Do you take your car though automatic car washes?
 

Just wondering how many of you regularly take your cars through automatic car washes? I never do, even my old Dodge truck. Now I will on occasion use the power washer to get junk out of the wheel wells etc.

What say you?

Power wand wash in the winter. No other way to do it.

Not sure if the poll was up, please vote.

voted.

Yikes
 

Only if they guaranteed no swirls.

There is something about doing the detailing myself that I find rewarding.

Actually I'm not against the automatic washers, I'm just too cheap!

as I learned from my Dad at a young age...never put your car through a carwash....
and I still follow that lesson......just keep away from them

Never.

Black car + carwash = trouble


or...

Sometimes.

Wife's car + carwash = sometimes necessary

You guys should all watch this.
fifth gear car wash

[YOUTUBEHQ]PZjWkB_q2lE[/YOUTUBEHQ]

Double bucket hand wash method primarily with a very occasional touch less car wash after a good rain to get the muck off fairly quick. But, I also have vast arsenal of detailing tools and my vehicles get the random orbital at least once every three months. No paint damage to speak of.

We're talking about automatic car washes, such as those you find at gas stations? I'm assuming we're not talking about those pay-per-minute or whatever pressure wash stations that you do yourself.

Anyways, if I don't let the dealership wash my car, I sure won't let some random machine touch it. Last time the dealership washed my car (big mistake on my part), it seemed like they dried it with a dirty sock. Swirls EVERYWHERE!

Gang,

With today's very wide rims and tires lets not forget the guide bars that they must go through at the automated car wash. I have seen what that guide can to todays wheels and it not pretty.

If your planning on taking your $30k+ car through an automatic wash be sure its 100% stock. They makes those for 1 shoe fits all.....I would never chance it.

Never. I love detailing them myself.

And wide tires don't always work out too well in those things.

Oh helll no.. lol I love detailing my own car.. except when you notice all the rock chips and stuff :(