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I know it’s recommended that you never take a C8 through a car wash but hand washing is time consuming— has anyone found that it is ok or actually causes issues to take one through a car wash?
if you have the base model with no aero (wings & front lip) go for it.
the caution is against those options getting damaged/torn off
I know it’s recommended that you never take a C8 through a car wash but hand washing is time consuming— has anyone found that it is ok or actually causes issues to take one through a car wash?
Should have bought a Camaro then!
Get it ceramic coated and then foam cannon it, and dry it off with a good blower. Cleaning your Corvette is half the fun of ownership!
"Time consuming?" Really? It takes me 60 minutes, outside, with a cold adult beverage and some tunes or a ball game on...I wish it took longer.
Safe to assume you're retired and in a warm weather state? Spending an hour washing a car when you work long hours during the week (including getting home when it's dark half the year), have kids and busy weekends, and it's freezing cold 6 moths a year certainly argues against an hour being easy to carve out to wash your car regularly. Everyone's situation is different, and I look forward to slowing down to the point where I can easily fit it in my schedule, but that's certainly not currently true for me and many others.
Originally Posted by Kevin A Jones
Anyone who states they have been using automated carwashes over time with no damage are just in denial or not looking close enough.
I guess it depends on what's important to you. If me "not looking closely enough" means that to me and 99% of the world, my wash method and yours don't produce noticeably different results, why would I want to look closer? Doesn't change the way it looks, drives, or what I get for trade in by any material amount, so I'd prefer to spend that extra time on something that I value more. Seems like you value the knowledge that your paint is in perfect shape, and there's definitely nothing wrong with that. You probably wouldn't want to buy my car and I wouldn't want to pay a premium to buy yours, but we each really enjoy our own and how we treat it, so who cares that we do it differntly?
Originally Posted by BigVette427
Cleaning your Corvette is half the fun of ownership!
I think you're driving your Vette wrong if you get as much enjoyment from washing it as you do driving it. :P
Originally Posted by Zormecteon
Some (me) think of hand washing as a form of therapy. Others take pride in the quality of the job they can do. Still others actually let their cars get dirty. It's your car. Of course there are issues. Make YOURSELF happy.
100% agree with this. Certainly plenty of reasons that lots of people hand wash their Corvettes, and plenty of reasons that others don't prioritize it.
I've washed mine with an automatic car wash over a hundred times. Its not even touchless...its got cloth strips that spread the soap around. I've never had a single issue with the car.
I've posted a video of the engine compartment during the car wash on youtube if you would like to see exactly how much water gets in. Its no different than driving in the rain. These cars don't melt when they get wet. Life is short...have fun and drive it!
Don't let the garage queens fool you. Its perfectly fine in the automatic car wash.
This is a current pic of my car that many on the forum say I've "ruined" by going through the wash. lol
Safe to assume you're retired and in a warm weather state? Spending an hour washing a car when you work long hours during the week (including getting home when it's dark half the year), have kids and busy weekends, and it's freezing cold 6 moths a year certainly argues against an hour being easy to carve out to wash your car regularly. Everyone's situation is different, and I look forward to slowing down to the point where I can easily fit it in my schedule, but that's certainly not currently true for me and many others.
LOL, not safe to assume at all. I'm in my late 40's, and own a small business. One daughter in college, and one a senior in high school...that's why I enjoy an hour to myself on the weekends in the Summer. I'm not sure that the Chicago area constitutes as a "warm weather state", but one could dream.
Having said all that, I never implied I get to do it on a weekly basis. I wash it when I can, but probably every 2 weeks on average.
Gotcha. Surprised by that, especially with your comment that you wish it took longer. Also, yes I did misinterpret your post as saying you hand wash it regularly (weekly or otherwise). Also, you can’t enjoy washing your car in Chicago in winter, right??? Even on summer weekends I feel like I would rather do 1,000 other things ahead of washing my car, but we all enjoy different things!
