Is 315 safe for automatic car wash?

[bimmerpwr]

Does anyone with 315 rear tire setup have experience using automatic car wash? Especially in Nothern Virginia area? If so, which one did you use? I would like to get salt debris off my car but I don't know if 315 can go through automatic car wash.

[genemish]

before you get bashed for putting your X thru the car wash, I will say "yes, 315s are fine". they fit here in NJ.. make sure there's a protective side guard against rim scratching..

and yes, i put mine thru the car wash all the time..

[aeggroup]

I do it in Brooklyn every week during winter time. I was sceptical too, thinking it will not fit, but it went thru just fine, no scratches or any damage.

[LeMansX5]

Depends on car wash place. Some old car wash places will damage the wheels.
Ask them first.

[ravenheart]

See if you can find a touch free car wash. Around here the touch free washes don't have rails at all which means you dont have to worry about it.

[bimmerpwr]

Relatively new car wash near SouthRiding area said their rails accommodate up to 13 inches, that's about 330mm. Meaning, there is about 1.5 centimeter of room to make mistake, that's about your thumb fingernail width. I wonder if 13 inches is pretty norm since this place seems to have all the latest.

[xoutpostking]

Touchless wash is just a little better than reg hand wash, since at the end they still use towels to dry your car, so if the rag is dirty then you car will still get nice scratches.

[bimmerpwr]

I've read that touchless uses super strong chemical and recycled water. And regular car washes usually leave fine scratch marks. Since hand wash is out of question in this weather, maybe leaving some salt debris until weather gets warm may be better option. I don't mind the fine scratches that much but I am not sure if I have the hearts to try my luck against 1.5 centimeter of room for error.

[335xray]

Originally Posted by bimmerpwr

I've read that touchless uses super strong chemical and recycled water. And regular car washes usually leave fine scratch marks. Since hand wash is out of question in this weather, maybe leaving some salt debris until weather gets warm may be better option. I don't mind the fine scratches that much but I am not sure if I have the hearts to try my luck against 1.5 centimeter of room for error.

Ask where ever you go. The place I used to go which has been around a while but did a great job could only accommodate wheel sizes up to 10.5".

There are several Mr. Clean Car washes here were I live which have 13" track. I just washed the X yesterday with the 11" rears with 275 tires on it with NO issues. you will be even better off with the 315s because they protect the 11" rim much better than my skinny 275s .

BTW don't take any crap for using a car wash, its better than not washing for the whole winter and leaving a boat load of salt on the truck.

Someone posted up a video of a british test using 3 of the same cars, one hand wash, one car wash and one spray your own wash with those soap brushes...guess which one did the least damage to the finish? The automatic car wash...

X

[Kloogy]

The place I take mine to either washes it for me completely by hand, or has someone steer it as the drive it through their brushless car wash. I had a set of wheels ruined in a previous vehicle, so I take no chances.