Topic: Corvettes vs drive thru car washes?????
in Forum: C3 Car Care
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Former Member
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Mounds View, MN - USA
Joined: 5/24/2007
Posts: 1031
Vette(s): 70 LT1 coupe, 69 350 HP coupe, 69 390HP 427 coupe, 71 LS5 convert, 85 coupe, 93 coupe
It looks like it is just two of us heathens against the rest of the world of Corvette owners.
Larry
Larry
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Greensburg, IN - USA
Joined: 9/24/2003
Posts: 5188
Vette(s): Previous: 1984 Silver / Charcoal Coupe, 1988 Maroon Coupe / 1989 Artic White Coupe / 2001 Speedway White Roadster / Present:1976 Stingray Black / Black, Auto, 350 slightly modified (355 hp) Luxor Wires Redline Tires. / 1989 Roadster Bright Red...
Here is my Carwash System followed up by mirror / tailight, and a good interior cleaning with a Shop Vac .
It is simple and cost me very little in comparison to what I would have to pay to have it done or use somebodiy else's facility.
But like the others I use the Californis Duster for simple clean ups.
Each sping the Vettes get washed / clay bar treatment using Dawn & water / Waxed / Polished.....
Its simple but rewarding... thnxz to Sal Zaino.....
It is simple and cost me very little in comparison to what I would have to pay to have it done or use somebodiy else's facility.
But like the others I use the Californis Duster for simple clean ups.
Each sping the Vettes get washed / clay bar treatment using Dawn & water / Waxed / Polished.....
Its simple but rewarding... thnxz to Sal Zaino.....

Former Member
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New Albany, OH - USA
Joined: 8/17/2010
Posts: 173
Vette(s): 1980 Coupe /
Snowcrest White /
L48, 350 /
Comp Cam /
Edelbrock Heads /
Cyclone Intake /
Holley Carb /
Holley Fuel Pump /
Patriot Headers /
Dual Exhaust /
Magnaflow Mufflers /
1964 Coupe /
Riverside Red /
L76, 327, 365hp
I only use Adam's Polishes stuff and a California Duster. A trick I learned to get the water out of the cracks is to use a leaf blower after you rinse. This seems to get most of the water out of the cracks for me.
Chuck




Former Member
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Cramerton, NC - USA
Joined: 8/22/2006
Posts: 1094
Vette(s): black 1982 coupe slate gray interior, 350 crossfire, 1985 fuel pump, Steeroids R&P conversion
I also use a "leaf blower" of sorts to dry my cars, from my vette to my daily drivers. The blower gets the water from behind emblems and in the cracks and cuts my drying time and towel wringing considerably. I washed 3 cars Saturday morning and used the same microfiber drying towel (slightly dampened) for all 3... never had to wring out the towel once for all 3 cars. The blower I use was bought during one of those "I wonder if that would work" moments at a discount tool place. bought it for less than $20 and it works like a champ, big enough to do the job and small enough to handle easily.
After listening to the Adams rep at Carlisle, I bought a sears leafblower last friday, they are on sale 10 bucks off...29.95 my son used it yesterday on moms jeep worked great.
ebo

I use a leaf blower to find wind noises in cars at work!! I never thought of using it to DRY the car.. sounds like a great idea!! As long as you don't siphon that shot blast into it and clean the paint off completly!
Rich

