Automatic Car Wash a 996

I know this topic has been hashed out on here in the past but I am having trouble understanding why not run it through an automatic car wash. Look, I do not care if the clear coat gets scuffed and has to be buffed out. My car is a daily 2004 C4S and will see lots of salt. My 10" winter tires/wheels do fit in the rails. It is a daily driver and I live where the use of salt on the roads is extensive. I just changed the oil and salt is caked all over the the rear motor area. Talking to my mechanic, the salt on the underneath is worse then a few scuff marks I may receive from a car wash, so run her through All those scuff marks can be buffed out. So assuming I do not care about the paint, the clearance of wheels and front bumper is good, why not? Is there an issue with water running in my air intake? Wouldn't water get in there just as easy with rain? I know drain channels can get blocked and cause water to backup into cabin but those channels and drains are clean.

Do what makes you happy - it's your car. I don't use these due to the fact I won't let brushes with 32' of my vehicles.

Before i knew any better. I took mine through a touch less car wash. When I drove out it out. It was sputter. I cursed myself forgetting that it's rear engine and vents lead straight in to engine. Pulled over and opened up. Cursed even more when I remembered it had an after mkt air filter that was now all wet. I let it sit for about 30-60 mins for it to dry. Drove off fine. I'm not picky about paint. But it didn't damage it from what I saw. I'm also in high salt area. So what I do know is go to the car washes where you can do it yourself. Only select water (as a friend who used to work at one of these places say the chemicals they use are harsh and they don't separate into each container. So its all the same. ) I spray down the car and use the bendy nozzle to get underneath.

Other than the bad things that can happen, why shouldn't I do the thing that causes the bad things? No reason at all.

If you aren't concerned about damage to the paint, then there shouldn't be an issue. You should keep in mind that the chemicals used in automatic car washes tend to strip wax from your paint, so you should wax the car more often in the winter months. An alternative to consider is washing your car in a self-wash stall with a high pressure wand. It would probably be more effective in removing salt than the automatic wash.

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^This^

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+1 This is the method I use. Of course getting the sprayer under the car is a little harder.

You don't take things you love through an automatic car wash

A self wash station is probably 'best' but I don't care for those. The only time I don't wash in the driveway is during the winter when it's very cold in WI, and the self wash places that I've been too aren't heated. The water will turn to ice before you have a chance to dry it off. Also, I don't like that you have to bring you're own drying chamois. For obvious reasons you want to avoid the automatic type with the spinning brushes. Some gas stations have the type with a robotic arm that circles your car and sprays w/o touching it. These work OK for a quick cleanup, but don't get the underbody. They usually have 4 options / prices. In my opinion don't get the most expensive one as it uses too high of water pressure. What I do a couple times during the winter is go to a automatic touchless car wash called 'Octopus'. At the start they have a guy with a bucket and wash mitt to get the dirtiest places. Through the wash they only have sprays and a hanging chamois that gently / slowly oscillates. At the end they have guys to dry, and touch up the wheels etc. Never heard that the chemicals in automatic washes strip wax. Don't know if that's true or not. I always assumed it was pretty much the same soap you buy at the auto parts store. If you have the stock air intake you will be OK. A cone type filter is less than ideal.

Considering the cost of a new paint job or clear coat repair , the wand in a self wash sounds like your best option. I wash my own cars in the driveway . That includes washing , waxing , conditioning the leather and checking fluids and tire pressure. Then I go out and flog the hell out of it .

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I use this method too. I like to use a waterless carwash product in my garage for the paint, but it's nice to get a good spray underneath the car with the wand every now and then. I use Griot's Garage waterless carwash, but I know there are others that work well also.

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Not wanting to further upset anyone with my posts, I agree with ^^^ Alansglide 110% or that the wash wand may be better than any automated washer if you care for your vehicles paintwork. Or you could try ......

When it's too cold to wash by hand, I take my cab through the touchless carwash on the cheapest setting. It doesn't use any sealants but still has a double pass soap and an under carriage and wheel wash. That's more than enough for me without worrying about harmful brushes touching the paint. Gets me through the Winter.

