[skills0]

Is running the MINI through one of those "Touchless" auto washers going to hurt the paint, specifically while the paint is still less than a month old? Normally I'm planning to wash by hand of course, but I'm getting the car shot by a photographer tomorrow and I don't really have time to handwash it. I live in a small city apartment, so I have to take it somewhere to wash it.

Cheers,

Curtis

[Dom]

Don't know what a touchless car wash is... pressure washers?

Do they have car valeters in the states? May be your best option

Dom

[skills0]

Yeah, basically works using water pressure spraying in patterns, nothing ever touches the car except cleaners and water. i'm just afraid it may be a bit hard on new paint (or the water-based MINI paint in general). maybe i'll just spray it off good at one of those coin operated things.

curtis

[Dom]

Having not seen one of those automatic car washers, I'd better not comment.

I can't see a pressure washer doing any damage, as long as it's not too close...

But of course, I am by no means an expert!

Dom

[HarryHBMCC]

When I first got my MINI my driveway was being redone and later there were watering restrictions with the drought and I didn't have a lot of time so I took it through some touchless places at times. They don't actually seem to clean very well so I'm not worried about what they do to the paint -- if it doesn't even take all the dirt off, how much damage can it do? They clean OK if you don't have time and aren't out to impress but if you are getting pictures taken, perhaps one of those car spa/valet places would do a better job. Touchy carwashes do a better job but they can damage things.

Harry

[Genxslkr]

It all depends on how big of a FREAK you are. If you are a super freak then never go to a automated car wash. If you are just a freak then try not to go to automated car washes. If you are not a freak at all then make the automated car wash your second home.

1. Basically the worst is the auto wash with those scrubby brush things, they drag every bit of dirt from every car that has gone before you, and they don’t clean well. They will leave micro scratches all over your MINI.

2. The next worst is the high pressure do it your self wash that has the pressure nozzle and the foaming brush. It uses a combination of #1 and #3

3. Third is the high pressure touch free auto wash, they are far better than the methods described above, yet they will still leave micro scratches on your paint. The high pressure water will blast the dirt off leaving smaller micro scratches.

4. The Super freak is always using low pressure H2O (garden hose), quality soap, and quality cloth to wash and dry.

Good luck

Genxslkr
Super Freak

[CurtP]

Not to mention that all of carwashes (brush, DIY and brushless) use recycled water. Many of them do nothing more than run the water through a sand filter before it's sent back through the system (and the majority of them aren't maintained properly anyway).

Personally, I would never wash my cars at a carwash.

[skills0]

Thanks, that kinda confirms what I was thinking. I'm not going to have much choice but to go somewhere to wash it, since I'm not allowed to wash at the apartment as far as I know. Not sure there is a hose there anyway. Was planning to go over to friend's houses when I could. This photographer is a friend of a friend and has been wanting to shoot a MINI, so I'm not paying for this. Would like the car to look nice though and he probably does too. Just got it Saturday (12th), so it isn't that bad yet. just some light dirt splashes and some water marks from a drizzle we were having yesterday.

curtis

[Racer]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dom
Having not seen one of those automatic car washers, I'd better not comment.

I can't see a pressure washer doing any damage, as long as it's not too close...

But of course, I am by no means an expert!

Dom

Swindons not moved north of Watford has it Dom! - Plenty of 'touchless' round our way - though they tend to call them 'brushless' - The people in our local petrol station always seem to get the soap / water mixed up though and you end up looking like a firefighters been spraying foam at your car!

[Allybrit]

Nope, no car wash for me, I am also as described most eloquently above a SUPERFREAK !!!!

[chiph]

I don't think the "touchless" (or "brushless") washes do a very good job. They'll get the loose dirt off, but they'll leave the road grime behind.

We've got water restrictions too, so I take a bucket to one of the "you-spray-it" places, and do it that way.

What with tropical storm Kyle, we should have water restrictions reduced to "voluntary" in the next week, so I'll trade one day of watering the lawn for a car wash.

Chip H.

[stryder]

a Minor FYI, I went through a touchless automatic wash (was living in a dorm, absolutely no other options for washing), and the car got caught in the track, and was sorta squeezing along slowly as it went through. I didn't go back after that to any automatic washes. I looked and found out it was the bold that holds on the left rear shock, its now slightly scratched. I emailed MINIUSA about it after it happened, (this was 5 months ago), never heard anything else.

[BruceK]

Gee, when all else fails, you guys could read the MINI Owner's Manual:

Look it up. It states: "You can wash your new MINI from the outset in automatic car washes, though you should use the brushless car washes"

There's more washing info, but you'll have to read it in the manual.

[skills0]

Bruce,

usually it's me telling people to read the manual, although that's with computers/software. sorry, had no idea it was mentioned in the manual. haven't had a chance to dig through the whole thing yet. thanks.

curtis

[BruceK]

Quote:

Originally posted by skills0
Bruce,

usually it's me telling people to read the manual, although that's with computers/software. sorry, had no idea it was mentioned in the manual. haven't had a chance to dig through the whole thing yet. thanks.

curtis

Curtis, see what having a early copy of the Owner's Manual from the Owners' Lounge some 3 months before I got my MINI did to me? I must have read that thing 10 times from cover to cover. My wife was sure I was crazy. Now that I actually own a MINI, I think I've looked at it twice in 4 months of ownership, once when I changed the oil and again when I pulled the quote above about the car wash!

[Dom]

Quote:

Originally posted by Racer


Swindons not moved north of Watford has it Dom! - Plenty of 'touchless' round our way - though they tend to call them 'brushless' - The people in our local petrol station always seem to get the soap / water mixed up though and you end up looking like a firefighters been spraying foam at your car!

Hmm... I'm gonna go looking for them now!

well, maybe after work...

Dom

[Wul]

I live in a flat and wash my MC every weekend in the SUPERFREAK way, but without the need for a hose.

To do this take:

2 plastic buckets, one 5L watering can, sponge and shampoo.

Fill one bucket with shampoo and water other with clean water and watering can with clean water.

I then use 2nd bucket to top up the watering can as required during rinsing.

In doing it this way i usually only need 1 refill trip for final rinsing (fill bucket and can again). And at a guess a round total of approx 25L max of water used in whole process.

Added advantage is that if you take the rose off the watering can for final rinse the water "sheets" off nicely leaving little to dry off.

In this way i'm now down to 30mins max time start to finish.

Hope this helps!

[skills0]

yeah, thought about trying something similar, thanks for the ideas.

curtis