jackal

was wondering if most of you guys wash at home or take the porsche to the local car wash. i can say that i dont ever recall seeing an earlier model porsche there.

one concern i had was the tail is vented, and would there be any problems w/ water/soap getting into the engine bay?

88carrera

Jay H

I've never taken either of my 911's to a car wash. I always wash by hand. I feel it gets the car cleaner. But, I would assume Porsche has designed the engine and engine compartment well enough (at least in the late model cars) so as not to be too susceptible to water problems. I would bet there are plenty of owners who have their cars outside and have gone through severe thunderstorms without trouble. My manual from '90 does not advise against car washes. I have no experience with Targa's and Cab's and how well they seal up in a car wash...

I certainly wouldn't take any vehicle through a car wash that still uses brushes or anything that touches the car. Plus, some of these car washes have rails or guides to help the car through the wash or position the car in the bay. Those things can catch low body work or suspensions and might possibly scratch rims with low profile tires. Etc., etc., etc. I'm sure most car wash places are designed to take most any vehicle, but I'd check clearances before running the car through.

2qwik4u

Only Hand car washes or myself!!

993chaz

Always by hand, and a good cigar!!

Mike_A

surely you don't mean an AUTOMATIC car wash.....never do that.....especially in the winter in cold climate regions....i have clients in that business and you can't imagine what gets caught up in those whirling brushes beyond the normal salt , dust and road gravel.....hand-operated are fine, and necessary when the house outside faucet won't thaw

nate

One more vote for the hand wash here. Besides, I'm sure you spent good hard earned money on your 911, shouldn't you be the only one who gets to rub your hands all over her?

gavin11

Only by hand, and the wash mitt is never used more than 5 or 6 times before I replace it. Also only wash in linear strokes, as the air flows across the paint. I may be psycho, but it's my baby...

r22tek

I've done it, and my car is a concours d' elegance trophy winner. See, the thing is, once you've prepared a car for show you realize that the only way to make the car's paint like new is to polish, buff, clay, and wax. A decent automatic car wash won't hurt your paint anymore than you do unless you are REAL, REAL careful. Most of us are not. That being said, my advise is to wsh the car if it is dirty either by hand are at the auto place, but don't NOT wash a dirty car bacause you haven't found the time to do it by hand. That would be the biggest paint killer. BTW: I ALWAYS have the carwash attendants hand wax the car after each wash, while I treat the fuchs with a vaseline bath. The auto washes DO leave a soapy residue on the black centers and turn them grey.