So what's the "tri-color" crap in the car wash anyway?
 

It kinda' rained in SoCal yesterday and Tuesday, so my car was filthy. Plus I had to get gas and the gas station down the street has one of those "Laserwash 4000 touchless car wash" things. What the hell. I tried it - figure it'll at least make the car clean enough to tolerate until I can hand-wash it this weekend and get the water spots and crap off it.

So you pull into the bay and it sprays a series of various liquids and rinses onto the car. As part of it, it uses "tri-color foam". WTF is this crap? It didn't do any damage or anything (car came out nice & clean) but what the hell is it? What's the purpose (other than probably marketing)?

Alien material? Leftover surplus Agent Orange from Vietnam? Ground-up floam from kids' toys? Dessicated silly string? What is it and what's it supposed to do?

I tried the laserwash web site - no answers. Must be some mystery chemical they're getting from Asia.

The tri-color stuff is pretty good stuff, but stay away from the "touchless" washes. Thet use very harsh chemicals. Repeated use will start discoloring lots of stuff.

The normal express washes do a much better job, without the harsh junk. The brushes are softer than anything I've got in my garage, and they are continually being rinsed. A car wash using current technology is less likely to scratch your car than doing it yourself.

My perspective? I while ago I was asked to invest in a new car wash business. I decided against it, but I learned quite a bit about them in the proccess. I use one regularly.

+1 Go ahead AMHIK.

Demanded by Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Coalition.

Haha guys. . .

I just use those things for convenience once in a great while - like today. I'm fully planning on giving the car a good hand-wash and another 3-step wax job this weekend along with a detailing. It's been a few weeks. :) Just figured this would tie me over. Thanks.

Re: So what's the "tri-color" crap in the car wash anyway?
 

Yeah it was brutal... must have been like a quarter of an inch or something! :D

Insert pic of blown over lawn chair

I prefer the self wash bays with the spray guns and such. Good for the quick jobs when you dont have time. Or after you go offroading in the Xterra and your yellow truck is almost entirely brown with mud.

Re: Re: So what's the "tri-color" crap in the car wash anyway?
 

Funny thing is yesterday I was in Seattle all day on business and it was bright sunny nice up there! :)

The drive to the airport in the AM with all the residual wetness and crap on the road and spray in the air is what did it.