[Tennberg]

So, a couple months back, when I still had the '07 E92 328xi, I had taken it to Allston Car Wash for a cleaning (as I've done with all my cars for some time - never had any issue with them).

I drop my car off, check all the windows, they hand me the receipt, and I'm waiting in the tunnel. I must've been checking my mail on my phone or something as I didn't notice that somehow the driver's window was down 2-3 inches just as the car was entering the brushes. I rushed to the front desk and basically started screaming at them to stop the wash. I still don't know why to this day, but they just casually walked up to the glass, checked the car as it was continuing through the wash, and waited at the end with a bunch of towels. There was water/soap over everything, and it took them 20-30 mins to completely dry it off. They really didn't apologize for the incident either.

My car smelled like strawberry soap for weeks and some surfaces felt slightly tacky until I turned it in for the new car. Now that I have a new '09 E90 335i, I'm hesitant to take it back to Allston Car Wash, fresh paint notwithstanding.

Are there any car washes around the area you'd recommend? I don't have the setup or tools to wash it properly myself. Any places that hand-wash for cheap to avoid swirl marks?

[lyjw88]

first of all those automated car wash places are not for your bimmer.
I recommend Luxury Details in Framingham, MA.
Kev, a member on this forum, told me to go there and it's really good.
Matt, the owner, is a great guy and knows how to treat his customer.

[Nirvanatude]

I was just about to write Allston Car Wash without reading ur post first. Then I realised what a fool I would have made of myself. Well, I haven't been to any other car wash so no clue but ur experiece do scare me.

[cherrypie*]

i'd go to luxury detail for detailing. (i am getting a zaino soon btw).
but for just a regular car wash, i go to dr.detail. there are several locations, i usually go to the one in cambridgeside galleria.

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by cherrypie*

but for just a regular car wash, i go to dr.detail. there are several locations, i usually go to the one in cambridgeside galleria.

Not a fan.

[mroach]

I'm still trying to find a good wash around here. I've gone to a touchless wash in Middleton a few times but it's really not very good. The only benefit I derive from it is an undercarriage rinsing. To get the actual grime off of your car you need to wash it properly, like by touching it. That especially goes for brake dust.

I'd like to find some place that's basically a heated garage with drainage in the floor so I can wash the car myself. I did an experiment at home to see if water would run out of the garage, but the floor is poorly designed and it actually runs back in, haha.

[Arustik1]

Originally Posted by mroach

I'm still trying to find a good wash around here. I've gone to a touchless wash in Middleton a few times but it's really not very good. The only benefit I derive from it is an undercarriage rinsing. To get the actual grime off of your car you need to wash it properly, like by touching it. That especially goes for brake dust.

I'd like to find some place that's basically a heated garage with drainage in the floor so I can wash the car myself. I did an experiment at home to see if water would run out of the garage, but the floor is poorly designed and it actually runs back in, haha.

If you find one...let me know.

Id be willing to pay money so my fingers dont freeze off while washing the car

[Kev]

There's no good car wash within the city proper. If you leasing your vehicle and don't care, just go to the touchless wash. However, if you own / financed your car and care about how the paint looks, I would suggest the following places:

1. Luxury Details in Framingham, MA (close to the Natick Mall) - Matt works on a lot of high end cars and the Bentley dealership has been using him a lot lately.

2. Auto Salon in Winchester, MA - JD is a hidden gem. His shop does not look impressive, but the cars that come through his shop will blow your mind out. He works on Ferraris, AMGs, Ms, Porsches, and such. Difficult to book though.

3. Rickrack in Wakefiled, MA I believe. Here's an M5 that he did: http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...orrection.html

4. The detail guy that is attached to Unique in Burlington, MA

3 and 4 I have no personal experience with them, but heard good things through friends.

Do not go to the dealer. I repeat, DO NOT GO TO THE DEALER, or Allston Car Wash for what it's worth.

[Lassaxi]

Originally Posted by Tennberg

Are there any car washes around the area you'd recommend? I don't have the setup or tools to wash it properly myself. Any places that hand-wash for cheap to avoid swirl marks?

Depends on how picky you are about your paint.

I don't get bent out of shape about minor the minor swirl marks that you see on 99% of the cars on the road, so I drive through any old automatic car wash. Yeah, I have swirl marks, but so does every other car on the road. Once a year, I have my car professionally detailed (at Luxury Details by the way), and it looks like new again.

Touchless car washes are, in my opinion, a waste of money because I've never been to one that has actually gotten my car clean.

Some people want their cars to look like they just drove off the showroom floor at all times, so only a two-bucket hand wash will do. If only a hand wash will do, Luxury Details is great (though perhaps not cheap).

[mroach]

I might try out "The Spa" at BMW Peabody.

http://www.bmwpeabody.com/the-spa.htm

The $30 classic seems like a good deal. I'll probably have that done every 6-8 weeks and do touchless after snow storms to rinse the salt off the undercarriage. Then come spring I'll go for a full detailing.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by mroach

I might try out "The Spa" at BMW Peabody.

http://www.bmwpeabody.com/the-spa.htm

The $30 classic seems like a good deal. I'll probably have that done every 6-8 weeks and do touchless after snow storms to rinse the salt off the undercarriage. Then come spring I'll go for a full detailing.

