My JK is my first Jeep with a removable hard top, and I am unfamiliar with caring for them. Can someone tell me whether hard tops are compatible with automatic car washes?

 

I have used an automatic car wash a few times with the hardtop. It was not a touchless, it had the whirlygigs flying everywhere. One time I got a few drops of water around the passenger side front door, but other than that, no problems. The two things I noticed was the windshield was at such an angle that it barely got touched. So I still had to hand wash the windshield. The other thing was unscrew your antena. It was scary how it got thrashed around, but no damage. If you are using a touchless carwash, these problems would probably be nil.

 

I do not like the chemicals in the touch less washes. I use one that has the soft rubber flapper things.

I have driven my JK through 2 of them in 2 weeks and no problems so far.

 

I've been them with the hard top several times. It seems that there are a lot of areas that don't get cleaned on the Wrangler with the hard top. In contrast, my wife's Liberty gets cleaned really well.

I just go to the spray place and it does a much better job.

 

We have an excellent car wash here in NY.... it is an all hand car wash.
The men inside do all the scrubbing and spraying. Rough job for sure, but great for the hardtop and the soft top.

I've been going there since before I could drive (in Dad's vette). I do not think I have ever run a car through an automatic or touchless wash.

 

Ditto. Wifes Liberty comes out great, Wrangler has to have another wash to get the bugs off the windshield!!

 

Auto washes work fine for me with the hardtop. Actually I ran my soft top through there at least 3 or 4 times and the auto dryers beat the hell out of the thing and it was fine. The manual says that's a big no-no, but they came out great for me.

I go through a car wash called Mr. Magic - It's not touchless, it has the brushes and all the spinny things that beat it up. Works out fine for me. Bangs the antenna around a bit, but other than that it's fine.

No scratches, either. Phew!

-A

 

whatever happened to the Bikini Carwash?????? Oh yeah..that was the 80's -90's