Wash cars under water pressure ?

filcord · 16th August 2008, 18:03

great feedback Thad mate. Thanks for letting us know your progress with the pressure thingy. By the way, I would'nt recommend using any pressure at all on the paintwork. This needs to be softly shampooed by hand, and then copiously rinsed by normal hose, then wiped dry with cleanest cloth you have. The pressure is good for the tyres, underbody, and the garage floor.

Thad E Ginathom · 16th August 2008, 18:31

I think that you are right. If I had a driver who was also a good car cleaner...

But the sweeping fan is much better, and not as harmful, as the full-on blast.

filcord · 16th August 2008, 21:47

Hey don't you know, drivers are never good cleaners, they just don't love their cars the way we do, or they don't know the simplest thing about clean cloths and clean water.
I never trust my driver to wax the cars, it's a sure fire recipe for a scratched finish, and even getting him to learn the proper way to wash the cars took me a couple of weeks of standing alongside him.

By the way, what is the current load this machine takes? I have just a 5-amp plug in the garage.

Thad E Ginathom · 16th August 2008, 21:58

We had a visiting cleaner at the last place who was quite good, my wife used to get a boy to do it here who really did not have a clue, and has probably aged the car by a year or two. I've never had a driver, and doubt that I will; we don't even use the car every day --- but if I did I'd want to send the to car-cleaning school!

Err... not to mention driving school.

It is rated at 1.5kw, and I use it plugged into a 5-amp socket, I don't know what the breaker on that socket is.

obed5579 · 22nd August 2008, 11:57

I got my self a Aquatak 100 plus at an exhibition sale for 8500/-. It does good cleaning. I was actually searching for the Aquatak 10 but it seems Bosch does not sell them any more.
The rotohead is a bit harsh and can be used for under chasis and floor cleaning. The Jet-Fan nozzle can be used for car cleaning. The best part was the effortless cleaning of brake dust from my aloys. normally removing the black dust from the aloys is a time comsuming back breaking job. with aquatak it was over in no time and my aloy we as good as new

Thad E Ginathom · 22nd August 2008, 12:22

Quote:

I got my self a Aquatak 100 plus at an exhibition sale for 8500/-

:( --- You bargain better than we do, I guess! Which exhibition did you buy from? was it Hi Care Company? They are the ones that seem to do the exhibitions; recently they have been at Chennai Trade Centre and ICE at Island Gardens.

Please check the instructions, for the safety of your car: it does say not to use the roto head on cars. It is pretty violent!

obed5579 · 22nd August 2008, 13:18

Ya, I got it at the ICE exhibition from Hi Care. I went here on the last day. I went with a friend of mine and we picked up 2 pieces and bargained for the discount.

Thad E Ginathom · 22nd August 2008, 15:49

Well, at least you brought two, with your friend, so had better reason for the discount. My wife is now complaining about having "lost" Rs1400!

And yet she told me off for fighting on another thing I bought, a Dremel tool, when, after agreeing the price, they come to do the bill ---and add the tax. I hate that tactic, and made a big fuss; they gave the tax amount as discount, but I think that was inly about 160.

Last day of an exhibition is always a good day for buying. Congratulations!

androdev · 22nd August 2008, 16:17

Thad:

I have been postponing this purchase because I have two concerns:

1. Manual drying can not be avoided but can I get a touch-free wash with good results? I feel a final manual scrubbing is needed to get rid of that grease layer even if shampoo-soaking is done first.

2. It damages paint.

What has been your experience? Thanks.

obed5579 · 22nd August 2008, 16:38

Hi androdev, the Bosch guys mentioned that the Jet-Fan nozzle can be used for washing cars. It has been tried and tested. The have not got any complaints from anyone about paint loss so far. It seems they have sold a bigger version of the same to a lot of car garages, even it seems Bosch service centers use it.

Before i purchased the stuff i verified whether it can be used on my car (chevy optra) with the dealer. My dealer said it wont cause any problem.