Thanks for all the great replies. So here is the rest of the story. I have never run any of my 911's through an auto-wash until today. Like I said, paint and finish aside, what could now wrong. Well how about a mis-fire on cylinder 1. I turned the engine off half way through thinking, I bet if I turn it off there will be less water going into the air-intake (stock btw). Get to the end of auto-wash and dry and turned her on and drove to the side to take a gander underneath (hoping most salt was gone which it was). I did not realize my check engine was on at the time. Went to look underneath her in the rear and heard thump, thump, thump misfiring. I know this sound because it happened to a previous 996 after a hand wash. I turned it off and let it sit for an hour and all is good except check engine light still on. Took it to my indy and hooked up his pc and it came back misfire on 1. So we cleared the codes and cleaned the MAF just to eliminate things and all is good. The only thing we can think of is water some how making its way to coil pack on cylinder 1 and perhaps it needs replaced. We all know those crack from time to time. Can't see it from underneath and will have to look when changing water pump or putting new motor mounts on this spring. That said my plan is to run her through the wash again in a few weeks and see what happens. I love her so much she needs the under carriage rinsed several times throughout the winter. I have always just did the wash with my own bucket & soap (at self wash in the winter) and their water but was never able to get underneath. Perhaps I could back her up on some blocks and spray her down at the self wash my self? Would Porsche really have a massed produced car that is unable to car through a car wash. I would argue a thunder storm shoots as much water around as a car wash. Hell there aren't even rear wheel well guards on my C4S so the engine stays cool. Imagine how much water & gravel flies into the muffler area at high speeds. I'll keep you posted about how my next wash goes. At the end of the day my car is cleaner.

One thing to consider - I cannot take my 996 through the auto car wash because the wheel lips extend past the sidewall on my tires (which also makes my car very susceptible to curb rash). Running it through a car wash with a drive chain and guide rails would wreck the wheels on the guide rail side. The rear tires on my Corvette are too wide for the guide rail channel at some car washes, so they both get washed at home.

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Well, rain falls straight down and is uniformly distributed (unless you're driving, of course), whereas the washes use high-pressure, low volume water to minimize their operating costs. Each nozzle in the wash is essentially a pressure washer; you're blasting the car with concentrated, pressurized streams of water, so it isn't a surprise that water is getting into places it might not during a rain shower...

I still have a few OEM coil packs from when I replaced mine that are crack free. If you want to try swapping them on to troubleshoot your misfire let me know.

I agree with Mr. 5CHN3LL. During the PPI on my C4S with 11" stock rear wheels, the mechanic called me over while on the lift to show me the scrapes on the insides of the rear wheels. The car was a two owner and car dealers had it for some time before the current owner. We guessed on the cause: automatic car washes or inside rails at quick oil change places. I bought it anyway...and dang happy I did!

Thanks Rymerc, I will let you know. Makes sense @5CHN3LL. Perhaps I will re-think the auto-wash. I guess I need to make blocks so I can spray her down myself, damn't.

Why does Rick have a picture of Kalashnikov washing his car?

Invest in a cheap pressure washer. If you're getting to the point of not wanting to hand wash it, you may have "old Car syndrome" only cured by another car. Touch less is the way to go and stay away from washes with track systems. All the junk from someone else's car ends up on the brushes which in turn scratches needlessly when they scrub yours.

Not sure where in Columbus you live Eric but there is a touchless car wash in Powell off of Sawmill road. If I just want to blow the dust off I go over there. I've been there twice and never had a problem. No rails to deal with and never had any problems with the engine bay getting wet.

Thanks Jeremy. That's over by my buddies bike store Wheelie Fun Bike Shop there in Powell. Good excuse to go visit him while I get a wash. Is that your Targa in your profile picture, it's killer.

Was my Targa, miss it but it was time to try something else. Enter the 996.

Where I am the touch less costs around $10 less than what it costs to get it hand washed so getting it hand washed is the only way I go if im feeling lazy.

This vid shows a good quick way to wash a Porsche with no brushes touching it. Rally Crash, Porsche 964 totalled and launched into the water 23/09/2013 - YouTube

The total immersion method is only recommended for the advanced run groups

^ ...and be sure they're air-cooled engines.

