I've heard that if you take the CX5 through the car wash, the machines can chip your paint. Is that true? Does everyone here handwash? Any experiences?
Just my observations re car washing. This is a commentary from someone that is about as OCD as one can get. I refer to my obsession with auto care as “potty trained at gunpoint,”
If it’s a matter of exterior preventive maintenance, you will find yourself cornered between “Oh, well,” and “It’s Perfect.” If your ride has a darker color paint, it is imperative to avoid any outside influences that will detract from the appearance. I’m talking about that most dreaded of eyesores: SWIRL MARKS.
In this world of immediate gratification, it is so easy and convenient to slip into the nearest robo wash and let the machines do the work, while we sit inside. Grooving to the latest iTunes on our Bluetooth system. Quick, convenient, easy, in/out, no harm, no foul. Not so fast, my friends.
Pitfall #1: those rotating, back & forth fabric strips are churning away at the dust and grime. But you can’t see it because your windshield is saturated with suds. Each pass of the strips, every rotation of the brushes, is acting like a microfiber towel you dropped in a sand pit. And you’re not going to see the after effect until the sun’s rays strike the car and there they are. Almost invisible: swirls. And “swirl happens.” To every exterior paint surface. It’s just more noticeable on the darker colors. I would venture to say if you were the first customer at the grand opening, those high-speed, ultra-RPM slapping sounds can’t be good.
Pitfall #2: assuming that your carnuba paste wax has your back. Maybe. Maybe not. It’s the “maybe not” you need to be cognizant of. Those chemicals used in auto washes are designed for one thing: removal of a variety of grime and exterior elemental assaults upon your paint. And your wax protectant. To them, you’re public enemy #1. Yes, the hand wax helps. But it is not the “be all, cure all.” This is an all-out assault on your ride. You are the enemy. And you have already lost this battle even before you declared war on dirt. It happened when the recessed robo chain grabbed your front tire and propelled you forward.
“So what do I do,” you ask? That age-old answer for a century: hand wash. With a quality auto shampoo designed for automotive paint. The ONLY time you would use something like dishwashing soda (similar to Dawn), is the removal of previous wax applications. Then rinse well and wash a second time with auto soap. In the shade, dry immediately, then do your wax Or a ceramic shine overlay/detailing.
Just my opinion, but stay out of any auto vehicle wash. If you have to have a quick wash, opt for the touchless systems. No brushes, no foaming blanket strips. Just high pressure H2O.
Hope this long diatribe helps someone down the road.