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Old Apr 9, 2020 | 12:37 PM
  #16  
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Hell, I have a mobile detailer that comes to my house, inside and out, $45. Why would I even try an automatic? And I ain’t telling where he lives either! LOL
 
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Old Apr 9, 2020 | 10:35 PM
  #17  
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I use a local drive through car wash regularly. I’m told that it will handle DRWs without issue, as well.
if I’m near a Blue Beacon truck wash, and they don’t have a huge back of semis, i let them have at it. They do a great job for ~$20.

i'm a satisfied customer!

 
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Old Apr 10, 2020 | 08:06 AM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by jackjude24
Does the new superduty clear a toucheless car wash with a 7,3 clearance height?
I will STRONGLY advise you to NOT trust what you hear, but what you see...I have pulled in to places that had signs 7'3" and my truck barely go under the sign and its stock, but as I headed up the ramps to find a parking spot I saw one that just looked a bit lower and it was, thank goodness I checked by putting my hand up and it would not clear, so backing down a ramp in a parking garage full with a CC, LB truck is not easy.

Another guy with a new '17 few years back peeled his roof in a parking garage that he got under the sign at the entrance and had make it half way up before he hit an overhead rib of concrete. He had the Moon roof and IIRC I think it was almost $13k to repair.

There is a building in downtown Houston I got to on business and the sign lets me me in but the first rib I came to on the up ramp I checked and could not get under it. I check by by making a fist and putting it on top of my cab as I slowly go in, if my fist hits I stop and the is about + 4 in over the roof. CAUTION. If it is a parking garage and a ramp had a concrete rib at the up ramp entrance, due to the length of the CC you may get into it, but get caught above the back seat area if the ramp is steep!

KNOW your exact height + 1 in over your cab over lights or add 2 in if you don't, minimum.
 
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Old Apr 10, 2020 | 09:11 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by 17 Oaks
I will STRONGLY advise you to NOT trust what you hear, but what you see...I have pulled in to places that had signs 7'3" and my truck barely go under the sign and its stock, but as I headed up the ramps to find a parking spot I saw one that just looked a bit lower and it was, thank goodness I checked by putting my hand up and it would not clear, so backing down a ramp in a parking garage full with a CC, LB truck is not easy.

Another guy with a new '17 few years back peeled his roof in a parking garage that he got under the sign at the entrance and had make it half way up before he hit an overhead rib of concrete. He had the Moon roof and IIRC I think it was almost $13k to repair.

There is a building in downtown Houston I got to on business and the sign lets me me in but the first rib I came to on the up ramp I checked and could not get under it. I check by by making a fist and putting it on top of my cab as I slowly go in, if my fist hits I stop and the is about + 4 in over the roof. CAUTION. If it is a parking garage and a ramp had a concrete rib at the up ramp entrance, due to the length of the CC you may get into it, but get caught above the back seat area if the ramp is steep!

KNOW your exact height + 1 in over your cab over lights or add 2 in if you don't, minimum.
Believe me, I got as much info as I could before I tried that touchless. As far as parking garages go, i know that all too well. We just got done building a mall in CT. I couldn't believe how low some parking garages were. Ours was at 7'2 if I recall. Big space as the ramps went up helped a lot. Then I went to Plano, TX for a couple months. Those are some high ceiling parking garages. A good contractor will fudge and add inches to the height shown. I.e, Bang bar shows 7', lowest point is actually 7'3. Saves hassle down the road.
 
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Old Apr 10, 2020 | 09:22 AM
  #20  
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The 2020 trucks are not as tall and will fit nicely. My 18 truck fit perfectly , never a problem. The big issue for all truck owners - they are no fun to wash and hard to dry before the water spots the finish. The mobile detailer is the best idea yet. If you got hard water this can be a problem.
 
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Old Apr 10, 2020 | 09:36 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Tonyr.d3000
Believe me, I got as much info as I could before I tried that touchless. As far as parking garages go, i know that all too well. We just got done building a mall in CT. I couldn't believe how low some parking garages were. Ours was at 7'2 if I recall. Big space as the ramps went up helped a lot. Then I went to Plano, TX for a couple months. Those are some high ceiling parking garages. A good contractor will fudge and add inches to the height shown. I.e, Bang bar shows 7', lowest point is actually 7'3. Saves hassle down the road.
AND BIG lawsuits...

Did not know anyone was building Malls anymore, if they are not dead now they will be after this Chaos 19 thing blows over. People are buying on line that have NEVER bought before.

Buddy of mine just retired from Simon Properties, their mall business has really dried up, but they are still doing them, not as big.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 12:11 AM
  #22  
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I would NEVER take any vehicle ( not even my 2003 Lincoln towncar ) through a touchless carwash

I love hand washing, its more of a personal almost sexual experience about bonding with you vehicle!
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 12:33 AM
  #23  
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Hell no, no carwash for my truck! Have a local detail guy do it. Full hand wash, claybar, wax, interior vacuum, wash mats, Inside/outside windows, wipe everything down and dresses the tires for $140. Do that once a month and im happy.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 12:45 AM
  #24  
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I have been in car clubs for years and noticed many great cars are rubbed , waxed and buffed to death. Many of us live where the water is hard and car washes are the best alternative to wax on - wax off every weekend. I’m convinced the less you touch your car the better and longer the paint will last.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 04:17 AM
  #25  
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My stock 2019 F-350 6.7 diesel crewcab short bed Fx4 with roof clearance lights and stock Goodyear tires is 7’2” or 7’3” tall.
We were considering buying a house. I pulled up to the garage and nudged the hood in. That gave me a good vantage point to measure the height. No way going into that garage. After touring the house we were not interested in that either.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 06:32 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Icelink
I would NEVER take any vehicle ( not even my 2003 Lincoln towncar ) through a touchless carwash

I love hand washing, its more of a personal almost sexual experience about bonding with you vehicle!
I can honestly day never had sex WITH my car, sex in it will different story.

