Scratches from Car Wash

[BrutusBuckeye]

I couldn't resist the temptation to drive the snake yesterday. We still have a ton of salt all over the roads here in columbus. I decided that I would drive it and then take it to get washed right afterwards.... that's when the trouble started.

After my joy ride I went to fill the tank and then have it washed. I've used this carwash many times in the past with prior cars. When I pulled into the bay, I found that they had changed it from a high pressure water carwash to a cloth wash. It was too late, the doors had closed and I was screwed. The end result to this nightmare are numberous scratches all over the car. The scratches are all fine and I think they can be removed with a buffer. Anyone else had this kinda fun??

 

[ViperGTS]

That´s why 99.99% of all Viper owners wash the car by hand

 

[Bandit3]

That's one reason I had a son. "Tell ya what, wash it and you can drive it when I'm done. John, lazy John

 

[Bandit3]

One more thing along the washing subject. Never ever go to a hand car wash, especially one run by some kids for school or church, etc. They never change the water (dirt), drop the rags (stones). No I never did this, but have heard stories. John, PSA John

 

[plumcrazy]

lol...you use a carwash?

 

[Buckeye Viper]

Hey bro, I have a random orbital buffer with all the goods if you need to borrow it. Shoot me a PM.

 

[BrutusBuckeye]

Yeah I know I shouldn't have used a car wash. Had very few options and couldn't resist the chance to drive the car it's still very cold out. Lesson learned. Thanks for the offer Buckeye Viper. I might take you up on it!

 

[FlyBryViper]

After 30 years of manufacturing Self-service car wash equipment, I still have never used any type of friction car wash. I can only imagine the scratches the would show up on a Viper from any type of brush or cloth wash! You will have some polishing & waxing to do now.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Another reason not to use a car wash, even a brushless. The rear wheels on Vipers are too wide for most car wash tracks. They can really do a job on the wheel rims. Tires do not protect wide rims.

 

[AviP]

Car washes are for your daily driver.

 

[GTS Bruce]

Touchless is the only way to go.But no way with a Viper.BTW,also do not use a car wash in the northern states until very late spring.Yes you get a clean,fresh water rinse.However the wash water is filtered and reused.That means that they are spraying salt water under high pressure into places your vehicle didn't know it had. GTS Bruce

 

[BrutusBuckeye]

Yeah it use to be a touchless car wash and I guess they recently changed it. Don't know why, but by the time I realized it... the bay doors were closing and I was screwed. No permanent damage, just alot of buffing. More quality time with the car I guess.

 

[Newport Viper]

Go here to learn how to fix it.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/

 

[BrutusBuckeye]

Thanks for the heads up Newport Viper! I'll check it out.

 

[FlyBryViper]

At the "automatic" car washes, there is a floor switch, it's the one that triggers the "stop" sign and the start of the equipment. If you roll past this switch, the equipment will not start, and eventually, it will time-out, opening the doors, releasing you to freedom.

 

[Topawam]

In this case, would the salt be under the car, and does the car wash clean under it ?
I would put it on a lift and clean the bottom, but again, it takes me 3 days to clean, polish and wax my car...

 

[Ray R]

A car wash? NEVER! Call me crazy, but I built a water purification system just to wash my cars. It all began when I started noticing a white powdery substance collecting as waterspots after washing a car. It turned out my well water has a high silica content. After a $700 detail job to remove the silica and swirl marks from the Viper, I started to work on the system. It starts with a 5 micron pre-filter, then a water softener, then a 3-stage filter which includes 2 sediment and one carbon filters, then a reverse osmosis system, and the final product collects in an 80 gallon tank (35 gallons of water, 50 gallon pressure bladder). It takes about 3 days to fill the tank. This water is so pure, they told me not to drink it because it will actually absorb minerals OUT of your body. But let me tell you this: I can wash a car and not worry about drying! ZERO water spots! The cost of all this? About $800 in parts and some clever plumbing on my part.

 

[Photog1]

Driving a Viper in the Salt. Are you nuts? If you feel a need to drive a cool car when there is salt on the road drive a vette.
The scratches from the carwash are God's punishment for getting the Viper out before you should have.

