Panamera’s Dirt

When driving the Panamera on the highway, I’m always impressed by its comfort and the stability of the car’s behavior in many ways, but there is one thing I find a bit annoying…

That is, after highway driving, the front of the car gets covered with smashed bugs, leaving stubborn stains that make the car quite dirty. Especially when driving at night on the highway, it gets really bad every time.

Well, this isn’t unique to the Panamera—it happens to all cars.

The other day, after driving the Panamera on the highway for the first time in a while, it got incredibly dirty again.

(It actually looked even dirtier in person, but for some reason it looks clean in the photos…)

So, I decided to go to a nearby gas station for a hand wash.

At our home, we’ve been using this place for hand washes for a while. It’s very close to home, and the staff are friendly, and I can wait on a sofa in a room with Wifi while the car is being washed. Plus, they offer a complimentary drink while you wait.

Of course, I think the cost-performance of the wash is also very good.

By the way, since delivery, the Panamera has only been coated once at the dealer and hasn’t had any additional coating since. Every few months, my husband washes it himself, or I take it to the gas station for a hand wash.

We’ve driven about 30,000 km on various roads so far, but it’s kept a clean condition without any noticeable scratches. My husband said,

I don’t think the coating the dealer did was anything special, but since the body color is dark blue, it’s easy to see how clean the car looks after washing, isn’t it?

Also, we’ve never used an automatic car wash on the Panamera. I’ve read online that brushless washes might be okay, but I’m still too scared to try it (-_-).

Panamera Car Wash

That day, my daughters’ elementary school and kindergarten finally started, so I had a free morning and made a reservation in advance. According to the gas station’s records, the Panamera was washed in April this year, and at that time I had requested the top wash course that restores water repellency and gloss from the coating.

The staff told me, “That effect lasts solidly for three months, so a regular wash should be fine today.” So I chose a course with regular water wash plus wheel and detailed dirt removal, and vacuuming the driver and passenger seats.

The wash was expected to take 40-45 minutes.

While waiting, I checked emails, wrote blog posts, and enjoyed a free café au lait… (Even though I’m pregnant, I ended up drinking it),

Before I knew it, the staff called out, “The wash is complete.”

Time really flies when you’re busy. I almost said, “Already!? I wouldn’t mind if it took a bit longer (lol).”

When I went outside to check the Panamera, it was shiny and sparkling like a brand-new car!

Amazing… thank you so much! However, the staff mentioned that the areas with heavy bug stains had slightly discolored due to sun exposure while the car was left for a while, making it harder to remove with a regular wash. Looking closely, there were faint stains remaining.

Though you have to look closely to notice, it’s clear that leaving it for a while isn’t good… I’ll keep that in mind.

By the way, about the cost—the Panamera falls under the L size category, so it was 5,832 yen (tax included). Well, it’s a bit pricey, but considering my beloved car gets this clean, and I get to enjoy coffee and work uninterrupted while waiting, I think it’s worth it.

I really felt again that just having a clean car makes me feel refreshed and in a good mood.