Automatic car wash -- stock antenna / roof damage?

[888Mustang]

I'm going to join our local automatic car wash club with rolling brushes. I saw on here or another forum that someone with the stock antenna got roof damage over 1k from a automatic car wash.. I replaced my antenna with the 2 inch stubby. Anybody have any issues with the stubby? Thanks!
Have to add I live in upstate NY so can't hand wash in the winter and I need a automatic car wash to wash off salt.

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[Gullzway]

 

[paneubert]

Do you want to focus only on the antenna, or are you willing to have people tell you how bad the rolling brushes/octopus arm fabric curtains, any other "physically touching your vehicle" carwashes can be for your paint?

Spoiler Alert: They rarely replace or clean those brushes and fabric arms, since they are extremely expensive. And as designed, they can grab dirt, grit, sand, small rocks, etc... and then scrape them across every subsequent vehicle, putting thousands of micro-scratches and swirls into your clear coat, and sometimes even worse, actual paint. Good luck getting them to admit to that and paying for any paint correction. Virtually impossible to prove it was "them" that did it if it happens.

 

[Superg0]

If the roller caused $1000 in damage it wasn't from the antenna design, it was from a bad roller. Regardless of how long the antenna is the roller shouldn't damage the roof.

 

[Eggflipper]

Just my opinion, but I only do the touchless.

 

[Jah.]

Only hand washed my truck and other vehicles . At least I don't need a step ladder to wash roof of the maverick like with F150 I had .

 

[Meeka]

Just my opinion, but I only do the touchless.

Same as me, unless I wash by hand.

 

[SLingbarT]

I'm going to join our local automatic car wash club with rolling brushes. I saw on here or another forum that someone with the stock antenna got roof damage over 1k from a automatic car wash.. I replaced my antenna with the 2 inch stubby. Anybody have any issues with the stubby? Thanks!

Had my Mav Professionally Ceramic Coated and never used a car wash. I use Maguire's waterless car wash and microfiber towels, spray on wipe off, it's that easy, takes 10 minutes.

 

[Bob The Builder]

Stay away from those kind of car washes unless you just don't care about the paint. These type of car washes are brutal on the paint. You asked.

BUT, it's your truck. Knock yourself out.

 

[Joe Strummer]

Brush carwashes would even scratch a Cyber Truck.

 

[fossil]

Brush carwashes would even scratch a Cyber Truck.

the sharp edges on the cyber truck would shred those brushes

 

[Gamma500]

These vehicles come with a minimal depth of clear coat. Don’t waste it at a car wash. Hand wash only. If the time and effort of hand washing isn’t realistic try one of those coin operated pressure wash places and chamois it dry yourself.

Last resort would be touchless car wash only because of that crappy liquid chemical wax it bombards you with before the blow dryer.

 

[bbhaag]

It's fine bro. It's not going to damage your antennae or roof. It will not swirl the crap out of your clear coat or damage your paint. These guy's fears are based on internet nerd stuff.

 

[Kingfish]

I'm far from an expert, so I can only speak from personal experience.

I put my 22 Mav through the brush-style car wash with the original antenna. No damage to it and nothing noticeable on the paint (I looked closely after reading the horror stories).

Same result with my 24 Mav so far.

I had a 2012 Fusion that went through the same style car wash monthly for 10 years. I never inspected that paint closely, but you sure couldn't tell from casual observance.

It's possible I've just been super lucky. But from my experience I'd say wash it how you wanna wash it.

 

[paneubert]

It's fine bro. It's not going to damage your antennae or roof. It will not swirl the crap out of your clear coat or damage your paint. These guy's fears are based on internet nerd stuff.

Or...you know....it actually happening to me on multiple vehicles. From multiple different car washes over the years.

Not all of us just parrot what we have read on the internet.

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