noren Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 When washing the journey in an automatic car wash is were a risk of the car wash hitting the antenna and damaging the roof? (The antenna doesn't seam to be removable - or have I missed something?) I'm certain that the dodge dealer that had the dodge before us (as a demo car) have been putting it through a car wash several times and there is seams to be a slight indent around the antenna - like if you have forced the antenna backwards and it has put a strain on the roof. It's not like you can see any damage to the roof - it's only slightly visible. What do you think? Is it safe to put it through a car wash? Even if the dryer/brushes is hitting against the antenna? /Andreas Toquinn55 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linaso Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 When washing the journey in an automatic car wash is were a risk of the car wash hitting the antenna and damaging the roof?(The antenna doesn't seam to be removable - or have I missed something?) I'm certain that the dodge dealer that had the dodge before us (as a demo car) have been putting it through a car wash several times and there is seams to be a slight indent around the antenna - like if you have forced the antenna backwards and it has put a strain on the roof. It's not like you can see any damage to the roof - it's only slightly visible. What do you think? Is it safe to put it through a car wash? Even if the dryer/brushes is hitting against the antenna? /Andreas In general I would say yes it is safe to run the Journey through a car wash with brushes. I almost exclusively run mine through a brush type car wash, and have done so at least 25-30 times. I did notice that my car wash uses a top brush that spins up and moves front to back as it cleans the hood and roof. My guess is this is quite standard with these type of car washes and minimizes damage to cars and antennae. Prior to the Journey, I had a Suburban with the long "whip" type antenna and there were no problems there as well. The antenna on the Journey is quite rigid as well as short and does angle backward towards the rear, so I think yours was not likely damaged in a car wash. My best guess on how you got that dent by your antenna was that someone backed out of (or went forward into) a garage with the garage door not all the way up and the antenna caught on the garage door thus flexing the antenna and creating a dent. Do you have a roof rack? I think a Journey without a roof rack with no rails or crossbars to protect the roof would even be more susceptible to that kind of damage. If you haven't owned the Journey for very long, I would take it back to the dealer. They should fix it for you for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oke Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 If you want to take off the radio antenna, all you have to do is to unscrew it like a bolt. That’s what I have done, but the first time it was tight. Greetings Oke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noren Posted March 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 If you want to take off the radio antenna, all you have to do is to unscrew it like a bolt. That’s what I have done, but the first time it was tight.Greetings Oke Thanks. I thought this would be the case but I couldn't find any info in the manual about it. I tried to unscrew it - but I wouldn't dare to put to much force on it. Will try a little harder after work. /Andreas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JourneyMan71 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks. I thought this would be the case but I couldn't find any info in the manual about it. I tried to unscrew it - but I wouldn't dare to put to much force on it. Will try a little harder after work. /Andreas I thought I read some where that it is a removeable one. You can download the whole manual on your pc so you do not need to run to the car everytime you need to look up some info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickC Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 I don't recommend using the automatic car washes. Too many times I've seen people with scratched up paint from the brushes. Also, be careful at those high school fund raiser car washes. The kids don't take their rings and watches off, the have a tendency to scratch paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JourneyMan71 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 I don't recommend using the automatic car washes. Too many times I've seen people with scratched up paint from the brushes. Also, be careful at those high school fund raiser car washes. The kids don't take their rings and watches off, the have a tendency to scratch paint. I rarely use a brush car wash it is a brushless car wash I use the most. My father-in-law run a few of them so....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noren Posted March 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 I rarely use a brush car wash it is a brushless car wash I use the most. My father-in-law run a few of them so....lol Several years ago the car washes here in my town got new softer brushes. Some time after that they got replaced by new brushless washes. After some more years they were replaced by new high pressure brushless washes. And now they have been replaced with high pressure washes - that move up and down - WITH brushes - but the brushes are made of foam, and triangular in shape and very thick, instead of those hard plastic bristles. I guess that our climate and weather condition doesn't work well with brushless washes. The cars didn't get clean enough. We have a lot of sanding and salting of the roads during wintertime. And it has a tendency to stick to the car quite hard. /Andreas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JourneyMan71 