Well known you can get a free car wash at a lexus dealership. Would you take a brand new lexus or a used lexus to get a car wash at the dealer?

I have a ultra white is350. Is there any affect on the new paint? I live in the Chicago area and its pretty cool out now. 45 degrees and will get colder.

 

Dealer washes kinda suck usually. I am always using QD after the dealer washes to clean up their missed areas. Also, the IS leaks water like crazy after a wash. Too many creases where water hides.

 

I always avoid dealer car washes when possible.

Most times they just drive it through the wash tunnel, the vehicle sits and gets pounded by all of the dirty brushes, a quick machine blow dry as they exit the tunnel and boom the car sits in the sun with all the water spots.

That and your wheels get all of these scratches on the inside of wheel from hitting the metal rails.

So unless they hand wash, definitely avoid.

 

Hand wash only.

The dealership's car wash brushes will scratch your paint. Wouldn't take it to the dealership, old or new.

 

Good point. At my dealership, you have to state that you want a hand wash only but they still do a bad job.

 

I have had a great relationship with the service dept. staff at my local dealer for around 10years. I have always been able to get a free wash. After they improved the entire wash system I started using it maybe once per month, between hand washes. I always wipe out all the door jams and finish drying it before I leave. Considering that they wash all cars for prep and delivery I'm fine with it on an occasional basis.

 

I think not washing at all is better than using automatic brush type washes....swirl marks!

 

How about the touchless carwash that uses high pressure water? cant see it scratching the car.

Also the owners manual says the car comes with self healing clear coat for little scratches from the factory.
i dunno how true this part is though.

 

Touchless car wash rely on strong chemicals, can't be good for your clear coat, plastics, and rubbers in the long run.

 

Never, ever get car wash from dealers. I would rather wipe my own car down every 2 weeks.....
The dealer washes kill your paint.

 

don't be lazy and do it yourself. it'll take much longer to fix a bad wash job than it is to do it properly in the first place.

 

I never get a dealer car wash. I don't even have to tell my service advisor anymore (even though I still do).

 

Looks like I wont be using the dealer car wash

 

Never do it! Check out the auto detailing forum so tips on washing your car. There's a thread on "the real cost of a dealer wash". The machine scratched up a car!

 

This depends if you are a detail fanatic. As a semi-OCD clean freak, swirls bug the living hell out of me so I never let the dealer wash. I've tried convincing friends that, but they don't care as long as it's "clean". This is why you see so many people wiping dry their vehicles with dirtyrags and using the scrubbing brushes at self-serve washes.

Dark colors are especially vulnerable because the clear coat scratches are so easy to see against the paint. Also, one of reasons I own a white IS. I remember looking at some PDI procedures at the dealership before and even they don't wipe dry black cars before delivery for this reason.

Here is an example from the NX thread of what happens at a typical dealer wash: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/nx-...ml#post9247457