Car Wash

Mt View · 11-09-2005, 08:19 AM

I took my Prius with 11,000 miles through a very large and popular car wash for the very first time yesterday. I asked them if they knew how to put it through and they acted insulted. I should have been worried when they didn't know how to start it after vacuuming the car. Someone then waved the guy out that couldn't start it and then proceeded to stay in the car through the whole wash. I talked to them afterwards and told them that I thought the right process was to put it in neutral and that they didn't need to ride it through. I realized when he didn't know it had a neutral that they must have drug the car through in drive. Can this hurt the car? Isn't the right process to drag it through in neutral?

Thanks,

Wayne · 11-09-2005, 08:29 AM

Yep, it should go through in neutral just like any other car. He probably didn't understand the shifter, so he rode with it. I doubt it hurt the car any, as I doubt it was 'dragged'.

I go through the types of car washes that let you sit in the car, so the only issue I have to deal with is remembering to have them unscrew the antenna for me!

SW03ES · 11-09-2005, 12:38 PM

I've found that slowly carwashes and valets have learned how to drive them. There are a couple other cars that have similar shifters now (the BMW 7 series for instance) so people are getting used to it.

KTPhil · 11-09-2005, 01:06 PM

Car wash attendants and valets will not want to admit ignorance, but in my experience only about 1 in 4 actually knows. Expect your HV battery to be very low; remember it does not recharge in neutral.

keeponrunning · 11-09-2005, 01:53 PM

The EXACT same thing happened to me last weekend. I had left the lights on so I would know if they had the car even ON or if they just thought it was on because it was silent. When it got to the beginning of the wash part I saw the lights were still off, I RAN and grabbed the service MGR who freaked out when I said my car was off and not in neutral. He shut the line down because he said it was being dragged through and (in my opinion) he didnt want to be responsible. It only happened for a foot or less cause I saw it happening and they stopped it quickly.

They said up front they knew how to drive it but every time they had to move it I had to go out and do it for them. They never asked, and always said they knew, but after they start hitting every button in it (other than the BIG OLE POWER BUTTON) I go over, and do it for them because I didnt want them screwing something up. It's sad that people wont just say.. I dont know how to drive this, can you show me.

in the end the only thing BAD that happened is my MPG went down by 2 full miles per gallon (good grief how bad must they have driven it??) and my battery went from green when I went in to pink when I got it back! I wish there was a lock button on the MFP so that they couldnt put the A/C on, change the radio, do anything other than just drive it!!

jeromep · 11-09-2005, 07:21 PM

I do not live in an area with any valet parking, so I haven't had to hand over the keys to a stranger to go park my car. Maybe if I'm in Seattle some time next year and go out to someplace nice I will have to use valet parknig, however I hope that by then they will know this car enough to do the job right. Anyway, I still have a full stack of valet cards in my center console

Now, on the other hand I have a couple of rules about car washes.

Only go through brushless car washes.
Only go through car washes that let me stay with my car

I don't think it is bad for me to stay with my car, and on top of that car washes with brushes, no matter how well maintained they are always have the potential of putting swirl marks on the paint job.

micheal · 11-09-2005, 07:48 PM

In the one car wash I have went through that I couldn't stay in, they had no idea. I had to go out there and tell them how to do get it into neutral after they had unknowingly turned it off. After that, I think I am going to stick with the ones that I stay seated in, just to be on the safe side.

SW03ES · 11-09-2005, 07:56 PM

Well, really you shouldn't take ANY car through an automatic carwash, brushless or not (most carwashes today are brushless, at least around here. I haven't seen a carwash with brushes in 10 years or so). For a couple reasons:

1. The cloth strips ARE abrasive and they're rarely cleaned so they can create swirling and scratching.

2. The soaps used are very harsh, strip wax and dry out rubber seals.

3. The water must be recycled by law and isn't very clean so dirt particles are blasted into the paint at high speed.

4. The towels used when drying the car off are dirty, and low quality fabric and will swirl the paint.

I NEVER run my Lexus through a carwash and always wash it myself because its a dark color and scratches so easily. I don't have time to do the Prius too though and the tideland doesn't show any scratches so I take my chances.

