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I have an '01 vert and here in Indianapolis the water is terrible. Even worse if you are on a well like I am. Does anyone use an automatic car wash on a regular basis? This is my first vert and I don't know the ins and outs of vert ownership yet. I used to run my C4 plastic top through all the time with minimal leaks.
I go to the car wash ALL the time in our 04 vert... I use the hand held wands NOT the drive thru Auto... just keep the tip of the wand a couple of feet away from the top and don't soak it, just rinse it off... I use
to threat the top with and I found it to be a good product compared to others I have tried.
I work at a automatic car wash as a part-time tech. I see people run verts through there without issues, but personally I wouldn't with all the waxes, and coatings that get applied. We have soft-touch, and touch free bays,and have one option of just soap, high pressure water, spot free rinse, which would be fine though. I hardly ever do a hand wash any of my vehicles anymore, and end up doing a lot of "test washes" at the car wash. It works pretty good , and is SO much easier, that I don't worry so much about the little details so much on my DD's anymore, as long as they look clean going down the road. I wash my C5 at home though.
I've washed it at home a couple times and the water is so full of calcium and rust you can spot the finish so easily. The self serve car washes work ok, but don't get the car very clean. But at least the water is better.
Be prepared to be called every name in the book and your intelligence will also be questioned for suggesting that you would run your car through a car wash. Some of these guys take very good care of their cars and would never do it. I've run mne (vert) through for the same reasons you mentioned with minimal leaks. Do what you want its your car, Im guessing its already not perfect or you would not consider it.
I bought mine to drive and to serve me, not the other way around!
Ps I don't take it through anymore ,since the supercharger and lowered, be careful if you have nice rims also, but leaks are minimal
Last edited by Forcedvert; Dec 25, 2015 at 12:50 PM.
Most of these people on this forum think more of there Corvette that they do there wires OK there dogs and there kids to run one through AUTO WASH I don't think so ,this is the wrong crowd for that kind a stuff.. Sorry you said Buick I through you said you wanted to put your Corvette through the AUTO WASH .. MY bad..
Another vote for Chadwick's Triple Play! No water required, and it does clean and shine the car. Super quick process too. I made a post recently where I cleaned my DD that had been through some snow and salt and it cleaned it all off without scratching the paint (and I recently did the 'Vette too)... there are many other posts on this site about the product too.
The best thing I did for washing cars at home, was tap into my soft water, with a outside facet. Need to go back, and set up a blend valve for warm someday. The second best thing, was to get a Ryobi, or any 40 volt+ cordless leaf blower to assist drying. And you can take it with you, and use anywhere!
My friend took his C5 to an automatic touchless high pressure car wash. After he drove it about 2 miles, stopped and it would not start again. Had it towed to a dealer where they replaced a wet sensor.
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I take my car to a self serve car wash, but have never taken it to an automatic one. The car sits so low I do not want to take the chance of any damage on the body as well as the wheels. Others may use the auto wash with no problems and that's OK - it's their car.
I take my car to a self serve car wash, but have never taken it to an automatic one. The car sits so low I do not want to take the chance of any damage on the body as well as the wheels. Others may use the auto wash with no problems and that's OK - it's their car.
Have had my vert for 10 years and it has been through many auto washes with no leaks and no damage. As for as the nay sayers-try to crawl under a lowered vette to clean off the salt/chemical residue under the car which the auto washes do quite handily.
automatic car wash ok with a vert?
