When it was new I was gonna keep it clean. Second time through the car wash it ripped off my bug deflector. Now it gets hand washed twice , maybe three times a year ,even if it doesn't really need it.
The drive through car wash...
- OP 🔹 PrincetonFox
- Start date
When it was new I was gonna keep it clean. Second time through the car wash it ripped off my bug deflector. Now it gets hand washed twice , maybe three times a year ,even if it doesn't really need it.
When I take my off road designed truck off road, it will get scratches. Sometimes underneath, sometimes on the hitch, and sometimes on the paint. The wheels will get dinged. I'm not out to abuse it. But, I will use it. Micro scratches, the clear coat not being perfect, or the paint not being at the peak of its shine potential will not be on my mind when I'm going down a trail with tree branches rubbing on the side panels. When I use my truck to do truck stuff and load the bed with materials, the bed will get wear marks too! Oh, the horror, the horror.
I've never bought a mass produced off road intended truck and not used it for what it was designed for. Never have. Never will. My memories will be of being out with friends on the trails or road trips. After I get home, I will wash it by hand. I'll clean the engine bay, lay on my back and spray the underside, I'll wipe the shocks down, clean out the wheel wells, and finally the interior. I'll use a leaf blower and air compressor to blow off excess water before using a microfiber cloth to dry it. Usually at that point, I'll notice that there is a new pin stripe going down the side of the bed. I'll think, "damn, that was a bad ass trail that I didn't know I could get down." I'll remember that trip each time I see that pin stripe.
My truck will look good. Better than most vehicles on the road in fact. But, it is not a princess. Other than the fact that it is mine, it is not special. It is a tool to do the things I want to do. When I'm tired of it, I'll sell it and move on to something else and start the cycle over.
Between hand washes, I'll drive it through a car wash. A few minutes later, it's done and looks pretty darn good. My heart rate will not increase thinking of the trapped dirt particles on the brushes or on soapy things that hang down and I won't break out in a sweat thinking of the ph balance of the soap. I won't use a touchless wash because they suck. When I get back home, I'll use some quick detailer to get the areas that the car wash didn't reach.
I'll bust out the wax a few times a year. Usually the spray on and easy wipe off stuff. It works good enough. I'm certain that 100% pure carnauba wax apply and buff off, Zymol, or 100 other products are better. But, I can get to good enough in about an hour, bust out a beer, and be happy with the effort/result ratio.
I've never bought a mass produced off road intended truck and not used it for what it was designed for. Never have. Never will. My memories will be of being out with friends on the trails or road trips. After I get home, I will wash it by hand. I'll clean the engine bay, lay on my back and spray the underside, I'll wipe the shocks down, clean out the wheel wells, and finally the interior. I'll use a leaf blower and air compressor to blow off excess water before using a microfiber cloth to dry it. Usually at that point, I'll notice that there is a new pin stripe going down the side of the bed. I'll think, "damn, that was a bad ass trail that I didn't know I could get down." I'll remember that trip each time I see that pin stripe.
My truck will look good. Better than most vehicles on the road in fact. But, it is not a princess. Other than the fact that it is mine, it is not special. It is a tool to do the things I want to do. When I'm tired of it, I'll sell it and move on to something else and start the cycle over.
Between hand washes, I'll drive it through a car wash. A few minutes later, it's done and looks pretty darn good. My heart rate will not increase thinking of the trapped dirt particles on the brushes or on soapy things that hang down and I won't break out in a sweat thinking of the ph balance of the soap. I won't use a touchless wash because they suck. When I get back home, I'll use some quick detailer to get the areas that the car wash didn't reach.
I'll bust out the wax a few times a year. Usually the spray on and easy wipe off stuff. It works good enough. I'm certain that 100% pure carnauba wax apply and buff off, Zymol, or 100 other products are better. But, I can get to good enough in about an hour, bust out a beer, and be happy with the effort/result ratio.