It must be a function of the area as far as people being able to drive it goes. They see so many Prii around here and so many other highline cars with similar keyless systems and joystick like shifters that they always seem to know how to drive it.

hdrygas · 11-09-2005, 09:24 PM

None of the car washes around here make you get out of your car and only one recycles water. I don't think they could ever figure out how to put it in neutral, because you have to pause in the N position. I don't have a good enough back to wash my car myself at this point so I am stuck with car washes. I think the Valet parking folks are getting better but are still not there yet. I always turn off the SKS and make them put the Fob in the slot, they are more familiar with the idea. I remind them that they need to step on the brake to start and stop the car, and I leave the lights on. I also check up on the car. "I need to get my umbrella" and I have them take me out to the car to get it. They get the second Fob I have mine in my pocket. Do I lack trust. Yes guilty.

SW03ES · 11-09-2005, 11:19 PM

I have friends that were valet parkers when we were kids, you SHOULD lack trust LOL. I never EVER valet the car unless I absolutely have to, and I give whoever takes it a $10 tip upfront. They do some UNBELIEVABLE things to your car if they feel "slighted" in any way, sometimes even if you don't but thats mostly "cool" cars like Corvettes, high line kind of things like Bentleys etc. We're pretty safe with the Prius probably, I'm pretty safe with the Lexus too probably.

Are you SURE only one carwash recycles water? I think its a federal law, and the cost for a carwash in water would be more expensive than recycling it. I bet they all recycle the water.

11-09-2005, 01:53 PM	#5
keeponrunning Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 46 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The EXACT same thing happened to me last weekend. I had left the lights on so I would know if they had the car even ON or if they just thought it was on because it was silent. When it got to the beginning of the wash part I saw the lights were still off, I RAN and grabbed the service MGR who freaked out when I said my car was off and not in neutral. He shut the line down because he said it was being dragged through and (in my opinion) he didnt want to be responsible. It only happened for a foot or less cause I saw it happening and they stopped it quickly. They said up front they knew how to drive it but every time they had to move it I had to go out and do it for them. They never asked, and always said they knew, but after they start hitting every button in it (other than the BIG OLE POWER BUTTON) I go over, and do it for them because I didnt want them screwing something up. It's sad that people wont just say.. I dont know how to drive this, can you show me. in the end the only thing BAD that happened is my MPG went down by 2 full miles per gallon (good grief how bad must they have driven it??) and my battery went from green when I went in to pink when I got it back! I wish there was a lock button on the MFP so that they couldnt put the A/C on, change the radio, do anything other than just drive it!! __________________ 2005 Silver Pkg. 5 Proud to say I now spend more $ per month on my running shoes than on my car's gas!!

11-09-2005, 07:21 PM	#6
jeromep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Eastern Washington State Posts: 821 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I do not live in an area with any valet parking, so I haven't had to hand over the keys to a stranger to go park my car. Maybe if I'm in Seattle some time next year and go out to someplace nice I will have to use valet parknig, however I hope that by then they will know this car enough to do the job right. Anyway, I still have a full stack of valet cards in my center console Now, on the other hand I have a couple of rules about car washes. Only go through brushless car washes. Only go through car washes that let me stay with my car I don't think it is bad for me to stay with my car, and on top of that car washes with brushes, no matter how well maintained they are always have the potential of putting swirl marks on the paint job. __________________ It has been said: Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2. 2005 Prius, Millenium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

