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Anyone have experience of using a drive-thru car wash with a roof-rack and cycle rack attached?
I’ve kind of permanently attached mine and it overhangs the windscreen by a few inches. I don’t want the wash roller to snag on this and pull the top of my car off as it’ll be cold driving around.
I see no good coming from that
Colleague's sister went Xmas shopping including a tree. Tree strapped to roof bars. Forgot tree on roof, and went in an car wash. The outcome was as hilarious as might be expected. Half the tree was in the rollers. The other half was forced through the rear windscreen into the car. 🤦
Edit.. Go for it! What's the worst that could happen?
Hmm yes. Suspicions confirmed. Thank you. It can wait until the summer.
I’ve no experience, but must admit to being very interested In the outcome should you do it.
I suspect a lot of ripping/tearing noises and of metal being mashed together.
But then, this glorious brexit Britain wasn’t built on caution and foresight - bravery! Passion! Forward!
Anyone have experience of using a drive-thru car wash with a roof-rack and cycle rack attached?
Yes I have. You know one of those moments where you read the warning sign and then think 'What's the worst that can happen?'...
It was a very expensive mistake!
The auto sensing brushes detected the rack correctly when coming up over the windscreen then they went down over the boot. When they came back up they didn't see the ends of the two Thule racks and engaged them. This lifted and pushed the whole roofrack forward and as on the Mark IV Golf the rack bolts to the sills, it pivoted on the bolts and pressed the front feet into the roof. At this point I started the engine and forced my way out the wash.
The roofrack was 100% ok, the car roof was not. The roof looked find with the rack on, but without it you could see four large dents in the roof where the footpacks went...
I did investigate getting the dents pushed out, but they were right by the sills and basically unfixable.
But then, this glorious brexit Britain wasn’t built on caution and foresight – bravery! Passion! Forward!
For the love of GOD do you lot HAVE to drag a political dig into every sodding thread ?
"oh i made cake..."
"yeah but the government ....."
"i bought a new ladder..."
"boris would have......"
FFS give it a rest please !
I kind of assumed there would be a kind of proximity sensor as they have to deal with all shapes of car. But then all modern cars are the same. And it probably won’t see the thin rack.
But then, this glorious brexit Britain wasn’t built on caution and foresight – bravery! Passion! Forward!
Very true!
Can't you just use one of those hand wash places staffed by east European forced labour?
Can’t you just use one of those hand wash places staffed by east European forced labour?
Yes, there’s always a massive queue though. I’m both lazy and impatient. Although, last time I used one the chaps were from Eritrea. They were most impressed that I’d even heard of it.
agree with most, interested in the youtube of this.
(also agree weeksy, the perma-disaster-fappers are making this place unreadable - which reminds me i need to scroll back and find out what happened to your AEther7)
agree with most, interested in the youtube of this.
If anyone finds any YouTube videos of this, please post up here. I, too, am impatient and lazy (not a good combination!) and never bother taking my tow bar mounted rack off....
My car is filthy but there are only drive thru car washes were I live (the nearest wand wash that I know of is about 50km away from me)
I say go for it.
Don't forget to set up a couple of cameras to record the event for future viewing.
Many years ago we took the team car with 6 bikes on the roof to a jetwash on the way back from a race (the bikes were very, very muddy).
We only had one 50p (it was that long ago) which meant the bikes came up fairly clean, however the car looked like it had been towed out of a swamp as the wash cut off...
Managed to squidge a slot in the windscreen to see through and drove home ignoring the stares of strangers.
OP, perhaps leaving bikes on the roofrack would trigger the sensors sufficiently? 2 birds one stone and all that? How valuable are your bikes?
We only had one 50p (it was that long ago) which meant the bikes came up fairly clean, however the car looked like it had been towed out of a swamp as the wash cut off…
Managed to squidge a slot in the windscreen to see through and drove home ignoring the stares of strangers.
Hahaha, a way of life right there! Squeaky clean expensive bikes sat atop a shitbox.
I had to wash it myself. Only doing it as I might have to ferry family around over Christmas and want to spare their shame. I don't give a toss personally. It was pretty grim, Took multiple passes.
What's wrong with a bucket and sponge ?
LOL at Nanny, I always like to think "What would Boris do?"
APF
Two bucket system for a bike rack.
Wouldn’t you just use a jet wash machine and do the bike at the same time?
Dont do it.
As an aside STW is populated with an extremely high proportion of people whos major personality trait is seemingly making everything to do with politics. Live a little!
Bit longer/more money, but surely it’s worth getting it hand-washed or doing it yourself…?
But then, this glorious brexit Britain wasn’t built on caution and foresight – bravery! Passion! Forward!
😆
So people actually use drive through car washes? The scratching to the paint work is not worth saving 45 minutes with two buckets and some wash mitts.
I must admit, I've looked at drive-in car washes a few times with my racks on and thought... "what's the worst that can happen" well, now I know.
It's good to learn from the mistakes of others.
I've been through countless car washes with a Thule rack and bike mount on it. Was fine.
The scratching to the paint work is not worth saving 45 minutes with two buckets and some wash mitts.
It totally is.
It’s good to learn from the mistakes of others.
I believe this is the pinnacle of evolution and collective knowledge. It's all downhill from here on in.
I’ve been through countless car washes with a Thule rack and bike mount on it. Was fine.
Were you not absolutely bricking it the first time? Chapeau sir!
OP, sounds like the results may be a bit like my pal who drove the family car into a restricted height barrier with the bikes on teh top. Rack was fine, front wheels a bit damaged, but the roof of the car was “like a can of sardines that had been attacked by a big can opener”. Ouch!
(On another note, I’m chuffed to have written something controversial and annoying, i think maybe for the first time that i can remember! Ooh, the frisson of excitement is quite energising. I may head for an argumalympian thread and have at it now 😬 - but seriously, apologies if my ‘humour’ offended anyone, i thought it was quite funny🤦♂️)
As an aside STW is populated with an extremely high proportion of people whos major personality trait is seemingly making everything to do with politics. Live a little!
AKA weeksy voted leave but doesn't like to be reminded
I wouldn't try it. It might be fine but if it isn't and causes any damage to the rollers you could be liable.
I kind of assumed there would be a kind of proximity sensor as they have to deal with all shapes of car. But then all modern cars are the same. And it probably won’t see the thin rack.
The local IMO doesn't like my car at all. It's only a normal Fabia hatch but it gets incredibly confused by the towball on the back, jerking around for a bit before deciding to not bother washing the back of the car at all with the rollers. The first time I used it the operator though it was broken and hit the Emergency Stop button, the second time they again crapped themselves and after the third time they just gave me my money back and directed me to the jetwash the other side of the yard 🤣