Brn2fish

In my old Lexus, I am leaving car keys in the ignition when I am taking it to the car wash.

How do you guys handling those smart keys in new models? Leaving inside the car or keeping with you? Does car wash personnel knows how to handle those?

oldcajun

I leave mine in the cup holder. Yes the car wash guys see thousands of these cars so they know how to start them.
Steve

Dave Mac

I agree, the only option is to leave them in the car - cup holder, console bin or whatever. I actually try to make mine a little hard to locate - like the change holder to the left of the steering wheel - because it concerns me a little when they either try to place the smart key on the windshield or somewhere away from the car. And even if the car is running when I get in it I will often turn it off and restart it to make sure they have returned the correct smart key to me. Hiding it a bit makes it less likely they it will get dropped or lost and if the car starts for them they don't look much beyond the cup holder for the key.

I remember when smart keys came into play maybe 10 years ago already there was a lot of concern and instructions about how to deal with car washes but they became commonplace pretty quickly. I remember the first few times with a BMW smart key the car wash guys would sit in the car all the way through the car wash - I think with the car running. Seems funny now.

Dave Mac

Eolafan

I also leave my smart key inside one of the cup holders. For the first few times I took her for a wash I forgot to leave my key in the car and the attendant had to come after me. Since I only go to my Lexus dealer for their complimentary wash (they do a great job), I never have a problem with the attendants knowing how to start the car.

SW17LS

I have always just left my keys in the passenger seat, no issues.

Brn2fish

Thanks, guys!
Got the idea.
Just in case if my current Lexus free car washes will expire with the old car. If not, I am safe for another 130 times

wdlugitch

I do not trust car washes. I wash it, and the dealer washes it after service.

SW17LS

If you don't trust car washes you certainly should not trust the dealer to wash it. I've had FAR, FAR more damage done to my car by one simple wash from the dealer than I ever have my high quality carwash I use.

bc6152

So I don't trust dealer car washes OR commercial car washes. My car hasn't been to either in almost 4 years.
Most commercial car wash places have a bunch of idiots working for them who look for loose change while drying your car and do a poor job at it. Most but not all. My buddy had his Corvette run into a fence by one of these clowns.

lesz

In other past threads, there have been a number of people who have reported that Lexus dealers, when washing their cars, have been less than careful in doing so and that they have gotten their cars back with (usually minor) damage to the finish.

I know that, for me, my cars are only washed by me by hand. It has been decades since one of my vehicles has been to a car wash, and, when I visit a dealer, I ask that they not wash the car.

SW17LS

I don't love commercial carwashes either, but quite frankly at this stage in my life with my work responsibilities and schedule coupled with having two young kids, free time is at a minimum and I just don't have time to hand wash my cars regularly. Hell, I only have time to run the van through the carwash every month or so.

The only way to get my car washed once a week is to run it through the carwash. I found a really good one, high quality equipment, uses lots of lubricating soap, they use all microfiber towels to dry and its kept damage and swirling to a minimum.

Brn2fish

I am sure that anyone have own reasons to prefer one car was over another.

I was lucky damagewise with either. But one thing that they have in common - towels are not very clean when they wiping windshield from inside. I always have to correct this with my paper towels to remove stains that becoming visible in cool weather conditions. Other than that I am OK with dealer wash. I can have the opportunity to check different models up close, chat with salespeople, say hello to my favorite service advisor, etc.

Mike728

I try to wash mine by hand, always, but I did just take my ES to a touchless wash. I haven't had time to wash by hand and the salt build-up was getting ugly! I feel pretty safe taking it to these places as a last resort.

As far as telling the dealer not to wash it, I asked them at my 10k not to, but they did anyways. The car was spotless when I brought it in. It looked like crap after they washed it. All they said was "sorry".

wdlugitch

The dealer inspects it before service, and I inspect it after service. I have owned Lexus since 1990, and never experience a problem.

SW17LS

You've been very fortunate lol. Just search for "dealer wash" here, and google "dealer wash" and see. Very common problem, and when I was detailing cars back years ago I would do at least 2 a week that had been destroyed by a simple dealer wash. I myself have had three different Lexus dealers horribly swirled and scratched up by dealer washes at three separate Lexus dealers.