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Several years ago the car washes here in my town got new softer brushes.Some time after that they got replaced by new brushless washes. After some more years they were replaced by new high pressure brushless washes. And now they have been replaced with high pressure washes - that move up and down - WITH brushes - but the brushes are made of foam, and triangular in shape and very thick, instead of those hard plastic bristles. I guess that our climate and weather condition doesn't work well with brushless washes. The cars didn't get clean enough. We have a lot of sanding and salting of the roads during wintertime. And it has a tendency to stick to the car quite hard. /Andreas Well,I agree they do not clean as well as the brush washes, but free is free,lol. I will once in a while go to a brush wash and get it done. We get salt,grim etc. on the Ohio roads as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdeveau Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I wouldn't dare take my Journey through a car wash that has brushes! I live in Canada, and we get pretty heavy sand and salt here. We just wait for a warmish day and take her on through the touchless. The only way I would allow a brush to clean my vehicle is if it's one that I've purchased and I know where it's been, and it's either myself or someone who knows not to leave it laying in dirt using it. Thank God for touchless car washes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozwell911 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Here in the states i use the touchless car washes inbetween my hand washing and waxing. I have stripped and wax the journey 3 times this year.....once when i got it, once in the middle of summer and once for fall/winter. I guess you can say i am very anal about how my car is treated...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hckynut1956 Posted May 19, 2010 Report Share Posted May 19, 2010 I also had concerns about taking the car through washes with that antenna. (Chicago area) So I unscrew my mast and to keep water out of the base I found a small stainless cap head screw to insert in its place. I use a o-ring to help seal. Result... wash without worry. *Note* I do believe Dodge uses two different styles of antenna so my solution might not work for your vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAC Posted August 7, 2010 Report Share Posted August 7, 2010 I would like to take my antenna off as when ever I go into parking garages that have very low clearence my antenna taps the overhead bar. I was wondering if there is a fin type antenna that could be screwed on instead of the standard one. thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diggit Posted August 8, 2010 Report Share Posted August 8, 2010 I would like to take my antenna off as when ever I go into parking garages that have very low clearence my antenna taps the overhead bar. I was wondering if there is a fin type antenna that could be screwed on instead of the standard one. thanks, The antenna is pretty flexible. Instead of buying a "stubby", consider getting another OEM as a backup replacement in case anything happens to the original. Must be a really old building to have that low clearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carcrazy699 Posted September 7, 2010 Report Share Posted September 7, 2010 the carwash i go to always takes off my antenna for safety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Germax Posted September 10, 2010 Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 You can get the shark vin from VG. Works very good. With regards to the washing is that i noticed that when drying the roof makes some good noice, thin sheet metal and wind. I have my Journey only two weeks and want to give it a good wax, specially on the roof, but you need a ladder to get it done. Will work on that during the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steak Posted November 14, 2010 Report Share Posted November 14, 2010 We found Liscense plate frame, roof rack, antenna, wind deflectors, etc... in our dealer's Brush car wash all the time. I wonder where did they come from? <_< If you really care about your car, the best method is go wash it with Bucket and soap and water by hand yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneframe Posted November 14, 2010 Report Share Posted November 14, 2010 We found Liscense plate frame, roof rack, antenna, wind deflectors, etc... in our dealer's Brush car wash all the time. I wonder where did they come from? <_< If you really care about your car, the best method is go wash it with Bucket and soap and water by hand yourself. Not everyone has the luxury to do that. I live in an apartment building that doesn't provide an outlet or drain to wash their cars. Second, yhe city doesn't allow washing cars by the public street. It's not environmentally friendly. In my town, car washes have their own filter and recycling system before it even goes back to the drainage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psyke Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 Shell around here has started to convert their car washes to do both touch and touchless, depending on your choice. I've always used touchless since having my front plate ripped off (one of the cloth fingers got caught for a second and ripped one side before disengaging), and will usually use it for a quick rinse off more than anything, particularly in the winter for the undercarriage to get rid of excess salt, as they usually don't do a very good job in getting rid of much more than loose dirt. Grime never comes off properly. Otherwise, I can run a hose from my basement in our communal underground parking, or I'll go to a manual carwash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.