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This.....I've found the rear wheels can be too wide for the guide track on some drive thru car washes and your wheel gets scratched up bad. wheel destroyer below..

I find touchless carwashes to OK, only to get crud off, but certainly not "clean". They just don't get it all off. If that's all I need I'll just hose it off in my driveway (albeit I do live in S Carolina, not Wisconsin). I've used the local auto wash for the last 3 years with no issues. They use cloth "brushes", and while the wax does degrade more quickly, i haven't noticed scratches in the paint, and I'm pretty picky. Nothing beats a hand wash though. And I would never use an automatic version, like at gas stations, that use nylon brushes.

To add to this. The inside of the rim gets shaved over time. I also had to replace a rear wheel bearing on that side. Not sure if this is the cause but it certainly didn't help.

I live in an apartment complex and park my cars outside 365 days a year. I use optimum no rinse, just not in winter. Then I either take it to a self serve or other wash.

I think the Rim Rash from the auto wash rails is the scariest...

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I don't know what it says in the modern day 911 owner's manuals but for probably 30+ years they recommended washing your car by hand. However, I totally understand your situation and I would probably find a self wash first and automatic wash as a last but necessary choice.

Since I moved to a condo...no garage.. Hand washing buffing is more difficult. Living on the ocean, there is mist and salt air, both are rough on paint. Hand wand washes are good, I also use a drive through touch less that's guaranteed not to scuff. I run it through with my wing up. Stock air box with a few extra drain holes for the Florida monsoons. Zero water issues. They also promised if I ever saw any scuffs I'd get a free polish. Their wheel tracks are super wide and only on the outside. A wheel chock moves the car forward.

All of my 996s have been through automated washes. Obviously it's not as good as a hand detail, but it's fine for getting grime off the car and an underbody spray. 89874AAF-857A-48F6-BB04-F2B21A35CFE1_zpsugujvrvk.jpg Lambo survived it too a6e1442a.jpg

^^^Nice LP640^^^ ***Update, hand washed my 996 C4S today and had the same misfire issue. I did not spray underneath so it must be something getting wet in the engine bay via the spoiler.*** I let her dry for a few hours and all is fine again. Off to my indy she will go....Any ideas? Probably have him replace motor mounts and water pump while searching for the gremlin.

Check for codes. Quite possibly a cracked coil.

I use the Automatic car wash a couple of times during the winter months for simple body wash and under body spray. I hand wash the car during warmer weather. As a matter of fact that is where I am going this afternoon. They never can completely clean the wheels though. I have the sports two classic rims on the car.

not sure if anyone saw my post, but I ran my new to me 996 through a wash and had brake problems afterwards... Another member did as well. We found the cause to be our drain plugs were clogged with debris and leaves and ect... in turn leaving excess water where it wasn't supposed to be and (un-verified idea,) but water in the brake booster. Hand washed my car this weekend, Claybar'd, and waxed and will always hand wash from here on out.

Never.

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This. I needed a wheel balancing after a trip through the auto wash. There's a place that will do a hand wash nearby so I'm going to check that out. The local DIY spray off gets chilly. TC

All of the above is why I park the C4S for the winter and drive the Cayenne........

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^ Yup. The one I worked in (the "nicer" one in town) didnt discriminate between solutions. If it was a busy day and we ran out of shampoo and all we had was wheel cleaner thats what went in the container (when your 14, this is less important than getting yelled at). Even with the correct soap, they are harsh and are not designed with paint longevity in mind. The goal is to make the car look clean after 2-3 mins by whatever means necessary. And this isnt even considering how bad the condition of the brushes were.. After working there I would recommend to just use a spray bay with high pressure rinse and get underneath as well as you can. It might not be quite as clean but it allows the wax to remain intact for longer.

For dark cars after a good hand wash I use this

I commented earlier in this thread about running my car through the local cloth auto wash. They do a good job, especially on the wheels. However, I had it up on a lift the other day to change the gearbox oil, and noticed how BADLY the inside of my wheels were damaged. No more auto washes!

^^^ +1

Southern Man - I noticed the same thing on the outside of one of my wheels, bummer. I did find my issue, some severely worn and cracked coils and plugs. Can't wait to see how she pulls now...