My MCSa needs a wash. Will I get wheel rash or dings from running my car through the car wash? I have the 17" BBS with the stock tires. My last BMW with 18" wheels always got scraped and dinged.

Thanks for the help.

 

I wouldn't risk it. Maybe there is a hand washing place near you?

 

in the C3 club in Los Angeles with Meguiars products.....

Don't do it... hand wash with micro fiber towels, after rinsing and washing first with a hose....

there is a whole technique to it....

Don't let your beautiful cooper get damaged....

 

I used to take my MCSa through the car wash at Mario Andretti's. Because no person washed the car I thought it was "touchless". Stupid me because the huge carpet-like tendrils suspended from the ceiling not only touch the car but bang into it. Each time my mirrors got turned around and once I lost my stone guard. So they were not gentle. But the worst part was that after beating up my car the front wheels were still grimey!

Now I go to a place that requires depositing two handfuls of quarters and provides you with a crude high pressure hose. It will remove the grime for sure and I don't think it's harsh on the finish, but I also get quite wet. And I get to see a wider range of folks using the place. Not necessarily those who are finicky about their cars either. Just a broad cross section of society with cars ranging from rusted out bangers to specimens with new models (who look more like the folks at Mario's).

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Don't do the Car Wash... It's like running a baby through a dishwasher!


Check out the Car Care Section for tips.. I use Zaino products and the paint still looks like it is fresh out of the booth a year later.

 

I learned the hard way..
I'd keep the car dirty and wash it myself over the weekend than go through a carwash.

 

The only car wash I will use is the kind that is 100% touchless. You pull in and the machine goes around the car. Only shoots soap and water on the car. This is of course when I am way to lazy and in a hurry and can't wash my Baby myself

 

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!

The $4 I put in the car wash two months ago ended up costing me $500!

The carwash sensor was off and ripped my spoiler right off taking the bolts and everything connected to the hatch

Although the car wash has no insurance-the owner was nice enough to write me a check for $500! Don't do it!

 

I have an MCS with 16" wheels/Dunlop run-flats, and it has sufficient clearance to go unscathed through a nearby TOUCHLESS wash. The metal "stop" in the floor has never contacted anything but tire.

HowEVER...
1) the thing does a not-so-hot job to begin with (keep your $5.00 in your pocket).

2) Tatt only uses the touchless wash to take advantage of the undercarriage spray periodically, because he so thoroughly enjoys the pure Zen bliss of hand washing and drying.

2a) Chicago winter = maybe it's not a bad idea to spray off the underside once in a while.

2b) The more I got in the addiction... err, habit of using quick detailing spritz (aka "QD") the less compelled I felt to go drop 5 bucks in the automatic wash. Staying on top of the dust prevents that yucky gradual buildup that tempts people to scratch "wash me" on your car.

3) I can see from this thread I am too trusting of the car wash "machinery"! The post about a broken wash tearing off a spoiler! Wow!

peace,
Tatt

 

Or the washing machine

 

I use the same kind of touchless carwash, but only in the winter, when the bucket of water freezes from the 10 second walk out to the car.

 

your car will be returned to the MINI safe haven tonight

sorry - you said the magic words and are not worthy ... do not interfere

go get a Scion

(02 has NEVER seen an automatic car wash....not has the 95 Miata...or the 79 for as long as I've had it.... shame on you)

 

Watch out at car washes for the rails along the left tire track. Those rails are often high enough to hit your front air dam. I HIGHLY recommend avoiding all car washes, except the 100% touchless spray-only type.

The MINI is quite low to the ground, even in stock form, but if you've replaced your stock springs with lower ones, you're even MORE at risk of scraping or seriously damaging your (expensive) front air dam. Don't assume the designer of the car wash has prepared for your car's lack of ground clearance!

Let's be careful out there!

 

Good point about lowered MINIs .

 

Just to make you fear touchless car washes...

My old office was next door to the people who run 90% of the coin op car washes in town. They specifically told me to never use a touchless car wash due to the fact that if the "cleansing" mixture is off by 1% it would eat the paint right off the car (since its active ingredient is acid), or if the clean water spray was malfunctioning, the cleanser would stay on the paint and eat the clear coat. I will toss in $2 for the quick wash at the touchless place, but thats cause the $2 only gets you an undercarrige wash and a quick rinse, no soap, no sealant, no drying.