[mole7374]

Ok so I'm a little freaked out by going to the car wash and having someone enable the auto park feature by pushing the off button...

Can I assume that the process for going to the car wash is as follows:

Pull up, drive onto ramp, put the car in neutral and then switch off. A message comes up about "the car being in neutral possibly to roll". then from there don't do anything but leave the key in the car?

[Radioactive]

If I remember correctly the manual gives some information on car wash. Hand wash myself.

Mole, get the audio done yet?

[momo28]

I have the same concerns too. Just got mine 2 weeks ago and still a lot of things I'm not sure about. Guess will have to hand wash for now.

[mole7374]

Originally Posted by Radioactive

If I remember correctly the manual gives some information on car wash. Hand wash myself.

Mole, get the audio done yet?

Yea I read that piece in the manual.....was just lookign to see if there were any other "gotchas" that the manual didn't discuss... sorry should have posted that in my original note.

When I read the manual it just seemed too "straight forward" unlike some of the other stuff in here! I tried the procedure in my garage and it works fine provided that you don't hit the start/stop switch again...that's the piece I'm worried about.

No I didn't do the audio yet....I'm actually going to wait for bavariansoundworks to come out with their stage 1 speaker upgrade and then I'll do it. I'm pretty much settling on their stuff b/c of how plug and play it is. I know someone in my area who did (on another bimmer..x5) and their stuff sounds awesome! What I like best is that they are completely factory integrated. I've been in touch with BSW and I have an open dialogue going on with one of their techs...he's going to call me as soon as their stuff is released. I'll keep you informed!

[pault]

Originally Posted by mole7374

Ok so I'm a little freaked out by going to the car wash and having someone enable the auto park feature by pushing the off button...

Can I assume that the process for going to the car wash is as follows:

Pull up, drive onto ramp, put the car in neutral and then switch off. A message comes up about "the car being in neutral possibly to roll". then from there don't do anything but leave the key in the car?

Yep, you got it. Travel to the car wash alone and exercise self control to prevent yourself from pushing the off button while in the car Or wash it yourself

[mole7374]

Originally Posted by pault

Yep, you got it. Travel to the car wash alone and exercise self control to prevent yourself from pushing the off button while in the car Or wash it yourself

lmao...it's crazy that these cars have gotten to the point where we need to post something on a board over a simple f-n car wash!!

Ok I just got back!!! I took the plunge and went...all's well. Find yourself a good car wash..I happen to live in an area where probably one in every 3 vehicles that goes in is a luxury car....when I started to tell the guy about not pushing it twice he looked at me and said "dude I got it..you aren't the first"!

[Harplayr]

Originally Posted by mole7374

lmao...it's crazy that these cars have gotten to the point where we need to post something on a board over a simple f-n car wash!!

Ok I just got back!!! I took the plunge and went...all's well. Find yourself a good car wash..I happen to live in an area where probably one in every 3 vehicles that goes in is a luxury car....when I started to tell the guy about not pushing it twice he looked at me and said "dude I got it..you aren't the first"!

Great!
I was thinking about attaching a poster with directions to the steering wheel in English, Spanish and pictograms for those that don’t speak either.

But I almost always wash myself except in the winter, and then usually take it to the manual car wash. Rarely do I take it to the automatic wash.

[mole7374]

Originally Posted by Harplayr

Great!
I was thinking about attaching a poster with directions to the steering wheel in English, Spanish and pictograms for those that don’t speak either.

But I almost always wash myself except in the winter, and then usually take it to the manual car wash. Rarely do I take it to the automatic wash.

LMAO..that's funny.

I have an awesome car wash near me...super high end....so I have never once been nervous about the paint etc b/c their stuff is crazy... I see 100+K cars coming out all the time...bently, porsche, ferrari, so my little x3 will be just fine!

