Scooby
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    Scooby Member

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    I like my car to be clean just like everyone else, but washing it 4+ times a week?


    Big time waste of water=bad for environment=sad Subaru
     
  20. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    meh... I clean it.. next day I drive on sloppy dirt roads.. its a car.. its got awd... I drive it
     
  21. scoobypwnz201
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    scoobypwnz201 Well-Known Member

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    i LOVE dirt on my car...or large clumps of snow sprayed everywhere :p
     
  22. qstarin
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    qstarin Well-Known Member

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    well, 4 times a week is probably at the high end, and being a business and all and the fact that water costs money, I'm guessing they use as little as possible - hence the crappy rinse.

    So, I don't really feel that bad about it.

    Not like I'm driving it through ponds on federal wildlife reserves or anything. Sheesh.

    What, you think they don't filter and re-use water?
     
  23. Shibbs
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    Shibbs The Daywalker

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    Having worked at a carwash, the amount of water they actually use is very surprisingly little.

    Each car going thru a large automatic wash costs under 50 cents. FIVE-ZERO. That's water, soap, wax, electricity, upkeep and maintainance on the machines, everything. Kinda makes you want to open a carwash, eh?
     
  24. qstarin
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    qstarin Well-Known Member

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    nvrmind - you already edited it and answered my question
     
  25. 02SubaruDG
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    02SubaruDG Member

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    i work as a detailer at dealership so i get warm shop and free products a couple times a week!!
     
  26. nm+
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    nm+ Professional Hypocrite

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    Not great for the paint either unless you're sticking wax on it frequently.
    Automatic washes eat wax. Granted I still use one, but 4+ times a week.
     
  27. jonny8852
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    jonny8852 Well-Known Member

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    i also use mister carwash. but i have the $50/month. I have taken my last three cars to them, so they take care of me pretty good...besides when the new kids think they can rev up my car as loud as they can. So then i have a nice lil conversation with them before i get into my car. But that does not happen anymore.

    Shibbs- have you tried the car wash that is across from the TCF building past sunsets. I not sure but you can see if they have unlimited washes
     
  28. Paul Revere
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    Paul Revere BANNED

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    I just signed up for Paradises unlimited car washes at the $50 rate. I figured that salt and sand and crap would get on my floor plus they clean the windows and do a hell of a job in general.
     
  29. qstarin
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    qstarin Well-Known Member

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    I've heard good things about Paradise from my co-worker who goes to one in Bloomington or nearby, IIRC.
     
  30. Soupboy
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    Soupboy Well-Known Member

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    Holiday touchless with undercarriage wash FTW.
     
  31. ZoisSTI
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    ZoisSTI Member

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    Unlimited Holiday washes FTW!!! C'mon there is tons of Holidays to use them at! Its awesome to know you can pull up at pretty much any Holiday and get a wash :cool:
     
  32. SubieDave
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    SubieDave Well-Known Member

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    THIS!
     
  33. tonyM
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    tonyM Well-Known Member

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    I use my heated garage. Anyone is more than welcome to come wash their car at my place this winter. Just pm me to see if I'm home.
     
  34. webcrawlr
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    webcrawlr Well-Known Member

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    Yup. I don't do the unlimited plan but I do buy a couple of the 5 car wash books for 20 bucks every winter.
     
  35. bobafett04wrx
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    bobafett04wrx New Member

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    Well I got the unlimited wash thing at holiday, seems like a good wash system. I dont like the ones you have to drive up a ramp thing, and holiday doesnt have that.
     
  36. badbennyb
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    I've been curiious how the unlimited wash thing works. How do they control you from using it on multiple cars? Do you have to go in the station everytime you want a wash? Right now I have been buying the books of 5 but have considered the unlimited deal.
     
  37. bobafett04wrx
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    bobafett04wrx New Member

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    The unlimited thing you get a sticker that goes on your winshield and it scans it as you pull up. Im not sure how they control the not using it on multiple cars thing. They get the car info and license number.
     
  38. badbennyb
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    Ahh so thats what those scanner things are. I thought they were reading my thoughts as I sat in line.
     
  39. John16V
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    John16V Well-Known Member

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    The Holiday near my house only have Touch Free Wash, but what's the difference between the "The Work Package" and the "The Basic"?
     
  40. deegee
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    deegee Well-Known Member

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    The works package shoots more sauce at your car than the basic. The 'sealer' the 'triple coat' yellow/blue/pink stuff etc.
     
  41. bobafett04wrx
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    bobafett04wrx New Member

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    Basic: body wash, rinse, dry.
    Works: body wash, underbody wash, rocker panel blaster, conditioner and polish, high presure wheel cleaner, clear coat protecter, spot free rinse, dry.
     
  42. bobafett04wrx
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    bobafett04wrx New Member

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    I just happen to still have the brocher in my pocket
     
  43. John16V
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    John16V Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, Guys!
     
  44. Gridlocked
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    Gridlocked Well-Known Member

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    I got the unlimited wash works package at Holday on Tuesday. The stupid high school girl put my sticker thing at a really bad angle - I want to re,do it but I guess that will wreck it.

    I would have never gotten two car washes in a week, but I stopped through for a quickie this afternoon. It is going to be AWESOME this winter. The Holiday out here JUST built their wash and its like 200 yards from my house.
     
  45. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    Hey all you clean people I gotz a question. How low is your car??? I've been worried my car is too low for the guide rails in the car washes. I'm on stock sti struts with prokit so I'm not that low....but still a bit paraniod I'll rip my front bumper canards off.

    anyone else with about 1.25" drop running through these washes?
     
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