No car wash for my Vette no matter what...no offense but I personally believe they tend to strip wax.
Corvette Commandments
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg MB
I took my vehicle to an automatic car wash ONCE. It was a touchless. The tires just barely fit in because of the way the sidewall bulges out, and then, half way through a wash, I started getting sprayed in the face with the jet, because one was just perfectly aimed with the spot where my window seal and glass meet... so I had to grab a wash towel from my back seat and hold it against the window to prevent myself from getting a bath along with the car.
It didn't take everything off the car either. So now I wash my car by hand. And I will wash my Vette by hand too.
Your car wash may be an excellent machine, but for my intents and purposes, it will never match the level of detail I take in washing my own vehicle by hand, by myself.
It didn't take everything off the car either. So now I wash my car by hand. And I will wash my Vette by hand too.
Your car wash may be an excellent machine, but for my intents and purposes, it will never match the level of detail I take in washing my own vehicle by hand, by myself.
Supporting Tuner
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 51,896
Likes: 39
From: ================== Houston, Texas www.englandgreen.com ================== Necessary Evil™ __________
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
Originally Posted by DDSLT5
*** cheek of a biker on local interstate.
Don't ask!
Don't ask!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Car washes, and certainly the touchless ones, are fine for most cars. But for the most part, I don't think that anyone who really into their car, no matter what is, take them to a car wash. Years ago I had a '72 SS Nova ... not even a Vette ... But the only car wash that thing ever saw was one of those self service ones with the power washer wand. I would dry it off in the parking lot. Then it was home for a waxing.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 11,485
Likes: 1
From: Far side of the Moon
CI 4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-16-'17
Originally Posted by Rogue Wave
My daily driver is a C5. I live in NJ. It snows and there is salt and sand on the road. It is freezin cold here. When necessary I go to a car wash to keep my car clean.
Yep, it is true. 
Let the flames begin...
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Originally Posted by Rogue Wave
I think it might surprise a majority of the posters here that I drive my (daily driver) Vette not only in the rain, but also in the snow. Yep, it is true.
Let the flames begin...
Yep, it is true. Let the flames begin...
Game over ...
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 11,485
Likes: 1
From: Far side of the Moon
CI 4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-16-'17
Originally Posted by Cruisin'
Yeah ... but you don't really get to play this game.
Game over ...
Game over ...
It is humorous the look people give me when I tell 'em about Vette snow stories.
On a related note you are 100% correct. I have 2 other Vette's that will never see the inside of a car wash.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 394
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
The whole stable or yours is pretty darn fine, Mr. Wave!
And that is pretty darn sweet ... And really
Enjoy each and every one of them. 
And that is pretty darn sweet ... And really
Enjoy each and every one of them.
Last edited by Cruisin'; Mar 22, 2006 at 11:22 PM. Reason: If only I could spell
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Orange County CA
When it comes to cleaning my Vett, there are no shortcuts. It gets washed by hand. Wax gets stripped with clay. Clay strips all the above surface contaminents and will leave the surface smoooooth. Polish the paint and then wax for protection. It's a lenghty process, but the surface looks like glass.
Cherish your Hopes...
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,074
Likes: 236
From: West Palm Beach FL
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07
Welcome to the Covette Forum...
As a corvette owner I have several issues with car washes...
1) I dont use chlorinated or recycled water...
2) the tracks are too high
3) soap is too harsh on rubber and vinyl weather stripping
4) too many people touch StuzVette...
5) I can do it myself...and thats ALWAYS better...
other than that...I dont have any problem with car washes...
peace
Stu
As a corvette owner I have several issues with car washes...
1) I dont use chlorinated or recycled water...
2) the tracks are too high
3) soap is too harsh on rubber and vinyl weather stripping
4) too many people touch StuzVette...
5) I can do it myself...and thats ALWAYS better...
other than that...I dont have any problem with car washes...
peace
Stu
Cherish your Hopes...
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,074
Likes: 236
From: West Palm Beach FL
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by MYRagtop
I'm planning on going the Zaino way and need to completely start from scratch. Gonna do the clay bar and then the swirl removing with the new Porter/Cable. Just want to know if the car wash will remove all the old wax. I know I got a lot of work ahead of me, and it will take more than one day, I'm just hoping to cheat a bit on the first step and save some time.
..no cheating
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,924
Likes: 2
From: Follansbee West Va
Originally Posted by chasswartz
I run my convertible 1-2 times a week thru a touchless car wash. Top still looks like new. I have also broke all the other corvette commadments.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque New Mexico
Unfortunately I don't currently have a place to hand wash my Vette (apartment). I also don't have a garage, just a carport, so it gets dirty every time it rains. I usually take to the touchless car wash and do an touchup cleaning and waxing when I get it home. Just bought a car cover to cut down and the need for a full wash and I've started house hunting. Pretty bad when your main reason for getting a house is to put it around your car!!
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,474
Likes: 4
From: Tracy CA
Touchless car wash... I worked at one of those right after high school. I was in the back prep section (where most of the washing is done)
A Ford Taurus came in. It had a bug stuck to the painted bumber. I shot it with the high pressure gun... bug didn't come off. I got a little closer.... about 8" away... the pressure from the water deformed the plastic bumper enough to cause the paint to crack...then a piece of paint about 3" x 12" ripped off the bumper. I stopped and called the manager. He said - "if they notice, we'll pay for it...otherwise..." The lady drove off...
I'll never take a car I care about to a car wash again.
A Ford Taurus came in. It had a bug stuck to the painted bumber. I shot it with the high pressure gun... bug didn't come off. I got a little closer.... about 8" away... the pressure from the water deformed the plastic bumper enough to cause the paint to crack...then a piece of paint about 3" x 12" ripped off the bumper. I stopped and called the manager. He said - "if they notice, we'll pay for it...otherwise..." The lady drove off...
I'll never take a car I care about to a car wash again.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 18
From: DFW Texas
Certainly not my style. Removes the wax - no question abou that. But MOST of all.. I could not continue to LIVE, if another forum member drove by, took a look, and said, "Geesh - what an IDIOT".
Oh the Shame of it all. Oh the Shame......
~
~
Oh the Shame of it all. Oh the Shame......
~
~
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 11,138
Likes: 11
From: Fremont CA
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by Dave's 2004
Can you tell me where you read the "commandments"?
The Corvette Commandments:
1- Thou shalt not fail to wave to a fellow Corvette owner.
2- Thou shalt not pass a fellow Corvette owner in distress without offering aid.
3- Thou shalt not feed thy Corvette budget-grade fuel.
4- Thou shalt treat thy Vette with respect; great power, great responsibility.
5- Thou shalt keep thy Corvette clean and waxed at all times, yet thou shalt not bring thy Corvette to an automatic car wash.
6- Thou shalt park thy Corvette in such a manner as to protect her tender fenders.
7- Thou shalt blow out carbon with a high-speed run as required.
8- Thou shalt not cruise on an unpaved road.
9- Neither friend, nor foe, nor even thy spouse may drive thy Corvette without first showing proper reverence.
10- Each Vette is an individual work of art; judge not lest ye might be judged.