Originally Posted by Big Lebowski
LOL, not safe to assume at all. I'm in my late 40's, and own a small business. One daughter in college, and one a senior in high school...that's why I enjoy an hour to myself on the weekends in the Summer. I'm not sure that the Chicago area constitutes as a "warm weather state", but one could dream.
Having said all that, I never implied I get to do it on a weekly basis. I wash it when I can, but probably every 2 weeks on average.
Gotcha. Surprised by that, especially with your comment that you wish it took longer. Also, yes I did misinterpret your post as saying you hand wash it regularly (weekly or otherwise). Also, you can’t enjoy washing your car in Chicago in winter, right??? Even on summer weekends I feel like I would rather do 1,000 other things ahead of washing my car, but we all enjoy different things!
Its one hour and it makes me happy for a week (or until it rains the day after I washed it)...but I get your meaning.
I know it’s recommended that you never take a C8 through a car wash but hand washing is time consuming— has anyone found that it is ok or actually causes issues to take one through a car wash?
Never taken a corvette thru an automated car wash in 50 years of ownership.
Are you serious? Do you really believe that photo from approx 20' away would reveal any swirls, scratches, scuffs, painting degradation? Perhaps the reason you are not seeing any paint defects from automated car washes is that you are examining your C8's finish from 20' away.
As to your derogatory comments towards those you feel don't drive their C8s enough (like it's any of your business, how others drive their cars) is irrelevant to this thread.
Originally Posted by progtp
I've washed mine with an automatic car wash over a hundred times. Its not even touchless...its got cloth strips that spread the soap around. I've never had a single issue with the car.
I've posted a video of the engine compartment during the car wash on youtube if you would like to see exactly how much water gets in. Its no different than driving in the rain. These cars don't melt when they get wet. Life is short...have fun and drive it!
Don't let the garage queens fool you. Its perfectly fine in the automatic car wash.
This is a current pic of my car that many on the forum say I've "ruined" by going through the wash. lol
Last edited by Kevin A Jones; 09-24-2022 at 09:59 AM.
I believe the below poster summed it up quite well as it all depends on how much time and effort each individual owner wants to put into keeping their C8's exterior clean, and to what condition of paint finish is acceptable to them.
However I'm not buying that you can run your C8 through an automated carwash over a hundred times without any finish degradation.
Originally Posted by PColasanto
Seems like you value the knowledge that your paint is in perfect shape, and there's definitely nothing wrong with that. You probably wouldn't want to buy my car and I wouldn't want to pay a premium to buy yours, but we each really enjoy our own and how we treat it, so who cares that we do it differently?
I've washed mine with an automatic car wash over a hundred times. Its not even touchless...its got cloth strips that spread the soap around. I've never had a single issue with the car.
I've posted a video of the engine compartment during the car wash on youtube if you would like to see exactly how much water gets in. Its no different than driving in the rain. These cars don't melt when they get wet. Life is short...have fun and drive it!
Don't let the garage queens fool you. Its perfectly fine in the automatic car wash.
This is a current pic of my car that many on the forum say I've "ruined" by going through the wash. lol
The ones with the cloth or Chamois like strips are the least offensive. Unfortunately they seem to be hard to find.
Robert
PS: The AMMONYC detailing guy on YouTube has shown swirls, etc created by automatic car washes.
PS2: None of my cars go through an automatic car wash.
Stand Back 500 ft. Do not go. I drove thru the local car wash in the wife's Toyota Sienna. Heard bang bang! Car has two dents now. Car wash totally denies it happened there. I looked over the car before I went there. They kept saying they reviewed the video, never saw anything hit the car. Of course not, it's like looking for a bullet. That was their claim over and over. I took them to small claims court. On the court date they produced a picture of the car at the beginning of the wash, with dents. THEY PHOTO SHOPPED A PICTURE. The judge believed it. Do you think I will ever go there, even in the wife's car, no way. Take your Corvette there, NO WAY. Do not put yourself in that high risk situation.
...and, I bet your wife will never tell you how she got the dents!
09-23-2022, 07:46 AM
Ain’t that the truth!
