I moved to Ohio this year. I have always handwashed in the winter. But I decided to get the underbody done at an automatic carwash. This particular wash requires you to drive on top of a metal wheel cradle. I didn't manage to get the wheel in there. $7 wasted. The local hand dried drivethru car wash looks to have the same problem as it drags you down the runway. So beware if you have 285mm tires up front. If you only have them in back you could back out I guess.

I get my 215/60-17 Michelin X-Ice Xi2 tires mounted today at the Ford Dealership. I guess I can go through with them installed. I worry about the convertible top though.

 

convertible tops are scary in the blow dryers at car washes... but I never had a problem.

 

I bottomed out the one time I tried the quick drivethru wash...just went there because of driving on some dirt roads, wanted to rinse the whole underside...never again.
My F150 had 275-60s on it, it wouldnt fit either- kinda stupid really that they dont use a wider trough with as many newer cars that have low clearance and wide tires...not like a inch or two would hurt anything.

Welcome to Ohio- our cars are in hibernation, spring cant get here soon enough. My wifes has been out in the snow/salt just a couple times, but not the others- and it shows underneath...might suggest oilspray if you dont have a cement drive. My 06 I tore apart when new and used roll-on bedliner anywhere stones might chip, and odd seams like the gaps between the front lower control arm stampings- it still looks new underneath (never in salt), where the wifes, the seam on the control arm has that little hint of rust, and nuts/bolts too...theres still a lot of folks Ive known that had oilspray and cars held up noticeably better- hard to find shops that still do it, dont even know if its legal anymore...but there are still places that do it. only drawback Ive seen(other than it will stain a driveway) with oilspray is it tends to degrade rubber stuff.

 

take it to a touchless car wash. no tracks to go through. most of them have an underbody spray as you drive in and no brushes ever touch your paint. It doesn't get it as clean but it gets the salt and most of the crud off.

 

+1 to the touchless car wash. Although I don't use it often, it gets my car surprisingly clean, including the wheels.

 

+2 on the complete touchless. It and coin wash high pressure spray are my choices.

 

In the five plus years I've owned my Mustang it's never been to a car wash! I have been to a touchless twice but that was until it was lowered, won't fit now.

 

Hmmm, I run 275/40s on 9.5'' rims up front and they fit just fine in those wheel tracks.

 

If I drive her, it's what I have to use in the winter. I usually hand dry her after though.. it's funny watching the people's reactions while I'm drying her off. They think I'm !

 

Used to stop by Autobell during the winter and when I was short on time with the GT500, but stopped after the car hung up on the LCA relocators. All that time I nver had a problem with the 18x9.5's and 285/40R18's