Bosch recommends to use the Jet-Fan nozzle for car wash

Any good quality car shampoo cleans the grease effectively. you need to use it along with brush that is povided with the product. I use Formula 1 Wash products or Sonax.

Thad E Ginathom · 22nd August 2008, 20:50

It has to be used with the brush, yes. Even after letting the shampoo soak, it still needs some sort of physical disturbance to the grease layer --- unless, maybe, you wash the car so often it never gets a chance to build up, like daily?

The car needs to be dried, yes, or some hard-water marks will remain. I'm interested, for other reasons, to get a water softener for my house; it might make quite a difference to washing the car!

No, it is not a completely hands-off magic wand cleaning system! Maybe, one day. I'll include it in my prayers

I do not think the jet fan nozzle can damage paintwork --- unless it is physically damaged already. However, it should be kept a few inches away (read the manual!) and I'm more concerned about disturbing or damaging rubber seals around glass, etc, especially on the Swift, which is hardly the world's best-built car.

bigman · 22nd August 2008, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by androdev

Thad:

I have been postponing this purchase because I have two concerns:

1. Manual drying can not be avoided but can I get a touch-free wash with good results? I feel a final manual scrubbing is needed to get rid of that grease layer even if shampoo-soaking is done first.

2. It damages paint.

What has been your experience? Thanks.

You should always use a sponge or wash mit no matter whetehr you use pressure washer or not. You can snow foam the car but to loosen all the dirt.

With regards to 2, yes if you use a pressure washer with the wrong attachment it can damage your paintwork. Use a variable lance on a low setting and you should be ok.

manim · 13th September 2008, 22:08

Just gifted myself with a Bosch Aquatek hi-pressure water cleaner!
I found it awesome. I am going to enjoy myself every Sunday cleaning my Civic-AT! cheers:

(I am paying Rs.9K for it).

Thad E Ginathom · 14th September 2008, 00:36

Congratulations!

And I won't tell my wife that you too paid less than we did

Enjoy!

ibm_jennifer · 14th September 2008, 00:58

I bought the Aquatak 1250 model for Rs. 18,500 and its giving 125 bar - but the advantage over other model is it has a pressure regulator, through which you can choose the right pressure based on the usage.

16th August 2008, 18:03	#61
filcord BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: goa Posts: 996 Thanked: 67 Times	great feedback Thad mate. Thanks for letting us know your progress with the pressure thingy. By the way, I would'nt recommend using any pressure at all on the paintwork. This needs to be softly shampooed by hand, and then copiously rinsed by normal hose, then wiped dry with cleanest cloth you have. The pressure is good for the tyres, underbody, and the garage floor.
	() Thanks

16th August 2008, 18:31	#62
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,005 Thanked: 26,445 Times	I think that you are right. If I had a driver who was also a good car cleaner... But the sweeping fan is much better, and not as harmful, as the full-on blast.
	() Thanks

16th August 2008, 21:47	#63
filcord BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: goa Posts: 996 Thanked: 67 Times	Hey don't you know, drivers are never good cleaners, they just don't love their cars the way we do, or they don't know the simplest thing about clean cloths and clean water. I never trust my driver to wax the cars, it's a sure fire recipe for a scratched finish, and even getting him to learn the proper way to wash the cars took me a couple of weeks of standing alongside him. By the way, what is the current load this machine takes? I have just a 5-amp plug in the garage.
	() Thanks

16th August 2008, 21:58	#64
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,005 Thanked: 26,445 Times	We had a visiting cleaner at the last place who was quite good, my wife used to get a boy to do it here who really did not have a clue, and has probably aged the car by a year or two. I've never had a driver, and doubt that I will; we don't even use the car every day --- but if I did I'd want to send the to car-cleaning school! Err... not to mention driving school. It is rated at 1.5kw, and I use it plugged into a 5-amp socket, I don't know what the breaker on that socket is.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2008, 11:57	#65
obed5579 BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 49 Thanked: 7 Times	Aquatak 100 plus does good cleaning I got my self a Aquatak 100 plus at an exhibition sale for 8500/-. It does good cleaning. I was actually searching for the Aquatak 10 but it seems Bosch does not sell them any more. The rotohead is a bit harsh and can be used for under chasis and floor cleaning. The Jet-Fan nozzle can be used for car cleaning. The best part was the effortless cleaning of brake dust from my aloys. normally removing the black dust from the aloys is a time comsuming back breaking job. with aquatak it was over in no time and my aloy we as good as new
	() Thanks

