Anyone had the nerve to take their car thru a softcloth automatic car wash?

If so, any scratches on the plastic?

Goober

Let me add that if anyone does experience any scratches, please visit our online POLL and vote. Also there is the "scratches" subject in this message board if you want to find out more.

I took my Element to the car wash. No problem with scratches. The guys there were not sure what was what, when they opend it up to do the mats they were really confused by the back doors, :lol: I have to help them with that. They did take off the antenna, but that was no big deal. I just put it back on.

Like I said, no problem with scratches.

Boy it does look great clean :D

Was it the automatic type of carwash with brushes?

Goober

This is a topic I'm really interested in too. It's way too cold here in Michigan to wash it myself. Don't like the idea of taking my baby through an automatic car wash, but I don't want to be driving around in a dirty roller either.

Let us know!

Thanks to all who responded. I got up the nerve and ran mine thru the local automatic soft cloth car wash. No problems and no scratches. It looks great.

Goober

Did you have to remove your antenna? Do you have a roof rack?

and does the antenna come off easy?

The antenna just screws off in a matter of seconds.

Goober

I have taken my "E" through the automatic carwash about 3 tiimes and no problems. They never removed my antenna either. When I had my VW they always did remove it then

belong to the car wash club at Gem Auto Wash

always comes out perfect, no scratches, etc.

I won't say that I never go thru and automatic carwash, but I do try to avoid them. It is not that you will necessarily get any major damage from them, but they do tend to put swirls in your paint finish. And swirls are particulary evident in dark paint. So, so far my EBP has not been thru an automatic carwash, though I'm quite sure that the day will come.

I took my EBP through the auto car wash twice. I love it for the quick clean that it needs sometimes that I don't have time to give it. I don't have roof racks and the antenna is fine. Only thing is it doesn't clean the wheels well.

I live in central MA and most automatic car wash facitilites here are pretty pathetic. Far from the hotel like atmosphere of the California car washes. However, I take my E thru the car wash about once a week, and no problem at all with any scratches on the panels.

I got a brand new car yesterday and today she has 253 miles and muddy spots from a terrible rainstorm! This is no fair. ::::pouts!:::

We have some car washes in Dallas that are totally touchless. You drive in, and an L-shaped bar moves around the car on a track, spraying soap, water or wax. Neither cloth, nor those horrible rotary brushes, touch the car. I've never noticed that this system left a car dirty, and in fact, I'd say it cleans better than the kinds where there is actual contact with the car. Bonus: you drive out through a blow dryer thing - no spots, no toweling.

I, however, am going to give Lucy a bath at the hand-spraying car wash today, and a little loving toweling, and shine up her tires again, and, .....well, basically, I'm just going to dote on my car. She wants to look her best for her photos, you know!

[quote:1000219b9c="TheLusciousHellcat"]I got a brand new car yesterday and today she has 253 miles and muddy spots from a terrible rainstorm! This is no fair. ::::pouts!:::

We have some car washes in Dallas that are totally touchless. You drive in, and an L-shaped bar moves around the car on a track, spraying soap, water or wax. Neither cloth, nor those horrible rotary brushes, touch the car. I've never noticed that this system left a car dirty, and in fact, I'd say it cleans better than the kinds where there is actual contact with the car. Bonus: you drive out through a blow dryer thing - no spots, no toweling.

I, however, am going to give Lucy a bath at the hand-spraying car wash today, and a little loving toweling, and shine up her tires again, and, .....well, basically, I'm just going to dote on my car. She wants to look her best for her photos, you know![/quote:1000219b9c]

Don't forget to

"Don't forget to...." ?!?!

:shock: :wink: :?: :!:

[quote:bdf1dedf81="TheLusciousHellcat"]"Don't forget to...." ?!?!

:shock: :wink: :?: :!:[/quote:bdf1dedf81]

Yiikes. Sorry about that. My office is at home and something urgent had to be done. Anyway..... don't forget to put some sort of protectant on the panels. Now is the time to do it. Mine have held up perfectly. I found, per my previous posts, that Lexol does the trick. The only little "pits" and scratches I have is a few on the front end from rocks and pebbles.

Great advice.

Lucy shall be Lexoled, and stay looking her best for a good long while.

Thanks, Jay! Now get back to work!

I've taken my mean green driving machine to the automatic car wash three times now -- no scratches.

However, I did notice that the soft brushes BARELY touched her, as she's tres petite compared to the rigs that go through the system.

Overall, an A+ on the car wash. Although the center floor console needed an additional once-over because of the tiny crumbles that never got vaccumed.

Does anyone know how to say, "The door handle is here" in Spanish? I had a little trouble there.

You're really better off finding a "touchless" wash in your area and avoiding the brush-washers. Even the "soft" washes will scratch your paint to hell, if not your plastic panels.

Just bring a soft terry cloth towel with you to dry it off and you're slacking about as much as you can.

:evil: You still feel very ashamed for not bathing your E with love by hand - even in the bitter cold and blazing sun. Just last week I detailed the GG's exterior:

1) P21S wheel cleaner
2) P21S Shampoo
3) 303 Aerospace protectant for panels
4) Klasse All In One and Sealant Glaze for the paint
5) Einman Fabrik Clear Vision for the windows.

Sometime this week I need to hit the interior, most likely with more 303 and a dirt devil.

[quote:f159d51dbf="psm0110"]You're really better off finding a "touchless" wash in your area and avoiding the brush-washers. Even the "soft" washes will scratch your paint to hell, if not your plastic panels.
.[/quote:f159d51dbf]

Ah the true beauty of silver: it simply doesn't show the scratches. The darker colors show the scratches much easier from a automatic car wash. But some areas of the country (snow belt areas) simply don't have the touchless ones (my area does not). I am now at the point where I am not so worried about scratches etc. I guess I have no intention of making my E a show car, so I just run it thru the regular old car wash and drive away. Dry it off, by hand, if I can, and slap some Lexol on the panels and I am done.

During winter, I will also just run it thru the wash and then give the underside a good extra hose wash to take off the salt.

I am surprised you do not have a touchless. My parents live in a little community north and West of Toronto on the shores of Lae Huron. Only 12,000 people with two Elements and a touchless carwash.

Incidently, that's a ratio of one Element to every 1,000 people.

[quote:e292d5fca6="isketerol"]I am surprised you do not have a touchless. My parents live in a little community north and West of Toronto on the shores of Lae Huron. Only 12,000 people with two Elements and a touchless carwash.
.[/quote:e292d5fca6]

Thanks for the input. I made a few calls and found one soft cloth (not touchless, but better than the one I am now using). From now on my silver E will be going to the better car wash. Maybe she will end up being a show car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!