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Automated car wash?

4K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Kacey Green 
#1 ·
I assume the touchless washes will be fine, but what about the kind with rollers that push the car down a track? What about the smaller ones where the apparatus moves around the car?

Will the clearance of the front spoiler be an issue?
Will I need to remove the antenna? Is the antenna a simple screw on screw off job?
 
#2 ·
I regularly go to a carwash with rails and rollers pushing the car. The one I go to has a curtain style that swishes back and forth for the top. I've never had an issue.

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#3 ·
I've been thru the local drive thru automated car wash a few times to remove salt build-up. I remember the first time thru they did look at the front spoiler, but there was no problem. Even if it hits a bit, its very flexible and I have the original 2011 spoiler. The standard 2012 spoiler I believe has even more clearance.

I do remove the antenna before heading thru though.
 
#6 ·
I do remove the antenna before heading thru though.
Somewhere on here Trevor advised that it is better not to remove the antenna because of risk of water intrusion. I run it through a car wash every week with the big brushes and have never had a problem.
 
#7 ·
Just never go through a gas station car wash. Those things are horribly rough on car finishes. Go to a proper high end car wash that uses the latest soft foamy materials instead of the thick nylon brushes spinning at 300 miles per hour. Here in Houston, Mr Car Wash Express is amazingly gentle on the cars and only cost $6. You vacuum and touch up, which is perfect for me.
 
#8 ·
excellent, thanks guys

I usually use Frank's car wash, the type where the car is on a roller conveyor with you inside, free vacuum when done. On days where I don't need to clean the interior I use a touchless, but I didn't know about the acids and such.

Yes I do work at a dealership but when I had the Honda Hybrids people would always screw up my MPGs. Volt is probably less susceptible to that but it gets really hot here and I don't want to risk partial charges (employees always get pushed back to the very last moment and I'm 41.5 miles from work)

Yes I could wash it in the driveway but I don't like that, and it's way less water efficient
 
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