automatic car wash
03-19-2009, 02:03 AM
#11
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My Ride: 2008 535i, platinum gray with cream beige dakota leather, premium, sport, comfort access, navigation, heated seats, sport auto with paddles, premium sound, sat radio, ipod
Your car has to be fine. Here's why: If your wheels were fixed, then the car wash has either one of two types of mechanisms to move it along in the wash: a moving conveyor belt on which your wheels would have been stationary anyway, or a wet track with a bar behind each rear wheel that would have pushed your car along. If the pushing bars were the system used, remember that the track was wet and your car simply slid along with less resistance. And if your wheels were not sliding along nicely, the bars would have passed on under your wheels and the car wash would have triggered an alarm and shut down.
I think you are good to go with no worries. Surely they have anticipated this type of thing in the design.
I think you are good to go with no worries. Surely they have anticipated this type of thing in the design.
03-19-2009, 03:45 AM
#12
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My Ride: 2011, E90 M3 Sedan. Alpine White.Competition package, Keyhole cover, fender reflectors in Alpine white, RPI Exhaust, 19
just saying.. even if you ran it through a machine wash.. why did you shut the car off? usually they leave the cars running, thats been my experience... gl.. Mel
03-19-2009, 03:58 AM
#13
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Originally Posted by melimel' post='821015' date='Mar 19 2009, 07:45 AM
just saying.. even if you ran it through a machine wash.. why did you shut the car off? usually they leave the cars running, thats been my experience... gl.. Mel
In the owners manual, in two places, the instructions are the same. Place the key in the ignition (btw, otherwise, you only need the key in the ignition when you want to charge your key battery), put the car in neutral, turn off the car. The instructions also say that 30 seconds after the key is removed, the car will automatically go into park (in other words, "don't mess with the key").
03-19-2009, 03:59 AM
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Originally Posted by wantmye90' post='820998' date='Mar 19 2009, 06:03 AM
Your car has to be fine. Here's why: If your wheels were fixed, then the car wash has either one of two types of mechanisms to move it along in the wash: a moving conveyor belt on which your wheels would have been stationary anyway, or a wet track with a bar behind each rear wheel that would have pushed your car along. If the pushing bars were the system used, remember that the track was wet and your car simply slid along with less resistance. And if your wheels were not sliding along nicely, the bars would have passed on under your wheels and the car wash would have triggered an alarm and shut down.
I think you are good to go with no worries. Surely they have anticipated this type of thing in the design.
I think you are good to go with no worries. Surely they have anticipated this type of thing in the design.
03-19-2009, 02:39 PM
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Some of you guys are nazis with the car wash rules. I get that automatic car washes create swirl marks, but automatic car washes+polishing my car twice a year still equals less effort than washing my car in the driveway every time. Sometimes I just need a clean car on a Tuesday afternoon!
03-19-2009, 02:52 PM
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My Ride: 2006 550i, 1984 Mercedes Gelandewagen
Originally Posted by camerri' post='820678' date='Mar 18 2009, 06:07 PM
Poor German paint...
Mine was never washed in an automatic car wash and the clear coat is coming off in chunks on the A pillar on the drivers side. So, I don't fully agree what that statement.
03-19-2009, 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by melimel' post='821015' date='Mar 19 2009, 04:45 AM
just saying.. even if you ran it through a machine wash.. why did you shut the car off? usually they leave the cars running, thats been my experience... gl.. Mel
03-19-2009, 05:18 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by Will Greer' post='821443' date='Mar 19 2009, 06:39 PM
Some of you guys are nazis with the car wash rules. I get that automatic car washes create swirl marks, but automatic car washes+polishing my car twice a year still equals less effort than washing my car in the driveway every time. Sometimes I just need a clean car on a Tuesday afternoon!
03-20-2009, 02:35 AM
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My Ride: '04 530d Executive, all options except sunroof and comfort seats
ECU remapped by ZipTuning to 260+bhp.
Automatic car washes are way better than 10 years ago.
They don't scratch or create swirls any more, that's a thing of the past.
I need to wash my car at least every week because i park underneath trees. I won't spend every Saterday scrubbing my car for an hour and a half, i have better things to do.
I drive my car thru one of the most advanced car washes in my area. As i drive out of it, the car looks bright spankin' new.
Hell, my businesspartner even drives his Porsche thru it.
They don't scratch or create swirls any more, that's a thing of the past.
I need to wash my car at least every week because i park underneath trees. I won't spend every Saterday scrubbing my car for an hour and a half, i have better things to do.
I drive my car thru one of the most advanced car washes in my area. As i drive out of it, the car looks bright spankin' new.
Hell, my businesspartner even drives his Porsche thru it.
03-20-2009, 03:33 AM
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Originally Posted by OverSoft' post='821935' date='Mar 20 2009, 11:35 AM
Automatic car washes are way better than 10 years ago.
They don't scratch or create swirls any more, that's a thing of the past.
I need to wash my car at least every week because i park underneath trees. I won't spend every Saterday scrubbing my car for an hour and a half, i have better things to do.
I drive my car thru one of the most advanced car washes in my area. As i drive out of it, the car looks bright spankin' new.
Hell, my businesspartner even drives his Porsche thru it.
They don't scratch or create swirls any more, that's a thing of the past.
I need to wash my car at least every week because i park underneath trees. I won't spend every Saterday scrubbing my car for an hour and a half, i have better things to do.
I drive my car thru one of the most advanced car washes in my area. As i drive out of it, the car looks bright spankin' new.
Hell, my businesspartner even drives his Porsche thru it.