So today is the 2nd time I've used a car wash on my MINI with good results. It's totally touch-less, though the force of the water (and the blow dry afterwards) sometimes makes me worried I might lose a scuttle or two.

What are your thoughts on using car washes? I wonder if the detergents are too harsh on the finish. Also wondering if people have other reasons why using them are a bad idea.

 

I sometimes use one between washes, and will always and regularly use one this winter. I also go all touchless. The only problem I've had so far is the jets are strong enough to blast past the crappy weatherstripping on my boot lid, so I always end up with a bit of water in the back.

 

I have been using a touchless on my CM in between my own washings. They do a nice job and have not had any issues. I espescially think it will be good this winter.

 

Personally, I vote 'no' to any carwash.

 

I believe high pressure jets are strong enough to strip the clear coat,especially if ur car.has achip or a nick

 

Interesting.

Car washes are soo convenient, especially in winter that I'd like to continue using them, but I can understand those who refuse to use them.

 

Interesting...I will have to ask my detailer what he thinks when I see him next week!

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t-warning.html Take a look at what happened to this fellow...and I think this is worthy to read http://www.cpcardetailing.com/car-wash-nightmare

 

I'm lucky enough to live in a area where we usually can count on at least one or two 50+ degree days throughout the winter. So my MINI always is hand washed. If I lived in Vermont, much better to use a car wash than let her go unwashed

 

No auto washed for me.

 

I have taken my Mini to a professional car wash on several occasions with excellent results. I normally do it myself, but there are times when I'm heading out and don't have the time.

P.S. I would not recommend a gas station car wash.

 

I usually wash my car by hand, but I have nothing against going thru a car wash now and again. I love my car, a lot. But, at the end of the day, it's just a car.

 

I hope you'll share what he has to say.

 

I definitely will. He's always been spot-on with his advice!

 

I always and only wash my car myself in the driveway. And my dealer washes it every time it's in for service.

 

There is a $10 touch less drive thru near me that does a $10 job...then there is a place we go thats $35 and its a hand wash/wax and they do a much better job.

 

 

My dealer has a car wash on its premises, the kind with the rotating brushes...I always tell them 'no thanks' for the after-service wash.

I do use a touchless car, one that the whole assembly rotates around the car. When it first fires up, I am looking to make sure the spray nozzles are doing their job (i.e. fanning the water out in a wide spray pattern). In the past on a previous car, I had one where the nozzle was malfunctioning and it was putting out a lazer-like stream of thin, super high pressure water that stripped the clearcoat.

So now, I always have Chili in drive when the cycle starts so if I see the lazer-beam of water, I'm ready to floor it out of the car wash before any damage is done. Fortunately, I haven't seen a nozzle malfunction while washing the MINI!

 

Hand wash only for the whole time we have owned our cars. We won't even use touchless. Especially on black paint. It's so easy to get marks and swirls in the paint. And it's a lot of work to get the swirls out.

We use good equipment when washing our cars and maintaining them and they still look like they just drove off the showroom floor. Both are always garaged as well.

I NEVER LET THE DEALER TOUCH THE PAINT. IT'S A STANDING ORDER FOR OUR CARS!!

 

Thanks for saying this. I needed someone else to confirm my same feelings! I love my Mini, but there's no way around the realities of -40° winters... As long as I can temper the accumulation of winter grime and stop the development of more than the normal amount of Mini rust, I'm a happy driver.

 

I park in a shared garage and have no place to handwash our cars. So it's a trip to the local car wash with a spray wand or Brown Bear or the Seattle Costco's automatic carwash if I'm feeling lazy.

I've done this since I started driving in the late 90's and have never noticed any paint damage from car washes.

 

I only hand wash my MINI and like Pat...I never let the dealer touch the paint. "No Thanks" to the DIS (Dealer Installed Swirls).

 

My car goes through the car wash at least once a week, I wax it every 2 to 3 weeks and have over 100K on it, the paint is in good condition and zero rust, the car is an everyday driver and has been in every east coast snow storm the past 3 years. I dont like to drive a dirty car, ever. So the 20 bucks for a wash is well worth it in my eyes.

 

i wash and wax myself... its a small car and being a conv... less area to clean...ahah

 

I live in an apt and we have 1 parking space and no car wash zone....no hoses either...or I would gladly hand wash mine.