I went through my usual "must keep my Civic 4-door sedan clean" paranoid car wash cycle this week and upon leaving the wash, as I pulled off the left tires guide rail thinking I was fully clear of the rail, I turned at a very low speed to my left
and the back left tire caught in the rail holder.
Hearing the noise of the back wheel getting caught I stopped the car.

Do you think this damaged my car's alighment?
No noticable driving differences at all since the incident.

Does this hurt my suspension?
Isn't back tire suspension less important and far more solid
than front wheel drive suspension?

If I have non noticable driving damage, should I just trust it and take my car in on it's normal maintenance schedule and have it checked then (4,000 miles from now)?

Sincerely,

Pete in Pennsylvania

 

Probably no significant damage.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by petercivicowner &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If I have non noticable driving damage, should I just trust it and take my car in on it's normal maintenance schedule and have it checked then (4,000 miles from now)?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes.

If the wheel itself is damaged, you live near one of the best wheel repair places in the country, Wheel Collision Center.

 

never take your car thru automatic washes

 

Seeing as it was so slow adn you said you caught it there should be no damage. Just learn from this expericance. You might have gotten some curb rash. Also check your sidewall to see if there are nicks or heavy scares, those should be something to worry about.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by inkedup &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">never take your car thru automatic washes </TD></TR></TABLE>

Sometimes that is just not an option. Besides, what is so wrong about running your thru a touchless car wash to get all the salt off?

 

it would have to be touchless with no guide rails... Ive took my ride in a couple of those, but generally any lowered car with rims etc. runs the risk of damage when there is guide rails which is the majority of automatic washes.

I personally just use the DIY pressure washer ones

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by inkedup &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it would have to be touchless with no guide rails... Ive took my ride in a couple of those, but generally any lowered car with rims etc. runs the risk of damage when there is guide rails which is the majority of automatic washes.

I personally just use the DIY pressure washer ones </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have never seen guardrails myself so I don't know what they are all about. Ya, I will take the DIY ones over the other ones but sometimes it is just too cold.

Actually side story, my dads car once got damaged severly in a DIY one. In the winter ice forms on all the walls as you would expect. He was washing his car on a warmer spring day. The ice was still there but it had come lose off the wall. This massive wall of ice about 6-12" thick came crashing down on his car. Wrecked the entire side. 10 seconds before that he was bent over in the spot cleaning the underside, had it fallen on him I am sure he would have been killed. The owner was really good about it and payed for everything no questions asked and gave us some free coupons also. So lesson to be learned for others: be careful of ice on the walls if it is a warmer day.

Cheers.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by old man neri &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have never seen guardrails myself so I don't know what they are all about.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Guide rails, not guard rails. Guide rails are the metal rails that guide your car into the peroper position at the start of the car wash. They are just a few inches high.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Guide rails, not guard rails. Guide rails are the metal rails that guide your car into the peroper position at the start of the car wash. They are just a few inches high.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ya, guide rails. I sort of guessed what their purpose was, I have just never seen them in a car wash. All I see is that kind of pot hole that tells you where to stop your car and let the car wash do it's magic. Oh well. Whatever works.

Cheers.