Ideas for cleaning car

[TallMark]

Hi Guys,

I live in London (SE16) in a block of flats, with the Tuscan in an underground car park.

With all my previous cars I've just taken them to the multitude of "hand car wash" places and that was always fine. But those places tend to use power sprays a lot which I'm told damage the delicate paint on TVRs.

So any ideas on how to get my car washed? Will power sprays really damage the paint?

Cheers,
Mark

P.S. Doing it myself is not really an option as there's nowhere suitable with a water supply and I don't even own a bucket let alone the rest of the stuff.

[basil brush]

I don't think it will damage your paint, but it can play havoc with the electronics under the bonnet as water can be forced into places it shouldn't be.

[Plotloss]

They can damage your paint (not just TVR either, any car) but its down the person washing the car. If they hold the boom a decent distance from the car then no worries. If they hold a twin boom truck was 2" away then you are going to have issues.

A hand wash will be fine you just need to find a trustworthy one.

[TallMark]

Plotloss said:

A hand wash will be fine you just need to find a trustworthy one.

Yes this is tricky - all of the "hand wash" places near me use power sprays.

Anybody know any real hand washers in the South East London area?

Thanks,
Mark

[Hilti]

Buy a bucket and sponge and do it yourself. Get some good quality car wash fluid and a wash leather. Works a treat for most TVR owners.

>> Edited by Hilti on Wednesday 20th July 15:53

[TallMark]

Hilti said:

Buy a bucket and sponge and do it yourself.

Where I live makes this very difficult. Washing a car on your own driveway is fine, but having to drive it out of my carpark onto the street and then walk up and down 7 flights of stairs and through a long courtyard area carrying buckets of water isn't so easy. Not to mention there's rarely anywhere available to park, let alone anywhere I'd feel comfortable leaving the car for long.

Hilti said:

Works a treat for most TVR owners.

I'm sure it does but not everyone is in the same situation, hence my questions.

[trevorw]

TallMark said:

Plotloss said: A hand wash will be fine you just need to find a trustworthy one. Yes this is tricky - all of the "hand wash" places near me use power sprays. Anybody know any real hand washers in the South East London area? Thanks, Mark

I'll wash it for you if you bring it round my place, AutoGlym products apart from the Shampoo, i'm in SE25.

[ncs]

Shall I bring a bucket & sponge to our meet on Monday night

Nick
SE London & NW Kent TVRCC

[TallMark]

trevorw said:

I'll wash it for you if you bring it round my place, AutoGlym products apart from the Shampoo, i'm in SE25.

Wow! Is that a serious offer? Liked your website by the way and incidentally I'm a computer bod as well

ncs said:

Shall I bring a bucket & sponge to our meet on Monday night Nick SE London & NW Kent TVRCC

Only if you're willing to do the washing, but there's a bag of chips and a pint in it if you do

[trevorw]

TallMark said:

trevorw said: I'll wash it for you if you bring it round my place, AutoGlym products apart from the Shampoo, i'm in SE25. Wow! Is that a serious offer? Liked your website by the way and incidentally I'm a computer bod as well

Mail me via profile and we can take it from their if you like.
I'm abit tide up this weekend though, my sons 2nd Birthday party

[TallMark]

Well I took it to the nearest hand wash place which uses the pressure sprays and asked them to keep the sprays away from the car. They sort of did this but not as much as I'd like. As was pointed out to me it was when they were doing the wheels that the water gets blasted around under the wheel arches and under the bonnet and that worried me a bit. But, the car started first time afterwards and ran fine so if any water did hit the electrics it wasn't affecting me.

Water leaked under the rear screen a lot and also got under the doors slightly and into the car that way. Nothing too serious though.

So all in all it didn't seem to harm anything so I'll probably go back again. A fiver well spent.

Cheers,
Mark

P.S. Trevorw - thanks for your offer but I think I feel a bit cheeky taking you up on it!

[trevorw]

TallMark said:

P.S. Trevorw - thanks for your offer but I think I feel a bit cheeky taking you up on it!

No problem glad they didn't do to much damage.