Chaos at the Car Wash

[Scrapr ★]

So I'm driving the Prius today. Hasn't been washed in a couple weeks. I've got a book of tickets so I swing in. Understand that I live in a heavy elder community. I have 2 55 & older communities within a mile. At least 1000 homes in those two areas. In fact my office is in a business park across the fence from one. Watch out for golf carts! Right outside my office is a car wash. I don't use this one because it blows very hard and has blown body parts off my car.

My preferred car wash is outside the danger zone. I get in line behind a elder with a Lexus GS. He stops to watch the car wash working while blocking the line going in. Quick honk and he moves up. (this is where I should have aborted the mission) So we all pull up in line. The car in front of him is having trouble getting into the track. They end up driving on top of the rail that guides your wheel. I could not pull out (reported) now since I had traffic behind me. Somehow they don't fall off the rail and get going. Now Lexus turn. His radio antenna is up. Attendent tries to A) get him to roll down his window to get the ticket. B ) Get his antenna down. He succeeds in getting the ticket. Then starts talking to him about the antenna. Can't do it. Supervisor comes over and tries to get er done. No way. And much yelling from moi they give up and let him go through. But...while rolling down the front window he hit the rear window switch. Roll down your front window to tell him your rear window is down. Then roll up your front window.

You know what happens next...antenna bent. He pulls over to the interior clean area. I was absolutely sure he was  going to stop at the end of the car wash blower and look at his antenna. I really hope the car wash doesn't have to buy him his antenna

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

That is a lot of drama for a Monday.  I'm a cheap bastard and I'm never satisfied with the wash I get so I just do it myself.

[LoneWolf]

Usually, the car washes have big signs that clearly state what they are not responsible for.  That usually includes all custom parts (aftermarket rims, body kits, spoilers, etc.) and retractable radio antennas.

One of the reasons I'll never get a hitch rack again is because it's an automatic no-no for a car wash, and after several years, the rack rusted into the hitch.  I removed the rack and hitch this year; my next car will be a hatchback so I can keep a bike inside.

[Ralphie ★]

Car washes are evil.

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

Right outside my office is a car wash. I don't use this one because it blows very hard and has blown body parts off my car.

I really hate it when I go through the car wash and get body parts blown off.

[onbike1939]

Here in the UK these type oaf automated washes are disappearing and being replaced by those which use a cleansing foam. Spray on the foam, wash off and the car is clean with no machinery involved other than a pressure washer.

I thought this was the way to go so bought the foam cleaner and use my own power washer.

 

 

[jsharr ★]

 

[kingtermite]

One of the reasons I'll never get a hitch rack again is because it's an automatic no-no for a car wash, and after several years, the rack rusted into the hitch.  I removed the rack and hitch this year; my next car will be a hatchback so I can keep a bike inside.

I went through a car wash with my hitch rack on once too. There were no signs that said you shouldn't go through with a hitch rack on your car (yes, I looked), but apparently it broke the car wash somehow. The gas station owner (It was a gas station car wash) was furious, but I calmly explained that if a sign were present i would not have gone in. I've never had a problem with the rack rusting because of that, though.

 

[LoneWolf]

I went through a car wash with my hitch rack on once too. There were no signs that said you shouldn't go through with a hitch rack on your car (yes, I looked), but apparently it broke the car wash somehow. The gas station owner (It was a gas station car wash) was furious, but I calmly explained that if a sign were present i would not have gone in. I've never had a problem with the rack rusting because of that, though.

 

Oh, no.  The rust happened for other reasons than car washes, but the rack ended up welded into the hitch by the rust.

At first, I'd have to take the rack out of the hitch every time I wanted to do a drive-through car wash, which was a hassle.  Eventually, I couldn't go through a drive-through car wash at all due to the rack being frozen in place.  A couple of places around here mention bike racks being a no-no (the attendants will just tell you you can't go through the wash with it attached, and I always figured the fingery brush things would just get wrapped around it and screw something up.