Soft top and car washes with brushes - any damage?

[Joe_G]

Curious if anyone with a soft top uses a car wash that pulls the car through and uses brushes and high pressure rinse…any leaks or problems? Thanks in advance.

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[JT1]

Curious if anyone with a soft top uses a car wash that pulls the car through and uses brushes and high pressure rinse…any leaks or problems? Thanks in advance.

Your back window isn't as exposed to brush damage like the wranglers are, but if the car wash has a back window brush, it will scratch your window. Mine doesn't fit in the roll through tunnels anymore, but I would avoid them all. They don't do a great job.

 

[abe57]

I take mine once in a while { I mostly hand wash mine } to a Crew car wash with no problems . Just be prepared for the noise it will sound like it's going to rip the top off . Scared the shit out of me the first time. And I have seen many a jeep go though this car wash with soft/hard tops .

 

[BAT]

I avoid them and just wash mine by hand. I had a friend who said the car washes screwed up her top so I don't use them

 

[sharpsicle]

I avoid them and just wash mine by hand. I had a friend who said the car washes screwed up her top so I don't use them

Screwed up how? Were there already some previous issues or damage? These tops they use now usually don't go bad in a car wash unless there's some other underlying issue that it exacerbates.

 

[Labswine]

I have the SunRunner top on mine from mid spring to mid autumn and have had zero issues going through a car wash with it.

 

[Joe_G]

Great advice here folks. I’m looking to buy a soft top for the summer months. I’m a ragtop kinda guy. Have been for decades. ?

 

[Jobofly]

Curious if anyone with a soft top uses a car wash that pulls the car through and uses brushes and high pressure rinse…any leaks or problems? Thanks in advance.

I go through a car was 2-3 times a month. No issues with scratches or damage to the top. Water does squirt in a little where the soft top meets the top of the door but only a few drops.

 

[Phishs]

Curious if anyone with a soft top uses a car wash that pulls the car through and uses brushes and high pressure rinse…any leaks or problems? Thanks in advance.

I have used one about once a week for two years with no issues. The modern ones are a lot better than the old ones used to be.

 

[Joe_G]

I have used one about once a week for two years with no issues. The modern ones are a lot better than the old ones used to be.

Thanks!

This is what I was hoping by to hear. I wash about every other week or so. Where I live washing by hand in the winter is no bueno.

Now I have to locate a soft top. Can get from Jeep at a discounted price from a local dealer but I’d prefer the premium if I can get it. Shipping is expensive except from my local discount dealer.

 

[Alfonz]

I have only gone through once since I put on my sunrider. I had a few drops come in my passenger side, but it didn't happen until the high pressure blow job.

 

[Silverator]

Haha! My son would slap me if I ran the new Gladiator thru a car wash. lol. Foam cannon only here. At least until the desert pin stripes settle in....

 

[AyeCantSeeYou]

I've been running mine thru a car wash since I bought it. No problems at all. An occasional water drop or two at the top of the door where the soft top meets the frame, but nothing to complain about.

 

[BAT]

Screwed up how? Were there already some previous issues or damage? These tops they use now usually don't go bad in a car wash unless there's some other underlying issue that it exacerbates.

I asked her and she mentioned that the stuff in the car wash messed up the tops protectiveness and she had to eventually get a new top. She doesn't have a gladiator but a Sahara so maybe the tops on those are different

 

[Fungi3]

Curious if anyone with a soft top uses a car wash that pulls the car through and uses brushes and high pressure rinse…any leaks or problems? Thanks in advance.

I choose to never use a car wash with my Gladiator at all.

1. Twill (Mopar Premium) soft top and the regular vinyl soft top do not like soap or hot water. It pulls out the water resistant treatments within the fabric, and it destroys the dyes used to color them.

2. It also wears down the fabric fibers themselves.

3. It does the same thing to soft tonneau covers.

4. It causes scratches in your rear plastic windows, not just from the brushes. The hot dirty water plus the harsh waxes cause major problems for the plastic window. Together, these also cause fogging of the plastic.

5. It causes wrinkles in the tops and tonneaus and puts them out of shape.

6. It doesn't do these things all at once, but the breakdown begins to occur pretty fast.

7. The liquid waxes used in car washes also break down soft tops and tonneau covers. They aren't good for them at all. It warns you of this on most wax containers.

8. Realize that most car washes use hot water that is recycled over and over, so dirty water is being blasted onto the surfaces of your vehicle. It's not good for any outside surface of your vehicle, including covers, tops, paint clear coat, etc. Even ceramic coatings will break down quicker.

Additional - It really doesn't take long at all to wash your vehicle yourself. Takes me 20-30 min.I I do realize not everyone has access to an outside hose and water source. I apologize to those in this boat. BTW, all my comments pertain to boat tops, fabric boat covers, and all convertibles too.

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