There are all different kinds of car washes.....Avoid the ones with big whirling brushes that scratch up the rear edge of the top, and the ones that shoot water straight down into the deck louvers. I find that the 'Quarter Car Wash' where you hold the wand is the safest.....you can avoid the rear window louver area....Fieros are small enough to wash the old fashioned way.
[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 10-14-2014).]
I went through one of the car washes that you pop the car out of gear, and it pulls you along on the track. Had a very strong underspray. Stalled the car.
I get pushed out the exit, and it won't re-start. Of course, there's a truck being pushed along behind me, so I had to quickly shove my car down the lane a bit so he could safely exit. About 30 minutes later, the car was running fine.
The car wash closer to my house doesn't have as strong of an underspray, and I've been fine with that one.
Also, it may not be good for your front exhaust manifold. I suspect mine is already cracked, however.
There are all different kinds of car washes.....Avoid the ones with big whirling brushes that scratch up the rear edge of the top...
I've also seen those brushes get snagged on the Fiero's drip rail and snap it right out of the car's plastic body, which would probably never happen on a regular steel car where the drip rail is firmly welded into place.
I have used the ones where you just pull into the stall and a series of wands go around your car. Then it blow dries it. Nothing but the water touches the car. About brush ones, dont use them or the brushes at the coin op ones either. Theyre always full of dirt and gravel. The coin car washes always seem to be targeted by off roaders to clean all the packed mud off...even though signs say no off road vehicles.
What is so important about the louvers that you can't go through a car wash? They do get left out in the rain, don't they? Or have I been making a huge mistake?
I imagine people are worried about water hitting a hot manifold and cracking it. As somebody else stated, mines already cracked so I don't worry too much. I usually wash it at home but when I do go to a "quarter" car wash I don't exactly make it a point to direct the water at the deck louvers but if water gets in there it gets in there. Done it plenty of time and no harm done.
On a slightly related note, my wife told me that it wouldn't be "my car" if it didn't have that tick coming from the cracked front manifold
I imagine people are worried about water hitting a hot manifold and cracking it. As somebody else stated, mines already cracked so I don't worry too much. I usually wash it at home but when I do go to a "quarter" car wash I don't exactly make it a point to direct the water at the deck louvers but if water gets in there it gets in there. Done it plenty of time and no harm done.
It also can short out wires because all the goo they sealed the connectors with has long dried up. Ive had them quit while washing. I do like to keep an engine running at a coin wash so it stays hot and dries out quicker.
I run mine through a car wash a coupe times a month. We're in a drought here so I don't really have a choice. She fits in the track with no problems, It's a hand wash but with high pressure rinse. Ive never had it stall or even leak at the sunroof. I'd try it once and see what happens.
I generally run my truck through a brushless car wash. It looks clean when it comes out, but over a period of time, the paint begins to look a little dull. A hand wash removes what the car wash can't get off. Washing one panel of the truck and comparing to the rest shows just what remains. I use the same car wash for my Fieros, but that's only because I get a car wash when they change oil and filter.
Magic wand car washes can leave a lot of soap in cracks and crevices and will blow out and streak or spot the paint once you get on the road. There's just nothing like a good hand washing where you can use all the water you want.
Originally posted by fierofool: Magic wand car washes can leave a lot of soap in cracks and crevices and will blow out and streak or spot the paint once you get on the road. There's just nothing like a good hand washing where you can use all the water you want.
Hand wash can do the same thing. Unless you have a water softener that works quite well and use it for your car wash water, then expect hard water stains to happen. It takes a bit of care to avoid them. Washing in direct sunlight can accelerate water evaporating off the car, and leave stains. Getting rid of them can be hard after you've had them for a bit, too. Takes a good waxing and polishing to really get rid of them.
Even better, is a waterless wash with something like Chemical Guys' EcoSmart. Does a pretty good job of getting the car clean, and reduces water usage. Also avoids mud and standing water in gravel driveways or on grass by avoiding water usage. Then just wash the microfiber towels in a machine with the appropriate detergent when you've got a load of them to clean.