Did you like going through a car wash as a kid?

[GaussLaw]

*obligatory "because it sounds weird and we all like doing it, Atlas is full of autists" post*

And hell yes.

Obligatory Internet autism is the dumbest "disorder" ever post.

And yes for me as well, though it was a rare experience.

[ilikeverin]

Until I was about 6 or so, I was mortally terrified of car washes, and would throw a complete breakdown end-of-the-world tantrum if my parents tried to keep me in the car when we went through one.  I was seriously freaked out by them.  Since then, I've been pretty neutral.  So I voted "no".

[memphis]

When I was a kid, the Exxon near me offered a free trip through the car wash with a fill up, but they never ever changed the four digit passcode to enter the car wash, so once you knew it, you could always use it for free. A lot of businesses had really obvious loopholes like that. Subway had a little business card where each time you bought a sandwich they would punch a hole in it, so that your tenth sandwich was free. But it was just a regular hole punch. Anybody could just punch all nine holes and get a free sandwich. Times have changed. People are a lot smarter today.

[Yelnoc]

We only ever washed the car with the hose. I only went through the car wash once, as an adult.

[tpfkaw]

Why is it so expensive? If you're just going through a car wash to wash the exterior and aren't doing anything to the interior, there's virtually no labor involved - the whole thing is automated. (Unless Europe is years behind the US in car wash technology.)

When I lived in Waco, there was a place where you could drive the car through the wash yourself and have the option to vacuum the inside yourself, all for $2.

The Germans (presumably including the Austrians, given TB's post) have huge, super-complex car washes that clean their cars to an anal level of detail. A cultural thing.

Anyway, it's one of the more thrilling things as an adult! I keep my car outside though, so I only wash it when I need to not look like a slob for whatever reason.

[Tender Branson]

Why is it so expensive? If you're just going through a car wash to wash the exterior and aren't doing anything to the interior, there's virtually no labor involved - the whole thing is automated. (Unless Europe is years behind the US in car wash technology.)

When I lived in Waco, there was a place where you could drive the car through the wash yourself and have the option to vacuum the inside yourself, all for $2.

The Germans (presumably including the Austrians, given TB's post) have huge, super-complex car washes that clean their cars to an anal level of detail. A cultural thing.

That could be one reason yeah, because Germans and Austrians typically love their cars and a lot of them like to wash it every week or two and like them shiny.

The reason why the car wash is expensive at the gas stations is also because it involves pre-cleaning, then fine-cleaning, then underbody-cleaning from salt and everything, then a new layer of wax, then a 2nd layer of TOP-wax, then the whole car gets dried with a huge    hair-dryer-like thing. Takes ca. 5-10 minutes for the most expensive option.

PS: I put my winter tires on today and will drive to the car wash in the afternoon ...

[Goldwater]

Yes (normal)