I can't help you on wash locations in Ontario... But wanted to mention something about a topic you've touched on, car washes and damage to your vehicle.
The "touchless" car washes are touchless for a reason... If you think about it a little bit, you're substituting elbo-grease (the mechanical scrubbing motion) for what? What would be available that would "eat" dirt right off your car and you don't need to touch it?
Chemicals - If you're OK with that then go for the touchless car washes, but be forewarned that since they use chemicals, they also re-use wash water, so not only are they using chemicals to wash your car, they're using everyone elses dirt.
So then there's the power wash - This in my opinion is best stop gap for winter driving. Provided you don't put the nozzel directly on the paint or hit the car with the wand power washes are OK for a "rinse and run." But they really don't get the car clean unless you want to scrub and whatever you do, don't use the brush that everyone else has dragged through the gravel/sand etc.
So what to do when it's winter and the car is dirty?
Personally - I find the most luxurious/expensive car wash in town and just ask for the 'exterior only' wash to save $$. These places have the octopus style wash-brushes and will not leave swirls on the paint, but will get the car cleaner than touchless, spray wand, or regular bristle brush wash. Doing this once a week or every other week for a couple of months keeps my car clean and free of damage.
As the weather breaks (or sometimes when it's still cold) I wash my car by hand in my driveway... Something I added to my garage to make this an easier task, I added a hot and cold water faucet. Even below freezing I can wash my car and drain the hose just as I normally would if it were 80 degrees out. Additionally, the hot water outlet allows me to just rinse the salt and snow away if it's pretty cold and sloppy out still without needing a stack of quarters!
The "touchless" car washes are touchless for a reason... If you think about it a little bit, you're substituting elbo-grease (the mechanical scrubbing motion) for what? What would be available that would "eat" dirt right off your car and you don't need to touch it?
Chemicals - If you're OK with that then go for the touchless car washes, but be forewarned that since they use chemicals, they also re-use wash water, so not only are they using chemicals to wash your car, they're using everyone elses dirt.
So then there's the power wash - This in my opinion is best stop gap for winter driving. Provided you don't put the nozzel directly on the paint or hit the car with the wand power washes are OK for a "rinse and run." But they really don't get the car clean unless you want to scrub and whatever you do, don't use the brush that everyone else has dragged through the gravel/sand etc.
So what to do when it's winter and the car is dirty?
Personally - I find the most luxurious/expensive car wash in town and just ask for the 'exterior only' wash to save $$. These places have the octopus style wash-brushes and will not leave swirls on the paint, but will get the car cleaner than touchless, spray wand, or regular bristle brush wash. Doing this once a week or every other week for a couple of months keeps my car clean and free of damage.
As the weather breaks (or sometimes when it's still cold) I wash my car by hand in my driveway... Something I added to my garage to make this an easier task, I added a hot and cold water faucet. Even below freezing I can wash my car and drain the hose just as I normally would if it were 80 degrees out. Additionally, the hot water outlet allows me to just rinse the salt and snow away if it's pretty cold and sloppy out still without needing a stack of quarters!
