Yeah, I am 100% sure that is what happened... It happened before, but the guy stopped the car twice, not burn the clutch all the way.

 

What it sounds like might have happened is you got someone inexperienced on a manual who was trying to slip the clutch to hell and back and may have possibly slightly glazed the clutch? That would seem to be possible in one visit and might explain how it is sticking at a higher point than before.

As for ONR it is good. I have used it, but it does not seem to do nearly as good a job on really dirty cars or if the wax job on the car is getting old. If you wash every weekend then it will do a great job. The great thing about this product is that it should not take any time to wash the car (maybe 10-15 mins tops). I do a prerinse, wash and then dry what little water remains with a microfiber for good measure. If you follow it up with a good synthetic sealant every few weeks you will be in business. There is a product that Optimum has called Opti-seal, and it is incredible. It only takes me about 5-8 minutes to put it on. It lasts for ever and gives a really deep gloss. I use it about every 3-5 weeks, but it will easily last for 2-3 months. Nothing will stick to your car.

 

BTW - did you leave your car on a handbrake by any chance?

 

I am not proud of it by any means but I wash my cars usually twice an year.
Used to like to do it often but then, somehow, well, just lost appreciation of the process.

Well, if it is really dirty - then of course I will remove extra shame from it, but usually it is never than bad after blooming season is over. so then I wash it properly, put triple layer of wax on it and let it so for a while. Rain does all the rest.

 

Never heard of it, but I will do a little research My car has clear bra on the front, will it do anything to the clear bra?

 

I did, but no one could be dumb enough not to notice it... Could they?

My 911 is my dd, so it gets pretty dirty... I have to get her washed every week.

 

Anything is possible. In my experience, if an employee were to redline a car, especially a (loud) porsche, the sound alone would immediatley get the attention of the other employees, managers, and any customers around.

Our "movers" were very territorial about their job. They wouldn't let any other employees move the cars, especially the "good" cars. Not to mention other employees were not allowed to drive the cars due to insurance requirements. This ensured all cars were driven by knowledgable and competant drivers.

Do you have any idea what % of wear your clutch was at before the wash?

Have you contacted the car wash manager and informed him of this problem?

 

Nope, I haven't contacted the manager...

I don't know what happened. I am just so bummed out about it...

 

If you're going to try and get the wash to pay for this, you better inform the manager of what happened asap. Since a clutch is a wear item, you need to inform them today, as any damage claims need to be made in a timely fashion. But be warned, the burden of proof will be on you, especially since you took possession of your car after the wash, and left the premises. You'd have a stronger position if you told them of the problem before you left the property. ... just letting you know how it works...

 

I have never heard of it causing any issues with a clear bra. I found out about it on Autopia.org as well. They have many detailers who are the best in the business, and most all of them use it. They often times have clear bras and are high dollar cars. I figure that if it is good enough for them, then it is good enough for my car.

Here is a good video on it. There are a ton of them on Youtube if you are curious about the product.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYOAyxsEIuQ

 

I know it is going to be impossible... There is no way I can prove it. Even if they believed me it is going to be hard to get the money. It's a war I can't win...

 

99% probability that was it IMHO. Plus it explains perfectly how clutch got burned down _that_ bad.

 

you should smell the clutch material if they burned down that much. It builds up in the bellhousing area and will stink for quite a while. Did you smell anything after picking up the car?

I feel bad for you but leaving your car with a carwash is asking for trouble.

 

Really sorry to hear that. Someone else also had the question, is the clutch just "odd" or is it really slipping. An easy way to tell is get on the highway in 4th gear and get on and off the gas. If you get on the gas and notice the revs building without a proportional increase in speed, that's the clutch slipping. As per the quote - if the clutch gets burned you definitely smell it. You would smell it in the car too. The smell is really hard to miss.

Too late for this instance, but I recommend the waterless car wash stuff. As Utkinpol put it, I really hated car washing and did it maybe every few months. However, the waterless car wash stuff lets me wash my car in the comfort of my garage at 9:00 PM. Go to Griot's Garage. Don't blame me later when you need to open an account with them . I have their waterless cash wash solution and special towels and it is perfect. Also have the Speed Shine for dealing with light dust and detailing wheels. Also have their orbital polisher and Best of Show wax that will make your car shine like a mirror. You can wash your car at night by the light of the garage lights! You might miss a spot here or there, but you won't deal with car wash monkeys ever again!

 

I never valet manual cars, in fact, I try to avoid valet at all cost regardless of the transmission. Valets make more the more cars they bring. Oftentimes it means starting the car as they are jumping in, putting it in gear at pretty much the same time, and taking off with pedal to the metal. I've seen it many times at the restaurants and the hotels.
They usually have at least one guy capable of driving manual, but if they are busy then whoever is the closest takes the car so it doesn't block the driveway. Burnt clutch galore