F150 Aluminum body sounds great.....

[Fish]

Until you get a $5 car wash.

Aluminum vs Steel? Well IDK after this happened! - Ford F150 Forum - Community of Ford Truck Fans

This June I went for a $5.00 car wash and left with $6K in damages with the owner telling me it isn't his problem (I was impressed my gun stayed in the holster, I was PISSED). Long and short is I hadn't ever been to his car wash, just wanted a quick cheap wash to knock some dust off. The employee didn't take my antenna off, I didn't know to ask or tell him (no signs anywhere to remove antenna). First set of spinning brushes grabbed my antenna and wrapped it into the motor, next thing I see is the antenna pulled right off. It than continued down the side of my truck beating it all the way down the entire truck causing dents and scratches to the tail gate.

As you can imagine I was tripping out! There was nothing I could do at the moment, I assumed it pulled the antenna off but didn't expect to see what I saw when I got out of the truck.

After weeks of him not excepting responsibility (he didn't have insurance or didn't want to use it) I involved Geico who took care of it less my $501 deductible. Three weeks in the body shop and $6K later it looks like new. Now Geico is going after him with collections and once I have time I will be filling a small claims suit against him for my deductible. All this over a $5.00 car wash.

I have no idea if a steel fender would have done this or not, I will say the Ford dealer body shop and 2 others places I took it to have never seen anything like it.

My truck is now sporting a stubby antenna for daily driving and it will never go to another car wash again!

Beware guys! Take the damn antenna off your truck!

I thought it was silly when they did the aluminum frame, then they switch to the aluminum body. Sounds better than the aluminum frame, but the body is going to get shit on.

OMG, I found this video in that thread. Aluminum body FTL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuIijDlH1PI&feature=youtu.be

Click to read more...

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

I can smash an aluminum can against my thick ass head. I cannot crush a soup can.

He's actually probably lucky if it had it ripped off is antenna. He would have just had a bunch of scratches down the side of his truck from the rotating brushes

 

[Fish]

I can smash an aluminum can against my thick ass head. I cannot crush a soup can.

He's actually probably lucky if it had it ripped off is antenna. He would have just had a bunch of scratches down the side of his truck from the rotating brushes

He did. He posted in that thread it was $6K worth of damage from the antenna smacking the body and rear window afterward.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

i was talking about dirty felt brushes scratching the shit outta his paint even without the drama

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

Don't most automatic washes advise to remove "loose" items and that they are "not" responsible for damage ?

I guess he should have washed it himself.





GM

 

[Eagle]

R

Car washes have been ripping antenna off since the first wash came to life. This isn't an aluminum issue.

 

[boostedguy05]

[MENTION=19]Yaj Yak[/MENTION]

 

[EmersonHart13]

I had a car wash blow the lid off my gas cap on the GTO. Fullers gave zero fucks. I was pissed.

 

[Jeffs FRC]

Ran my 13 F150 through a car wash with the antenna still on and it ripped the fucker right off. I usually removed it, but just forgot that one time. Had to buy the whole antenna assembly including the base and then fish the wire through the firewall and under the dash to the first connection. Was a total pita and needless to say I always remove the antenna now.

 

[Eagle]

BOOM

Steel body F-series has antenna removed in a car wash. SAY IT AINT SO!!!!

 

[Yaj Yak]

BOOM

Steel body F-series has antenna removed in a car wash. SAY IT AINT SO!!!!

removed.

not the fender ripped open like a tiger got to it.

 

[Eagle]

Pfft. Plenty of pics out there of cars with antenna ripped out tiger style.

 

[Yaj Yak]

new explorer.


...are they aluminum....

 

[EmersonHart13]

I thought in window antennas were a thing now?

 

[Yaj Yak]

I thought in window antennas were a thing now?

for fancy cars.

not for most things the big three make.

 

[Pressure Ratio]

He's actually probably lucky if it had it ripped off is antenna. He would have just had a bunch of scratches down the side of his truck from the rotating brushes

It ripped the antenna out because it was wrapped around the rotating brush. So the thing beat the whole side of the truck. That is why the damage was so high of a dollar amount. It wasn't $6k to replace the fender and paint it.

I can smash an aluminum can against my thick ass head. I cannot crush a soup can.

I expect better from you. The design of the beverage can is very different from a soup can by design.

In case you missed this posted in the past. Of for others wondering why they are different.

removed.

not the fender ripped open like a tiger got to it.

I have seen steel fenders get their antenna town out before. There is a reason they usually have signs in a couple places warning you to remove antennas.

for fancy cars.

not for most things the big three make.

I can't believe an antenna in the windshield isn't cheaper. Maybe they don't work as well?

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

WASH YOUR VEHICLE @ HOME

/thread

 

[Yaj Yak]

I have seen steel fenders get their antenna town out before. There is a reason they usually have signs in a couple places warning you to remove antennas.



I can't believe an antenna in the windshield isn't cheaper. Maybe they don't work as well?

97-03 gp's had em in the windshields.

shit. like mid 70's cars did

 

[Pressure Ratio]

Exactly. I know the 1970 Camaro had them in the windshield. So there must be a reason they don't use them on every thing today.

 

[Fish]

Lets ignore peeling off door panel video with pliers.

 

[Euro]

Pro tip: wash car yourself. Automatic washes blooowwwwwww

 

[Yaj Yak]

Pro tip: wash car yourself. Automatic washes blooowwwwwww

do you travel

 

[Euro]

No. Although, if I did...I'd wait until I got home to wash it in my driveway

 

[10sec]

Who brings their cars through a car wash? Do it yaself ya lazy bastids.

 

[Yaj Yak]

um