Do you hand wash or car wash your Tesla?

[Lindenwood]

I'm surprised you don't end up with swirl marks. From the picture, I can see you don't. (The picture isn't after a polishing, correct?)

I do have a few swirls here and there from not using enough water early on with heavy water spots. Those are why I started using a wet rag to loosen any stuck-on dust (I.e. after a dusty rain). Of course, they are only visible at the right angles within a few feet. I have like 100 rock chips so I am otherwise very content with my “5 foot” paint job finish!

But indeed, the previous and current pictures are what it normally looks like from a “wash!”

 

[CyberGus]

So does that mean you use Car Wash Mode in your driveway? And can the car be in Park? I mean, I could just try this out myself without bugging you all . . . .

I've washed the truck both ways. I started using Car Wash mode because it kept locking and folding the mirrors if I stepped too far away, and then generating a ton of Sentry events. I was worried about triggering the alarm lol. I could just leave my phone inside of course... but then I wouldn't have my phone.

You must enable "Free Roll" explicitly. It won't just creep away while you're washing it.

 

[PianoAl]

Why would you use car wash mode at all in your driveway?

I use it to keep the charge port door from opening when I hit it with the hose. I don't enable free roll.

Locking the car also keeps the port closed

 

[Midpack]

• Avoid 20 sentry events - has never happened to me, doesn’t everyone disable Sentry at home?
• Disable walk-away lock - my car stays locked/mirrors folded while I wash it, I only open it again to dry sills, my last task before putting it back in the garage
• Keep the charge port closed - has never happened to me, my phone is about 20 feet away in the garage while I’m washing the car

I exclusively hand wash my MY in my driveway, and I’ve never used Car Wash Mode…

 

[CyberGus]

has never happened to me, doesn’t everyone disable Sentry at home?

I have an eye-catching Cybertruck, parked in the driveway about a foot from the sidewalk. Every day the tailgate is covered in tiny little handprints lol