A tire dressing applicator station for use in car wash installations wherein the applicators are tolerant of large degrees of vehicle misalignment, misorientation and entry contact shock. In each applicator structure, an additional pivot or “knuckle” is placed in one of two support arms which are pivotally connected between floor anchors and an elongate mounting carriage to which the dressing applicator elements are attached. Flared tire guides are located on the entry ends of the applicator structures to make contact with the tires of approaching vehicles whereby one or both of the two applicator structures is/are reoriented as necessary to accommodate the actual location of the vehicle, whether it be on the intended path of travel or off to one side and/or angularly misoriented relative to die intended path of vehicle travel.