Car Wash?

[xnetco]

Hi,

I've had my MINI three weeks now and I think it's going to need a clean! Is it ok to take it to my normal car wash?

Tim

[NED]

I wouldn't use one of those drive through auto-wash things - apparently the brushes they use can cause tiny scratches in the paintwork. Best to use a coin-op washing bay or wash it at home!

[Wul]

DON'T GO!

Never use a brush type car wash, unless it's a company car and you don't care about it!

NED is right about the scratches, especially as you paint finish is still hardening.

Also here in the uk at least there are all sorts of disclaimers posted about damage to cars at your risk....and when i was younger i heard about kids sneaking into them and tying bolts and washers to the bristles of the brushes....it's definately not worth the risk!

Also look out for carwashes which re-use the water, thus increasing the risk of damage etc.

Hand washing is the only way to keep the car looking like it should i'm afraid!

[Martin L]

Car wash
As said above it needs to be handwashed. If you don't want to do it yourself there are plenty of hand wash carwash places around

Better idea still is go back to your dealer to get them to fix one of your faults (your car's bound to have one ) and they'll wash it and valet it for you

[rayasp]

I never use a car wash because I have this vision of the plastic gutter trim being pulled away from the roof, it just does not seem robust enough to me.
RAYASP.

[BruceK]

The MINI Owner's Manual (at least the US version) indicates it is okay for a MINI to be put through a touchless or brushless automatic car wash. This is the kind where various high pressure streams of water are used rather than having any sort of brushes touch the car.

These type of car washes are all over the US (sometimes called "Laser Washes" ), but from earlier posts on this subject I gather there aren't too many in the UK yet.

Does the UK Owner's Manual discuss automatic car washes?

[80spitfire]

I take my cooper to hand held spray type car washes. I would wash it by hand but in the winter sticking my hands in buckets of ice cold water is not fun. The spray wash does fine, at least it gets the road salt off the car. One precaution however. Make sure you don't spray the water into the front grill directly. The water has considerable force and can get in places it shouldn't. When I first washed my car some water got in the front grill and steam was rising from the hood (bonnet) for awhile. It looked like the car was overheating, but everything is O.K. now. I would imagine if you constantly got water in their engine damage will result. Now when I was my car I spray the water down from the windshield and bonnet so that the grill and headlamps are cleaned indirectly.

[lotuseatsvipers]

While I imagine most of you (especially the thread starter) won't go through this kind of trouble to take care of your baby I figured I'd share the site anyways.

www.autopia.org

buy their e-book and read the forums. Even if you don't want to put that extra time in to care for it, at least you will know what not to do.

One of the best most informative sites on the net.

[cosworth]

Wash it by hand, YOURSELF! In this area, we have a few car washes where a bunch of workers do all the washing by hand. Well, I took one of my cars there once, and one of the emblems pulled off and got caught up in one of the guys wash-mitts, and unknowingly, he went right across the trunk-lid with it, putting a nice, long scratch right across it!

[Tom F.]

You can wash it yourself in less time than it takes to drive to a car wash and pay the man. Once you have the buckets and towels and chamois and car wash soap it doesnt take ten minutes (unless you have white wheels like me).

When its cold out, I just fill my buckets half way with hot water, and then fill the other half out of the hose. Nothing to it, hands always comfortable.

Even a touchless car wash can do paint damage, high pressure spray can push the grains of dirt into the new, soft paint and give you scratches. If you can't do this yourself, get a good handwash and then about five coats of wax. Then use the touchless (not brushless, the ones with the hula skirt like fabric strips) until the wax shows evidence of being thin, and start all over.

Have fun cleaning your Mini.

[teddyx]

EEK! I wouldn't use a car wash under any circumstances, unless they are 'brushless' aka 'useless'. Jet washes are fine provided you keep the high pressure jets away from the paintwork. I usually stand with the end of the lance a good four feet away from the car. It's not recommended to spray directly at the rear sensors if you have them. I had my my car done over with 'diamond finish' which was well worth it. No need to polish, just chamois. I use 'Autoglym' when I do the car by hand. A very satisfying and relaxing passtime. Don't forget wheel protector for your alloys.