 

[carguy07]

A car wash? NEVER! Call me crazy, but I built a water purification system just to wash my cars. It all began when I started noticing a white powdery substance collecting as waterspots after washing a car. It turned out my well water has a high silica content. After a $700 detail job to remove the silica and swirl marks from the Viper, I started to work on the system. It starts with a 5 micron pre-filter, then a water softener, then a 3-stage filter which includes 2 sediment and one carbon filters, then a reverse osmosis system, and the final product collects in an 80 gallon tank (35 gallons of water, 50 gallon pressure bladder). It takes about 3 days to fill the tank. This water is so pure, they told me not to drink it because it will actually absorb minerals OUT of your body. But let me tell you this: I can wash a car and not worry about drying! ZERO water spots! The cost of all this? About $800 in parts and some clever plumbing on my part.

I plumbed one of those cheapy house water filters into my garden hose. It seems to help with water spots and makes a huge difference when filling the hot tub.

 

[Makara]

A car wash? NEVER! Call me crazy, but I built a water purification system just to wash my cars. It all began when I started noticing a white powdery substance collecting as waterspots after washing a car. It turned out my well water has a high silica content. After a $700 detail job to remove the silica and swirl marks from the Viper, I started to work on the system. It starts with a 5 micron pre-filter, then a water softener, then a 3-stage filter which includes 2 sediment and one carbon filters, then a reverse osmosis system, and the final product collects in an 80 gallon tank (35 gallons of water, 50 gallon pressure bladder). It takes about 3 days to fill the tank. This water is so pure, they told me not to drink it because it will actually absorb minerals OUT of your body. But let me tell you this: I can wash a car and not worry about drying! ZERO water spots! The cost of all this? About $800 in parts and some clever plumbing on my part.

I use a six stage R/O filter with de-ionization for the water changes in my fish tanks. It really works well and the fish seem much healthier, not to mention less algae in the salt water tanks. The cool thing is that I have the system supply my fridge with water for the icemaker. The ice comes out totally clear rather than that cloudy ice that I got before. I can fill about 75 gallons a day through the R/O but I don't have nearly as large of a reserve as you, wish a did. How often do you find yourself changing the filters in your system? It would be pretty nice to have a setup for washing cars too, wish I had the room...

 

[VIPER52USA]

A car wash? NEVER! Call me crazy, but I built a water purification system just to wash my cars. It all began when I started noticing a white powdery substance collecting as waterspots after washing a car. It turned out my well water has a high silica content. After a $700 detail job to remove the silica and swirl marks from the Viper, I started to work on the system. It starts with a 5 micron pre-filter, then a water softener, then a 3-stage filter which includes 2 sediment and one carbon filters, then a reverse osmosis system, and the final product collects in an 80 gallon tank (35 gallons of water, 50 gallon pressure bladder). It takes about 3 days to fill the tank. This water is so pure, they told me not to drink it because it will actually absorb minerals OUT of your body. But let me tell you this: I can wash a car and not worry about drying! ZERO water spots! The cost of all this? About $800 in parts and some clever plumbing on my part.

They told you NOT to drink the water? I'm not to sure about that. Drinking pure water is so much better for you than tap/well water. The whole minerial thing is, that when you drink pure H2O your not getting any additional minerials that you would get with tap water., some think it's harmfull but it really isn't. You get your daily needs from vitamins, and the food you consume throughout the day. Why are you using a carbon filter?. Carbon filtration (also known as charcoal filtration), which utilizes a process known as adsorption, is a particularly effective technique for chlorine removal, Pesticides, herbicides, and other organic contaminants. I guess it's ok for the Pesticides, and herbicides, but you haven't got any chlorine in your water. You have an R/O in your house? What kind of pressure do you have?? You must have bought a motor to push the water through the filters, because with regular water pressure, it would be impossible to use.

Wow, can you tell I run a water store?

Let me know what you have goin on, i'm interested.

 

[Makara]

A car wash? NEVER! Call me crazy, but I built a water purification system just to wash my cars. It all began when I started noticing a white powdery substance collecting as waterspots after washing a car. It turned out my well water has a high silica content. After a $700 detail job to remove the silica and swirl marks from the Viper, I started to work on the system. It starts with a 5 micron pre-filter, then a water softener, then a 3-stage filter which includes 2 sediment and one carbon filters, then a reverse osmosis system, and the final product collects in an 80 gallon tank (35 gallons of water, 50 gallon pressure bladder). It takes about 3 days to fill the tank. This water is so pure, they told me not to drink it because it will actually absorb minerals OUT of your body. But let me tell you this: I can wash a car and not worry about drying! ZERO water spots! The cost of all this? About $800 in parts and some clever plumbing on my part.

