2010 Prius at an automated car wash?

You can't put the car in neutral with it off. When in the off mode it will be in Park.

 

Leave the car in Ready, put it in Neutral, and keep your foot off the brake.

 

The car wash in my town had no problems. Just to be sure the first time, I put the yellow instruction placard with the elastic band on the gear shifter, and asked the attendant if they knew how to operate the new Prius, and he assured me they did--and they did.

 

Hi:

In my opinion, stay away from both automated car washes and car washes that use hired washer attendents. Otherwise you will probably end up with a damaged vehicle.

I go to a DIY car wash company. They have high pressure hoses that you hold. You simply dial in whatever you need (hot rinse, soap, etc.), and point the hose at the car. No risk involved, it only takes a few minutes, is not hard work, and the cost is around $5 or less.

By the way, the DIY car wash units I am talking about are not the "drive thru" type. You just pull into a space protected with walls (so you won't get accidentally sprayed by other customers), get out of your car, put some quarters into a slot, pick up the high pressure hose, and start washing.

Jim

 

A mechanic told me once that auto car washes are not good when the brakes are warm as it could warp discs or drums. I am not a mechanic so maybe someone who is knowledgable could help?

 

I'm sorry, but are you saying that someone else has to operate your car through the car wash? That's a new one to me and I just don't understand. Why?

 

I washed mine twice in an gas station automated car wash facility. Don't see anything wrong with it. Just leave power on and put gear in nutural.

 

Not likely in a Prius unless you have been driving it very hard.
The disc rotors have to be very hot to warp.

 

That's how the carwashes here work, unless you're using one of those mini ones at a gas station that you drive through yourself and dry the car yourself. Well they don't have to drive it all the way through at the real carwash, just up to the beginning to get it going on the right track then it goes through by itself.

So you just pull up into the carwash to the vacuum area, make sure all your windows are closed, the guy comes by and writes up a ticket for what kind of wash you want and you leave your car with guys vacuuming it and go pay at the cashier. Then you can play pinball, browse the store area, watch your car go through and then sit and wait until a guy finishes drying your car. Or you can also walk to Fatburger and get something to eat while all this goes on, but I won't do that anymore since I'm on my 5th day of suffering from food poisoning from my Tuesday night turkey burger. :mmph:

 

Does anyone know of a "drive through yourself" car wash in New York City (Brooklyn) versus the "put it in neutral" ones that are more common? When and if my Gen III IV ever arrives I would be leery to use the automatic one.

 

Yes--the attendant drives the car onto the track (after cleaning the interior), then gets out and it gets pulled along until the end, where another attendant drives it to the drying area.

 

A valet car wash? That's crazy... I guess you can't just pull in for a quick wash. Makes me wonder what happens along the track that they don't want you to see!

And how many people are employed at these car washes anyway?

Maybe it would be worth it if it were one of those bikini car washes! :rockon:

 

I was amazed the first time I found a full service car wash. I was on a cross country road trip last winter. In Phoenix, I stopped to wash my Jeep. Full interior/exterior wash, oil change and air filter was $45 in 20 minutes! Amazing haven't found anything close in NJ or NC (just moved here)

 

You mean, like driving down a mountain in the rain won't rapidly heat them up and cool them off?

 

I've lived all over the country, and this type of car wash is very common.

 

Detail shops yes. But I have never seen a valet-type car wash where someone else must drive your car to the track and then just leaves it to the machine.

Maybe I have not paid enough attention to car washes in the Northeast, but the labor costs alone would seem to be pretty high, not to mention the extra liability insurance. I originally thought it was just a California thing, but I guess I can see them in areas where there is a large pool of inexpensive, unskilled laborers (how else could someone get an interior/exterior wash AND an oil/filter change for $45?).

Tell me, if you take a car to some quick lube place for an oil change, do you drive the car over the pit or does an attendant do it?

 

Yes, the attendants here drive the car onto the rack at a quicky oil change place. No valet at the supermarket here like I had in Seattle tho!

 

Makes me wonder how Cali can have financial problems with so many employed taxpayers.... Maybe they just need to add supermarket valets!

It does reminds me of a story my wife's cousin in Houston told me. He had his gardeners weed his lawn. They were on their hands and knees going over every square inch to get every single weed. That service cost him an extra $4.