[Frasc]

Hey guys,
So it is now officially cold outside and I don't have a garage. I use Zaino on my car when I can hand wash it, but I am looking for a touchless car wash in NOVA for the winter. I looked online, but I couldn't really find much. Anyone have any recommendations?

[matts335]

Are you talking about those coin-op do-it-yourself places with the spray guns, or an automatic one? I wish they had more of those coin-op places around here. I've heard there is one somewhere in Vienna, but i've never verified.

[Frasc]

I am basically just looking for a place to have my car washed that won't trash the paint and won't leave me freezing. I know in some areas they have touchless washes which basically just spray your car with water and the soap. It doesn't really do a fantastic job at washing, but it gets the salt and winter gunk off your car and undercarriage without brushes on your paint. I just haven't seen one since I moved to NOVA.

[Cptn Mo 703]

theres 2 do it your self wash places that i know of... one off of 28 about a mile or 2 south of the fairfax border on the left side... and theres another on one rt 234 business near manassas mall...

as far the drive in machine ones i dont know of any off the top of my head, but im sure they have tracks and they would destroy your rims.

[Raja Ventureshield]

Originally Posted by Cptn Mo 703

theres 2 do it your self wash places that i know of... one off of 28 about a mile or 2 south of the fairfax border on the left side... and theres another on one rt 234 business near manassas mall...

as far the drive in machine ones i dont know of any off the top of my head, but im sure they have tracks and they would destroy your rims.

Yeah, i also use the the one off 28 from time to time. It's inexpensive and does the work when it's really cold out.

[DarkstarZero]

Off Rt 50 at the Shell station in the Greenbriar shopping center in Fairfax.

[cotmfk]

Originally Posted by Cptn Mo 703

theres 2 do it your self wash places that i know of... one off of 28 about a mile or 2 south of the fairfax border on the left side... and theres another on one rt 234 business near manassas mall...

as far the drive in machine ones i dont know of any off the top of my head, but im sure they have tracks and they would destroy your rims.

I agree. I thought we weren't allowed to use anything that has tracks with a staggered set up b/c it will rash the rims hard.

[BK]

I know of 3 in McLean (actually 1 in Tysons, 2 in McLean). They all suck to varying degrees, but they're fine for winter.

1. Exxon on corner of Rte 7 and Spring Hill Road.
2. Exxon on corner of Old Dominion and Chain Bridge (not 123, the other Chain Br)
3. Shell across the street from Exxon #2 above.

The Shell place does not blow dry, it just leaves the car wet after spraying it. The two Exxon places blow it dry.

All of the above are fine for my staggered wheels (225/255). But in the winter, I use 225 all around anyway. Are you guys on summer tires? Crazy. Also, the Shell place doesn't even have tracks. The Exxon places do.

[bubbletea 4 me]

depending on where you are, there is plenty that offer the "touchless" spray wash...there is like 2 or 3 near by me at the gas stations. they are useless though to be honest with you. car come out just as dirty as they go in lol.. if you want to have your car lookin good for the winter, i would suggest take it to Tysons (I and II), where they have those handwash/quick detail places at the parking lot where you can leave ur car, and go shop.. then come out it's all done. i think they are like $30 -$40. they do a pretty good job for the price. that's where i'd go in the winter. i was skeptical at first but when i see there are like Porches, BMWs, Ferraris, and even a Lambo getting it done, i was like.. aight, that's good enough for me lol

here is one of them: http://www.gauto.com/c_info.aspx?id_...s&city=&id=492

this one is located in the bottom guarage at Tysons II. I can't remember the name of the one at Tysons I, which is the same type of service just a different company. My friends have been there and all said they did a good job. check it out. i think they are at the parking guarage behind Coastal Flats.

[williocom]

the shell gas station off rt 1 in alexandria is pretty good. $7.

[ewilliah]

There is a touchless car wash place next to Tysons Corner mall. If you are going down rt. 7 west, you pass the mall on your right, then you pass EEE (a luxury car dealership), you pass the bed bath and beyond, and the car wash place is the next place on the right (I forget what it is called).

They first vacuum the interior of your car and freshen it up for about 5 minutes. So you will have to stand outside for that time. Then you get back in your car and drive it through this tunnel which sprays water and soap. Then they dry it off with shammies. It costs $20 or $30 if you get rain-x.

I've been to the place three times. They do a reasonable job. Hope this helps!

[sashmanparker]

Originally Posted by ewilliah

There is a touchless car wash place next to Tysons Corner mall. If you are going down rt. 7 west, you pass the mall on your right, then you pass EEE (a luxury car dealership), you pass the bed bath and beyond, and the car wash place is the next place on the right (I forget what it is called).

They first vacuum the interior of your car and freshen it up for about 5 minutes. So you will have to stand outside for that time. Then you get back in your car and drive it through this tunnel which sprays water and soap. Then they dry it off with shammies. It costs $20 or $30 if you get rain-x.

I've been to the place three times. They do a reasonable job. Hope this helps!

its called champion carwash but they have rails for the wheels too...in the winter i usually get a handwash from suds or dr carwash (name changed) off 29 near the 28 intersection next to jiffy lube and exxon they charge 30 bucks for interior and exterior and do a pretty legit job. Also Triple C's off rt. 7 and baron cameron has handwashes only on monday tues wed i would call to confirm but im pretty sure those are the days.

[Cptn Mo 703]

Originally Posted by sashmanparker

its called champion carwash but they have rails for the wheels too...in the winter i usually get a handwash from suds or dr carwash (name changed) off 29 near the 28 intersection next to jiffy lube and exxon they charge 30 bucks for interior and exterior and do a pretty legit job. Also Triple C's off rt. 7 and baron cameron has handwashes only on monday tues wed i would call to confirm but im pretty sure those are the days.