Even I think the service department is great, I would not trust them to wash my car, EVER.

[mroach]

Originally Posted by Kev

Even I think the service department is great, I would not trust them to wash my car, EVER.

How come?

[Kev]

Originally Posted by mroach

How come?

Because the people who wash your car don't give a damn about your car.

[Mr. BMW]

Originally Posted by mroach

I might try out "The Spa" at BMW Peabody.

http://www.bmwpeabody.com/the-spa.htm

The $30 classic seems like a good deal. I'll probably have that done every 6-8 weeks and do touchless after snow storms to rinse the salt off the undercarriage. Then come spring I'll go for a full detailing.

Yeah, read this first before you go to "The Spa"

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176747

[Tennberg]

Thank you for that post, Mr. BMW. I've never actually had either BMW washed at their SPA, so I'll try to avoid it in the future. Their Centennial service dept. is really good though.

I did contact Rick to see about some light touch-ups on my car, just some light swirling and other very minor blemishes. Since the car's only a week old, it doesn't need major work done or anything like that.

[Mr. BMW]

Originally Posted by Tennberg

Thank you for that post, Mr. BMW. I've never actually had either BMW washed at their SPA, so I'll try to avoid it in the future. Their Centennial service dept. is really good though.

I did contact Rick to see about some light touch-ups on my car, just some light swirling and other very minor blemishes. Since the car's only a week old, it doesn't need major work done or anything like that.

Rick does unbelievable work. If you followed that link to the write up he did on my car, you can see what a mess it was before and what it looked like after he was done.

[BMWFanboy]

Originally Posted by Kev

3. Rickrack in Wakefiled, MA I believe. Here's an M5 that he did: http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...orrection.html

4. The detail guy that is attached to Unique in Burlington, MA

3 and 4 I have no personal experience with them, but heard good things through friends.

Do not go to the dealer. I repeat, DO NOT GO TO THE DEALER, or Allston Car Wash for what it's worth.

#3 and 4 are one and the same unless you're referring to the guy who used to work with Rick (Ryan). Rick moved his shop from Burlington to Wakefield, and yeah, he is hands down the best detailer in New England.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by BMWFanboy

#3 and 4 are one and the same unless you're referring to the guy who used to work with Rick (Ryan). Rick moved his shop from Burlington to Wakefield, and yeah, he is hands down the best detailer in New England.

Yeah, that's the guy that I'm talking about, the guy that is working there now.

[GGreek5]

I go up to Detail Works in Hampton, NH. Its worth the 40 min drive. I've been going for a couple years now, and Jason does an amazing job. He made my IForged look brand new again. No more pits on the lip. He takes alot of pride in what he does, and enjoys it. I always see nasty cars up there too.

[Rickrack]

I have received a few PM's about detailing from members after viewing this thread, so I thought I would chime in and say hello to everyone.


A good detailer/car wash is very hard to come by in and around Boston. I have heard so many stories about how the dealer, body shop or "hack detailer" has caused damage to peoples vehicles. I would say that about half of all my jobs are fixing other peoples mistakes.


I have been detailing for 15 years and pride myself in doing the best job possible and exceeding the expectations of all my customers. Detailing cars is more of a hobby for me than just another way to make a buck. I have always had a love for cars and really enjoy bringing a cars appearance to the next level. Some people think I am absolutely crazy, but is not uncommon for me to spend 50+ hours on a complete vehicle rujuvenation.


For those of you who are wondering what a 50+ hour job entails, here are just a few examples:

http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...ess-hours.html

http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...-rickrack.html

http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...-rickrack.html


Thanks to everyone for all of the really nice comments. I really do appreciate it! I will be responding to the PM's I received ASAP.


For those of you who were wondering, I have recently moved from Burlington and have a new full service car care facility/detail center in Wakefield. I offer general detailing, advanced paint correction, interior repair, alloy wheel repair, paintless dent removal, paint protection film (clear-bra) and remote starts.

I offer anything from a basic wash to an extensive reconditioning, so please let me if there is any way I can help you guys out.


I don't want to spam the board and violate forum rules or anything, so please let me know if my post in unacceptable and I will delete it.

~Rick

[Dammmittt]

Wow, the timing on my stumbling on to this thread couldn't be better! I plan on detailing my car this weekend and want it done by the best place I can find.

Thanks for the recommendations guys.

For what its worth, my hood has some pretty gnarly scratches on it, but it looks to me like they're all in the clearcoat, so the paint should be OK, and a proper should should be able to get it out, hopefully one of the ones you guys recommend does the trick!

For the record, anyone have any idea if Dr. Detail does decent work for detailing? They just won Best of Boston 2008, but I dunno how much that means...Thanks.

[lyjw88]

A buddy of mine had his E60 M5 detailed at Dr.Detail and they did a great job on it.