Upon exiting my Prius, if I lock the doors by pressing the door lock button on the armrest, will the hatch door also lock if it has previously been opened, or do I have to lock the rear hatch door separately? Is there an aftermarket antenna available to replace the roof antenna, so that I don't have to worry about removing the antenna before going through a car wash?
Yes, pressing the door lock button inside the vehicle will lock all the doors including the rear hatch. The shop here on Priuschat sells a sharkfin antenna. But my dad goes through a car wash we have around here and never had a problem (He does not remove his stock antenna) http://priuschat.com/shop/product_info.php/cPath/12/products_id/30
You should give serious consideration to taking your Prius through a Car Wash that uses rolling brushes. These brushes can not only damage your antenna, but your other trim pieces, as well as scratch your paint. Just Food for Thought. David (aka Blind Guy)
You are certainly right about that, but in the winter, I wonder if it isn't better than leaving all that crud on the finish. Automatic brush car washes have caused a whole lot of damage to paint and trim. If you have to go automatic, go with the brushless if possible. I get a lot of pleasure "handling" my car while I am washing it and it gives me a chance to inventory the outside and see if there is anything amiss, but I promise you that I would not even consider doing it in the winter if I weren't in South Florida. My wife is convinced that I do it mostly to get away from my other responsibilities inside the house, and she is probably right.
You should also be aware that FM reception with the shark fin antenna is significantly worse. If you live in an area with marginal reception, you will lose some stations entirely.
My hatch on 2007 model locks as well. I have had no problem with leaving the small antenna on for car washes so far.
A good solid layer of salt and dirt protects your finish, just like the dirt on your skin protects you from infection. Do they still really have drive-through car washes? I wouldn't dream of taking a Prius through a car wash--that would be a nightmare! (PS-I use plenty of sudsy water and a sheepskin mitt to wash my cars; the mitts last forever.)