That said I do talk to it and I don't just believe, I KNOW it hears and understands me. FACT: I had owned 3 Corvettes before I had enough money to order one, I did and it was a '78 Silver anniversary with Red interior. Not too long after I got it the Army sent me off to Korea and I remember well telling my Corvette to take good care of my wife while I was gone for a year. It did, never had an issue of any kind. I came back from Korea and wife said hell no I am not moving to Ft Hood Tx, staying in Dallas. About 6 mo later she filed for divorce, one of the things she demanded was my Corvette, well I was so HAPPY to get rid of her I turned it over to her paid for. She also got a set of personalized plates to go with it: SMUUT and the day I turned that Corvette over to her at the bank in Dallas I headed out to car and had a talk with it. I said I was gone and you got this bitch and you know what to do.

She came out to the car, I handed her the keys and walked back into the bank to sign the papers for money transfer etc. I came out, got in my used truck and headed toward the freeway to take me back to Ft Hood. This was early 1980. I am driving down the street and there is a wrecker up ahead and I see my X standing there as that Corvette is being drug onto the back of ti, the street was washed in Transmission fluid. When I got to Ft Hood there was a message on my answering machine her screaming at me for doing something to the car, putting something in to ruin it..

Less than a month later another message on my answering machine accusing me of driving to Dallas and putting something in the engine causing it to BLOW up...in about 60 days she had dropped over $8000 bucks on MY Corvette LOL. Got a letter from her lawyer telling me they were having the engine and trans inspected and tested for something I might have added to cause the failures and also enclosed was a bill for it, $1500 bucks. I called and told him I will pay it IF you find anything wrong...She ended paying the $1500, now she was up to $10 grand as she had to pay the lawyer $500 to get the motor/trans checked out and his lawyer fees.

Over those 60 days she also racked up a months worth of rental fees of about $1500 IIRC, she sent me the bill for that, which I did not pay. She also has to buy 4 new tires She get the car back with new trans/motor and wrecks it to the tune of $7k, costing her a $500 deduct.

Yea, MY Corvette heard every word I said!
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 09:51 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by Icelink
I would NEVER take any vehicle ( not even my 2003 Lincoln towncar ) through a touchless carwash

I love hand washing, its more of a personal almost sexual experience about bonding with you vehicle!
Ok folks, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
We run my wife's Rav4 through a carwash all the time, and after 2 years I've never had an issue (knock on wood). On the other hand, I will not run my truck through it. I've seen other 250's & 350's SRW go through, but I dont trust it. I only hand wash my truck, and at the same time it gives me time to look over everything closely.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 10:22 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by 17 Oaks
I can honestly day never had sex WITH my car, sex in it will different story.

That said I do talk to it and I don't just believe, I KNOW it hears and understands me. FACT: I had owned 3 Corvettes before I had enough money to order one, I did and it was a '78 Silver anniversary with Red interior. Not too long after I got it the Army sent me off to Korea and I remember well telling my Corvette to take good care of my wife while I was gone for a year. It did, never had an issue of any kind. I came back from Korea and wife said hell no I am not moving to Ft Hood Tx, staying in Dallas. About 6 mo later she filed for divorce, one of the things she demanded was my Corvette, well I was so HAPPY to get rid of her I turned it over to her paid for. She also got a set of personalized plates to go with it: SMUUT and the day I turned that Corvette over to her at the bank in Dallas I headed out to car and had a talk with it. I said I was gone and you got this bitch and you know what to do.

She came out to the car, I handed her the keys and walked back into the bank to sign the papers for money transfer etc. I came out, got in my used truck and headed toward the freeway to take me back to Ft Hood. This was early 1980. I am driving down the street and there is a wrecker up ahead and I see my X standing there as that Corvette is being drug onto the back of ti, the street was washed in Transmission fluid. When I got to Ft Hood there was a message on my answering machine her screaming at me for doing something to the car, putting something in to ruin it..

Less than a month later another message on my answering machine accusing me of driving to Dallas and putting something in the engine causing it to BLOW up...in about 60 days she had dropped over $8000 bucks on MY Corvette LOL. Got a letter from her lawyer telling me they were having the engine and trans inspected and tested for something I might have added to cause the failures and also enclosed was a bill for it, $1500 bucks. I called and told him I will pay it IF you find anything wrong...She ended paying the $1500, now she was up to $10 grand as she had to pay the lawyer $500 to get the motor/trans checked out and his lawyer fees.

Over those 60 days she also racked up a months worth of rental fees of about $1500 IIRC, she sent me the bill for that, which I did not pay. She also has to buy 4 new tires She get the car back with new trans/motor and wrecks it to the tune of $7k, costing her a $500 deduct.

Yea, MY Corvette heard every word I said!

 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 10:31 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by k7lvo
I use a local drive through car wash regularly. I’m told that it will handle DRWs without issue, as well.
if I’m near a Blue Beacon truck wash, and they don’t have a huge back of semis, i let them have at it. They do a great job for ~$20.

i'm a satisfied customer!

Lewis, don't want to go "Off Topic" but K1LVO de N1IV - I see what looks like a screwdriver antenna off the corner of your bed... where the hell did you find room in there to mount a multi-band radio?
 
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Old Apr 11, 2020 | 10:41 AM
  #30  
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If the purpose of "fitting into car wash" is for the truck to come out looking better... then consider what happens when the truck ends up looking worse:

Almost $22K to repair 2017 aluminum Super Duty from car wash damage
 
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