Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

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Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by New Duke »

Have any R3 owners used an automated car wash?

I usually wash her myself, but I want to clean off the winter salt under the chassis and can't do that at home.

There is a new auto car wash at a new Shell station near me that has lovely soft rollers and is much more gentle than older models. I already take my x-type there to ensure the underside gets washed.

But there's a sign outside (as seen at all auto washes) saying that it's not suitable for cars with spoilers. The R3 only has a small one though so I wondered if anyone has taken the risk? I can't see any other workable solution to clean off the salt.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by Chris the Sheep »

A car wash? Wash your mouth out you heathen!!!

I have been thinking about how to wash under the car myself. Anyone tried the pressure washer attachements that you can roll under the car? Similar to this...

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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by J2daG1990 »

I imagine it would be fine in all honestly it would just mean that the sensors would read the height wrong on your boot and so the top of the boot might not get cleaned properly by the roller.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by DanBass »

I've got a patio cleaner attachment. I wonder if you could just whack that underneath, upside down? It's pretty powerful
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by New Duke »

Thanks for the advice everyone. Haven't been here long and appreciate it. My main concern was whether there was a risk of the wash sensors being confused by the spoiler and damaging the car, as I'd only be there for the under chassis clean. So a dirty bit under the spoiler is fine. The paintwork will get some TLC at home.

I've got a Nilfisk consumer pressure washer without any special kit. I'd leaned toward the auto wash because I assumed it would give a more even/methodical wash than me blindly waving a lance under the car (as I can't wash it on axel stands at home). But just found this attachment which is a lot cheaper than the cool looking Karcher equivalent. So will mull it some more.
http://amzn.eu/gdkj4Ku

I paid a LOT of money to get the anti-roll bar welded on my MX5 last year, and some of the chassis re-fabricated, which was all corroded by years of salt build up. So I'm a bit paranoid about it at the mo.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by PeteH »

New Duke wrote:I paid a LOT of money to get the anti-roll bar welded on my MX5
I'm confused by this comment :scratch: Do you mean the suspension anti-roll bar that connects to the drop links? That's made of high strength steel and shouldn't be welded. [-X

Nice avatar photo, by the way.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by SeeJay »

Try and find a valeting place that do underbody steam cleaning..a place local to me charges £10 and the process,a bit like engine bay steam cleaning,strips away,muck,salt,grime,loose rust,loose underseal etc.

You can then get to work renovating/reundersealing/repainting everything on the underside as you please.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by Chris the Sheep »

I did come across that other lance attachment as well when I did a quick search. I wonder if that would be a bit more hit and miss with the application, I'd expect you could be a bit more methodical with the attachment that rolls across the ground but it is quite expensive for something that you might only use 4 or 5 times a year.

I didn't know the auto car washes actually sprayed the underside of the car?

Any issues with the R3 corroding under the arches where dirt/salt gets stuck just on the lip. This is a real problem with some cars. I've run my finger around the inside of the arch but it feels like the trim fits in pretty closely so not sure it will be an issue. I think there are other 90 deg attachements that can be used for this purpose. More money of course...
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by Chris the Sheep »

SeeJay wrote:Try and find a valeting place that do underbody steam cleaning..a place local to me charges £10 and the process,a bit like engine bay steam cleaning,strips away,muck,salt,grime,loose rust,loose underseal etc.

You can then get to work renovating/reundersealing/repainting everything on the underside as you please.
A tenner! That's awesome! Aberdeen is so ridiculous these days that they charge £2 for dropping people off at the airport!!!!

Seejay - did you under seal the car yourself or get it done somewhere? I expect it's really a job that requires a ramp.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by SeeJay »

Chris,I hate underseal :!: I used Frost Chassis Black coach paint,did it myself a bit at a time by hiking each corner of the car up on an axle stand..took a while,but since the car's not a daily it wasn't a problem..
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by Dr. FrankenRex »

I daren't say it very loud, but I have taken my R3 through an auto car wash and it was fine. As said, it doesn't clean under the spoiler, but the brush just went over it. Given how far away the centre of the roller brushes are from the bodywork of the car it would be OK anyway :thumleft:

That said, I find the quality of the clean very pants. I think I'd rather find someone who can clean the underside of the car properly rather than use an auto car washy-wotsit
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by New Duke »

That's what I was waiting for, thanks Dan. Probably won't, but I can't find a local cleaner who'll do it yet (drove around a few today) so it's useful to know.
If I do buy the under chassis pressure attachment then I'll post how it does.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by Dr. FrankenRex »

I have no experience of this at all, but surely if you took it to a place to get it waxoil'd (or any other rust proofing treatment) then surely they'd clean the underside of your car before doing it? If not then what's the point as you're just trapping moisture in?

As such, are you planning on rust-proofing it yourself or through someone else?
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by New Duke »

I was hoping just to have the salt washed off the underside, and assumed it would dry naturally. It lives in my garage which is well vented.

I hadn't considered rust proofing or that it would be necessary after cleaning. Thanks.
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Re: Auto car wash and the R3 Spoiler

Post by Dr. FrankenRex »

Sorry, got my wires crossed, for some reason thought this was to get it rust-proofed *dunce*
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