Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I saw someone yesterday in a small early 2000s Malibu that had spun off the side off of the road in front of a bank. The road curves left but, being a state highway, it’s not real extreme. Poor Malibu hit a sapling and crunched past the radiator. Front airbag and curtain airbags were deployed. This was the second snow. IL drivers are special.
 
This was a straight bit of highway....

Unrelated but this is a good video from GnG
 
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I used a drive-thru car wash for the first time in my life the other day. They opened this big shiny new car wash facility a year or two ago and it did a surprisingly good job.

Too good a job in fact, because I can already see myself just going there from now on, instead of spending an hour hand washing my truck at 5am before the sun hits my driveway.
 
TC;n3543598 said:
I used a drive-thru car wash for the first time in my life the other day. They opened this big shiny new car wash facility a year or two ago and it did a surprisingly good job.

Too good a job in fact, because I can already see myself just going there from now on, instead of spending an hour hand washing my truck at 5am before the sun hits my driveway.
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One of those laser wash things?

Driving the Xterra in the snow storm is rather fun ;)
 
I miss the Xterra. It's been at the fab shop for over a month for prototyping. The bumper should be going to powdercoat this week though.
 
I miss driving wagon and mustang... I hate road salt and snow.
 
prizrak;n3543604 said:
One of those laser wash things?
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I don't think so. At least the videos that pop up when I google it don't match.
 
The laser wash by me is you drive in, a big ass arm goes around and sprays the shit out of the car with various soaps and shit. Completely touchless works well to get salt off the car but not great to really clean it
 
Yeah, this one was more traditional, with all the machinery that might slaughter you once skynet becomes self aware.
 
There’s only two car washes I’d go to near me in the winter. That’s because they have heated air dryers. Freaking awesome. They both have brushes but, what’s it matter when it’s a company car with a full vehicle wrap?
 
rickhamilton620;n3543630 said:
Those Laser Washs are hilariously insecure: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/0...ller_car_wash/

That said, touchless is the only car wash I use. I fucking hate the brushes...just sounds like death by 1000+ scrapes to your paint.
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Some touchless wash systems can and will scratch your car.

As for the article....
“You could set the roller arms to come down much lower and crush the top of the car, provided there was not mechanical barriers in place.”
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Not sure that would work so well on something sturdy like a truck; I've seen what happens to the touchless wash units in accidents where the machinery goes out of control or the driver accidentally nails the gas - usually the touchless system gets wrecked and the truck is fine. On the other hand, if you bought something tinny and easily bent like a Kia Forte I can see being worried... Wait, didn't you buy one of those? :evil:
 
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Spectre;n3543637 said:
Some touchless wash systems can and will scratch your car.

As for the article....


Not sure that would work so well on something sturdy like a truck; I've seen what happens to the touchless wash units in accidents where the machinery goes out of control or the driver accidentally nails the gas - usually the touchless system gets wrecked and the truck is fine. On the other hand, if you bought something tinny and easily bent like a Kia Forte I can see being worried... Wait, didn't you buy one of those? :evil:
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Tinny? No sir, the Forte is built using the finest construction techniques s/ :p

In a year or two, I'll be in a XJ again (to go with the Forte). Mark my words....
 
One problem I've found with the brushless systems is that if they have sufficient water pressure to get off all the dirt, the jets are powerful enough to leave permanent marks on the plastics and even cut into door seals and rubber parts. I use the soft-touch brush systems because they get the car cleaner without damage, I've never had a problem with scratching.

The Xterra is scratched all to hell, but it isn't from car washes.
 
The problem with brush systems is not the bristles its the dirt on them. It's same reason you gotta use two buckets.
 
You clearly have not seen my paint.

jnX9UvH.jpg


And that was over 60,000 miles ago.
 
Blind_Io;n3543675 said:
You clearly have not seen my paint.

jnX9UvH.jpg


And that was over 60,000 miles ago.
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Dude that's like nails on chalkboard for me, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME????
 
‘Cause its an offroader
 
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