I wash mine one to three times per week depending upon the season because I have the subscription and the Royal Wash is 45 seconds from me. The don't go thru automatic washes mantra is pretty funny around here, I guess there's no salt on those roads. C'mon people it can handle it.

First time I went through I had to release the parking brake hold with the lever on the left. Since then I sometimes do that beforehand just to be safe but sometimes forget to do it. Haven't had any issues since then though.

I bring up the offroad camera mode so I can see thru the hood and drive directly between the guide rails, turn the wipers off. One key point IMO is when it's time to put it into neutral I do it very slowly, just by pushing my hand forward with my wrist only (not my whole arm) as long as you hit neutral here you're good to go.

 

Depending on color a every once in awhile car wash thingy is fine. Especially in winter regions.

 

I'm rather late to this conversation, but I thought I'd offer some insight into this topic as there is so much conflicting information floating around the Internet.

1) If you are going to use an automated car wash that is track driven you can disable the hold function in your infotainment menu. The hold function assures that when you come to a stop the vehicle holds itself in position (good on hills and off-road) when you release the brake. You can disable it from coming on automatically by unticking it in the menu. However, even disabled, if you press down on the brake with strong pressure it will still activate and display this on your instrument cluster. The idea is to allow advanced drivers more control over when it intervenes. If this happens and the track system will not allow the car to proceed simply toggle the parking brake switch and the vehicle will release. The parking brake switch will always allow you to deactivate the brake hold (providing you haven't got your door open). Do not expect a car wash attendant to know all of this.

2) Automated car washes are not all created equal. Some are amazingly gentle on paint and quite elaborate while others are terrible and do more harm than good. The best automated contact car washes are usually quite lengthy with multiple phases and have staff onsite to prep the vehicle before it enters. A vehicle should be rinsed of sand and dirt before entering a quality car wash and staff will be careful about who they let through. If they are generous with water and soap settings, maintain their equipment well, and use advanced washers and cloths then your car paint will be just fine. If you see work vehicles covered in sand and mud entering then that's not a car wash you should be using. JLR often uses automated car washes for press and personal vehicles.

3) Hand washing is always the best way to wash your vehicle. Always. The best automated car washes cannot reach all areas of a vehicle and you will have missed spots on wheels, fenders, etc. They will also be limited in their ability to clean certain contaminants. Most importantly, hand washing is very gentle on paint and if done correctly will result in no marks or scratches. The best automated washes will still leave some faint marks on paint. Hand washing also gives you an opportunity to inspect the car and make note of any problems or damage. No one is above hand washing a vehicle and I assure you some of the wealthiest individuals, collectors and even auto executives hand wash cars (though some will opt for a hand wash only detailer they trust when they cannot do it themselves).

4) When hand washing do NOT use a sponge. Use a proper wash mitt that will avoid turning dirt and sand into scratches. Never use dish soap as that is designed to strip away oils and wax film- which is the opposite of what we want on a car. Rinse the car thoroughly before starting and do not wash a car in direct sunlight. If you do not have access to shade/cover then wash in the early morning or late afternoon. Lower the car before starting and use a small step ladder to reach higher areas.

5) Touchless car washes are safe for vehicles but will never fully clean the paint and often leave light films. These are ideal for when you need a quick touch up and don't want to risk paint damage.

6) You don't need to fold your mirrors inward to enter the car wash, but it doesn't hurt to do so.

Hope this helps.

 

As always, you provide a great perspective. Thanks for being on this Forum.

 

What's especially important to those of us with salted roads is the underbody should be blasted.by the car wash otherwise that will typically rust out more quickly and you'll be needing an exhaust system before its time. It would be a concern of mine if looking at a preowned vehicle in this area say six years old and been thru six winters without automatic car washing. Keep in mind the differences in climate, nobody is hand washing anything in 20 degree weather which persists for months on end. With a heated garage maybe but time is money.

 

And this is why I am here. Created a line around the block this morning.

 

Just a quick addition to what @The Insider recommended: If washing your rig by hand, implement a two bucket system with grit guards: One bucket is used for rinsing the mitts and the other contains the soap for washing. Frequently rinsing the mitts after each panel/section and then soaking with clean soap suds will help prevent marring and scratching.

 

What about pre-collision and other settings referenced?

 

What about RAI (snorkel)? Has anybody dared to use automatic car wash with RAI?
Miran

 

Im interested in this answer too. It’s why I deleted the RAI from my order before it finalized. I live in the northeast and need the underbody wash in the winters, so I’m a regular user of automatic car washes.