adamsclubs

I have used my local auto car wash for our BMWs and MBs over the years without any issues. But I have never seen a Porsche through the car wash before. Is it because the wider tires not fitting through the track or something else?

sbpsu354

I took a Panamera through a touch-less carwash this weekend with no issues. It didn't have tracks to guide the wheels. I munched one of the wheels on my first S4 back in the day, so I avoid the car washes with tracks. Have never taken my 997 through one as I usually wash it by hand, but don't see why not.

onapex

I use one of those "touchless" car washes every week. There are no tracks, I just drive in, put it in park, and it sprays high pressure water. Essentially a rinse for cars that aren't very dirty. For my cayman (18" wheels) I did use one of those w/ tracks and the tires fit OK, but every time I was super paranoid about the wheels getting scratched w/ the tracks. Won't risk it w/ the 20" 991 wheels. The sign says the tracks fit 13" wide. for the 295 C2S wheels that's almost 12 inches...so you only have about an inch margin of error....

goatboy

Touchless washes work because of the harsh detergents they use. They don't scratch the clearcoat, but they strip the wax off.

I heard a story a few weeks ago of a spinning mop thingy coming loose and tearing the hell out of some guy's antique pick-up truck. This story was second hand, happening to a friend of my next door neighbor. For the first time in ten years, I now see my neighbor washing his cars in his driveway.

I was invited to a grand opening of a new Porsche dealership aq few years ago, and saw their mechanical car wash. In casual conversation I mentioned that I don't let shops wash my cars. "We wash all the cars we service."

"Buh bye."

They've since gone out of business. A Porsche dealership is a gold mine if run right... which they apparently didn't.

"Buh bye."

Techart_Dreamer

I've had a friend curb his 997S wheels at a local car wash, he's never been back.

That's bad in itself, but I think what might be worse, at least in my opinion, is taking a pcar through a car wash. Any detailer, worth a you know what, would pass out if you said you rolled through a car wash. The marring, scratching, and just abuse of the paint and clear is horrible at a car wash.

I understand though, some people just don't have the time.

-Markus-

adamsclubs

Touchless car wash doesn't wash well. A car wash with a track and soft cloth does a much better job. I keep hearing people having rims curbed at car wash, but when I examined the track at my local car wash, it is lined with rubber, I just can't see how it can scratch the rims.

Jim M.

There is another problem with car washes. The water is recycled, yes it's filtered but they don't do anything to balance the PH of that recycled water.

wiktoramikos

Definitely not advise. Like the other post stated -- wide rims in the back WILL get scratched. Not worth it. I am unfortunately speaking from experience (1 bad move with my 996 c4 years ago). Will NEVER do it again. Better be slightly dirty than scratched. Also, I can see damage being done to the body as well.

Nicoli35

we have a good local tracked soft-touch wash that I did go through, once, in a moment of weakness. I still haven't forgiven myself, but the wheels & car went through just fine.

rnl

I won't even let the Dealer wash it.

carsrmyvice

Scratched a wheel on my 315 rears of my x5. Stopped taking cars through the wash. I do often use the automated ones without track though. I know it is far from ideal but that's prolly why I lease cars.

97c2s993

I use a touchless car wash with a track in the NY area for my 991 with no problems on my 20" Carrera Classics. No scratches. Hasn't been mentioned here yet but you need to also watch underneath on the inside of the front wheels as the air duct wing gets pinched under the tracks (but not broken and falls back into place).
Periodically and when the weather's right I will wash it properly myself and I plan on having it detailed once a year.

LonnieR

++1...if you really don't care about the way the paint slowly fades with "brushless" and other types of washes, use them. Otherwise handwashing with deionized water, two bucket system with airblower and microfiber towels are the only way to keep the soft paint of the Porsche somewhat shiney over a year's use. Then it still needs a professional detail with someone who knows what they are doing.

mtbscott

No auto car washes for me....ever. I either hand wash in my driveway, or if it's just dusty, go to the "spray it yourself" quarter car wash two blocks from my house and rinse only.

gibbyc4s

I'm about to take a self inflicted delayed delivery of a cab.

What washing techniques do you guys recommend forthe soft top?