[The General]

Godfrey Hall, Coventry, (UK) wash new MINIs in their automated car wash. I saw a red and white (brand new) MINI beinging washed today, and a silver one last week.

I know BMW dealers think they are doing you a favour by washing your car before they return it to you - but please automated car washes (with brushes) do nothing but scrub the shine off your lovely paint.

If you care about your MINI do as I do and place a notice on the dash saying: PLEASE DO NOT WASH CAR!

T G.

[MGB Boy]

Crikey. Some might dismiss it as nitpicking, but I know exactly what you mean. I refuse to use automatic carwashes on my cars, no way no how. If the automatic ones in the UK are anything like here in the US, along with all the scratching potential from the brushes, there's also the concern that the track which moves the car along can do a hell of a number on your alloy wheels, especially with low profile tires...

-Ricardo

[BruceK]

This reminds me of a big controversy about 15 years ago. Pictured on the cover of AutoWeek magazine was the nose of a bright red Ferrari (a brand new Testarossa I think it was) just emerging from the wailing soapy bushes of an automatic car wash.

You could just imagine the disgust thousands of readers felt at the horrible way the magazine was treating a Ferrari (!) of all cars.

In fact in the next AutoWeek issue, at the bottom of a long list of letters from outraged readers was a small note from the magazine's editor. He simply explained that the picture was taken at a certain location in Italy, an obscure city called Maranello. It turns out that the automatic car wash was a regular way of cleaning new cars at the Ferrari factory itself!

[Dogger]

Don't get me wrong guys, I know where you're coming from with this, but sometimes I think automated washes are better for my car than the hand washes I'd otherwise give them..

When I have time to wash my car by hand I don't normally get chance to rinse it off 1st (as my local auto place does) so there could easily by bits and peices being dragged along the car when I slap the sponge on it? I've noticed when giving it it's final rinse that there have been peices of grit in the bottom of the bucket..

Surely the cloths on the auto units spin so quickly that the centrifugal force would dispell any bits and pieces well before your car comes into contact with them? The cloths at my local auto place are also of a better quality than my cheapy sponge..

I'm not saying that all auto places are safe, but surely there are good ones and bad ones?..

[smiffy]

My dealer has got one of these in the yard out the back & every car seems to be cleaned by this I suppose it saves time & effort

[Kinster]

Hose down your car first then give it a wash. Then it'll get rid of all the grit!

[lightbody]

Automatic washes are fine if they're properly maintained etc.

The problem is that so many aren't and you have no way of knowing when you stop at one at random.

I'd guess the machines at the Ferrari factory - and at your BMW dealers - are perfectly fine.

[MGB Boy]

Quote:

Originally posted by lightbody
Automatic washes are fine if they're properly maintained etc.

The problem is that so many aren't and you have no way of knowing when you stop at one at random.

I'd guess the machines at the Ferrari factory - and at your BMW dealers - are perfectly fine.

"Properly maintained" is the key. If Ferrari have one, I'd be willing to bet it's the best maintained automatic car wash in the world, in stark contrast to the 25 year old paint stripper, oops, I mean car wash down the road from me...

-Ricardo

[Marts]

CAR WASHES - Never Again....


Many moons ago..( 2years ~)

Wheel brushes missed the wheels and started scrubbing the side of my car! Ruined paint work....

will never use them again.....besides a mini isn't exactly a 4X4 size to clean by hand!

[smiffy]

I see lots of claims in work involving car washes that have ripped off rear spoilers

[Paul]

You dug this old thread up!

I think Wollaston in Northampton also use a car wash for at least part of their cleaning process.

[Nathant]

Quote: Originally Posted by The General

but please automated car washes (with brushes) do nothing but scrub the shine off your lovely paint.

WOW, that is not good at all, talking about Swrirl Marks!!

[Ian Clark]

I've decided that when I take delivery of my New MINI, it will NEVER see an Auto-Carwash.

There is a group of lads about half a mile away who do a jet and hand wash. There's 4 of them working on the car at any time. Only costs £3 and its one of the best washes I've ever seen... AND they're very careful They're great for the days when I don't have the time to do it myself.

They'll do for the days when I either don't have time

[punkeyfunky]

I think my dealer (Sytner, London) must use an auto wash too. I noticed that my freshly purchased stubbly ariel was bent after coming back from the dealer. I'll be having words with them first thing on Monday...