Washing Car Using drive thru

[decoman]

I wanted to know if its safe to use the drive thru carwash for my 2015 Genesis AWD. The type that you put your car in neutral and allow the wheel belts to push the car thru. When I did it twice I heard a rubbing noise and it seemed like the car was stuck. I tried a different carwash and the samething happened. I checked underneath the care to see of there was any damage and didn't find anything. Just hate that rubbing noise. This wasn't a problem with my 09 Genesis. Is it because of the AWD?

 

[FlySwatter]

That's an interesting question with regard to AWD. I have used "Speed Wash", which is the same thing for years (a couple of guys give the car a quick scrub first on the way in, but the rest is a pull through). On my two prior gray cars (both Hyundais, FWD), I didn't experience what you are describing, and always got a decent wash. I'm not planning on using an automated car wash on my Caspian Black Genny however, as I have heard too many horror stories about how black paint holds up to automated washing.

 

[ksoze]

Personally, I would never put my car through one of those washes. The pulley tracks can mar wheels using low profile tires and the brushes do the paint no good. I will usually find a touch-less wash that allows one to drive in themselves and does not allow anything to touch the car besides high pressure soap and water. You will get varied opinions on those who do those washes with no issues, but I would rather not take a risk.

 

[Midnightsun]

Personally, I would never put my car through one of those washes. The pulley tracks can mar wheels using low profile tires and the brushes do the paint no good. I will usually find a touch-less wash that allows one to drive in themselves and does not allow anything to touch the car besides high pressure soap and water. You will get varied opinions on those who do those washes with no issues, but I would rather not take a risk.

Yep, touch-less is the way to go. Basically you park the car at spot X and the wands dance around your car. That being said they do a pretty shitty job of getting a car really clean. Works well enough if you have been off roading in the mud. I prefer a quick hand job at home or we have a convenient hand wash drive-in minutes from my house. A complete job both inside and out with tire shine and chammy dry (heck they even use a blow gun to blow out the cracks in the lights, hood mirrors, mags ect) 20 Canadian beaver pelts and you have a beautiful meticulous job inside and out.

 

[ksoze]

I'm not planning on using an automated car wash on my Caspian Black Genny however, as I have heard too many horror stories about how black paint holds up to automated washing.

As a way to help protect black or dark paint from all things, I would highly recommend a polymer paint sealer you do yourself. I have had great success with BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. It is easily applied by hand and will hold a wax like shine and protection for 6 months or more. You can also apply wax on top of it, but I have found it alone works great, especially on darker cars.

http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-wet-diamond-sealant.html

 

[FlySwatter]

As a way to help protect black or dark paint from all things, I would highly recommend a polymer paint sealer you do yourself. I have had great success with BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. It is easily applied by hand and will hold a wax like shine and protection for 6 months or more. You can also apply wax on top of it, but I have found it alone works great, especially on darker cars.

http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-wet-diamond-sealant.html

Thank you for the recommendation ksoze.

 

[CanukV6]

Has anybody else with an AWD Genesis experienced the problem in Automated car washes? While I agree that touchless or by hand is always better, in the wintertime the automated washes are far more convenient.

 

[Mark_888]

I wanted to know if its safe to use the drive thru carwash for my 2015 Genesis AWD. The type that you put your car in neutral and allow the wheel belts to push the car thru. When I did it twice I heard a rubbing noise and it seemed like the car was stuck. I tried a different carwash and the samething happened. I checked underneath the care to see of there was any damage and didn't find anything. Just hate that rubbing noise. This wasn't a problem with my 09 Genesis. Is it because of the AWD?

Anything in the owner's manual about towing the AWD Genesis in neutral with all four wheels on the road?

 

[PMCErnie]

Personally, I would never put my car through one of those washes. The pulley tracks can mar wheels using low profile tires and the brushes do the paint no good. I will usually find a touch-less wash that allows one to drive in themselves and does not allow anything to touch the car besides high pressure soap and water. You will get varied opinions on those who do those washes with no issues, but I would rather not take a risk.

Understood, but most places are brushless now.

 

[ksoze]

Understood, but most places are brushless now.

Not what I see in my area. Most have brushes or something dragging across the paint. My choices for totally touch-less, no tracks drive yourself are less than traditional ones.

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[DFWGenny]

While towing a roadway speeds in neutral is not recommended, running through a carwash at a crawl for a short distance will not hurt the transmission. I have run my AWD through a carwash several times and have not heard the sound you described.

 

[Silvergenie]

Yep, touch-less is the way to go. Basically you park the car at spot X and the wands dance around your car. That being said they do a pretty shitty job of getting a car really clean. Works well enough if you have been off roading in the mud. I prefer a quick hand job at home or we have a convenient hand wash drive-in minutes from my house. A complete job both inside and out with tire shine and chammy dry (heck they even use a blow gun to blow out the cracks in the lights, hood mirrors, mags ect) 20 Canadian beaver pelts and you have a beautiful meticulous job inside and out.

I too prefer hand jobs

 

[Alfer]

Our town has had an explosion of those high tech tunnel (brushes) car washes in last 2 years. I swear every month I see a new one being built. Gas station car washes are fewer and fewer these day.

 

[Paraiks]

Has anybody else with an AWD Genesis experienced the problem in Automated car washes? While I agree that touchless or by hand is always better, in the wintertime the automated washes are far more convenient.

I have a 2015 AWD Ultimate and I run it through those car washes all the time. I’ve never heard any weird noises coming from the car. All I do I drive the car onto the track, put the car in neutral, turn off the wipers and “close” the side mirrors. Never had any problems and I’ve been to quite a few drive-thru car washes in different parts of Texas.