In an ideal world, it wouldnt be 95 degrees @ 80% humidity and I could wash my car myself. But it is that hot, so sometimes I go to the "soft touch" car wash with the robots that move around your stationary car. I dont go to the regular car wash because I dont want my wheels to scrape along that track. And I havent seen a hand-wash place around here yet that i dont see picking up rags and towels from the ground to use on a car.

So anyway, Im sitting in the car, its almost done, and im playing with my phone when I see the Trunk Open warning pop up. Of course I panic and turn around to see the trunk kinda bobbing up and down, because the top roller is keeping it from going up all the way, but the vertical spinners are still going and throwing water everywhere. I really didnt know what the best, least-damaging way to deal with this was, so as quickly as i could i jumped out of the car, while the spinners were still in the back, pushed the trunk lid as hard as i could from behind, and thankfully it latched and pulled down, and then jumped back in the car before the spinners returned. I was worried i was going to end up like the other carwash morons online.

Once i pulled out i found that the trunk button in the back was stuck in. Not pressed, but like intended in the hole. My guess is one of the strands of rubber hit that button just right to cause this havoc. I poked at it and it fell back into place. My girlfriend suggested that it happened because the car wasnt locked, but this has not happened in any previous car wash. It was like this was the perfect storm. Thankfully there was no actual damage, though the spinner things bent the **** out of my license plate.

so that is my PSA and my adventure. its ridiculous. careful in those car washes folks.

 

You use a car wash!

Sell the Jaguar immediately and buy something more suited to your lifestyle.

(I'm currently in similar temperatures and higher humidity - my XK is filthy and will stay that way until I get back to a place where I can give it the attention it deserves)

Graham

 

i know, im not proud of my decision but sometimes you just gotta make due. lesson learned though, its touchless or hand from here on out.

 

Same thing happened to us a few years ago with wife's New Beetle. Nowadays I take our cars to a team of Albanians underneath our local Tesco supermarket. They do a very good job, and it doesn't cost much more.

 

That is going to have to be how i do things going forward, though instead of Albanians under Tesco itll be a bunch of randos at an old gas station.

 

The factory recommends:

 

Rinseless Car Wash with Optimum No-Rinse

 

You might want to put the car into Valet mode before running it through the car wash. That will keep the trunk from being opened should something contact the button with sufficient force to otherwise open the trunk.

 

That is a great idea. I never even considered that.

Now that it is, in theory, getting cooler, i will be able to wash it myself at home with my lambswool wash mitten and all that good stuff.

 

We have a fancy schmancy convenience store here in Katy, TX, that recently installed a car wash that was certified by the Guinness record folk as the "worlds longest automated wash".
It is staffed, and the brushes are kept quite clean considering the volume of cars that it pulls on a daily basis. I use it occasionally, because it gets me a $0.20 per gallon discount on the premium gasoline, with a wash purchase. So far no issues.

Good tip about the Valet mode, will have to remember that.

 

That's GOT to be the new Buc-ee's on I-10??
Buc-ee's

Have not used it yet but will now with your recommendation!
.
.
.

 

Of course it is! But since this is a global forum I didn't think some bloke across the pond would know what a Buc-ees is. 🤣

 

That is such a weird Guinness title to have. I guess longer means there is more stuff to clean the car off with.