M3 DCT comp in Car Wash

[B_Hxn]

Maybe this question has been asked before, but I couldn't find it...

As there's no park button with a DCT, what do you do in a car wash? Apply handbrake and put into neutral?

[mjponti]

Originally Posted by B_Hxn

Maybe this question has been asked before, but I couldn't find it...

As there's no park button with a DCT, what do you do in a car wash? Apply handbrake and put into neutral?

I could be wrong but I think you just want to leave it in neutral with no brake on at all. Applying the brake will cause your car to jump over the rollers that push the cars through the car wash, could end in damage to wheels, etc.

[N1rve]

Originally Posted by B_Hxn

Maybe this question has been asked before, but I couldn't find it...

As there's no park button with a DCT, what do you do in a car wash? Apply handbrake and put into neutral?

Is the car on? If you're on a roller carwash, you just need to pop it into N.

[agentrnge]

step 1. dont go through a car wash. *nervous sounds*
Seriously tho, neutral, no brakes.
Also serious, roll through car washes can mess a car up.

[swagon]

Yo, don't go through an automatic car wash. Gonna scratch your paint! Just find a touchless wash.

[Slowphiveo]

Car washes are like wet sanding your paint job with road grit...besides that, just put the car in neutral and the rollers move the car through. If you have the e-brake on, you are working against the system and putting undo strain on the e-brake.

[bmwmdistrict]

Neutral only, no handbrake as others said.

[pikkagtr]

It's designed without a park button as it's not compatible with automatic carwashes
I'm pretty sure the car will decrease herspers output by 10 everytime it is out through an automatic carwash
Source: trust me

[Slowphiveo]

Originally Posted by pikkagtr

It's designed without a park button as it's not compatible with automatic carwashes
I'm pretty sure the car will decrease herspers output by 10 everytime it is out through an automatic carwash
Source: trust me

Yeah, but you gain back 5hp for every sticker you add to your windows with your IG tag.

[Taco_Bueno]

I cringed at the title of this thread. Please don't go through an automatic car wash. It'll destroy your paint.

[deeldoo]

Lol this guy said automatic car wash

Bro go to those coin ops, pressure wash any grime off.

Take 2 buckets, clean that shit off real quick.

I have everything from polisher, different levels of polish, waxes and sealants, some ceramics, you don't have to go crazy but make an effort at least.

I think at minimum if you are lazy like i am pressure wash grime off or foam cannon, then apply a wax via machine so you aren't spreading by hand.

No car should ever see an automatic car wash, it's the equivalent of me cleaning your paint with my finger nails and bare ballsack

[PhatLyfe]

How about a pair of sponges, 2 buckets of water and a hose to rinse off, don't forget the leaf blower to dry off the car.

[TideMD]

Everyone's busting the OP's balls (and rightfully so, to a degree) over the auto wash aspect. Might as well clean your car with a sanding block.

Anyway... I'm still hung up on the actual question. In what scenario is any automatic/DCT car put into "P" when going into an automatic car wash? That seems even worse than throwing it into neutral and applying the hand brake.

[icegrill]

Already feel sorry for the next owner of this m😐

[Eurosonly]

op the car wash with the ten year old torn up rag rollers behind the shell gas station is made for shit boxes and the jalopies.... take the car to a touch less wash or diy.


euros

[doug_999]

The comments about wet sanding are funny. I wonder how many of you have gone through a modern automatic car wash?

My wife's MDX (white) and Mini Clubman (red), go through the dreaded automatic car wash -and the paint is fine. I wax the cars twice per year (clay bar one of those times) and if the paint is scratched, you would need a microscope to see it.

I would worry about the 20" wheels however.

[Tecnniqe]

Car wash is the devil 😈
Avoid the devil 👿

[AlmondJayRoM3]

Originally Posted by doug_999

The comments about wet sanding are funny. I wonder how many of you have gone through a modern automatic car wash?

My wife's MDX (white) and Mini Clubman (red), go through the dreaded automatic car wash -and the paint is fine. I wax the cars twice per year (clay bar one of those times) and if the paint is scratched, you would need a microscope to see it.

I would worry about the 20" wheels however.

Depends on what you consider scratches. Most people don’t care about swirl marks and probably don’t notice the damage car washes do to paint. Car waxes also can do a decent job temporarily filling in those swirl marks but they are still there.

As for me, I wouldn’t take any of my ceramic coated cars through the wash. Touch less during the winter months, sure but certainly not the ones with the brushes or “curtains.” Don’t believe me? Take a look this recent video from Chicago auto pros in which they took a recently detailed Tesla through a wash:

https://youtu.be/tbgkv0dUgoE

[Pseudolus]

Originally Posted by doug_999

The comments about wet sanding are funny. I wonder how many of you have gone through a modern automatic car wash?
.

I also feel like there has to be exceptions but I’ve taken the advice of the people on here and have avoided trying one. It’s the only reason I dislike the car. I absolutely hate having to clean it myself. I don’t have the desire, the time or the spine. I’m in the middle of two seemingly high end car washes and the local Maserati and BMW dealers take their cars there but I’m still hesitant because of this forum. That’s also why I leased another car so I can have someone else wash it!

[B_Hxn]

Originally Posted by icegrill

Already feel sorry for the next owner of this m😐

I feel sorry for your short-sighted, unhelpful attitude. But I guess that comes with a forums...

It was an enquiry only. I actually took everyone's advice here on board, went out and bought a pressure washer and a bunch of cleaning products yesterday.

[agentrnge]

special car or not. auto car washes can mess up a car. the last time I used an auto wash was way back when. like 20 years ago probably. took my Dodge Intrepid through, came out the other side with a new scratch. No way I could prove it. It just sucked. It was not bad, but it was there. and modern or not, if the person before you or 20 cars before you deposited a big chunk of grit in the flappy bits, its going to do some damage. Coin op pressure wash is the way to go.

[4play]

Originally Posted by doug_999

The comments about wet sanding are funny. I wonder how many of you have gone through a modern automatic car wash?

My wife's MDX (white) and Mini Clubman (red), go through the dreaded automatic car wash -and the paint is fine. I wax the cars twice per year (clay bar one of those times) and if the paint is scratched, you would need a microscope to see it.

I would worry about the 20" wheels however.

Well, white will generally hide the swirls.

You don't get scratches down to the primer or anything - it's micro scratches that manifest as swirl marks. On a darker car it is much more evident.