Car washes...are the "extras" really worth the money?

the waxes in the wash are waxes. If you notice the water will bead up on your car after you get the wax done. although its worth the extra 3 bucks for the wax nothing will beat the good old fashoned hand method. also here is something to consider most detail shops will do your car for 99 bucks or less if your car wash cost 15 bucks and you do it once a week that is 60 bucks you could get a full detail once a month and just spray the car with water and wipe with a towel until the next detail. also you could just buy a wax car wash and wash it yourself its the same thing as the car wash.

Great question! You really do need to protect your paint against oxidation which helps to keep your paint looking cleaner and more shiny. But what a lot of people don't think about is that protecting your paint ultimately preserves the quality and resale value of your vehicle when the time comes to sell or trade. What I mean is my 11 years old paint looks better than most brand new cars coming off the lot....this is what I've been told over and over. The other nice part to that it is easily done, saving time, money with no extra effort resulting in a professional shine that actually lasts.

With that being said, wax is what most of us are use to and know because that is what has been mediated and advertised to us. Many wax products are also hard to use and time consuming so it can be hard work...a whole day of work to achieve a professional show room shine. Waxes also tend to leave a messy white residue in crevices and on your trim if you are not careful. There are also many other types like silicone and teflon based products that are easier to use, but these products are all superficial and does not last very long. So really unless you are constantly waxing your vehicle is not being protected effectively. Not to mention the time and or money needed to do this.

Wax and the many other products that are superficial means they do not bond to the paint when applied. If the next day it rains or you wash your vehicle, the wax is washed off and your paint is no longer protected. Also when the sun gets really hot wax can melt and break down. So if you waxed your vehicle or paid to have it done, all that hard work, time and money would be down the drain. Now let's say you had your vehicle waxed and you put it in a garage safe from the sun and rain, within a maximum of 3 to 6 months wax breaks down and your vehicle is unprotected.

The other products available are polymer based polish and sealants which some are usually easy to use and typically last between 6 to 12 months. But the most effective product line we've found is Fire Glaze. Fire Glaze Polish sealant, is incredibly easy to use on & off, no streaks or haze, a high gloss mirror shine, and 3 years protection against oxidation. They took into consideration all aspects. You can find more information and see pictures at www.protectivecoatingsplus.com. You can also call anytime with any questions and products comes with easy instructions and tips.

Finding a great product is really the key, but there are so many and all claim to be the best (haha), so how do you choose? You could end up easily with 10 products and have to go through numerous steps to achieve a professional look. It seems like most people who even bother to protect their vehicles only settle for mediocre results because like yourself, do not have that sort of time and patience to achieve a professional results.

If you choose to try Fire Glaze products, you can easily do it yourself or find someone to do it for you. For a car with decent paint all you would need is the polish sealant for the outside and the vinyl & leather for the inside and that's about it. Oh, maintenance becomes much easier too.

Well hope this helps. Please let me know with any questions or anything else.

While nothing is better than a good old fashioned hand wax,the spray wax at a carwash is better than nothing at all.I always use the local carwash when I wash my Caddy and use the spot-free rinse.With the water in my area,it's the only way to wash it without it ending up covered with water spots.

I'd just stick to handwashing it. The bells and whistles are pointless considering the minute you drive it out of there it's getting dirty again. Plus, if you do it yourself, you can get spots that a machine can't. You can avoid streaking by using a shamee cloth, and "missed spots' can be avoided by taking your time.

i agree with britt handwashing is the way to go. what you spend on 1 of those expensive washes you can get all the stuff youd need to do the car 5 times and have it look 10x better