sean1.8t

I have an unlimited monthly pass ($25) to a full service place that's local to me. They aren't bad if you do your due diligence on their equipment. If their guide track is in good condition and they use quality materials that contact your car, then you shouldn't worry. I'm washing this thing 2-3 times a week and don't have a worry at all about it.

sportflyer10

On the rare occasion I have to use the drive through car wash (the felt cloth type) , how do I prevent the car from switching into park from neutral and to prevent the trunk from accidentally opening ( can it really ? ). No issues with my other car because that car does not have hands free feature .The car washes here require that I sit in the car while it goes through the wash .

Mikey53

Why would the car shift into park from neutral? Assuming you leave the motor running and don't open the door.

Here's what I do before entering: fold mirrors in, transmission in neutral, windshield wipers off, parking sensors off, hands off steering wheel, foot off brake.

Unless your keys are in the very near proximity of the trunk, I don't think it's going to open accidently.

sean1.8t

Luckily I've never left the wipers on "auto", I can't imagine what would happen to them would be good. But I have left the keys in my pocket and walked away. I was afraid it would turn off mid cycle but luckily it wasn't a problem. I just gave the keys to the attendant at the end of the line and he pulled it out to the drying station. Admittedly, I've done this 2/3 times now haha.

I asked them about the neutral to park door opening safety feature. They said that they are very aware of this on the newer models with non mechanical shifters. To avoid this issue, they open the door THEN shift into neutral.

sportflyer10

In my case, I will always be in the car with the keyless fob in my pocket ( to be safe I should put the fob in the ash try location so I don't accidentally press any button )So if I follow Mikey53's method I should be good to go?

sean1.8t

I don't get the trunk opening part. Has that happened to someone? I can't imagine it would. It usually takes me 2-3 tries to get it to open when I'm actually trying to open it (I always forget to hold the buttons down) on purpose.

But yes, you'll be good to go when following Mikey's advice.

JzW205

My W205 was originally Black and then I got the car vinyl wrapped. Before it was wrapped I used lots of Polishes and Waxes to make sure that I don't get any swirls. The best product I would go with is Adam's Polishes I have purchased their wheel polishes, car waxes and polishes, and bunch of other products. Don't trust the dealer washing your car because they do NOT wash their brushes and their "towels." Normally you're supposed to be using microfiber towels for the protection of the paint and always use CLEAN microfibers. Once it gets dirty to be honest it is hard to clean a microfiber unless you get the special detergent.

On the other hand, I had a situation where they scratched my bumper with their dirty brush they use at the dealers wash. I had them replace the whole bumper at no cost. I had to be a jerk about it but I wouldn't be satisfied with a scratched up bumper. No one would.

Get Adam's Polishes, you won't be disappointed. (http://adamspolishes.com./)

sportflyer10

I think I read somewhere accidental trunk opening happened not only with MB but BMWs going thru auto car wash as well. Anyway there is a warning on page 335 and 336 in the manual on this issue.

I also read several articles about how new handsfree and other electronic features are giving auto car wash operators headaches because different brands have different quirks. Best is to have all cars implement a car wash feature. I think a simple sw change can fix this .

sean1.8t

But why and how would the trunk open? Or how would the button get pushed? That makes zero sense to me.

Mikey53

A software fix so you can use a car wash? Really?

Society is doomed

sportflyer10

Mikey53 , why not a simple button or combo of existing buttons to put the car into the state you posted above ?

BTW check this out : http://www.autogreenwash.com/

Mikey53

I already have 2 of those.

MDSkiBum

If you have the hands-free access package, where you can just kick under the trunk to open it, that could be a problem. For example if a car wash has a person outside with a pressure washer to spray the wheels, rocker panels, etc, and they wave it under the trunk while spraying, then the trunk could open. Or, some auto car washes have moving spray guns to spray the undercarriage. That could conceivably be interpreted by the car as a "kick" motion.

Mikey53

Only if you give them the key (which the OP said was in his pocket).

MDSkiBum

I might have missed some context, but I thought the trunk comments were in reply to these:

Anyway, given that sportflyer10 said his car does not have hands-free (sorry, I missed that), the only other way I could think the trunk could open would be for spray to hit the trunk open button on the underside of the trunk lip with enough force to press the button for a long enough time for it to open. Sounds like a real long shot to me, but if that's the case then locking the car while going through the car wash should prevent it from happening.

sportflyer10

MDSkiBum, I do have hands free in the C300 , the car that does not have hands free feature is my other car which is a Ford C-max.

happysman

it is free???!! I like an automatic car wash , it is there?

pjw1967

I have now graduated to the dealer car wash. 16 miles r/t so $2.75 in gas. But they wipe it down whiie I am inside having a danish, oj, and an ice cream bar. So it's a wash costwise (every bit of a pun intended). Now if they only had an exercise room....nah....