Washing LC 500
, but if it were me - NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS!!!!!
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Definitely not, Lexus built a car that can’t be machine washed. LOL
Of course you can. Absurd to even ask. The roof is no more/less prone to automated a car wash issues than any other body panel.
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 508
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From: MA
Timbo is correct. An automatic car wash will not typically harm any car. However, there are a couple of things to note... Make sure your local car wash has enough clearance for the lower front valance. This shouldn't be an issue with the LC. The other thing you may or may not care about, depending on how particular you are with your paint finish, is whether the wash has older-style brushes. Most modern car washes are "brushless". Brushes could leave swirl marks in the finish, which can be easily buffed out if you're the type of person that's bothered by that sort of thing. If you're extremely detail-oriented, like many owners of specialty vehicles are, then hand-washing with your preferred choice of soaps and wash-mitts, etc., will provide best results.
Read this post from another thread:
I also just bought a new LC 500 and have an issue with squeaky brakes. It started at about 3200 miles. Lexus of Newport Beach, CA gave me some bull**** story about driving hard and high performance brakes
"do make noise". They referred me to the website for Lexus under LC 500 performance saying how they make noise and squeal. Gave me a print out and basically said good luck and FU! I could not believe this was coming from Lexus. I was standing in their dealership and they told me to call Lexus! This is my 3rd Lexus. The 400 coupe, the sc430 convertible and now the LC 500. Over 20+ years driving a Lexus.
I bought the car and about a month later took it to get it washed at the dealership. I did not want anyone else touching my new car. After the wash the valet guy tells me that I should request the car be hand washed and not run it through the machine with "Bristles". I could not believe it. How else would you wash a $100,000.00+ car? He showed me how the car now had spider web scratches. I took it home and took a closer look. The entire car was scratched. I called the dealership and they said to bring it back in and they would take care of it. "Should buff right out". When I got the car back, it looked great. Only problem was that about a month later I saw all the scratches again. I was at a parking lot late at night. I had just come out of the store and was walking towards my car when I noticed all the scratches. They were like spider webs. Car was parked under the parking lot lights and they were very visible. I had the car washed by hand at least twice since I had taken it in to get it buffed out. I had been using the same car place for 12+ years with no problems on my BLACK sc430. Dealership tells me this common in dark cars. I have the mica Blue. Took it back in and they detailed it again. A month later had the same problem. Now I am very frustrated and they tell me they will take extra care of the car this time. It has now been almost a month and I have not washed the car. It is very dirty and I can see the spider webs ( barley because of the dirt). About a few weeks after I complained about the car wash they closed down the car wash for about 3 weeks to "Upgrade" it. What a freaking coincidence!. I will be taking the car there tomorrow to have it washed with extra care per the CS person. He has been very understanding but I don't get results! I have a brand new $100K+ car that I can't look at in the sun or under the correct lighting at night and every time I bring the car to a stop it makes noise. I don't know what to do. They washed their hands as far as the breaks and tell me that it was most likely my car place that scratched it. They also told me in an e-mail that I was "Demanding"
I don't know what to do. Any advise?
Thank you.
Dan
"do make noise". They referred me to the website for Lexus under LC 500 performance saying how they make noise and squeal. Gave me a print out and basically said good luck and FU! I could not believe this was coming from Lexus. I was standing in their dealership and they told me to call Lexus! This is my 3rd Lexus. The 400 coupe, the sc430 convertible and now the LC 500. Over 20+ years driving a Lexus.
