IMO car wash

[AyrD]

Ok this might be an idiot question but I'm new to Hybrid and have just taken ownership of my first "modern" car full of driver assistance gadgets. Is it ok to take a Yaris hybrid through a conveyor belt car wash system? 

 

 

[Rhymes with Paris]

Hello, and welcome to the owners club.

No not an idiot question at all.

Hybrid or not though, I wouldn't take any car through one of those systems,or indeed any auto car wash machine.

I think that they damage paintwork at best, and can cause other damage too.

Others may come along soon with further reasons specific to hybrids.

I myself use the hand car washes,but only because I can no longer do it myself.

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

best to avoid automatic car washes at all cost as mentioned above and particularly these with conveyer belts that pulls the car through.
Toyota hybrids has N neutral but this is only to be used for a short time, for loading purposes or undercarriage inspection, wheel inspection etc. When the hybrid is set in N neutral for a longer time the car hybrid system is unable to charge the traction Battery and this can result complete shut off the car., or drain of the Battery to lower than usual levels., warning messages on screen.  Best to avoid all that drama. You can use any other hand washes or the best to wash the car by yourself if you enjoy doing so. 👍

[Rhymes with Paris]

In fact, it makes me wonder when the automatic car washes of all kinds are going to be removed.

There are many round here attached to petrol stations, I haven't seen one in use for a number of years.

I am guessing the cost of removal exceeds the scrap value.

[Baytree]

The automatic car wash may be getting a new lease of life, or so I heard on a lunchtime programme on Radio 4 earlier this year (it's near to the end of the broadcast so you have to scroll down a bit or use the text search "automatic car washes".

[FROSTYBALLS]

Locally at least two service stations have had new automatic car washes installed in the last 12 months.

One as part of a complete refurbishment with new pumps, 2 new jet washes, etc. Whereas the hand car wash at the Tesco Extra opposite went bust in the early part of this year and has only recently been replaced in August.

[Max_Headroom]

I wouldn't ever put a car I liked through a drive through car wash. 

[Rhymes with Paris]

13 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Locally at least two service stations have had new automatic car washes installed in the last 12 months.

One as part of a complete refurbishment with new pumps, 2 new jet washes, etc. Whereas the hand car wash at the Tesco Extra opposite went bust in the early part of this year and has only recently been replaced in August.

Could it be that the design of them has improved so that the likelihood of causing any damage is now removed?

As I said, there are many around here, not newly installed, been around for a good few years, but not seen one being used in my memory.

They may be used when I am not driving around, but I never even see them wet as when a car has gone through.

 

[donkeychomp]

Reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Homer puts the car through the wash. Nice and shiny until a robotic arm appears and bends the aerial...

[wildtapholer]

I'd sooner go through the car wash than have someone put a 110 bar jet wash on the paintwork and wheels, then people wonder why the paint is lifting on their wheels.

[Max_Headroom]

1 hour ago, wildtapholer said:

I'd sooner go through the car wash than have someone put a 110 bar jet wash on the paintwork and wheels, then people wonder why the paint is lifting on their wheels.

Pressure washers are not the problem it's the divots using them that cause damage,  keep the nozzle well away from the car as the guy in the video explains and no problem and don't use sponges.

As the guy in the video says using a pressure washer and not damaging your car comes down to simple common sense and if you haven't any it's not my problem - (his words not mine)

 

 

 

[wildtapholer]

That's correct, but it's not you or me doing the jet washing when you go to one of many car washers, they want as much of the crud off the wheels that they can get. I personally do all my own car washing and polishing that's the only way you find that small ding or stone chip and repair it before it becomes a bigger problem.

[Max_Headroom]

3 minutes ago, wildtapholer said:

I personally do all my own car washing and polishing that's the only way you find that small ding or stone chip and repair it before it becomes a bigger problem.

I thought you meant washing your own car with a power wash not letting someone else use one on your own car.

I wouldn't let a car wash near my car they obviously wouldn't care how close they got to it.