frustrated!!

AAARGH!! I have the colored porsche crest center wheelcaps and the crest (which is just glued on by the factory) keeps falling off (and gets lost of course). I think i lost it at the touchless wash when i got the rocker panel spray. Now i have to buy a replacement AGAIN! Love the car but hate the annoyances like the interior rattles and the fact that i have to "baby" the car. I should be able to take the thing to a touchless carwash (when i don't have the time to hand wash the car) without the crest falling off. Anyone else have a problem with these colored crests on the centercaps?

Sorry to hear about your lost cap centers but....... that is risk you take with those high powered pressure washer touchless drive-throughs. My cars will stay dirty longer before I drive one of them through a touchless wash. There is a reason there is a sign that says that they assume NO liability in case of damage, etc., to your car. It's NOT just Porsche. Take any car through and you risk the same thing. I wash all of mine by hand (even the Pepper) and would NEVER condier driving one of my cars through one of those sand blasters. Remember, these are sports cars, not Lexus luxo-barges. Rattles, etc., come with the package. Come for a ride in my GT3 and your car will sound like a Lexus next time you get back in it.

if you still have the caps go to a ford dealer and buy a tube of thier clear rtv clean the old glue off the crest and the cap use a little bit of the ford rtv, they will never come off again.

When I picked up my 996 the dealer told me not to go through those car washes. Not only may you have a problem with the crest, he has seen cars driven through with the under carriage option selected. That has cracked a few engine blocks when put through the car wash and the engine was hot. They told me only to hand wash. My car is filthy right now. It has rained every day for the past few weeks. I think I need to wash it regardless of the rain. Not to hijack the this thread, but will it mess up your paint to keep road grime on your car for an extended period of time?

A little dab of silicon glue will keep it on and pointed in the 'right' direction.

" That has cracked a few engine blocks when put through the car wash and the engine was hot." not gonna happen. unless you submerge the car in a puddle

I wouldn't even drive my Maxima through a car wash.

U guys think it's bad to use the car washes that you get out and it goes thru the conveyer? Like waterway?

Those are a bit gentler, but don't you risk having your wheels scratched?

Depends on whether you like your car looking great or just good. With our wide wheels, the chances of the rims coming through without damage seems remote. And even the 'best' car wash is going to do minor damage to your car, and the worst can mess it up badly. But, hand washing isn't any guarantee either! Proper technique and products are required to avoid the swirl marks. This is the first car that I've ever seriously tried to do all my own washing/detailing. I use my wife's car (9 year old Audi A6) to learn on, and hers has always been washed at the 'decent' hand washing and touchless washing places. Her car has quite a few swirl marks, which I'll be trying to get out soon, and working on it has convinced me even more that I will not let car washes get their hands on my car...

I can confirm that they do scratch (my brand new to me chrome wheels) - last week. ARRGGGG!

That is what I was told by the Porsche Center in SA, Tx as I was taking delivery of the car. They also said that most car wash's conveyors will scratch your rims. They also said that with brushes it will scratch the clear coat. Finally, they said that I could drop by anytime and they will wash my car for free. Last assertion is what is suspect to me. It is referencing not just a normal car wash, but the undercarriage wash option. I can see how that may do it since it sprays from below at high velocity. By way of example, It is used to take the mud of your tires and the under carriage if you were 4 wheeling in a truck. Anyway, why risk it? I usually wash my car myself (with my son) or hire a mobile car wash company. Second is preferred.

thanks for the input everyone. guess i'll stop going to the touchless wash and wash only by hand from now on...just won't be able to keep the car as clean.

All of the nearly 40 cars I have owned have been 100% hand washed by ME and man are my hands wrinkled! BUT, I agree that if I wanted to take my car to the car wash the stupid, expensive wheel badge should stay on. And this does relate to the dash rattles in my opinion also. I will say again, I am not sure we got the GOOD Japanese engineers to show Porsche how to build cheaper cars OK, rant over

Way to "man up".

Yeah the key is to find a good hand wash place and become a "regular." I have a spot that has no machines, just a bunch of guys with soapy mitts ready to wash. I go often enough..they dont even ask me what I want...I pay the same guy...same amount of tip...like getting a haircut with the same barber. I am never more than 5ft from my car, I can see them wash and dry it in front of my eyes. My pcar has never seen an auto carwash ever. Always washed by hand. last note...Most of those "auto" tram guide rail wash places do offer handwash. You just have to pay a little more. just ask the manager. I used to own a BMW 540i and the car wash guy if I paid for the hand wax...would NOT take my car through the machine and literally grab a bucket and a sponge. He and one other guy would work on my car...but I would tip alot too...I would spend $20 on the wash, and $10 each guy...they would take forever and really really clean the car well. Most of those places will hand wash for you if you ask. Figure it this way money talks right?