Car wash extras

[GTRS Fiero]

Recently, I've been seeing car washes advertising thinks like "clay bar treatment", "full detail", and "engine compartment detail".  Very interesting.  So, I took my truck to a rock quarry, had some fun, and brought it in for testing.

They actually made me clean it, first.  Then, they charged me an "extra dirty fee", and an "oversize vehicle" fee.

I opted not to go with the engine compartment detail, because they couldn't tell me if they covered the electronics, or really anything about what such a cleaning did.

After asking about the clay bar treatment, since they weren't sure if it would remove water spots or not, I didn't go with that, either.

First wash did not seem to do anything.  Next time through, it was certainly wet.  Then they tried power washing it.  5 more times through, and the truck looked somewhat clean.  The poor kid in the extras bay got under my truck, and removed lots of rocks and weeds.

I have come to the conclusion that car washes are designed to remove dust, and not much else.

Has anyone else tried the clay bar or engine detail car washes?

[Fierofool]

I have used a clay bar at home.  Didn't do the whole car, though.  It does take a lot of impurities out of the clear coat.  Then I tried it on a section of the yellow car.  That's a one shot paint without clear coat.  The clay bar turned yellow. 

I do agree that automatic car washes just remove the dust.  After running any of my vehicles through, they appear clean(er) but if I wipe my finger across it, I get a dirty residue on my finger and a cleaner streak on the car or truck. 

I have only once had a vehicle detailed.  My Dodge truck was done inside, outside and engine bay.  Looked like a new truck, except that I didn't like the residual smell of the Gunk Engine Cleaner they used. 

[GTRS Fiero]

Ugh!  I am very sensitive to smells myself.