Hi folks.. I just bought a 2005 XJ8L and I was told never to run it through an automatic car wash. For one thing it could rip off the leaping jaguar hood ornament. Anybody agree with that? Someone said to tape the ornament down. Another said the side to side fabric strips are probably ok but stay away from the brush roller type. I live in Florida and it rains every day in the summer..I like auto car washes!

Also is premium fuel an absolute must?..in Florida we can get 91 octane but as you know its expensive. Some people say a mid grade like 89 is just as good.

Thanks.

 

With any car that you care about - and I'm not exaggerating - stay away from any wash that touches your car, brushes, rollers, etc. Touchless only, if you aren't able to do it yourself. Auto is fine, as long as it's touchless. There's no telling what might be stuck in rollers or on the fingers that will be dragged over your paint. And that's not to mention that yes, hood ornaments and even automatic antennas (regular too but are less likely) can be grabbed, caught, ripped off and broken. It's not a guarantee, but it's not worth the chance. The reason they say to tape it, isn't so much to tape it in place, but more to cover the gaps that something could get caught in and then yank it off. But then if you're going to take the time to get out of the car and tape that down, you're already halfway through the time it would've taken you to wash it yourself with a wand in a bay without that risk being present.

As for premium vs regular or mid, you'll get plenty of opinions. I ran premium in mine whenever I could, but there were times that I'd have to fill up at a station with only 87 (believe it or not, they exist), and the car was fine, and never gave any indication of being unhappy with it.

 

The only problem with that is in order to remove the grime without agitation, they have to use hot water and harsher detergents. That tends to strip off any wax or sealants. If you do use the touchless systems frequently, I'd recommend to buy one of the "quick spray wax" products and apply after every automatic wash. I've been using the Mequiar's Ultimate Quick Wax for ten years and its really good stuff. It takes literally only about 15 minutes to wipe the car down with the spray wax. Its so easy that I'll actually do it about once a month (I wash by hand religiously though). With the traditional wax you spread, let dry and then buff off, it takes so long that I wasn't doing it often enough. I recently tried Mother's and it doesn't leave as noticeable a film, but I don't think it lasts as long either. Granted, these quick wax products aren't car show products, rather they are mainly for protection which they do a fantastic job of keeping the bird ***** from etching and so forth. I will do a full multi-step polish and top it with paste wax once a year, right before our annual British car show but the rest of the year I use the quick wax. Anyway, that's probably your best strategy if you must use the drive through wash systems.

 

I don't think the hood ornament would be affected but those slapping brushes and rags are rough on mirrors. You're taking a gamble whenever you bring your car through one of them.

These engines are made to run on the higher octane gasoline. You might be able to get away with a mixture of 91 and 89 or even 87 but running 87 constantly will most likely set off engine codes. Another thing to keep in mind is that some premium fuels are ethanol free. Alcohol likes to eat away at rubber components in the fuel system.

 

I live in Orlando also Hudson, I use Images on 50. Have been for 20 yrs with zero issues. No 4x4's go there, mostly Porsche's, Merc's, Audi's, Jag's. The have octopus sponge rollers there that are changed regularly and you have the option to get a full detail and wax. They also offer that ultra finish. I hear Octopus on Mills is pretty good also, but I've never used them.

I do not agree with CharlzO about the touchless (sorry brother). I had an Expedition I went through one with and it blew off part of my factory pin-striping. Touchless also leaves a residue which makes your paint look dull. I don't want to try and apply polish and/or wax with residue being rubbed in.

I scope out a car wash before going through it. There are (2) in Charleston SC I will use, "Cactus" and "In and Out" (my preferred). I have no issue asking a place how often the rollers are changed, ...do they allow muddy 4x4's there ...if their water is recycled and/or filtered ...etc. I'm shopping for a good wash, not hoping for one. Don't be afraid to watch the cars go through or ask to see the function of the place. Once you think they've passed most of your requirement, they may try to garner your business by showing you the other cars coming through and/or even give you a wash to try to show their quality.

 

No apologies necessary. I don't use any autos myself, unless it's in a rental or someone else's car. I haven't experienced any film issues with touchless ones, but it's so far between, I couldn't tell you how those work or don't. Possibly it's also regional as far as the brushed/rolled versions. Up here in the NE, there's so much dirt and mud and everyone slings around it from their truck tires, and I've seen first-hand damages done by rocks caught in them - there's no way I'd trust one, no matter what. personal preference. That, and the touchless ones around here don't seem to have that kind of pressure behind them - I'm pretty sure the wands in the bays actually give a better result.

Interesting to read of others experiences, though, and learning new things that I wouldn't know otherwise. All the more reason to hand wash at home (or take your buckets and soap to a bay and just use the water)

 

Yeah, you guys roller brushes get messed up and scratch material from the rust off those salt and rocked ridden vehicles. I can definitely understand your perspective there then. All in all a good old fashion home hand washing (along with a couple barley pops for one self), does the car good.

As a matter of fact, it was in PA that I had the pinstriping blown off.