New Car Wash

[3GGG]

I vowed that I would never put my MINI through an automatic car wash (the type with brushes) and don't fancy driving to a forecourt and using a Jetwash, so until today I had always hand washed with bucket, sponge and hose.
Anyway the car was filthy with salt and grime and I couldn't face the job, so I decided to try a new car wash place that I had seen 'up the town'. (Dunfermline).
Autoshine Express it is called - I had passed bye it many times and it was always mobbed, I wasn't exactly sure what it was all about, all I knew was that it used lots of FOAM. The place always seemed to be ankle deep in the stuff.
The deal is that you stay in the car, they spray this hot foam all over the car and leave it for a couple of minutes, then they tap on the window to get you to clear your windscreen with the wipers, you drive forward to let the next car in and then they spray off the foam and grime with warm water jet lances. Optionally they can do a hot wax and alloy wheel clean. (I didn't try that).
I drove home and inspected the results, pretty good, a wipe down with a chamois and a wee clean of the wheels where they had missed a bit and it was as good as my usual 2 hour bath.
I can't afford to do this on a regular basis, but for the times when I am in a hurry or the hose has frozen it will be ideal.
The price - £3.50 , or a £6 deal with foam wash/hot wax/wheel clean.
Definitely recommended and I now see why the place is always so busy.

[Julz]

They have one of these in Dundee too! It's always mobbed, I've only ever been put off by the thought of how strong the detergent must be, but like you say, it's handy when you can't or cannae be arsed to do the job yersel!!

[Wul]

I agree with Julz - I would ask what they use to create the foam - if it's a bottle of fairy then allyour hard earned waxing is at risk as ordinary detergent like washing up liquid strips wax off your car. If it's a proper car shampoo then go for it!

[3GGG]

It is some proprietary formula apparently - It is said to be very environmentally friendly ,and won a Motorola award for that in 2001, so I guess it is OK. The foam is not fairy liquid like suds, more a sort of very sticky heavy foam, the car is completely covered by the stuff, you can't see out of the windows! There is aways the Hotwax that they offer as an additional option if it does take off the wax.

Their advertising blurb states that some Ferrari driver travels many miles each week to get his car done with this method.

I'm lucky my local place is half a mile away.

I tell you, I wouldn't like their job though, standing all day long ankle deep in foam and water.

[Big Col]

Just as a bit of pop trivia, Fairly Liquid should bever be used to wash your beloved motors as it actually contains salt.

[minidriver#1]

the one in dundee; i've visited 3 times over the winter and the results are very good. As for the detergent messing with the waxin, the water still beads off the car as it did before the car wash so it cant be that bad. I have to tell em to watch the decal though, and they are really good about it, plus i get it for £2.50 for being involved in the local cruise scene