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So I stopped into one of the more popular facilities in the area to check it out....Race Wash in Ocala, FL.
Since my knees and back aren't what they used to be, I asked the manager his suggestions for running my C7 Convertible thru his equipment. He told me he does several Corvette Convertibles with great results ...as long as they are not lowered and have stock equipment.
I decided to take one for the team with those assurances and with the brushes turned off while I went thru.
I am happy to say that the results were as good as if I had spent an hour washing it myself! I has a few spots in the rims I had to dry with my towel as well as the door jambs...but otherwise it was a perfect result.
No swirls or scratches and the car shines like new...I will go back.
Just thought I would pass this along for other guys that can't stoop or bend like they used to.
I was not aware that the brushes can be stopped. I need to check with the local "The Club" car wash. I also thought the corvette was too low for automatic car washes.
It does not take much to make a convertible top look bad, especially, a tan one. I would think about checking with a Detailer on how much he would charge for a package deal for a certain amount of washes.
I was not aware that the brushes can be stopped. I need to check with the local "The Club" car wash. I also thought the corvette was too low for automatic car washes.
Find one that uses a conveyor belt rather than track rails and you can drive any height sports car in those. That's what the one I go to has. No issues.
I also go through the "brushes" on with no issues either.
Unless it's mud or insects, Pressure wash(carefully, no turbo nozzle use) at home with a gentle soap like Meguiars Crystal Shine. Rinse, then the cordless leaf blower to take off most water in the body seams and wheels. Wipe the rest with a microfiber. You won't have to bend down much.
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
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Glad the automatic car wash worked for your C7 and the results do look good. I think I will continue to avoid using any automatic car wash for my car - don't think the automatic washes around here are set up for vehicles like the Corvette.
I use the new automatic wash with my vert, after all it's just a production car. Of course it had paint correction and ceramic. Those with garage queens need to do hand wash. For drying take it for a drive.
I very rarely get my Corvette wet. I keep it clean and out of the weather. When I drive it I use my California Duster. If it requires getting wet, I use a micro fiber towel and distilled water to wipe it down.
Long term excessive use will kill your paint. Once in a while or maybe once a month should be ok.
How often do you wash a car? I do my other cars a couple times a week in summer for the bugs and more often in winter for the snow. I might get the vehicle detailed once a year with wax (not sure what they use exactly) but that is that. That is with brushed. Those vehicles are more critical than the C7. They are metal body and we have salt in WI like you won't believe. The C7 cannot go to those washes because it is lower so we go to another one that is roll on to the pressure plate and stand still. Soft touch brush or touchless, your choice. If there are bugs, no way touchless will work well so you might as well go soft touch.
My Explorer goes through a car wash about once a month. I hand wash the Vette about the same. The washes here suck & use standard rails, machines & bristles.
So far the automatic washes I’ve found use the rails….have found some real well maintained *touchless washes* without rails. Since my car doesn’t get dirty, just a light dust from time to time (I detail) I will try one of these . If and when I do I’ll report the experience
What about ripping off the side boards and Stage 2 splitter? My Stage 3 spoiler (w/center bridge) should survive. I've never done it in 6+ years, just a touchless wash every 2-4 weeks in spring and summer.
We have an almost car wash war where I live. One has a rail and the other has a conveyor belt. I switched to the new ones with the conveyor belt. Both washes have brushes however the conveyor belt wash called Blue Tide has other gas stations with the no belt system where the sprayers just spray the car and they have brushless washes in other stations. I run my Honda, F-150, and a new 2024 Rav4 through the washes all the time. We previously had a black Jeep GC and ran it through hundreds of times and the black paint was amazing when we sold it. A good ceramic wax every year and it looked like new. I have never ran a Corvette through an automatic wash but am not afraid to go through the touchless wash this summer. My corvette seldom gets very dirty but it does get bugs on the front and if on a road trip it will end up getting rained on which doesn't make it melt. Some of these automatic car washes do an amazing job and the Blue Tide is my favorite one so far. They have small towels you can dry your car off with too and rows of good vacuums if needed. It takes a little less than 3 minutes from start to finish. I used to wash all my vehicles by had and towel dry them on a regular basis and those days are long gone.
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I do not recommend automatic car washes, just something I've avoided over the years and a hard habit to break. Physical limitations may lead you in that car wash direction, like mentioned, be careful what system you use, especially the wheel tracks.
My concern with most automatic car washes is the harsh detergents and waxes(?) they use. I had a friend a few years ago that owned two automatic car wash locations. They were very nice facilities and stayed CRAZY busy all the time!
However, he told me that most of the bulk detergents they used were "very aggressive" to assist in cleaning vehicles in the short time they were in their cleaning process. Usually results in stripping off any good waxes/sealants that are on the car.
The "wax" was a solution with the primary purpose of allowing for the water to bead up to look like a nice wax job, but it was really so the high pressure air at the end would dry the car off faster. And it doesn't last very long!
So, for me, NO THANK YOU on the automatic car washes. When I get to the point that I can no longer wash my own Corvette, then I will hire a qualified detailer to do the job.
Last edited by MacA1979; Jan 26, 2024 at 01:50 PM.
The automatic car wash near me has a conveyor belt. I've seen Corvettes go through it, but wouldn't take mine through.
I do take my daily driver through this car wash about once a week and have been pleased with the results. It's black and I am starting to notice some fine scratches, however -- maybe from the car wash, maybe not.
Automatic Car Washes
