Decent hand car wash - Bracknell area?

[pdavison]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent hand car wash in or around Bracknell?

[MX-5 Lazza]

You can buy a bucket & sponge from Halfords pretty cheap

[pdavison]

I would actually usually do it myself but I have some time to kill in Bracknell over the weekend and wondered if there was anywhere that would do a decent job in the area!

[gsr121]

I used to use these guys, always did a decent enough job. Only ever had the basic wash so can't comment if you're looking for more than that.

http://www.yell.com/biz/valet-zone-services-brackn...

I've seen there is also a place at the BP station on the a322 near the sports centre as you head out of Bracknell towards the M3. Never used them though.

[pdavison]

gsr121 said:

I used to use these guys, always did a decent enough job. Only ever had the basic wash so can't comment if you're looking for more than that.

http://www.yell.com/biz/valet-zone-services-brackn...

I've seen there is also a place at the BP station on the a322 near the sports centre as you head out of Bracknell towards the M3. Never used them though.

Great thanks I might give them a try. I only want the basic wash as I'll finish it off when I get home anyway as I always find it's good to do a little light detailing afterwards!

[MadDad]

gsr121 said:

I used to use these guys, always did a decent enough job. Only ever had the basic wash so can't comment if you're looking for more than that.

http://www.yell.com/biz/valet-zone-services-brackn...

+1, almost everyone in Binfield seems to use this place as well - can get busy but they have always done a good job and you can get a cuppa and a bacon sarny next door while you are waiting....

[Challo]

I always use the place on the Old Wokingham Rd between Pinewod and Jennets Park. Cracking job for £7

[pdavison]

MadDad said:

+1, almost everyone in Binfield seems to use this place as well - can get busy but they have always done a good job and you can get a cuppa and a bacon sarny next door while you are waiting....

Well I gave them a go and they did a pretty good job!

[PeterGadsby]

Challo said:

I always use the place on the Old Wokingham Rd between Pinewod and Jennets Park. Cracking job for £7

+1 they always do a great job on my car

- pete

[PeterGadsby]

Challo said:

I always use the place on the Old Wokingham Rd between Pinewod and Jennets Park. Cracking job for £7

+1 they always do a great job on my car

- pete

[Planet Claire]

I use a couple, either the ones in the Homebase car park (they moved up from Homebase in Camberley before they were kicked out for Next), or use the one on Market Street, further down from the station. They won't be there for that much longer as that building will also be regenterated into something else, once West View 'shopping mall' is completed next door.

[nickg123]

If you really believe they did a great job I dare you take your car outside in this beautiful sunshine and tell me how the paintwork looks in direct light....

Something like this?



I know not everyone cares but it's not just the damage they inflict using dirty rags, sponges and cloths but it's the chemicals you usually find, brick acid is a common one they use for wheel cleaners and a very strong Caustic TFR is usually what they spray over the car first, that's why you see a lot of Audi's and BMW's with permanently damaged trims:



It's worth looking at anyway, just be wary of why they can afford to do it for £7 per car.

[BlackpoolRock]

^ What he said. There's a reason they're dirt cheap (pardon the pun).

[pdavison]

True ... but I didn't say I went for the £7 option!

I agree I tend to opt for hand washing myself on most occasions including snow foam, two bucket method plus mild detailing but every now and then unfortunately time doesn't allow!

[PeterGadsby]

I'm assuming if you do get that on your car ( which I must say the finish on my car is much better than. That)

A detailer can get it back to looking good. So surely spending £7 for a wash ever couple of weeks and yearly a detailed wash would be more cost efficient than always going to a detailer

I notice the person putting up that picture is a detailer so therefore It is in his interest to get people using a detailer

- pete

Edited by PeterGadsby on Tuesday 24th March 20:45

[nickg123]

PeterGadsby said:

I'm assuming if you do get that on your car ( which I must say the finish on my car is much better than. That)

A detailer can get it back to looking good. So surely spending £7 for a wash ever couple of weeks and yearly a detailed wash would be more cost efficient than always going to a detailer

I notice the person putting up that picture is a detailer so therefore It is in his interest to get people using a detailer

- pete

Edited by PeterGadsby on Tuesday 24th March 20:45

I would rather people didn't come to me or another detailer if they're just going to use the local scratch wash as it's just a waste of their money getting it done properly as all the work (and trust me 20+ hours on a car is hard work too) is undone in just one or two washes. To be honest it's also deflating as someone that takes pride in their work too and the thought of simply trying to re-do the work again a year later is a bit painful. Light washing marks where people do it at home are unavoidable but there's a big difference, the damage some of these hand car wash places do is unrepairable in some cases which is what I was referring to in terms of acids, caustic TFR's being used on the cars.

I feel it's in my interest to just point out that people praising this type of work often just don't realise the damage that's being done, it's not that I think everyone should come to me but 9/10 people have a bit of a shock when they properly look at their paintwork when in their head they take care of it as they have it washed every week at the local hand car wash.