When removing the antenna to go through an automatic car wash I notice all the silver metal when the antenna screws in. Will exposing this to the wash and then screwing the antenna back on with vestiges of water by the metal create rust?

It seems like there should be a little plastic cap that one can screw on in place of the antenna just for going through a car wash etc.

Anybody else think of this or come up with a solution?

 

Don't go through auto car washes ^_^ Washing by hand gives the best results and not as many swirl marks.

 

If you have to, go to the "touchless" type auto washes.

 

even self car washes can damage it, i washed the car this weekend and when i dried it i noticed those swirl scratches on the hood, either its from the high pressure hose or the soap brush (its soft), so yea go with touchless if u can or do it gently by hand

 

Swirls marks are inevitable. You can't escape them. The best you can do is make them less noticeable by waxing regularly or removing them once in a while with a thorough 4-step or whatever wash (wash, clay, polish, wax; something like that)

 

or the double bucket method.

anyway, if you're concerned about rusting the tread, put some grease on it.

 

I thought about this as well. I remove the antenna before I get to the car wash and then reinstall it once I get home. I figure the 15 minute drive home should dry any moisture from the opening - if the hot air dryer in the car wash doesn't take care of it.

I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

I have done this on all of my cars even the domestics with the big wire antenna on the front. The screw is zink plated to resist rust. just because you have a nut on a bolt or antenna on the stud doesn't seal out the moisture that will cause rust. this is why they do the same thing as I said in the alloy wheel thread. They put them in the environment chamber and salt water the hell out of them for several weeks 24 hours a day to simulate several years of abuse.

I just saw a show this weekend on one of the discovery channels or it may have been the history channel abut this exact topic. It showed the chrysler lab where they sprayed a high concentration of saltwater in freezing and extremely hot conditions on every external surface of the car. After several weeks they then took the entire car apart. every bolt and nut inside and out. Every weld was split and the inside of the pannels checked. Even the seats were taken apart to see what happened.

This is the type of testing that goes on for environmental testing. You really don't have to wory about this type of thing.

 

i would buy the spoon shorty antenna and forget about taking it off in car washes. i had the stock antenna when i went through a couple automated washers and i never had a problem.

 

i just lost my antenna taking it off to put boards on the top and forgot to put it back on and watched as it flow off the roof. by by $25

 

Umm that would be flew off the roof

 

no no no no no no no ect....... all that water is reused and has crappy chemicals and stuff in it. if you love your car, just hand wash it and use two buckets

 

This thread almost gave me an anxiety attack. Swirl / scratch marks? Rust? This is coming from someone who has owned his Fit for 2 weeks and still hasn't had one spot of bird poop land on it, let alone the dreaded....


ding

<Oh my God, I don't even want to say the word.>

 

its ok, take a deep breath.........................................and let it out though your nose, its going to be a.o.k. you cant help the fine scratches or swirl marks, well you can help the swril marks a little. when washing use a soft wash mitt, use a back and forth motion and use light preasure. dont forget to use two buckets.

 

perrin stubby antenna for a mitsubishi lancer is the way to go. it fits right up. that is what i have on my car.

 

Would you be so kind as to explain the "two bucket" method. I've never owned a car before this one that I cared to wash by hand. (honest).