Do-it-yourself car washes in Thailand?

[Guitar God]

Do car washes exist in Thailand?

I sure haven't found any where I've been .

I've seen a few where you leave your car for a couple hours and someone washes it for you for a couple hundred ฿ but I haven't seen any where you drive in one of the stalls, put some money in the machine and get to use a high pressure sprayer and soap-spouting brush for a few minutes.

I haven't seen any automatic, drive-through car washes either.

I see a lot of clean cars here. How do they get that way? Bucket of water, a hose and sponge?

I've got a dirty truck in Ubon and haven't found a couple extra hours to leave it to have it done, I'd prefer to finish it myself in a few minutes but the sponge/hose/bucket method isn't an option, the faucet/hose is the limiting factor.

[IMHO]

Full service car washes can still be widely had for as little as 80 Baht in Thailand - so it's pretty hard to make a business case around a Western-Style DIY car wash depot or drive-through, which would probably need to be substantially more expensive than 80 Baht in order to cover the costs of the machinery, consumables, rent and then return some ROI for the investor.

Most city people get their cars washed at their local PTT, local shopping mall while they shop, or at a dedicated detailing center.

As for you, sounds like it's time to buy yourself a pressure washer - you're not getting a country driven truck clean without one

[Guitar God]

The ones I've found are around 100฿-200฿ depending on the size of the vehicle but I do agree that the ROI would be low and the break-even period would be long. With drive-through wash prices 500-600฿ and even DIY prices of 200-300฿ in the west, it's a different story.

What's a PTT?

[MadMac]

Had the pickup washed today for 170B in CNX. Why the heck would I get my hands dirty? They did a perfect job.

(Look out for 168 at the airport road, left bent curve when you come from the airport)

[kkerry]

Only taxi drivers wash their cars daily the old fashioned way. Well, maybe I exaggerate but where I live the only people I ever see handwash their own car are my wife and a neighbor with a brand new Vigo, never seen anyone else and with it being so cheap to have it detailed for you it's understandable.

PTT (aka Petroleum AuThority of Thailand) as in service station.

[Ace of Pop]

Don't buy one of those Pressure Washers in case it ends up with all the other junk, like Dash Cams ,Radar detectors,reverse cameras, roof racks, and folding bikes in my Garage.

[VocalNeal]

Buy a copy of the Bangkok Post and go to a local car wash. The vehicle will be finished long before you get to Letters To The Editor.

There are probably many coin operated motocy washers in Ubon, their hose is long enough to do a car, but on some you may have to turn the car 180 deg.

[IMHO]

Buy a copy of the Bangkok Post and go to a local car wash. The vehicle will be finished long before you get to Letters To The Editor.

There are probably many coin operated motocy washers in Ubon, their hose is long enough to do a car, but on some you may have to turn the car 180 deg.

For some reason, that registered as flipping the car upside-down for me

I suppose that's one way to do an underbody wash if the shop doesn't have ramps

[Guitar God]

I must not get out much, I haven't seen any coin-op scooter washes either. Where do they hide them? I saw a few detailing/valet/car wash places with ramps. I didn't think about underbody wash when I saw the ramps. I didnt givebit much thought but I thought they were so they didn't have to bend over when the washed the lower bits.

Whether I use it for a car or not I can think of a lot of reasons to have a pressure washer here. Cleaning the driveway, wall, fence and gates, cleaning the kîi nok off the balcony. Most of the country could use a good hosing down. I have one stored back at my other house, with my dash cans, routers, weed whips and other junk... Maybe I'll bring it back next trip if I have enough baggage allowance left over.

[IMHO]

Don't buy one of those Pressure Washers in case it ends up with all the other junk, like Dash Cams ,Radar detectors,reverse cameras, roof racks, and folding bikes in my Garage.

Bah! not everyone sits on their ass in front of Thaivisa all day - some of us actually use our powertools

Edited January 8, 2014 by IMHO

[JAS21]

Had the pickup washed today for 170B in CNX. Why the heck would I get my hands dirty? They did a perfect job.

(Look out for 168 at the airport road, left bent curve when you come from the airport)

178Baht to wash the pick up ... someone saw you coming. Isn't that expensive for just a wash? I've had my pick up nearly two years and it gets washed at least once a week and the only people ever to wash it are myself and the Isuzu Dealer and then only when it's in for a service.

I don't even ask our maid do it. Anyway I enjoy washing it and usually do it early in the morning, before breakfast when it's cool ( Now that I realize that I have probably saved more than 17000 baht (100 washes at 178Baht a time) I'll arrange to take madam away for a few days golfing.

Edited January 8, 2014 by JAS21

[Ace of Pop]

Had the pickup washed today for 170B in CNX. Why the heck would I get my hands dirty? They did a perfect job.

(Look out for 168 at the airport road, left bent curve when you come from the airport)

178Baht to wash the pick up ... someone saw you coming. Isn't that expensive for just a wash? I've had my pick up nearly two years and it gets washed at least once a week and the only people ever to wash it are myself and the Isuzu Dealer and then only when it's in for a service.

I don't even ask our maid do it. Anyway I enjoy washing it and usually do it early in the morning, before breakfast when it's cool ( Now that I realize that I have probably saved more than 17000 baht (100 washes at 178Baht a time) I'll arrange to take madam away for a few days golfing.

Id sooner spend 17000 Bht at the Car Wash , more entertaining than Golf and Er in Doors.

[funcat]

Don't buy one of those Pressure Washers in case it ends up with all the other junk, like Dash Cams ,Radar detectors,reverse cameras, roof racks, and folding bikes in my Garage.

