irenesbob

superswiss -
I guess these were car washes where someone takes your car and runs it through. I have never (even with lesser cars) gone to one of them, just as I never use a parking lot that takes the car (valet - never, ever! lol). I thought you meant turning off the engine when you are the driver in a touchless or brushless type drive-it-through-yourself car wash. Now I get your point.
When not washing the car at home I go to one where you pay for a number of minutes and use a washing/rinsing wand to wash it yourself. One time the brass spray nozzle tip flew off the wand when I pulled the trigger, putting a little scratch on my Altima, so now I check by hand that the damned thing is tight. Gotta be careful!

troposphere

So you are saying you would damage the Quattro system by letting your DSG equipped vehicle roll along the road while in neutral?

You also think that would happen with a 6spd?

I respectfully disagree.

superswiss

Yes, you risk damaging the transmission and the center differential if the engine was off while you are rolling in neutral. That's why an Audi Quattro always needs to be loaded on a flat bed or dollies when towing. It's very well known and even described in the user manual. I'm not making this stuff up. Here are a few relevant excerpts from the user manual:

"Only use car washes where the vehicle remains stationary and the cleaning equipment moves around the vehicle while washing and drying. It is not recommended to use car washes where the vehicle is moved forward on a conveyer."

"Coasting downhill with the transmission in N and the engine not running will result in damage to the transmission and possibly the catalytic converter"

"Your Audi requires special handling for towing. The following information is to be used by commercial tow truck operators who know how to operate their equipment safely.

- Never tow your Audi, towing will cause damage to the engine and transmission.
- To prevent unnecessary damage, your Audi must be transported with a flat bed truck.

...."

The issue with rolling, towing and coasting an Audi Quattro with engine off is that the Quattro system is integrated into the transmission for compactness and efficiency. So, the center differential is part of the transmission and gets lubricated through the transmission oil. If the engine is turned off, the lubrication stops and most of the oil collects in the oil pan leaving the center differential dry. If you now coast or tow the car you gonna destroy the center differential.

There was special consideration for the DSG, due to its much more complex makeup. I couldn't quickly find that section in the user manual anymore or I may have read it in some other Audi material, but it really doesn't matter. Whether you have a 6MT or a DSG you risk damaging the center differential if you don't follow these instructions.

ChrisC

So we've beat this transmission thing to death but the issue of what solutions are available and acceptable for keeping your car clean without damaging your paint in winter.

My options are to either go to one of those "pay for minutes" self car washes irenesbob mentions or pay a hand detailer that has an indoor wash bay.
If these are not available or acceptable options for you, I guess you'll just have to wait for it to warm up enough to do it yourself. I have to admit that I've stood out in my driveway in freezing weather hosing the worst of winter off my car. Remember to drain the garden hose or you will not be able to use it until spring.
(I hate leaving salt and road crap on the car for any length of time.)
A clean Audi is a happy Audi (and owner)!!

sly1

I own a black Porsche 981S, and it is very susceptible to scratches. My wife on the other hand has a red 2012 Audi S5, and her paint is flawless, despite having been subjected to car wash dealers on numerous occasions. I attributed it to Audi using a paint process that results in a more durable paint finish than does Porsche. I realize that a black finish reveals flaws more than any other color, but I have read many complaints from Porsche owners about their car finish, regardless of color.

Hy Octane

Really? Seems to me even if the tranny oil isnt circulating, were talking a hundred feet or so of car wash here. Considering that the gears etc are already oiled up from being driven there, its hardly feasable that they could be run "dry' and become damaged after only a few minutes and a hundred feet.. been with Quattro since 1990 and never heard this nor had any problems from years of going thru car washes..