I took my Cobalt through an automatic car wash tonight...the kind with the dryer that actually drops down as you exit. Every car I've had since March 2002 had the integrated antenna, so I forgot that the Cobalt has the old fashioned mast antenna. I heard this noise and turned around to see the antenna being bent back by the dryer...but it pretty much snapped back into place . It might have gotten bent slightly, but I think I fixed that with a little tweaking of my own . Unfortunately, the antenna seems to be fixed, so I guess I'll have to avoid that type of car wash or put up with it. Looks like the antenna is ok though...hopefully it's unbreakable But even if it were to break, I figure (or at least hope) it wouldn't be hard or expensive to replace.

 

Ouch...that sucks.

 

ouchies!!! dont forget about that man... lol... Might snap and come back and chip the paint off the car!

 

It's a pain in the ass, but you could carry a wrench with you and just take it off before you go in the car wash.

I had a sunfire for six years, it has the same antenna and it always got bent by the dryer as it passes over but it always snapped back to perfect position. I wouldn't worry about it really.

 

Thats just another reason I don't use the auto car washes.

 

i guess i wont use the auto wash then and keep to my usual ways, soap water, sponge and a little elbow grease

 

Since washing it at home isn't very convenient, since I live in a condo complex and there's no faucet on the front of my building, I guess I'll have to find a self-serve wash or an automatic one that doesn't have that kind of dryer. I've seen some that don't have any dryer at all and others that don't drop down.

 

In the winter when the car need washed I always go to the computer touch less car washes. These don't do as good of a job as hand washing, but it good for the season.

 

There is a specialized "wrench" that should come with the car (though most dealerships just throw them away). It is merely a small piece of elongated plastic with a hexagonal hole for the base of the antenna. When they are shipped on the trucks, the antennas are normally in the trunk with this "wrench" attached, so I know every vehicle with a similar antenna (mainly every GM full size truck) comes with one.

Just ask your local dealership for one and I'm sure they'd be happy to give you one for free. Just be sure to ask the sales department and not the parts department, I'm sure they are available for sale, but I've got a drawer full of them in my office.

Villain

 

Yes, that's true... they're usually a bright orange color. I didn't mention it since I usually only see them come with higher end GM vehicles.