11-09-2005, 07:56 PM	#8
SW03ES Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 978 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Well, really you shouldn't take ANY car through an automatic carwash, brushless or not (most carwashes today are brushless, at least around here. I haven't seen a carwash with brushes in 10 years or so). For a couple reasons: 1. The cloth strips ARE abrasive and they're rarely cleaned so they can create swirling and scratching. 2. The soaps used are very harsh, strip wax and dry out rubber seals. 3. The water must be recycled by law and isn't very clean so dirt particles are blasted into the paint at high speed. 4. The towels used when drying the car off are dirty, and low quality fabric and will swirl the paint. I NEVER run my Lexus through a carwash and always wash it myself because its a dark color and scratches so easily. I don't have time to do the Prius too though and the tideland doesn't show any scratches so I take my chances. It must be a function of the area as far as people being able to drive it goes. They see so many Prii around here and so many other highline cars with similar keyless systems and joystick like shifters that they always seem to know how to drive it. __________________ Steve 2004 Tideland #9 2003 Lexus ES300

11-09-2005, 09:24 PM	#9
hdrygas Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Olympia Wa Posts: 3,650 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	None of the car washes around here make you get out of your car and only one recycles water. I don't think they could ever figure out how to put it in neutral, because you have to pause in the N position. I don't have a good enough back to wash my car myself at this point so I am stuck with car washes. I think the Valet parking folks are getting better but are still not there yet. I always turn off the SKS and make them put the Fob in the slot, they are more familiar with the idea. I remind them that they need to step on the brake to start and stop the car, and I leave the lights on. I also check up on the car. "I need to get my umbrella" and I have them take me out to the car to get it. They get the second Fob I have mine in my pocket. Do I lack trust. Yes guilty. __________________ Belle, a Millennium Silver '04 BC #9 "Becoming one with my Prius, ICE on ICE off" Belle has been passed on to my daughter. I have a new silver Prius 08. No name yet we have just met but not been introduced.

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11-09-2005, 08:19 AM	#1
Mt View Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pine, CO Posts: 20 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I took my Prius with 11,000 miles through a very large and popular car wash for the very first time yesterday. I asked them if they knew how to put it through and they acted insulted. I should have been worried when they didn't know how to start it after vacuuming the car. Someone then waved the guy out that couldn't start it and then proceeded to stay in the car through the whole wash. I talked to them afterwards and told them that I thought the right process was to put it in neutral and that they didn't need to ride it through. I realized when he didn't know it had a neutral that they must have drug the car through in drive. Can this hurt the car? Isn't the right process to drag it through in neutral? Thanks,

11-09-2005, 08:29 AM	#2
Wayne Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 670 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Yep, it should go through in neutral just like any other car. He probably didn't understand the shifter, so he rode with it. I doubt it hurt the car any, as I doubt it was 'dragged'. I go through the types of car washes that let you sit in the car, so the only issue I have to deal with is remembering to have them unscrew the antenna for me!

11-09-2005, 12:38 PM	#3
SW03ES Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 978 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I've found that slowly carwashes and valets have learned how to drive them. There are a couple other cars that have similar shifters now (the BMW 7 series for instance) so people are getting used to it.

11-09-2005, 01:06 PM	#4
KTPhil Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,201 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Car wash attendants and valets will not want to admit ignorance, but in my experience only about 1 in 4 actually knows. Expect your HV battery to be very low; remember it does not recharge in neutral.

11-09-2005, 07:48 PM	#7
micheal I feel pretty, oh so pretty. Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 817 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	In the one car wash I have went through that I couldn't stay in, they had no idea. I had to go out there and tell them how to do get it into neutral after they had unknowingly turned it off. After that, I think I am going to stick with the ones that I stay seated in, just to be on the safe side.

11-09-2005, 11:19 PM	#10
SW03ES Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 978 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I have friends that were valet parkers when we were kids, you SHOULD lack trust LOL. I never EVER valet the car unless I absolutely have to, and I give whoever takes it a $10 tip upfront. They do some UNBELIEVABLE things to your car if they feel "slighted" in any way, sometimes even if you don't but thats mostly "cool" cars like Corvettes, high line kind of things like Bentleys etc. We're pretty safe with the Prius probably, I'm pretty safe with the Lexus too probably. Are you SURE only one carwash recycles water? I think its a federal law, and the cost for a carwash in water would be more expensive than recycling it. I bet they all recycle the water.