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      12-31-2012, 09:13 AM   #1
baege
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Winter Washing

For those of us who live in a region with a climate that necessitates the use of road salt in the winter, every winter we face the issue of the best way to wash the salt off.

The potential methods are:

Soft cloth track car wash
touchless trackless car wash
coin-op spray (do it yourself)

Many take the view that the auto washes whether touchless or not will damage the car's finish. The pro is that they claim do wash the undercarriage of the car (but this point is itself disputed as some argue that in fact they don't have actual jets under the car but rather jets that spray from the side under the car).

I am leaning towards coin-op on warmer days but wonder if me contorting myself to spray the underside of the car will really clean the undercarriage properly.

What are people's views?

Additionally: What is the best touchless wash in downtown toronto area, looking for one that actually has jets that spray from underneath the car?
Is anyone aware of a coin op wash that offers an "underspray", I've seen the reference to this on the net but never seen a coin-op with such a thing.
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      12-31-2012, 10:41 AM   #2
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the bimmer's underbody is mostly covered with panel already (except the exhaust), therefore, by going to a car wash, rail or no rail does not do much to the underside. The worst is these type of car wash does not wash the wheel well at all.

However, by going to a coin wash, one can concentrate the wash in the inner wheel well as more salt & debris can accumulate in there.
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      12-31-2012, 11:00 AM   #3
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I mostly do coin wash.
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      12-31-2012, 11:10 AM   #4
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soft cloth Petro Canada wash 4 me...
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      12-31-2012, 11:24 AM   #5
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$1.67 coin wash
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      12-31-2012, 06:49 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by demontwinz View Post
$1.67 coin wash
Where do you wash for that cheap?

I live in North York but the closes I know of is at Hwy 7 and Leslie Shell gas station, and another one at Beyview and Majormac
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      01-01-2013, 01:35 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greye92 View Post
Where do you wash for that cheap?

I live in North York but the closes I know of is at Hwy 7 and Leslie Shell gas station, and another one at Beyview and Majormac
Interested. Im also in north york.
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      01-01-2013, 03:19 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by demontwinz View Post
$1.67 coin wash
Where????????
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      01-01-2013, 09:41 PM   #9
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i do the $2 coin wash at Markham Road and Bur Oak

You can buy 6 token for $5. so two tokens = $1.67
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      01-01-2013, 09:52 PM   #10
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My personal favorite touchless is the Petro Canada at QEW and Winston Churchill. If you get the 2nd best option it will give your car a full under body spray from actual nozzles under the car. It is a rail type conveyer system and the jets do a great job of removing the salt. See the pictures after a 6 hour round trip drive on mainly on the 401. The lower half of the car was just coated in a thick layer of salt. Of most of the touch-less places I have tried, none could clean my car that well!

Last edited by Volasko; 04-17-2013 at 10:49 PM..
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      01-01-2013, 11:44 PM   #11
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e92 BMW 335i  [8.84]
Optimum No Rinse in heated garage or petro season pass = my best friend.

Avoid anything that's not touchless at least.
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      01-02-2013, 08:25 AM   #12
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I purchases the Petro Season Pass and use the touch-less ones only!!
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      01-02-2013, 08:39 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bladerunner
I purchases the Petro Season Pass and use the touch-less ones only!!
How much does a pass cost?
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      01-02-2013, 08:55 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Volasko View Post
My personal favorite touchless is the Petro Canada at QEW and Winston Churchill. If you get the 2nd best option it will give your car a full under body spray from actual nozzles under the car. It is a rail type conveyer system and the jets do a great job of removing the salt. See the pictures after a 6 hour round trip drive on mainly on the 401. The lower half of the car was just coated in a thick layer of salt. Of most of the touch-less places I have tried, none could clean my car that well!
cheers, that is a remarkable job, I suspect it is one of the washes that was previously a sunoco. The sunoco touchless generally did a very good job. Unfortunately none in the area of downtown toronto.
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      01-02-2013, 03:14 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baege View Post
cheers, that is a remarkable job, I suspect it is one of the washes that was previously a sunoco. The sunoco touchless generally did a very good job. Unfortunately none in the area of downtown toronto.
You are correct sir, it was a Sunoco first.
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      01-02-2013, 03:36 PM   #16
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Here is a list of all the Petro Car Washes in Ontario, that Glide wash sounds pretty good.

Petro Car Washes
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      01-02-2013, 08:03 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greye92 View Post
Where do you wash for that cheap?

I live in North York but the closes I know of is at Hwy 7 and Leslie Shell gas station, and another one at Beyview and Majormac
I have been to both the Hwy 7 and Leslie and Bayview and MajorMac.
Both are spotty at times in regards to any soap coming out. Also pressure is suspect at times.

Bur Oak is a fantastic car wash with all the new features but I get more time on Laidlaw.

I go the car washes at Laidlaw Blvd (which has the new features) north of Hwy 7 at the discount car and truck rental. $2 car washes.
Pressure is always strong, lots of soap and discounts Mon, Tue and Wed morn.
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      01-02-2013, 09:59 PM   #18
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Petro pass is an investment if you are on the road a lot but definitely worth it, especially if you have more than one car
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      01-02-2013, 11:40 PM   #19
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does anyone know if these automatic car wash chemicals will damage the finish on wrapped vinyl roofs?
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      01-03-2013, 07:46 AM   #20
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Coin wash in condo underground garage.
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      01-03-2013, 08:28 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by summall View Post
Coin wash in condo underground garage.
Is this a condo downtown? This sounds convenient.
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      01-03-2013, 09:46 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by summall View Post
Coin wash in condo underground garage.
Ya my condo downtown has one too apparently, I've been living there for 4 years and never found it maybe I have to venture to the lowest level in the parking garage who knows.
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