Bah! not everyone sits on their ass in front of Thaivisa all day - some of us actually use our powertools

...YEAAHH...

[MadMac]

Had the pickup washed today for 170B in CNX. Why the heck would I get my hands dirty? They did a perfect job.

(Look out for 168 at the airport road, left bent curve when you come from the airport)

178Baht to wash the pick up ... someone saw you coming. Isn't that expensive for just a wash?

That's pretty cheap. I think the lowest end carwash for a small car from the Burmese guys you can get is 80B. But you're risking they smash it against a wall . Happened in BKK not so long ago. They of course said it was a problem with the car .

[Guitar God]

I used to have a car that would smash into walls.

In Ubon the going rate for a suay Thai woman to get a truck washed is 150฿, 100฿ for a car.

I wish I had a pressure washer right now, there's a pigeon on my balcony. Using it directly on the pigeons might be a better solution than just using it to clean up after them.

[MadMac]

for a suay Thai woman to get a truck washed is 150฿

Meaning I'm pretty up the ladder . Thanks for the compliment 555

[Ace of Pop]

I used to have a car that would smash into walls.

In Ubon the going rate for a suay Thai woman to get a truck washed is 150฿, 100฿ for a car.

I wish I had a pressure washer right now, there's a pigeon on my balcony. Using it directly on the pigeons might be a better solution than just using it to clean up after them.

You can get some good "Rifts" on a Pressure Washer. I blasted the next doors Cats with one. The rifts lasted for Years now. About the only use its been.

[thailandbeachisland]

Pressure washers used by these people who do not care and do not understand what they do is not an option on an expensive car.

When I need a quick clean without going anywhere I would like to have a brush to put on top of the karcher gun, do you know where to find one ?

http://goo.gl/e7LERK

[IMHO]

Pressure washers used by these people who do not care and do not understand what they do is not an option on an expensive car.

When I need a quick clean without going anywhere I would like to have a brush to put on top of the karcher gun, do you know where to find one ?

http://goo.gl/e7LERK

This vendor sells all Karcher accessories - they may need to special order it (4~6 weeks) if it's not in-stock though: https://www.ktw.co.th/

I wouldn't use one on my car though - that's almost guaranteed to swirl the paint...

Nothing wrong with using pressure washers on expensive cars - I do it weekly I use an Autobrite foam lance, and a Karcher underbody lance for the rinse. So long as you're careful around rubber (not closer than 30cm with the more powerful underbody lance) there's no chance of damaging anything.. Doing it this way, I can reduce the need to touch the paint with anything for 2-4 washes - and everytime you touch the paint you're risking swirls..

[sustento]

[IMHO]

Ahh yes, just after using brushes, using foam sponges is the #2 way to swirl your paint. Good call

[WarpSpeed]

Don't buy one of those Pressure Washers in case it ends up with all the other junk, like Dash Cams ,Radar detectors,reverse cameras, roof racks, and folding bikes in my Garage.

Crap I used my pressure washer for everything there. It was life saver after the floods, we had the cleanest house on the street in the shortest amount of time.. But I go with IMHO the only automated washes I've seen there are closed down out of business, even at 200b it's well worth it, but I did my own wax and shine as they cut too many corners even at premium prices..

[bkkjames]

at my local shell station, they do the whole thing for 110 baht inside and out.

scratches are free.

Edited March 18, 2014 by bkkjames

[IMHO]

at my local shell station, they do the whole thing for 110 baht inside and out.

scratches are free.

Car wash: 110 Baht

Look on your face when you see all the damage they caused: Priceless

[bkkjames]

at my local shell station, they do the whole thing for 110 baht inside and out.

scratches are free.

Car wash: 110 Baht

Look on your face when you see all the damage they caused: Priceless

now you know why I started the <deleted> best polish topic a while ago...

[Ace of Pop]

Don't buy one of those Pressure Washers in case it ends up with all the other junk, like Dash Cams ,Radar detectors,reverse cameras, roof racks, and folding bikes in my Garage.

Crap I used my pressure washer for everything there. It was life saver after the floods, we had the cleanest house on the street in the shortest amount of time.. But I go with IMHO the only automated washes I've seen there are closed down out of business, even at 200b it's well worth it, but I did my own wax and shine as they cut too many corners even at premium prices..

Crap, we have Maids for cleaning, i dont mess about in floods, silly thing to do,never polish anything off apart from Beer Tins, love the Local Car Wash our Meeting Place , too old and lazy these days.

[WarpSpeed]

You notice I also added "cleanest" in my post. When you show me one (a maid) at any price that cleans anything near to my standards then I'd use one too, but as long as you're in Thailand not likely that'll ever happen.. One of my biggest pet peeves is paying someone to do a job I can do better myself for free..BTW time to dust off the old radar detector too based on what's been posted here recently..

Edited March 18, 2014 by WarpSpeed

[Ace of Pop]

Nah, just bung em a few Beer Tokens,thats why its in the junk, hit the brakes when it Beeps and get rammed. Your Young,so enjoy life. I was Serious once .

[WarpSpeed]

Beer tokens don't work with these speed traps, they are official and they take your license and require you to pick it up a substation and pay the fine. In these cases there is also points added on some sort of point system. If one knows how to read a radar detector no need for "slamming" on the brake and getting rear ended, unless you're into that sort of thing .. It's even easier to read them over there due to such low levels of false signals.

Edited March 18, 2014 by WarpSpeed

[Ace of Pop]

They dont have that fancy stuff up here, like i say,dont give a Rats Ass anymore, never do Cities, just an old Redneck these days.