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C8 Totaled 🙈

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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 11:32 AM
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Default C8 Totaled 🙈

lol jk. Happy Thanksgiving to my Corvette family.

Just filled up my tank, put some fuel stabilizer and decided to get the last wash before winterizing it. I ran it through one of those touch, free car washes totally forgot about the open design by the engine. Is there anything I should do before storage?




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Nov 29, 2025, 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by 3LZR21U
Not something I'd recommend, but as long as it doesn't have brushes or touch the car--and it's A NARROWBODY C8--it's probably fine. I would not recommend it with 345's or CF wheels. I think even Conti has done a touchless automatic on his SR.

I'd probably just try to detail the biggest bits in the engine bay, so that there isn't sludge or whatnot that dries onto your "jewel behind glass".
What does a narrowbody have to do with it? I run my Eray HTC through a touchless car wash without any issues. The touchless wash I use doesn't have tracks - you drive into it until a light tells you to stop, then wait for the wash mechanism to move around the front sides and back of the car. When the light turns green, the door opens and you drive out. I bring microfiber clothes with me to dry the surface -- it comes out spotless and even cleans all the bugs off the front. The name is Cascade Touchless Auto Wash -- I think it may be a chain since there's about 5 of them located in the Cincinnati/Dayton Ohio area.
Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:02 PM
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I thought C8's came with a tag to not go through automatic car washes.
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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:07 PM
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It's in the owners manual but since the 2026 doesn't come with one...


Originally Posted by MIKEZ51
I thought C8's came with a tag to not go through automatic car washes.
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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:08 PM
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Not something I'd recommend, but as long as it doesn't have brushes or touch the car--and it's A NARROWBODY C8--it's probably fine. I would not recommend it with 345's or CF wheels. I think even Conti has done a touchless automatic on his SR.

I'd probably just try to detail the biggest bits in the engine bay, so that there isn't sludge or whatnot that dries onto your "jewel behind glass".
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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:09 PM
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Of course, save paper.
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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:12 PM
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i have done much worse but thankfully i do not own a cellphone
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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by 3LZR21U
Not something I'd recommend, but as long as it doesn't have brushes or touch the car--and it's A NARROWBODY C8--it's probably fine. I would not recommend it with 345's or CF wheels. I think even Conti has done a touchless automatic on his SR.

I'd probably just try to detail the biggest bits in the engine bay, so that there isn't sludge or whatnot that dries onto your "jewel behind glass".
What does a narrowbody have to do with it? I run my Eray HTC through a touchless car wash without any issues. The touchless wash I use doesn't have tracks - you drive into it until a light tells you to stop, then wait for the wash mechanism to move around the front sides and back of the car. When the light turns green, the door opens and you drive out. I bring microfiber clothes with me to dry the surface -- it comes out spotless and even cleans all the bugs off the front. The name is Cascade Touchless Auto Wash -- I think it may be a chain since there's about 5 of them located in the Cincinnati/Dayton Ohio area.
Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:25 PM
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Most all of the ones I've seen do have tracks. And that's why I don't think it would work. Yours might be an exception. I'd still use a leaf blower instead of touching the paint.
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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 12:39 PM
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The laser one near me doesn't have tracks.
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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 01:08 PM
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There was no tracks and it’s completely touchless. It’s 20° outside and mother nature is bringing 7 inches of snow tonight so didn’t want to hand wash it 🤣.








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Old Nov 29, 2025 | 05:32 PM
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Touchless is fine. You don't want to use car washes that have rails but automatic touchless with no rails is fine. I drove my C8 last winter (blasphemy) and it got filthy. Touchless washes were a god send and didn't cause any problems but they don't get the lower portion of the car (bottom 1/3 of the doors).

Obviously your engine bay will be dirty but all engine bays get dirty, the only difference is you can see yours on the coupe
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 07:43 AM
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Originally Posted by MIKEZ51
I thought C8's came with a tag to not go through automatic car washes.
Just the ones with tracks on the floor, tires are too wide
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 07:49 AM
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When I had my SR I used a touchless car wash a few times with no tracks, it came out super clean and after I wiped down the engine bay.
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 08:01 AM
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Originally Posted by M&N
Just the ones with tracks on the floor, tires are too wide

Could be wrong but thought the issue was the engine running and high pressure water being sprayed into the intakes? But why take a chance?
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 09:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Greg00Coupe
Could be wrong but thought the issue was the engine running and high pressure water being sprayed into the intakes? But why take a chance?
I believe you are incorrectly speculating on this -- I have never seen any mention of a concern with high pressure water being sprayed in the intakes. Perhaps you could provide some documentation on that.
It seems that the reason to avoid the traditional Automatic Car Wash is that most have guide tracks that would damage the wheels (and of course the potential for scratching the finish with rotating brushes).
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Exia
Touchless is fine. You don't want to use car washes that have rails but automatic touchless with no rails is fine. I drove my C8 last winter (blasphemy) and it got filthy. Touchless washes were a god send and didn't cause any problems but they don't get the lower portion of the car (bottom 1/3 of the doors).

Obviously your engine bay will be dirty but all engine bays get dirty, the only difference is you can see yours on the coupe
Spend the extra couple bucks for the "supreme" wash, as some of them have wheel spray that you get as you enter.
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 03:01 PM
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Originally Posted by MKC8
Spend the extra couple bucks for the "supreme" wash, as some of them have wheel spray that you get as you enter.
Mine has a "Gold" wash option - for only $13 you get a complete wash including wheels. The Eray comes out spotless from top to bottom.
it's just not worth my time or effort to wash it by hand.
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by hdrider1
I believe you are incorrectly speculating on this -- I have never seen any mention of a concern with high pressure water being sprayed in the intakes. Perhaps you could provide some documentation on that.
It seems that the reason to avoid the traditional Automatic Car Wash is that most have guide tracks that would damage the wheels (and of course the potential for scratching the finish with rotating brushes).

Don't have anything except discussions from 5 years ago when I got my 2020. There was never anything in the manuals for prior generations and their tires where just as wide. I never go to an automatic wash but if I did I can assure you I'd shut off the engine. Thats a very expensive assumption that water under high pressure could NEVER get injected into a running engine and water hitting a hot engine is never good. But you do you.
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 04:17 PM
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Isn't the C8 wider in general compared to a C7?
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Old Nov 30, 2025 | 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Greg00Coupe
Don't have anything except discussions from 5 years ago when I got my 2020. There was never anything in the manuals for prior generations and their tires where just as wide. I never go to an automatic wash but if I did I can assure you I'd shut off the engine. Thats a very expensive assumption that water under high pressure could NEVER get injected into a running engine and water hitting a hot engine is never good. But you do you.
But that is what happens when you drive in the rain.
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