Gotta say, I was very skeptical of this so I ordered a bottle. Not to use on my truck but my wife’s Yukon. Used it today to get all the road salt off and I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised. Got about 95% of the crud off and the stuff it didn’t I think was my fault (missed spraying the area). Won’t use it on my truck since I cannot confirm it’s pH neutral but I’ll use it on the other cars
- Jul 30, 2023
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- PADI Divemaster & Rescue Diver, Medic
- 2024 F350 Tremor 7.3 Godzilla - Carbon Gray
- 1985 GMC 2500 4x4 High Sierra
Gotta say, I was very skeptical of this so I ordered a bottle. Not to use on my truck but my wife’s Yukon. Used it today to get all the road salt off and I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised. Got about 95% of the crud off and the stuff it didn’t I think was my fault (missed spraying the area). Won’t use it on my truck since I cannot confirm it’s pH neutral but I’ll use it on the other cars
they advertise it as safe for ceramic coated vehicles.
I know they do however the do not advertise it as pH neutral. If it was I’m sure they’d advertise it as such.
No big deal. I’m just going to hold off on using it on the truck.
- Jan 4, 2025
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- '25 F-350 Lariat 7.3
- '67 M35A2, '81 F-150, '84 F-250, '92 Bronco, '09 F-150
It's not, it's alkaline, but that's why it works so well on a really dirty rig. I use it on my dirt bikes all the time and sparingly on the truck as a pre-wash after off-roading. Gets the undercarriage clean with minimal effort and leaves the paint looking spotless from 10-15ft away. I buy the 4x concentrate and have gone as low as 6:1 with good results, so you could probably even dilute the regular Swift a little.
Totally understand your apprehension but if you aren't using at full strength and for every wash, I doubt you'd see any ill-effects before the truck was worn out. Just don't let it dry and rinse thoroughly.
That’ll be me this weekend. It’ll be 55 balmy degrees! I’ll wait till after the running around is done though. The roads will be soaked with snow melt.You guys inspired me, it warmed up a bit so i could take a layer off
I’m a hand wash only 2 bucket system guy in the winter it pretty much either doesn’t get washed or I’ll spray it off quick at the car wash once in a while then in the spring it’ll get a full on decon and detail but never under any circumstances do I run any vehicles through an auto car wash (we don’t have any touchless ones around here) I don’t want those nasty brushes anywhere near my paintI’m jealous of all the hand wash only guys. You either live where it doesn’t get cold or have your own personal enclosed and heated wash bay. No way you are hand washing your truck when it’s way below freezing outside. Ours are heated with roll up doors and it’s get cold enough the water will freeze before the dryer even has time to do anything. Sadly, not this year, it’s 53 in SLC right now and zero snow.
- Jul 30, 2023
- 2,538
- 8,172
- PADI Divemaster & Rescue Diver, Medic
- 2024 F350 Tremor 7.3 Godzilla - Carbon Gray
- 1985 GMC 2500 4x4 High Sierra
Thanks Mark. Well done
This is the tallest one in my neighborhood. But seeing the Swift car wash add made me think of Blue Beacon for huge trucks. We take our motorhome there after every trip. You can ask for a rinse only in the winter, it's inside and they are fast. They do use the Alkaline based soap , but some on here must think if you go through a carwash you never do anything else to your trucks paint the rest of the time you own it. Or care so much about their paint they should have bought a stainless steel Cybertruck, but even they are tarnishing. 
Old school huh? Now it's 6-8 mitts only used once per side per panel, no bucket other than to put the used mitts in.. You better change your evil ways.
Giving us King Rancher’s a bad name…
I do have grit guards in both buckets so only 4 mitts lolThis is the tallest one in my neighborhood. But seeing the Swift car wash add made me think of Blue Beacon for huge trucks. We take our motorhome there after every trip. You can ask for a rinse only in the winter, it's inside and they are fast. They do use the Alkaline based soap , but some on here must think if you go through a carwash you never do anything else to your trucks paint the rest of the time you own it. Or care so much about their paint they should have bought a stainless steel Cybertruck, but even they are tarnishing.
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Old school huh? Now it's 6-8 mitts only used once per side per panel, no bucket other than to put the used mitts in.. You better change your evil ways.
That's a really bad day
I have friends that snowmobile at their place at Tollgate (Spouts Springs) and they said it's been really bad
up that way for low snow this year..."rock riding"
![What did you do to your Tremor today? [2019-2024]](https://www.fordtremor.com/data/files/featured_images/featuredimages_thumb_5.webp?1792738777)
![What did you do to your Tremor today? [2019-2024]](https://www.fordtremor.com/data/files/featured_images/featuredimages_thumb_6.webp?1792738777)