They told you NOT to drink the water? I'm not to sure about that. Drinking pure water is so much better for you than tap/well water. The whole minerial thing is, that when you drink pure H2O your not getting any additional minerials that you would get with tap water., some think it's harmfull but it really isn't. You get your daily needs from vitamins, and the food you consume throughout the day. Why are you using a carbon filter?. Carbon filtration (also known as charcoal filtration), which utilizes a process known as adsorption, is a particularly effective technique for chlorine removal, Pesticides, herbicides, and other organic contaminants. I guess it's ok for the Pesticides, and herbicides, but you haven't got any chlorine in your water. You have an R/O in your house? What kind of pressure do you have?? You must have bought a motor to push the water through the filters, because with regular water pressure, it would be impossible to use.

Wow, can you tell I run a water store?

Let me know what you have goin on, i'm interested.

I run 75 gpd r/o in my place with no problem and without any added pressure.

I've heard that drinking pure water can deplete your body of minerals and that distilled water was actually better for human consumption. Then again, I'm sure there are a lot of opinions on the matter so I'm not going to get into a "which water is better to drink debate" The problem with distilled water is the copper content is too high for crustations in my salt tanks. Well, that and buying water would get pretty expensive with as much water that I change in my tanks.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

If you want to avoid scratches use: two buckets one with car soap the other with clean water, use two wash mitts one rinsing while one is washing. Put a clean mitt in the soapy water, keep the cars wet now start washing a small area(two square feet plus or minus depending on how dirty the area is) at a time. Put the dirty mitt in the rinse water take out the 2nd mitt from the rinse water and put it in the soapy water was a small area. Repeat the cycle and replace the rinse water if it looks dirty.

Dirt will scratch the car buy using one bucket the soapy water becomes a mixture of soap and grit not a good solution for washing a Viper or any car you want to keep free of scratches.

Washing my Ram QC SRT I use several buckets of rinse water and change the soapy water once(when the truck is dirty). Changing the soapy water and rinse depends on the size of the area(size of cars surface area ) to be cleaned and the amount of dirt being removed. I use a separate bucket for the wheels and wheel surrounding area with lost of water flushing the dirt away.

Car washes are not for Vipers. This is the first time I have heard of a Viper going through a car wash.

 

[plumcrazy]

Ray R, can ya give us MORE details ? ? ?

 

[Newport Viper]

Before and after........... red Viper


http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=956&highlight=red+and+viper

 

[tommygun]

I am just gonna put this to rest, obviously with what you just did to your car, you need to be punished, you need to return it to a good home and never touch a viper again. That is your punishment for absolute stupidity. What in heavens name were you thinking? Even if the finish can be restored, you still need to turn in your "Guy Badge" and the Viper.

 

[BrutusBuckeye]

Tommygun,

You are ridiculous. I've been taking some shots for making a stupid mistake with this car, but your comments are just plain ignorant. I see that you are a Service Manager for Dodge and obviously you have an affection for the car, but let's not get crazy. It's a car... it was a mistake... there is no reason to be an A$$. If it's ok with you, I'll keep the Viper and continue to visit the forum. And if I have your blessing, I'll even join.

 

[tommygun]

Tommygun,

You are ridiculous. I've been taking some shots for making a stupid mistake with this car, but your comments are just plain ignorant. I see that you are a Service Manager for Dodge and obviously you have an affection for the car, but let's not get crazy. It's a car... it was a mistake... there is no reason to be an A$$. If it's ok with you, I'll keep the Viper and continue to visit the forum. And if I have your blessing, I'll even join.

Glad to see you have a sense of humor too

 

[Epro]

I will gladly wash anyone's Viper for free. In fact, I'll pay you to let me!

 

[VANTA'SVIPER]

Do you have a Meguiars in your area?If you do they usually have tech days where you could bring your car in with a group and they will show you and help you remove those scrathes.
ahh it just started raining here in SanDiego Ca, and i guess i cant take the viper out to the races tonight.
Peace and God Bless I hope this helps.