I got a pic to upload later

[LEDZEP]

I'm just trying to get my mind around the concept that you guys would take your new BMW through a car wash in the first place. You might as well just let the neighborhood kids rub it with scouring pads and throw sand at it.

I guess I am more accustomed to the E90 section of the forum, where this would be inconceivable.

Hand washing my X3 is certainly a time consuming job (not as much as for my black X5 though), but it is a labor of love. I never take a vehicle through a car wash, or any fund-raiser wash, etc. In the dead of winter when I cannot wash it, I take it to a nearby "touchless" wash that uses only water pressure and no material ever touches the vehicle.

[Want the thrill]

When we built our house I had a drain put in the center of the garage and did our hose hook up with hot and cold water. I wash the car right in the garage in the middle of winter. Works great!

[Want the thrill]

Originally Posted by mole7374

LMAO..that's funny.

I have an awesome car wash near me...super high end....so I have never once been nervous about the paint etc b/c their stuff is crazy... I see 100+K cars coming out all the time...bently, porsche, ferrari, so my little x3 will be just fine!

I got a pic to upload later

Upload some garage pics while you are at it

[Radioactive]

Originally Posted by mole7374

LMAO..that's funny.

I have an awesome car wash near me...super high end....so I have never once been nervous about the paint etc b/c their stuff is crazy... I see 100+K cars coming out all the time...bently, porsche, ferrari, so my little x3 will be just fine!

I got a pic to upload later

Where in North NJ, I lived in Upper Saddle River, then Peapack-Gladstone by Far Hills

BTW ordering BSW speakers for wife's '10 E60.

[Beyu]

I'm pretty sure you're following the right procedure to get the car into the car wash Mole. Although I'm curious why someone else would be driving your X3 into the machine assuming it's the normal car washes that you find at gas stations & Costco.

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Hand washing my X3 is certainly a time consuming job (not as much as for my black X5 though), but it is a labor of love. I never take a vehicle through a car wash, or any fund-raiser wash, etc. In the dead of winter when I cannot wash it, I take it to a nearby "touchless" wash that uses only water pressure and no material ever touches the vehicle.

Not only time consuming but I think there's a general stigma of washing your car yourself in some areas of the country or at least that's the case where I live. I'd prefer to wash cars myself as I can do a much better job than some machine and at a fraction of the cost. However, people in my area view washing your car at home bad unless you do it over grass because they don't like seeing the runoff going into drains and sewers which supposibly flows into lakes & streams messing up salmon and other animal's habitat.

Two weeks ago I tried going to a self serve car wash for the first time and it actually turned out decently but I still prefer doing it at home. The problem is I wanted to wax my car afterwards but wasn't going to do it at the car wash since it'll be out in the open, exposing the car to dirt, pollen, etc so I had to do it at home. While the weather was pretty nice that day I'd imagine on other days it wouldn't be a very good idea to wax or polish a car after driving it 5-10 miles. Plus the self serve cost about $8 and 30-45 mins (brought my own soap and a bucket) verses the $12 at a automatic one and you get to sit in your car.

[whispered]

Originally Posted by mole7374

Ok so I'm a little freaked out by going to the car wash and having someone enable the auto park feature by pushing the off button...

Can I assume that the process for going to the car wash is as follows:

Pull up, drive onto ramp, put the car in neutral and then switch off. A message comes up about "the car being in neutral possibly to roll". then from there don't do anything but leave the key in the car?

The thing is... at least in my car wash, someone has to drive you car up to the machine that rolls your car along a track. Our neutral is a little weird in that you press down but not all the way down. If these minimum-wage people don't do it right, then they won't be in N but in D (or worse, R if they press it all the way up!) The procedure is to put it in N while the engine is one and then turn the engine off but leaving the ignition on. If the person driving your car presses the ignition switch again, thus turning off the ignition, then the car automatically goes into P. Let's just say that I am super not comfortable with anyone else washing my car anymore.

