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Hi All, just hopped over from the Edge forum after trading in my SEL AWD for this puppy, picked it up a few weeks ago now.
The dealership decided to put it through the auto car wash before handing over the keys and the nylon brushes wrapped around the antenna and ripped, yes ripped, the front panel and pulled out the aerial! Being a geeky mechanical engineer I can talk all day about the differences in Youngs Modulus of Elasticity between steel and aluminum, but the upshot is that any tearing or tensile forces on the panels could prove costly. So if you do take your pride and joy through the mechanical car wash, spin the antenna off first or it could cost you a new panel; luckily the dealership hadn't given me the keys so I dodged a bullet this time.
Well pleased with the truck though, and no other issues so far...
Oh, and fitted a new Leer Trilogy cover, pretty awesome if you're looking for something sturdy and practical.
I never go to car washes with brushes. My brother worked in one when he was a teen and told me horror stories about pieces of trim being ripped off cars and caught in the brushes. He said there were usually 2 or 3 cars behind the one that lost the trim that had their paint gouged up before it was noticed.
I actually own a car wash (Brush-less). The Tunnel washes (Brush) Have gotten a lot better in the past several years with technology but there is always a risk with antennas and anything else not OEM and buildup on the cloth creates the scratches over time (never follow a real dirty car in one). It Shows up mostly with larger vehicles like trucks. The Brush-less in bay automatics like mine (DS 5000) are better since they use only chemical and high pressure but don't do as good of a job depending on how dirty a car is.
One thing to note. A brush-less unit has to use a lot more chemical to loosen dirt and grime. These chemicals will eat a wax job completely off of a car with just a couple washes. If you just waxed you car, better stick with the self serve (similar chemicals but quite a bit more diluted so the wax will hold up against it).
I actually own a car wash (Brush-less). The Tunnel washes (Brush) Have gotten a lot better in the past several years with technology but there is always a risk with antennas and anything else not OEM and buildup on the cloth creates the scratches over time (never follow a real dirty car in one). It Shows up mostly with larger vehicles like trucks. The Brush-less in bay automatics like mine (DS 5000) are better since they use only chemical and high pressure but don't do as good of a job depending on how dirty a car is.
One thing to note. A brush-less unit has to use a lot more chemical to loosen dirt and grime. These chemicals will eat a wax job completely off of a car with just a couple washes. If you just waxed you car, better stick with the self serve (similar chemicals but quite a bit more diluted so the wax will hold up against it).
08-23-2015, 08:32 PM
