Automatic Car Washes

"Jcarr" (jcarr) 01/06/2017 at 15:03 • Filed to: None

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Do you shut your engine off after you get in or do you leave it running the whole time?

I always shut it off, but I wondered what Oppo does.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:05

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Off. Abundance of caution.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:07

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This is blasphemy, I hand wash my $3,000 car with virgin silk chamois, and Perrier Mineral water.

Jcarr > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 01/06/2017 at 15:09

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I can only assume that you have a grove of carnauba trees on your estate for which to manufacture your own artisanal wax from?

Comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:09

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As a former employee of an automated carwash (the conveyor thru a tunnel setup, not the “arm that flies around the car” setup), we always told people to leave them running. Had times where after getting wet, some old POS’es wouldn’t start up again, backing up the whole tunnel.

Tekamul > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:11

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I always leave it running.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:11

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I have never shut it off and don’t know anyone that does.

facw > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:13

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On. The signs say to leave the car in neutral, so that’s what I do (I’m in an auto). They also say foot off brake, so being in park might be bad. Honestly I’d be uncomfortable turning it off because I don’t trust the wash not to push the car behind me into me at the end.

Mercedes Streeter > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:14

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I usually shut mine off. A smart’s intake is almost at the beltline on the left side. I always fear it’ll suck some of the water or something. The intake is that black slot right before the brake lights.

In the new smart, there’s a radar up front (and an intake in the same place as previous generations), though I mainly shut it off to prevent the radar from getting confused and telling me that I’m about to die.

Jcarr > facw 01/06/2017 at 15:14

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I’ve never used a conveyor type so I’m not familiar with that style.

Jcarr > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/06/2017 at 15:14

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Ah, but do you know anyone who voted for Trump?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:15

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Do you know how hard it is to buy organic car wash soap and shade grown extra virgin first press carnauba wax? This is why I bought my own estate in Brazil with 2,000 carnauba palms. Of coarse it’s on a monestary and harvested by mute nuns.

Xyl0c41n3 > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:16

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I leave it running because radio/spotify and air conditioning.

Five to 10 minutes inside a car in Texas and the cabin temperature can quickly climb to 120 degrees on a summer day. And summer ‘round here lasts about 9-10 months per year.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:19

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On in all automatic car washes.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:19

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No. I’m in Canada though, so take from that what you will :)

Xyl0c41n3 > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:21

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Actually... just looked up the recent temperature history, because I remember it being record hot lately (we just barely got a cold front). It was 90 degrees here on Christmas Day.

Jcarr > Xyl0c41n3 01/06/2017 at 15:21

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Don’t have that problem in Iowa (for the most part). Our problem is that in winter it’s usually either A) so slushly/salty that washing your car is pointless or B) too cold to wash your car. It’s a nice catch-22.

$kaycog > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:22

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I leave it running because I do.

veryloud435iwouldn'thaveitanyotherway > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:22

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I turn it off. The sensors around the car go nuts when I leave it on. I’ve never seen the tunnel type wash before. All we have the arm swings around the car type.

Jcarr > Xyl0c41n3 01/06/2017 at 15:23

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It’s nearly 100 degrees colder than that here today.

Jcarr > $kaycog 01/06/2017 at 15:23

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Good reasoning :)

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:26

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Given that my origins are Iowan and I’ve been living in Texas for 20 years, just felt obligated to participate! 23 degrees and flurries in Dallas today.

kiwi_matt > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:26

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I leave it running. Can’t imagine there’s any significant fuel savings by shutting your engine off.

Xyl0c41n3 > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 15:26

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Yeah. We cooled down here a bit, finally. It’s 42 degrees right now, but just yesterday I went for an hour long walk on the beach, barefoot, before the front moved in. The water was pleasantly cool, but not cold at all.

gmctavish needs more space > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 16:27

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Off, don’t want water in my engine, however unlikely that is

Die-Trying > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 16:53

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i JUST thought about it, and i can only imagine how AMAZING the acoustics must be in one of those washes.........

im just not sure they would allow junk through a wash........

Jcarr > haveacarortwoorthree2 01/06/2017 at 17:06

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Heat wave!

Whereabouts in IA?

Jcarr > kiwi_matt 01/06/2017 at 17:06

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I was thinking more for keeping any excess moisture out of your intake/engine.

Jcarr > Xyl0c41n3 01/06/2017 at 17:07

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I hate you.

If I went for a walk barefoot I’d end up with black stumps after a few blocks.

vicali > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 17:13

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I leave it running, then when I realize what those car washes do to my paint I put it in reverse and nope out of there..

kiwi_matt > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 17:18

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Wouldn’t your intake filter cut down on that? I honestly have no idea.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 17:20

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Grew up in DSM, then at UNI in Cedar Falls.

Jcarr > kiwi_matt 01/06/2017 at 17:20

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Quite possibly. I owned a Dodge Ram for a while and kept having a problem with it getting water accumulation in the intake. No one could ever figure it out (which is why I got rid of it), but ever since then I’ve turned my engine off in the car wash.

Jcarr > haveacarortwoorthree2 01/06/2017 at 17:21

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Neat. I’m from CF, almost went to UNI, but ended up going to Wartburg.

Xyl0c41n3 > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 17:23

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Oh trust me, I won’t be repeating that stroll today. We’re under a freeze warning now. But this was yesterday just after sunset.

Jcarr > Xyl0c41n3 01/06/2017 at 17:24

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CTSenVy > Comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer 01/06/2017 at 17:36

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I was always afraid of that with my first two vehicles.

E92M3 > Jcarr 01/06/2017 at 19:46

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Do you turn it off in torrential downpours too?

Jcarr > E92M3 01/06/2017 at 19:59

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No, but torrential downpours don’t generally spray directly at or underneath the vehicle.

E92M3 > Jcarr 01/07/2017 at 09:54

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I can assure you manufacturers thought about carwash scenarios when they designed their air intakes. My cars intake, has a vent that pulls air from the top of the hood (driverside right in front of the strut brace). It also pulls air behind the grilles. Water never makes it to the filter.