22nd August 2008, 13:18	#67
obed5579 BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 49 Thanked: 7 Times	Ya, I got it at the ICE exhibition from Hi Care. I went here on the last day. I went with a friend of mine and we picked up 2 pieces and bargained for the discount.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2008, 15:49	#68
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,005 Thanked: 26,445 Times	Well, at least you brought two, with your friend, so had better reason for the discount. My wife is now complaining about having "lost" Rs1400! And yet she told me off for fighting on another thing I bought, a Dremel tool, when, after agreeing the price, they come to do the bill ---and add the tax. I hate that tactic, and made a big fuss; they gave the tax amount as discount, but I think that was inly about 160. Last day of an exhibition is always a good day for buying. Congratulations!
	() Thanks

22nd August 2008, 16:17	#69
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,097 Thanked: 22,343 Times	Thad: I have been postponing this purchase because I have two concerns: 1. Manual drying can not be avoided but can I get a touch-free wash with good results? I feel a final manual scrubbing is needed to get rid of that grease layer even if shampoo-soaking is done first. 2. It damages paint. What has been your experience? Thanks.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2008, 16:38	#70
obed5579 BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 49 Thanked: 7 Times	Hi androdev, the Bosch guys mentioned that the Jet-Fan nozzle can be used for washing cars. It has been tried and tested. The have not got any complaints from anyone about paint loss so far. It seems they have sold a bigger version of the same to a lot of car garages, even it seems Bosch service centers use it. Before i purchased the stuff i verified whether it can be used on my car (chevy optra) with the dealer. My dealer said it wont cause any problem. Bosch recommends to use the Jet-Fan nozzle for car wash Any good quality car shampoo cleans the grease effectively. you need to use it along with brush that is povided with the product. I use Formula 1 Wash products or Sonax.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2008, 20:50	#71
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,005 Thanked: 26,445 Times	It has to be used with the brush, yes. Even after letting the shampoo soak, it still needs some sort of physical disturbance to the grease layer --- unless, maybe, you wash the car so often it never gets a chance to build up, like daily? The car needs to be dried, yes, or some hard-water marks will remain. I'm interested, for other reasons, to get a water softener for my house; it might make quite a difference to washing the car! No, it is not a completely hands-off magic wand cleaning system! Maybe, one day. I'll include it in my prayers I do not think the jet fan nozzle can damage paintwork --- unless it is physically damaged already. However, it should be kept a few inches away (read the manual!) and I'm more concerned about disturbing or damaging rubber seals around glass, etc, especially on the Swift, which is hardly the world's best-built car.
	() Thanks

13th September 2008, 22:08	#73
manim BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN69 Posts: 820 Thanked: 916 Times	Bosch Aquatak Just gifted myself with a Bosch Aquatek hi-pressure water cleaner! I found it awesome. I am going to enjoy myself every Sunday cleaning my Civic-AT! cheers: (I am paying Rs.9K for it).
	() Thanks

14th September 2008, 00:36	#74
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,005 Thanked: 26,445 Times	Congratulations! And I won't tell my wife that you too paid less than we did Enjoy!
	() Thanks

14th September 2008, 00:58	#75
ibm_jennifer BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 529 Thanked: 7 Times	I bought the Aquatak 1250 model for Rs. 18,500 and its giving 125 bar - but the advantage over other model is it has a pressure regulator, through which you can choose the right pressure based on the usage.
	() Thanks