I know it will be treated as sacrilege - I just had to ask

[scottiemac]

Has anyone run their ST through an automatic car wash?

 

[ileftthestoveon]

Yep, I get Free washes at the dealer I bought it at/work at. The wash there is meticulously taken care of, not nasty and unkempt like a lot of gas station ones can be.

 

[STooge]

NOPE NEVER!!!! Haven't even scrubbed it at all. I have sprayed it off once, I'm not into wiping my cars with anything.

 

[rodmoe]

Have used the touchless to spray off the salt scum we get around here after a snow when the plows run around with their blade off the ground and the salt spreaders going like mad..
I'd rather that then a salt lick till it warms up enough to wash and wax by hand..

 

[rooSTer]

The FiST is small enough where I don't need to do the machine wash..but I've done it on my old Focus many times. Just be careful and use the ones that don't have those old rollers at the bottom which can damage your wheels.

 

[Perry]

Sorry to say, I have--once, largely due to weather, availability, etc. And even with just the one pass through, I can make out some very fine scratches from the whirly-gig fabric flappers they use--and this was at a "high-end" car wash. Never again. Never again. There was a post somewhere on here about how to wash a car--had some very fine description of how to do it right: two bucket technique, etc. That's the route I'm heading from now on. Might use the high-pressure-spray-only places in winter if I have to.

 

[STooge]

Here is the thread, give it a read quite good.

 

[pelotonracer2]

Depends on what your definition of "automatic" is? lol. I do use a local car wash that uses a track and is pushed along through the various sponge spinners, wands, sprayers and dryers. For the most part it does a pretty good job. The area of caution that is needed is lining up your front tire into the track so as not to damage the face of the wheel (like the lip for instance). I just roll down the window and roll up to it slowly, making sure I have a few inches clearance. I've never messed up a wheel when I am the one driving the car into the car wash and I always go through the wash inside the car. I won't take it to other car washes because they drive the car up to the tracks and are not nearly as careful. They have scratched my rims before on other vehicles. I also sometimes do a hand wash outside my house. In both cases, I do a LOT of finishing work (additional drying), cleaning off wheels/calipers, tire dressing, waxing ect.

 

[scottiemac]

There's a car wash near me (at a Petro-Canada station) that I use extensively in the winter. They offer what they call a Season Pass for about $170. For that you get a pass that lets you wash a car every day for 90 days. So you get their deluxe wash that would cost you about $11 if bought on a one-off basis for less than $2. I have 4 cars so I just take one of them every day. Works out great.
Like you, I worry about the wheels so I'll have to make sure I keep it steered to the right so there is no wheel damage from the guide rails. Must remember to keep my brain engaged when I'm going through. None of this!
I'll keep you posted.

 

[pelotonracer2]

I pay $24.95 a month for unlimited washes. If I want to wash my car three times a day, so be it. That includes their polish too. Considering each wash costs $12.00 per pass (a la carte), it pays for it's self in just two car washes per month (except for the .95 cents hehehe). I use it at least 2-3 times a week so it's worth the $25 a month.

 

[NorthernProducer]

I hand wash only, but if you live in the North where salt is covering the roads and your cars, then it will be a tough (and cold) job to hand wash. When I lived in the Cleveland, Ohio area, there were some self-serve (and brushless) car washes that provided an under-car rinse. I used to run my cars through those car washes and follow-up with a hand wash. I believe the FiST ST manual has highlighted some warnings about using car washes. So, you might want to review those before making a decision.

 

[lonelysuperstar]

Unfortunately I have to. Living in a condo does not allow me to take the time and do it myself. I was a detailer for 10 years and it pains me to have to do it becasue I really enjoy it. I sill find a parking garage and clean up after they have done their thing. Wihs I could find a touchless one but I can't seem to find one local. I washed it this passed weekend and there are 3 small niks in the hood that I know were caused by the brushes becasue they were not there before.

 

[DaveSignal]

I use an automatic wash at a Texaco here sometimes. There is no track or rollers. I just park the car inside and the wash moves around the car. Then I drive out and dry the car by hand.

 

[Sekred]

I'd never use one, rather stick my nuts in a vice.

 

[rodmoe]

I'd never use one, rather stick my nuts in a vice.

I can live with that ...

 

[Perry]

I'd never use one, rather stick my nuts in a vice.

lol. Okay, then. That's one Nutjob I'll skip seeing, thank you. Good to know, though!

 

[Sekred]

lol. Okay, then. That's one Nutjob I'll skip seeing, thank you. Good to know, though!

Half a turn-Wimp, One turn-Tuff guy, 2 turns-Rambo, Keep tightening-Chuck Norris.

 

[pelotonracer2]

I'd never use one, rather stick my nuts in a vice.

LOL

 

[Perry]

Half a turn-Wimp, One turn-Tuff guy, 2 turns-Rambo, Keep tightening-Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris' nuts would break the vise.

 

[scottiemac]

OK. Glad I didn't read the "nuts in the vice" thing before I took it through the car wash last night! It would have been a whole different experience.
Sloppy day around here yesterday so on the way back from a meeting I took it through the wash. Made sure I kept the face of the wheels away from the guide rails and it actually did a pretty nice job.
Had to bring my truck to work today so won't be able to get a look at it in the sunlight until tomorrow. Hopefully if I can keep the wheels safe the 3M and paint protection will protect the rest.
More to follow.