[Beyu]

Forgot to mention but I'm sorta surprised that none of the BMW dealerships here offer either free automatic or hand car wash. One of the MB dealerships here offers free hand car wash and the other automatic. Lexus, Audi, and Porsche all give you little stickers (can't remember if there's microchips in them) that let you use their automatic car wash whenever you like.

Does anyone's local BMW or other brand's dealerships offer free car wash as an incentive to have you buy from them?

[ZipSpeed]

My city banned all car washing on our driveways. That said, all my vehicles go through the touchless washes only.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by Want the thrill

When we built our house I had a drain put in the center of the garage and did our hose hook up with hot and cold water. I wash the car right in the garage in the middle of winter. Works great!

Wise - very wise!! Wish I'd thought of that when ours was being built.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by mole7374

LMAO..that's funny.

I have an awesome car wash near me...super high end....so I have never once been nervous about the paint etc b/c their stuff is crazy... I see 100+K cars coming out all the time...bently, porsche, ferrari, so my little x3 will be just fine!

I got a pic to upload later

Just because someone can afford an expensive car does not mean that they appreciate it or maintain it properly. In fact, I'd bet that in certain areas the inverse is true. For most of us, a $50k+ vehicle is at or near our budget tolerance, and we appreciate that we are able to own them. If money were no object we'd all be driving X5M's instead.

There is no such thing as a finish friendly machine car wash if anything but water/soap touches the paint. Period. The folks driving the black ones will see that immediately.

Not trying to be a snob, really. Just trying to spread the true enthusiasm.

[pault]

I'm going to admit, I do put my X3 through a car wash. Up here in MA we are trusted to drive our owns cars into the car wash, I think I'd not let someone else drive it in.

My previous car was an E90 and it never saw a car wash in all the time I owned it, and that was the difference, I owned the car. The X3 is a lease and for some reason it threw a switch in my brain that its not my car and I am less caring about it. Sorry in advance for all those I upset

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by pault

I'm going to admit, I do put my X3 through a car wash. Up here in MA we are trusted to drive our owns cars into the car wash, I think I'd not let someone else drive it in.

My previous car was an E90 and it never saw a car wash in all the time I owned it, and that was the difference, I owned the car. The X3 is a lease and for some reason it threw a switch in my brain that its not my car and I am less caring about it. Sorry in advance for all those I upset

That makes sense actually. I had two E90's - the second was traded on this X3 after 4 years. None have ever seen a car wash, but I buy them all. If I leased, I think that same switch might be thrown, or at least to some degree... since the residual is guaranteed and paint swirls are expected.

But still, my pride and love for a swirl free finish might overcome.... hard to say.

[Mondolemite]

Originally Posted by mole7374

No I didn't do the audio yet....I'm actually going to wait for bavariansoundworks to come out with their stage 1 speaker upgrade and then I'll do it. I'm pretty much settling on their stuff b/c of how plug and play it is. I know someone in my area who did (on another bimmer..x5) and their stuff sounds awesome! What I like best is that they are completely factory integrated. I've been in touch with BSW and I have an open dialogue going on with one of their techs...he's going to call me as soon as their stuff is released. I'll keep you informed!

Looking forward to the BSW speaker upgrade. Please do let us know when you get it.

[Harplayr]

Originally Posted by Beyu

Forgot to mention but I'm sorta surprised that none of the BMW dealerships here offer either free automatic or hand car wash. One of the MB dealerships here offers free hand car wash and the other automatic. Lexus, Audi, and Porsche all give you little stickers (can't remember if there's microchips in them) that let you use their automatic car wash whenever you like.

Does anyone's local BMW or other brand's dealerships offer free car wash as an incentive to have you buy from them?

My dealer has free washes on Saturday, but it is not a touchless machine and they use a squeegee type thing to dry the car. I'm afraid of using their service.

For some reason I actually enjoy washing the car by hand.
I don't get the same satisfaction cleaning my bathroom...wonder why?