Radio Antenna & Automatic Car Washes

[Snowball 2010]

Rather impressive 3rd period I gotta say. That was a heart stopper!

 

Keeping on topic. I have one of those "Season Pass" car wash passes with Petro Canada which allows you to get 1 premium "touchless" or "cloth" car wash/day for 90 days. You also have access to the vacuum and carpet shampoo brush thing.

 

Point being, I go through the car wash every day in the Winter (touchless and cloth 50/50) and have never had an issue with my antenna or any other part of the car for that matter. Nor do I have any scratches or bristles sticking out from anywhere. I think the modern day car washes are a lot more gentle on our cars... even the cloth ones.

 

Hey Nick, some of us are lucky to have season passes. But I stay away from those car washes even if they have no contact or are very soft. You see it's not the cleaning part that I don't like, it's the mechanical system that guides your car through the car wash, were your tire is pulled and pushes by a conveyor system. I have had two bad experiences in those car washes. Once the roller bolt came off and got caught with my tire and scraped it, major headache and they refused to pay damages. The other time it actually damaged my rocker panel, major dent and scraped paint. Sorry never again. But for everyone else good luck and God bless.

P.S. "GO HABS GO" tomorrow night in Pittsburgh. Can't wait to kick-ass to "CBC" ....... " Cry Baby Crosby" lol.

[timwil56]

reposted

Edited May 1, 2010 by 2010 Sport Blue SEL

[murkish]

Hondaconvert, can you post a pic of the stubby antenna? I'd like to see it in action.

 

I am not Hondaconvert, but I just installed this on my FFH. AM/FM Reception is unchanged.

 

Regards,

Jack

 

[hondaconvert]

I am not Hondaconvert, but I just installed this on my FFH. AM/FM Reception is unchanged.

 

Regards,

Jack

 

 

Sorry, I've been out of the loop for a while. There is absolutely no differrence in reception for AM, FM, or Sirius.

[MrMikeL]

About winter washing (which should be in a couple of weeks here in Minnes"snow"ta), I do the following:

 

1. Bucket of cold water with car wash soap

2. I use a soft, safe car wash brush at the end of a telescoping wand to wash the entire car.

3. I start at the top and work my way down, saving the last of the dirty water for the rocker panels & wheels.

4. Then it's off the the touchless wash.

 

Works wonders, even better than just the touchless wash without the pre-wash.

[shadowcaster]

I had a black Pruis that I took through many a car wash, And I learned not to do that with this new car ( 2010 Fusion Hybrid) Hand wash only in my driveway. I know my soft bristle brush is clean and no swirl marks on the paint. Touchless car washes only work on light dirt,If your car is very dirty it leaves tiger stripes on you car. At least it did on mine.

I take my antena off on my Toyota truck if I go through a car wash. It has been broken off several times and had to be relpaced by the car wash. 150 bucks. I kinda felt sorry for them for having to pay so much for a broked antena stub.

[fusionff]

Hondaconvert, can you post a pic of the stubby antenna? I'd like to see it in action.

 

Here is my stubby antenna, it's 2.5 inches long, I barely notice it now. Reception has not been affected at all.

 

 

 

Link: http://www.carccessory.com/product/stubby-antenna/o-series

Edited May 8, 2011 by fusionff

[OscarTheGrouch]

Thanks for all your replies. I just checked my antenna and it unscrews fairly easily. No plans at the moment to take it to a car wash.

 

As for washing cars up here in Canada, I wait for when the temperature goes above freezing coincides with my having time. If not it stays dirty and frozen. That's partly why I chose silver this time - hides the salt.

 

That last part makes me cringe- in the winter keeping a car from up north dirty and frozen. no no no.. All that salt and other things they put on the road to keep them drivable. This is why I'll never buy a car that spent significant time up north. I know in the short run it doesn't make a difference, but eventually protective coatings wear away (especially when the salt sits and has a chance to stay there) and it eats into paint and eventually metals.....

[FusionDiffusion]

Yup, you really can't wash your car without stuff freezing if the temp is less than about 20-25ºF. Luckily, when it gets a little colder than that the salt freezes anyway, so you're not getting any corrosion. Yes it looks bad, but I can easily look around and see much worse so it doesn't bother us too much. All the corrosion happens when the surfaces are damp with saltwater, so I try to wash my car after driving in salt spray conditions. Spring thaw with salt residue on the roads and puddles is also another risk period that brings me to the carwash several times per week. Rinse off everything underneath, then drive fast (60-70 mph) to dry everything off as much and as fast as possible.

[zip89105]

Hi folks. I'd like to reopen this for the 2nd generation of Fusions (2013-2016). I'm past due for a car wash and I always use a touchless wash. Has anyone had any problems with the antenna mast being damaged or torn off the vehicle?

[Rtipping]

I've never had problems with touch-less however the wash i use can do both touch less and foamy wheels I saw those very wheels butcher a brand new explorer last year .funny I was more upset than the owner (It ripped off his gas cap ) .