I bought the car and about a month later took it to get it washed at the dealership. I did not want anyone else touching my new car. After the wash the valet guy tells me that I should request the car be hand washed and not run it through the machine with "Bristles". I could not believe it. How else would you wash a $100,000.00+ car? He showed me how the car now had spider web scratches. I took it home and took a closer look. The entire car was scratched. I called the dealership and they said to bring it back in and they would take care of it. "Should buff right out". When I got the car back, it looked great. Only problem was that about a month later I saw all the scratches again. I was at a parking lot late at night. I had just come out of the store and was walking towards my car when I noticed all the scratches. They were like spider webs. Car was parked under the parking lot lights and they were very visible. I had the car washed by hand at least twice since I had taken it in to get it buffed out. I had been using the same car place for 12+ years with no problems on my BLACK sc430. Dealership tells me this common in dark cars. I have the mica Blue. Took it back in and they detailed it again. A month later had the same problem. Now I am very frustrated and they tell me they will take extra care of the car this time. It has now been almost a month and I have not washed the car. It is very dirty and I can see the spider webs ( barley because of the dirt). About a few weeks after I complained about the car wash they closed down the car wash for about 3 weeks to "Upgrade" it. What a freaking coincidence!. I will be taking the car there tomorrow to have it washed with extra care per the CS person. He has been very understanding but I don't get results! I have a brand new $100K+ car that I can't look at in the sun or under the correct lighting at night and every time I bring the car to a stop it makes noise. I don't know what to do. They washed their hands as far as the breaks and tell me that it was most likely my car place that scratched it. They also told me in an e-mail that I was "Demanding"
I don't know what to do. Any advise?
Thank you.
Dan
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Driver
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 61
Likes: 7
From: TEXAS
In my experience every car gets swirl marks whether it’s washed by hand or in an automatic car wash. Washing by hand using the two bucket method does help minimize swirl marks but they’re almost impossible to avoid. The only 100% way to prevent swirl marks is to have the car professionally paint-corrected by a reputable detail shop (not the dealer) and then have every painted surface covered with clear paint protection film...VERY expensive. But even with that I believe the film does get swirl marks, leaving the paint flawless underneath. I had a Obsidian Black GS new from the dealer and only used a hand wash company here in town for the first couple of years...but it always got swirl marks. I finally said screw it and took it to the automatic car washes from that point on. I now take my LS to the automatic places and don’t think twice.Edit: I’m sure OP spent a decent amount for the carbon fiber roof upgrade. I can’t speak to the durability of its surface vs traditional painted surfaces, you might want to confirm with a reputable detail shop if CF requires special care above a normal painted clear coat panel.
Last edited by texaslocal; Jan 11, 2018 at 02:24 PM.
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 508
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From: MA
In my experience every car gets swirl marks whether it’s washed by hand or in an automatic car wash. Washing by hand using the two bucket method does help minimize swirl marks but they’re almost impossible to avoid. The only 100% way to prevent swirl marks is to have the car professionally paint-corrected by a reputable detail shop (not the dealer) and then have every painted surface covered with clear paint protection film...VERY expensive. But even with that I believe the film does get swirl marks, leaving the paint flawless underneath. I had a Obsidian Black GS new from the dealer and only used a hand wash company here in town for the first couple of years...but it always got swirl marks. I finally said screw it and took it to the automatic car washes from that point on. I now take my LS to the automatic places and don’t think twice.
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Joined: May 2017
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From: MA
BTW - for those that haven't looked at it closely, the roof isn't raw, exposed carbon (like the inside of the doors/trunk). It's covered in a thick clear coating. It's as smooth as glass, but I suspect it probably isn't glass (due to the weight of glass). I'm guessing it's some sort of acrylic or epoxy, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's probably better-protected than the painted surfaces, given the apparent thickness of whatever it is.
Go through the brush wash, those brushes have a bit more "bite" and do a better job of cleaning the surface than the typical touchless ones. It makes those dark blue and black paints really "pop".
Driver
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 61
Likes: 7
From: TEXAS
I’ve actually heard that the touchless ones can be harder on paint than brush washes because of the harsher chemicals that have to be used to get dirt off.
Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 147
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From: ®
I use a foam gun followed by a hand wash with two buckets. My car has ceramic coating, though, so hand wash is not always necessary and I'll make do with only foam and a hosing down. Would never go to a soft touch car wash...
Yup, those touchless ones will eventually streak and spot your car especially if you get the extra "wax" service. It's basically wax dripping on your paint and glass from above and not really being removed all the way. Do that often enough and you will get streaks that you can't just rub off with a terry cloth, would require a "high speed" buff to get the shine back.