Controversial Article

[Dean Taylor]

I'm not biased one way or another when it comes to car washes as I am a reclaim system manufacturer. I wash my car in several types of washes.

However, when I read things that appear to be written by someone completly ignorant, it bothers me. I've been in this industry quite a few years now and it still never ceases to amaze me...

Read this and tell me what you think.

http://autos.aol.com/article/automatic-car-wash-tips

How about "older car washes still use abrasive brushes"

OR

At a self service "You'll usually need to bring your own bucket, wash cloth/sponge"

 

[rph9168]

I have dealt with this guy before in other articles he has written for AOL. Believe it or not this one is better than the other ones. He is clueless and bases all his articles on his opinion rather than fact. Unfortunately he keeps on writing.

 

[Waxman]

Well, The way I see it is this; I could write an article on 'being an author' or 'being a writer', but it would mean diddley squat because I'm a carwasher and a detailer. When someone has done what I do for as long as I've done it or longer, they have earned the right, in my opinion, to critique what I do and I should graciously accept their input. Everyone else may have an opinion, and many do.

Consider the source and regard the input accordingly!

 

[Earl Weiss]

Like many industries we can be our own worst enemy. so, some criticism is deserved, but frankly it is too generalized.
As far as "Brushes" being bad, he would need to take a peek at what I have seen at many car dealers, which is an IBA type wash with brushes.
Unfortuneately our very own industry used tactics of saying this was bad to market cloth when in point of fact properly lubricated filament is the same or better than propely lubricated cloth. I have one place which is all filament and one with some and 2 all cloth. (The all filament one is the busiest) I let anyone who asks feel it and show that it is softer than a toothbrush.
The industry continues to malign it's own by then saying microfiber or lambs cloth is safer than cloth, or even that foam is safer still , even using displays with the "Other material" in some sort of petrified state. I know of at least one guy who has this display even though his other locations use the "Other Material"

so, we need to clean our own house of bad operations or bad marketing before we criticise others. I had a little debate with JJ at SSCWN concerning his choice of words. He still Champions benefits of SS washes, but he took my comments seriously and now does so without unintentionaly maligning others.

 

[Waxman]

What you're talking about is related to money. Those that promote one method over another do it because the method they promote is the method they profit from.

It sounds like by clean house you mean you wish everyone who sells a particular carwash 'system' would somehow endorse (or at least not malign) the other systems for washing a car.

Is that what you're saying?

I think that the carwash industry is a great group of professionals who are tidying up the earth, one carwash at a time and as far as industries go, there are far worse out there.

 

[smokun]

Our Own Worst Enemy

Earl, I agree with you!

The carwash industry at large, and some manufacturers specifically, are totally responsible for the "brushless" nonsense. It was a stupid, self-serving initiative of promoting bogus information. One guy who shall remain nameless relentlessly ran radio spots belching out the brushless garbage... simply to gain a competitive advantage at any cost.

And many clueless operators fervently embraced the senseless terminology... as though they really believed it to be true.

Earl is one of the many who know better, and it's refreshing to read his words.

Any detailer worth his salt back then, while enjoying the business generated by the "brushless" ignorance, knew that plastic bristles didn't actually scratch the finish. Instead, due to the lack of adequate water and/or high-lubricity shampoo, plastic rubbed the surface and friction transferred the soft plastic onto the paint "above" the surface just like any other residue. The plastic residue buffed right off, even when polish was applied by hand.

Most savvy carwash professionals know that you can screw up a car's finish with ANY method of washing. Which is why plastic bristles washed millions of cars clean back then because they really knew what they were doing... and were intelligent enough to know that the shortsighted gain through misinformation would eventually paint their actions as merely greed.

Thanks again, Earl.

 

[johnny]

A critic is a legless man who teaches running.

 

[Red Baron]

A critic is a legless man who teaches running.

What about a legless man who teaches sidekicks?

I think some of y'all are missing the most important part: Public perception. It matters a lot less that friction washes do or don't damage cars more, than it matters that a high percentage of the general public thinks they do. If the industry came out with a super-duper friction wash that was 100% guaranteed not to damage cars, I wouldn't be interested in it unless/until they also educated the general public enough to overcome their perception that a friction wash is more likely to damage a car.

I agree that friction brush equipment is very good now, but the reality is it's a lot more complicated than that. I've never had my own vehicle damaged in a touchfree wash, even before I went in the car wash business. My pickup has been thru my D&S 5000 around 400 times, no damage. In fact the only damage "claim" I've had in around 85,000 washes is a $14 wiper blade (lady said my dryers damaged when she turned them on under the dryers...I just paid her), and 1 tire after some doofus with low profile tires hit my rails and cut the sidewall. That's it. On the other hand about 6 months ago I went and tried a brand new state-of-the-art friction wash and it bent my front license tag out 2" on both ends. First time I've been thru a friction wash in about 14 years, damage on the first try. Granted, minor stuff, but my customers squawk about minor stuff.

The public's perception is that friction is more likely to damage a car - my percetion is that is that friction is more likely to damage a car.

 

[rph9168]

I believe that the general public's perception is probably that but I think it is changing and dying out with the newer generations. Neither one of my daughter's will use a touch free wash because they feel it does not clean their vehicles. I am not sure that the number of people that are worried about vehicle damage is getting smaller and the number of people that want to get their money's worth with a clean car is growing. Personally I use both types of washes but when my vehicle is really dirty I head to the friction wash or even self service if I feel ambitious rather than the touchfree.

 

[Red Baron]

Good points. My theory, however, is that is given the choice, I rather take my chances of my vehicle not getting clean than take the chance of it getting scratched. If it doesn't get clean you get another chance...

When I built my wash I assumed there were a lot of people who think like me. It's scary to find out that I was right about that.

 

[Earl Weiss]

What you're talking about is related to money. Those that promote one method over another do it because the method they promote is the method they profit from.

It sounds like by clean house you mean you wish everyone who sells a particular carwash 'system' would somehow endorse (or at least not malign) the other systems for washing a car.

Is that what you're saying?

I think that the carwash industry is a great group of professionals who are tidying up the earth, one carwash at a time and as far as industries go, there are far worse out there.

Yes, you can promote the benefits of what you do without maligning, - unfairly - what others do. It taints the whole industry.

Yep, it is a great industry, but saying there are worse ones out there sets the bar lower than need be,

 

[Earl Weiss]

Good points. My theory, however, is that is given the choice, I rather take my chances of my vehicle not getting clean than take the chance of it getting scratched. If it doesn't get clean you get another chance...

When I built my wash I assumed there were a lot of people who think like me. It's scary to find out that I was right about that.

As I said, our industry is it's own worse enemy . we are responsible for perceptions. Partly because of bad operations, aprtly because of marketing by the mfgrs of certain materials. It taints everyone.

The public needs to be educated about erroneous perceptions. I still get people who are amazed that others wash their car at 20 degrees and colder. They ask me "Don't the locks freeze?" . My current response is first" When was the last time you used a key to unlock your car?"