Car wash disaster

[SilvaDolla]

Sad day yesterday. I was feeling too lazy to hand wash my car like I always do. So I decided to go through a touchless carwash. It has one of those wheel guides to get you in the right spot – and even though I was trying to be extremely careful I scraped up one of my beautiful HRE wheels!
Now I have to send it off to be refinished. Spur of the moment decision will cost me hundreds of $$.




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[RAF_S7]

Ouch

[lx4life]

Hard lesson learned. Never go through a car wash with guides.

[limeypride]

Sad day yesterday. I was feeling too lazy to hand wash my car like I always do. So I decided to go through a touchless carwash. It has one of those wheel guides to get you in the right spot – and even though I was trying to be extremely careful I scraped up one of my beautiful HRE wheels!
Now I have to send it off to be refinished. Spur of the moment decision will cost me hundreds of $$.




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Sorry, that sucks.

I did the same years back with an M5. From then on, I used only Michelin PSS tires optimistic that the (oversized/great looking) tire wall would protect my wheels. I've never gone through another car wash since so I've no idea if that theory worked or not but the tires are great . I'm kinda useless here... going now...

[SilvaDolla]

I did the same years back with an M5. From then on, I used only Michelin PSS tires optimistic that the (oversized/great looking) tire wall would protect my wheels.

Since I have to remove the wheels for repair, I might use it as an excuse to get some new PSS tires. Then at least something good can come out of this mess! But I still can't decide on the size (285, 295, etc). My buddy just got a brand new Porsche Panamera Turbo and I looked his tires: Fronts were 275/35/21 and the Rear were 315/30/21 ! Much bigger than stock RS7 tires.

[bonafyd]

Damn dude that sucks..
when i feel lazy and don''t want to wash my car i either find a hand wash/detail shop or i just wait until i get around to it.
most of the time i'm up to it because i love using my foam cannon and love my car clean, we all get tired/lazy but never go through those type of car washes for reasons like this and not to mention the damage/swirls they do to your paint.

[limeypride]

Since I have to remove the wheels for repair, I might use it as an excuse to get some new PSS tires. Then at least something good can come out of this mess! But I still can't decide on the size (285, 295, etc). My buddy just got a brand new Porsche Panamera Turbo and I looked his tires: Fronts were 275/35/21 and the Rear were 315/30/21 ! Much bigger than stock RS7 tires.

Assuming your rims are 10" or more wide, you can go for 295s and up. I had 295s on all of my M5s and M6s and I never once thought they needed to be wider--and that's something that runs through my brain every time I see the rear stance of my RS7 (I'm working on fixing that). Here's the M6 for reference:



... remember that the wider they get, the more they tend to follow the grooved out payment in well used roads. My X5M has 325s on the rear; looked great but what a nightmare on bad freeways.

[KEEP IT REAL]

HOLY S***T!!! I would kill myself, but anyway who takes such nice car and wheels to the shit car wash damn bro...

[socialpro]

I realized over the years that anything to do with the car (read: handing over keys to dealerships, shops, brake/tire shops, carwashes, etc) ---outside of you doing your own care (car washes, maintenance, etc) -- always always always leads to bad news sooner or later...

Sorry about the mishap hope it gets fixed asap!!

[SilvaDolla]

who takes such nice car and wheels to the shit car wash damn bro...

Just to clarify- this was a touchless car wash. Nothing is supposed to touch the car except water. There are no brushes etc. the problem was the wheel guide on the floor of the wash which directs your car to the right spot.


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[RSLRS71]

NEVER take these thru a touchless with wheel guides, are you insane!!! chalk one up in the experience column for you bud

[q5 dave]

Hard lesson learned. Never go through a car wash

FTFY

[SilvaDolla]

NEVER take these thru a touchless with wheel guides, are you insane!!! chalk one up in the experience column for you bud

Lesson learned. Hopefully sharing my mistake publicly will save someone else down the road.


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[agent47]

Lesson learned. Hopefully sharing my mistake publicly will save someone else down the road.


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Went through this myself albeit in a loaner. I always clean up the loaners before returning them. Too cold outside to wash so took it to the touchless was. Luckily it didnt fuck the wheel up too bad. Since then I call those rails wheel scuffers.

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[OmaHahn]

I don't see why the OP is getting such a hard time here! I've owned numerous cars with many different wheel setups, etc and never once had an issue with any car wash! I live where unfortunately the use of a car wash is a necessity sometimes (during a cold snap with $hit sand and salt/brine all over the roads)! However, I'm not a fan of the "stretch," tire look at all so I can see where a rim/wheel would hit a guide but if you have a proper tire/wheel setup the rubber tire will always keep any rail away from the wheel. So I don't blame SilvaDolla or think he didn't anything stupid by going to a car wash. This just was a freak accident - I bet he might have turned wheel while at the guide which could catch it or something.

[CanuckRS]

If i had dropped that kind of money on hre wheels i would never trust those things. diy or drive dirty. lesson learned for all.

on the other hand, if i had a loaner prius, i'd probably take it through a few times to teach it a lesson.

[OlyS6]

I don't see why the OP is getting such a hard time here! I've owned numerous cars with many different wheel setups, etc and never once had an issue with any car wash! I live where unfortunately the use of a car wash is a necessity sometimes (during a cold snap with $hit sand and salt/brine all over the roads)! However, I'm not a fan of the "stretch," tire look at all so I can see where a rim/wheel would hit a guide but if you have a proper tire/wheel setup the rubber tire will always keep any rail away from the wheel. So I don't blame SilvaDolla or think he didn't anything stupid by going to a car wash. This just was a freak accident - I bet he might have turned wheel while at the guide which could catch it or something.

Agree- touchless car washes are generally fine- thankfully my preferred one doesn't have wheel guides and also has DIY bays- I live on protected waterways so can't wash my car at the house- usually drive it home carefully after a wash and then do whatever desired level of detailing at home


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[lx4life]

FTFY

HAHA!!

[R3.]

My paint is so marred and swirled from the previous owner that I use a power washer or ONR at the house to wash the car from now on.


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[jfeger]

I had that happen to my OEM's that I use as a winter wheel set. Very annoying, I am just glad it wasn't my summer set (BBS). By the way, I love my PSS, but my neighbor just switched from the PSS to the PS4, the new generation. These things are amazing.

http://www.michelinman.com/US/en/tir...-sport-4s.html

[ericw.]

Damn dude that sucks..
when i feel lazy and don''t want to wash my car i either find a hand wash/detail shop or i just wait until i get around to it.
most of the time i'm up to it because i love using my foam cannon and love my car clean, we all get tired/lazy but never go through those type of car washes for reasons like this and not to mention the damage/swirls they do to your paint.

^this

Find a local detailer. Aside from messing up your wheels, touchless car washes also use a harsh soap that will remove the wax coating that we work so hard to keep on the car all year long. I live in a condo in SF bay area and since I don't have access to water, I have to pay $60/wash with a detailer ($250 for detailing) or take a drive east to a family member who has a house. Bay area living sucks unless you're a millionaire.