I am thinking about getting an electric pressure washer mostly just for washing my car. What I was wondering if anyone knows what the manual car wash psi is around.

I see the electric ones from 1200psi-2600psi. I want it to be able to clean my rims and take off the dead bugs in front of the car but not take the paint off!

Any help or recommendations on an electric power washer would be great.

(I am looking to spent under $140)

 

Ooooo I don't think I'd use it on my Z. I'd rather keep it waxed (dirt comes off easier) and wash it by hand.

 

I wouldn't use one on my car. Proper washing is about water volume, not water pressure. The risk of damaging your paint or plastic and rubber trim is just too high.

 

1200 - 2600 psi should be fine for carwashing. My dad used to have a pressure washing business, and we would go to dealerships and use a 3000 psi gas-powered unit with spot-free water. If you are new to this...i would recommend staying with something like 1500, although that pressure wouldn't be good for washing anything aside from your car.

Use common sense too. Make sure regardless of the pressure, you never get it too close to your paint or tires. High pressure units can slice right through a tire, and blast the paint off your bumper if you are not careful.

 

In the winter when it is too cold for a bucket of soap and water, a pressure wash is OK. Otherwise forget it. There is no substitute for a hand wash.

 

I use one of the low power electric ones (1300psi?) every time I wash my car in combination with a hand wash and I'll never go back to just regular hose pressure.

You have to use the fan attachment which is lower pressure and gives you a nice flat spray to push dirt off the car. This works fantastic on the bugs, pollen, and sap although I will pretreat these areas if they been sitting for more than a few days on the car.

You can also get 95% of the brake dust off the wheels and tires as well without any chemicals.

The key benefit is the ability to remove all the heavy dirt off the car with the initial rinse. This allows you to a.) not be rubbing dirt into your paint when washing and b.) not have to visit your rinse and/or wash buckets as frequently.

 

One of the big reasons I am getting one. I have polished lips and I keep hearing bad things about chemicals eating at them causing them to get discolored by them eating away at them.

I mean you guys never go to a manual car was where they have these things? I have taken alot of different cars to these places and had no issues and they work much better then a normal hose with alot less effort.

I ended up getting a Sistema 1400 (adjustable) PSI Electric Pressure Washer 1.4 GPM - 1,960 Cleaning Units

http://www.pressurewashersdirect.com...roducts_id=324

 

I guess you mean what NZ'ers call a water blaster, high pressure water blaster.
Is okay occassionally to loosen stubborn muck, but go easy, especially on delicate areas. Quite useful to get at harder bits like under the cars, but once again, be careful. Depending on what I'm doing I will either use my 1600psi or mostly the 2000psi, mine is petrol powered. One is Huskvana, other is a Stihl.

 

YES I agree I did this or a living on big and small viehicels . with the 1s you buy like at the hardware store you will have no problem. just use common sense like if you have 3m chip plastic go the same direction as it goes. also another good tip for easy rinse is buy a $20 garden sprayer and fill with distilled water for spot free. the high presure should run you about $70 to 80 just look for them they go on sale all the time . and get the electric 1 cheaper and less probs I know from experiance. takes alot less water less mess.