Car Wash

I've been wondering about this, too. I'm a little worried about the antenna.

I haven't washed mine yet, but the car wash near me puts a bag over the rear wiper.

 

I have been using automatic car wash since I bought the car back in Nov 2009. No issue with the side mirrors, antenna, rear wiper blade or the low clearance. The only minor issue is the lower part of the hatchback window does not get washed due to the partition. Need to do that manually afterwards with wet paper towels. hope this helps.

 

Simple. I've had mine thru a very nice car wash ever other week, not touchless but does a very good job with little harshness.

After I pay for the wash ($5...) I get out and unscrew the antenna. 4 or so turns and it's inside the car as I then pass under the wash mechanisms. When done and I'm vacumming, the antenna gets screwed back on. Good design too as the antenna kinds "clicks' while turning/tightening.
I would never go thru an auto car wash with the antenna secured. Too easy to remove/replace...

 

I go to a touchless car wash. It's not as good as the ones with the brushes but it gets the salt off the car. FishHawk

 

I have one time. They stated to let me drive through, then after the two sprayed me off using the wands i was just about to enter the brushes one of the guys hit the stop button for the whole car wash, i was looking back and noticed they then came up to my car and put a bag over the rear wipper blade. So they must have broke a few of these before.

Touchless car washes scare me to much. They useually have a big warning about the cleaning dedergents damaging your finish and the clear coat and that you are using it at your own risk. I can see how this is true they must have to use something that is in the water to remove the dirt. I have seen a few cars that always are washed this way and they are very dull.

 

Only a slightly marred wheel cover after a dozen or so automatic car washes with mine. It's not brushless and I don't do anything to the antenna or rear wiper. I instruct them each time to NOT use the pre-brush on my car because it looks nasty as it has touched hundred of other cars. They do pre-spray with a wand. I only use the automatic car wash in the winter due to the salt used on the roads. The rear center of the car is always left very dirty. If it weren't for that, I'd never use a car wash, as I prefer to wash it by hand.

 

The soaps they use are no different than those used in tunnel washes with cloth strips or brushes, what does what little cleaning they do is the high pressure spray.

The reason those cars look so dull is because they have a film of dirt over the paint, because the touchless wash doesn't really get them clean. If you hand washed one of those and polished it up a little...it'd look just fine.

 

If it ever stops raining around here in N.E. Ohio I want to take my car to the local car wash "Waterways," a chain. I've learned about taking the antenna off, my main concern is do these guys who drive your car on to the car wash know what to do with a Prius to put it in neutral? Do you have to give them the key box? There is usually a different guy that drives it off too.

This isn't a do it yourself car wash, this is fully automated. They did great on my Corolla and any other normal car, but I'm concerned about the Prius. Anybody had experience on this?

 

My dealer has a "free for life" car wash and spray wax for all buyers. It does a great job and has a blow dry at the end. I fold the mirrors and touch up after with a chamis. It is not brushless but uses the flopping hangings from above.

Used it for the life of my 2005 with no problems.

 

Well, my dealer is about 15 miles away from me. Long way for a car wash even if they offered that.

So can someone else answer my question? How do you drop off the Prius to the guy that drives it on? Do you just leave power on? And do these guys have a clue on how to put it in neutral? Because I don't.

 

Most reputable well run Car Washes will tape your windshield blade to your window. During the winter, I use two different ones, and they both tape the rear windshield wiper blade to the window. Removing the rear attenae is a good precaution as well.

 

So I take it from the way you guys are talking that they know how to put the Prius on the track and put it in neutral?

Sorry for the noob questions, but if I worked at a car wash I wouldn't know what to do with a Prius as far as starting etc.

 

The car wash chains that I've used train the guys who drive the cars on and off the track, and I've never had an issue with my Prius (there are plenty of them around here). For the first few times after I took delivery (in June 2009, so there weren't many Gen IIIs on the road yet), I would attach the yellow instruction placard to the shifter.

 

Thanks, I'll have to look in my glove box to see if I kept the instructions. I can be a bit forgetful of something like that from time to time.

The car wash I use does do a real good job, I'll just ask the guy if he knows how to drive a Prius just to make sure.

lol, It doesn't look like I'll get to the car wash until Friday, but I hate seeing my new baby not looking show room sharp. Oh well, at least it's not salt from the roads and snow.

 

How much do you guys pay for this car wash?

 

Car wash in this part of the country is expensive. For wash, spray wax, undercarriage, and interior (vacuum, windows, wipe down dash) its about $22.00. Now it's been a while but I use to get the same car wash in Southern California for about $8.00 with a coupon.

Then again in Southern California they use a work force which is willing to work for less then minimum wage that works at car washes. And the number of cars they wash are pretty high.

Last week when I took my Corrolla in I told him just the outside which I think is about 10.00 or more. The kid that was writing my ticket advised me they had a "special for people like you" and offered me a Exteriror Interior wash for $15.00. "Senior Citizens Special," he said.

Now I could of got out of the car and punched him but hey, I'm no fool I'll save $7.00 so I just said OK. I'm not a youngster for sure but I've got at least 7 more years before I would consider myself to be a Senior Citizen.

 

Whenever i go through the carwash that isn't touchless, they tape the back wiper to the glass at the top with green masking tape.

When the put you on the tracks, the attendant watches the dash display for the transmission neutral "N" to be highlighted before he lets you put up your window.

Since we have hundreds of Prius taxi's in our city, car washes are very familiar with the Prius.

 

I'm guessing that to put the Prius in Neutral you hold the joy stick in the center and pull to the right?