Yea that tysons one is horrible i went there one time and they have people standing in the tunnel part brushing your car with these brushes im sure has been been rinsed off while your car is rolling across a track, and my car wasnt even clean after it got out, it took them 2 more times to get it clean.

Dr. Suds is good I always get the hand wash $30 bucks does ur outside and inside.

[BK]

Originally Posted by Cptn Mo 703

Yea that tysons one is horrible i went there one time and they have people standing in the tunnel part brushing your car with these brushes

+1 I went there shortly after buying my car in 2006, and I got the brush treatment. Caused swirling on the black paint.

I'm very particular about keeping my car clean. In winter, I just do the gas station spray-off when it's too cold, ONR with warm water when it's a bit warmer. Check out our detailing forum if you're into that sort of thing. I spend a lot of time there.

[cotmfk]

Originally Posted by BK

All of the above are fine for my staggered wheels (225/255). But in the winter, I use 225 all around anyway. Are you guys on summer tires? Crazy. Also, the Shell place doesn't even have tracks. The Exxon places do.

I am using the stockers as my winter set up. So, I have 225/255 winter tires! Hankook Icebars. It's snowed here, but no accumulation yet. We are supposed to get snow this weekend, but I will be gone in South Carolina! HA! I actually want to test this thing out in the snow at some point. Almost all of my previous driving time was in AWD cars.

[BK]

Originally Posted by cotmfk

I am using the stockers as my winter set up. So, I have 225/255 winter tires! Hankook Icebars. It's snowed here, but no accumulation yet. We are supposed to get snow this weekend, but I will be gone in South Carolina! HA! I actually want to test this thing out in the snow at some point. Almost all of my previous driving time was in AWD cars.

Trust me, you don't want to drive in the snow this weekend. Even with the winter wheels, our cars are low enough to the ground that even ~4 inches of snow is tough to drive through, much less 8-12 inches. That will be impossible until streets are fully plowed. Once streets are plowed, you'll be fine.

They said on the radio that we'll have snow on the ground during Christmas from this storm. They expect that much (and temps to be that cold)!

[ewilliah]

Originally Posted by sashmanparker

its called champion carwash but they have rails for the wheels too...in the winter i usually get a handwash from suds or dr carwash (name changed) off 29 near the 28 intersection next to jiffy lube and exxon they charge 30 bucks for interior and exterior and do a pretty legit job. Also Triple C's off rt. 7 and baron cameron has handwashes only on monday tues wed i would call to confirm but im pretty sure those are the days.

I went to the Dr. Carwash at the route 29/28 intersection today. They did a pretty good job (definitely a better job than the Champion place). Thanks for the suggestion!

[sashmanparker]

Originally Posted by BK

Trust me, you don't want to drive in the snow this weekend. Even with the winter wheels, our cars are low enough to the ground that even ~4 inches of snow is tough to drive through, much less 8-12 inches. That will be impossible until streets are fully plowed. Once streets are plowed, you'll be fine.

They said on the radio that we'll have snow on the ground during Christmas from this storm. They expect that much (and temps to be that cold)!

damn im in aruba now and ill be back on the 24th i might get to see the leftovers of the storm, be safe guys!

Originally Posted by ewilliah

I went to the Dr. Carwash at the route 29/28 intersection today. They did a pretty good job (definitely a better job than the Champion place). Thanks for the suggestion!

Yea they are pretty good, im glad i could help.

[x5m power]

There is a BP touchless car wash that's never busy in sterling,va off of shaw road... It's great near my office...

[bubbletea 4 me]

Originally Posted by e90 awd

There is a BP touchless car wash that's never busy in sterling,va off of shaw road... It's great near my office...

e90awd, you work around here? my office is like accross the street from bp.. they do have touchless car wash but it doenst really clean much. it just "dust" off a bit... but then again i thinkthat's just the way touchless wash is..spaying water :/ i guess ok for winter, better than nothing.
anyways, hola at me sometime if you see a beautiful blue e92 in the area (lol, do people actually compliment their own cars like that haha.. )

[DisGuy]

yea ive been to the carwashes in mclean cause i live there.....and they suck. luckily i go to school in maryland now and found a really nice brushless carwash straight across the street from Capitol Raceway. its called Classic Carwash.
1103 Route 3 S Crofton, MD 21114 heres the address if anyone is willing to drive that far LoL. they do a real clean ass job and i was amazed by how underneath my car was all cleaned up from all the salt.

[KL2DC]

+3 on the comments on Champion 'hand car wash' by Tysons. They chewed up my CHs when I had them on my E90. Nearly popped a vessel.

Anyways, for true touchless run-throughs, I like the Sunoco by Merrifield (Rt 50 and Gallows), where Sweet Water is. It does an ok job but always leaves a slightly invisible film of dirt. I guess its ok to wash off most of the winter time gunk. Its $10 or less. Keep in mind the touchless car washes tend to use stronger soaps and that'll strip your zaino faster.

Out of all the rail car washes, I quite like the sonic soft car wash on Rt 7 (between 66 and Lee Hwy). Yes I know its not touchless per se, but I've been going there a lot and its a well run establishment and on sparkling graphite and silver paints, the washes has has been rather kind. And so far I've run staggered (245/275) with ok results. The key is the entry onto the rails (the rest of the rail is padded). In this wash you drive it yourself, so take your time to make sure you're lined up nicely.