My first parade at Carlisle 2010
I am located in Florida,this is a good news bad news story..I have had Vettes since I was 17 yrs.old and now 67 and never washed my Vettes unless with soften water.
Living here in Florida, and St.Louis,Mo. when younger,and with the humidity as high as it gets, I would take the car cover off at sundown every week and allow the humidity collect onto the car and wipe the car down with terry cloth towels..
I have always had a wet and dry vac and use the blower to dry and blow out water trapped beneath emblems etc.
I also have two Ca. Duster,full size and two smaller one as well..
I also have two Ca. Duster,full size and two smaller one as well..
I also use Mother nature when I know it is going to rain and when she stops crying I dry the Vette and back under cover..
I have never used soap on the paint of any of my cars...
And NEVER EVER used a car wash facility,besides my tires are to wide for their track system...Still you can't be sure you are getting soft water at any car wash...even for your daily drivers..
But that is just me !!!!!
Have a great day today and a better one tomorrow..
Sal C
Former Member
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Oak Creek, WI - USA
Joined: 5/21/2008
Posts: 1965
Vette(s): 1981 Great White Shark. Red Interior, 350/190 hp. PS, PB (SS), A/C CC, T-Tops. Served three years in Active Duty Army, then Retired Air Force after 34 years! Badger State Vettes Car Club. 175,000 Original miles!! Now own a 1998 C-5!
i AGREE WITH l
LARRY. ZAINO PRODUCTS ARE VERY GOOD AND ALLOW YOUR VETTE TO HAVE A NICE SHINE TO THEM. Now if only I could devise a way to have that shine without using Elbow Greese!!!

Apache Junction, AZ - USA
Joined: 10/15/2006
Posts: 285
Vette(s): 1982,150K,Renegade CFI,Hooker Side Pipes,85 fuel pump,Bilsteins,HD suspension, Aluminum radiator, SharkBar/w 5-Point Restraints. 3:73 gears coming soon.
I have two Chevron stations in Phoenix, one with a self-serve car wash. We had a "Touchless" system installed for the first 6 years and that system actually does MORE damage than the brush systems. Touchless uses very high pressure to remove dirt and grime AND molding, trim, light fixtures, fenders, hub caps, door handles, grills etc. These are just some of the parts we have found in our wash over the years! BTW: We find more BMW and Ford parts than any other...
Two years ago, we installed a new system called SoftGloss MAXX that uses FoamBrite brushes, not the old style nylon; these are lightweight, closed-cell polymer cleaning material that is virtually waterproof and designed to prevent dirt from accumulating on the brushes. This system does MUCH better than other systems on the market IMO. BUT..... we still find car parts and still get complaints of damage! We have several warnings posted about this also stating we are not responsible.... Probably 1 in 200 cars lose something in our wash, sometimes they return for their parts, sometimes the unclaimed parts get status in my garage
I have never and will NEVER use an automatic wash on any of my cars! I have seen several Corvettes, Bentley's and even a few Ferrari's go through our wash, many of them I personally warned, but they all say the same thing - "I have never had a problem".....
Besides, for me, it is a kind of Zin thing I experience when washing the Vette by hand, a spiritual and emotional bonding experience - Everything that was bad in the world turns to good, ugly people are beautiful, the IRS is no longer my enemy and the amount of money I have spent on this C3 is all worth it!
So, in my opinion AND my firsthand experience with both styles of automatic washes - DON'T USE THEM!!
BTW - Isn't it against the 10 Corvette Commandments to use one of those?!

Two years ago, we installed a new system called SoftGloss MAXX that uses FoamBrite brushes, not the old style nylon; these are lightweight, closed-cell polymer cleaning material that is virtually waterproof and designed to prevent dirt from accumulating on the brushes. This system does MUCH better than other systems on the market IMO. BUT..... we still find car parts and still get complaints of damage! We have several warnings posted about this also stating we are not responsible.... Probably 1 in 200 cars lose something in our wash, sometimes they return for their parts, sometimes the unclaimed parts get status in my garage

I have never and will NEVER use an automatic wash on any of my cars! I have seen several Corvettes, Bentley's and even a few Ferrari's go through our wash, many of them I personally warned, but they all say the same thing - "I have never had a problem".....
Besides, for me, it is a kind of Zin thing I experience when washing the Vette by hand, a spiritual and emotional bonding experience - Everything that was bad in the world turns to good, ugly people are beautiful, the IRS is no longer my enemy and the amount of money I have spent on this C3 is all worth it!
So, in my opinion AND my firsthand experience with both styles of automatic washes - DON'T USE THEM!!
BTW - Isn't it against the 10 Corvette Commandments to use one of those?!

Can we get a big AMEN for Phill's Vette candor,and honesty......
Yes, it is against some kind of commandment and or rule!!!!!
Sal C
in Forum: C3 Car Care
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