mpritc1019

I tried to search but the term "car wash" brings up A LOT of posts.
Anyway, I have had my Lariat for 8 months and have always hand washed it at the self service car wash bays. That is pretty time consuming obviously.
What are people's feelings on the automatic car washes? I saw a post a while back where someone's antenna was ripped off. Has anyone else had that kind of problem? Does it cause swirls more than hand washing it would? Finally are swirls a problem on the metallic white paint (Or maybe it is called platinum white?)
Thanks!

Elmote

The unattended carwash at the gas station just jets water, no brushes. The attended carwashes with brushes that I use all ask if you want the ant removed and do it for you.

BCMIF150

I occasionally take my truck through the car wash and haven't noticed any issues. I do remove the antenna before I go through.

carrierj

I use these regularly. Before going in I remove the antenna and fold in the mirrors. I have not had any adverse issues. You have to make sure you don't have anything loose in the bed. For $10, it does a good job. While I am doing the towel drying and self vacuum, a guy puts on the tire shine.

I do occasionally hand wash it, or let a kid in the neighborhood earn a few bucks.

FLBlue4x4

I almost always hand wash mine with a two bucket method, but I do use touchless car washes occasionally in the winter for the undercarriage blast.

I'm scared to let a vehicle anywhere near automatic ones with brushes after seeing what some cars going through those are coated with.

71Maverick

I would never run my vehicle through swirling bits of sandpaper.


Micah

RustyHammer

Hand wash only. I've had too many vehicles in the past that ended-up with marks from the car wash's moving parts, etc. as well as swirl marks from the "washer thing-ies". Two bucket method ... and a couple of brews!

bigj_16

I haven't used the brush car washes for a long time. I am not even sure there are any around here. The touchless ones are okay for light washing. The car washes I use have cloth. I haven't seen any issues with the cloth ones. On my wife's 2013, I initially took the antenna off, but after a couple of months I left it on. It went 3.5 years like that. The antenna was very slightly bent.
In addition, it is simply not practical to do a do it yourself car wash in the winter here. I know someone is going to post and say they wash thier truck buck naked at 45 below, but...
I worry much more about mag chloride than I do the carwash.

carrierj

Neither would I, unless I was about to repaint the vehicle.

I have yet to find a car wash that uses sandpaper.

David Jones

I've never used an automatic car wash of any kind or a do it yourself brush car wash or a brush of any kind at home.
I use a 5 gallon bucket with some car wash soap mixed with water and a hand mitt.