Hi,

I just bought a new 2012 MINI hard top. I LOVE it so much! The owners manual advises against an automatic car wash. I like to keep my cars nice and clean. Would a touch less automatic car wash hurt my MINI?

 

Touchless car washes suck and I wouldn't risk it. Take it to a hand wash place or do it yourself. The great thing about MINIs is it takes no time at all to wash it yourself. It's the hand waxing that takes forever

 

Don't run your MINI thru an automatic car wash, if you live where salt is used on the roads go to a hand operated car wash just to rinse off the salt. When time allows do a proper hand wash, your MINI will love you for it..

 

I would recommend hand washing only. The thought of an automatic car wash freaks me out, especially with new black paint. But to me, washing my car isn't a chore, I actually enjoy it!

My only problem is that I tell myself that it's not that dirty, so I'll just give it a quick, easy rinse. Then 3 hours later, the full detail is complete!

 

Depending on where you live, you may not be able to wash your own car. The first two years of ownership with my car, we had a drought and there were severe fines if you were caught washing your car. I took it to a good car wash at least twice a month. Never had any problems, paint still looks great!

 

I live in an apartment and can't wash it myself. Although I would like to. =) There is a self service car wash in town where I can wash the salt etc off, but I don't know if I can wax there or not.

 

Yeap...a touchless carwash is great between those hand washes.....been using them for years. Just pick one that doesn't have a "rail guide" for the front wheel.

 

I use a touchless automatic carwash near my home and I have had no problems, except for the time I didn't shut my rain-sense wipers off. First touch of water and the wipers turned on. I watched helplessly. Thankfully I only had to readjust and tighten the wiper arms. Note to all: Make sure the automatic wipers are canceled before going through.

 

What is wrong with a touchless car wash? I have used one for all my cars and they were never damaged. The only problem I see with them is they wax your windshield as well. My MINI went through one once just to get the dirt off and I did wash with no wax.

Seriously what is the concern?

 

How did the car wash harm the arms if it is touchless? Or am I misunderstanding touchless? Thanks.

 

Touch-less car washes use very high pressure water jets. They can easily strip damaged paint, rip off wipers if they turn on, cause sunroofs to leak, etc. They really are not "touch-less" as the water is obviously touching your car... but no brushes.

I would avoid any car wash that has wheel guides - good chance of damage there.

 

How can they be touchless? You have all those Sham-Wows oscillating over your MINI's little body! Touching, Violating it.... I never use them, I am a hands on cleaner making sure to get everywhere I can see and then some. Every time my sister takes he FJ in one, it tears off the sparetire cover. MINI Ranger, do you have friends that would loan you a driveway and a hose? What a great excuse to drink beer with the ones you care about... What part of the world do you live?

 

Touchless car washes do not "sham wow" the car. They are high pressures jets used in combination with lower pressure jets that applies chemical shampoos, waxes and plain old water.

I've run my cars through them in between hand washing, and they are fine (although don't expect dark colors to look great in the sun if it was heavily soiled). They are also nice because they clean the under carriage as you drive in - helps get rid of all that road salt.

 

I take my convertible through a touchless wash often. It also has a rail guide. I have used the same one for years without a problem. I take a soft terry towel to dry it if the weather is warm, and if it is to cold (I don't go if it is freezing), I just drive 100mph till it is dry.

 

Were you being serious about the Sham-wow things? Go to a Diamond corner store that has a car wash. Nothing but water and soap touch the car.

 

Ok Folks flame me if you like!!! I own a carwash, my mini goes thru 3-4 times a week, it is a soft cloth express tunnel, and my car does not have any scratches from the wash(I have a black roof). Washes do NOT apply "wax" to your car. It is a "drying agent" that aides in the drying process. If it was sold as "DRYING AGENT" no one would get it. A decent tunnel wash is fine for your cars. If you live in a climate that gets snow you better fine either a good tunnel wash or a good touchless auto, that has an undercarriage blast. With the salt, calcium chl. and brine that gets put on the roads nowadays you really want to blast the undercarriage. Anyone that goes into a self serve wash(my place has 7 bays) and thinks that using the foams brush is BETTER then going thru the tunnel, your out of your mind. And if you come into my wash and bucket wash, I will wait until you get your car all foamed up with soap and shut the bay off!!!! Its not appreciated at self serves to allow bucket washing. Bottom line is car washing is a multi billion dollar business, if all they did was damage cars there wouldn't be any. Go to most any new car dealer and they have a tunnel wash of some sort, rarely will they be touch less. Again feel free to flame me if you like but I read all this stuff about car washes being so BAD for my car, and granted there is occasionally a problem, but planes crash every now and again, but we still travel all over the place!!!!

 

I'll take mine through touchless ones if I just don't have time for a handwash. I've never found one that did a great job, but I don't think its a bad option for a quick fix. I did notice the last time I went through a touchless, the club door side of the car let in a lot of mist. (Anyone else have that issue?)
As for soft cloth tunnels...I've sent previous cars down those and been pretty happy with them. I think it depends on the color and your swirl mark tolerance. My white Hondas looked great after a tunnel wash and hand dry, but were covered in swirls under flourescent light (couldnt see them otherwise). With no real intention to do so, my CR-V never went through a tunnel...it was always hand washed, and I will say that its paint looked better than any other car I've had...virtually no swirls anywhere under any light.
So far, the Clubbie has only been touchless washed twice, and the rest of the time hand washed. (no clue what the dealership "wash" entails, but I think they are to blame for the attrocious amount of swirls marks on my black roof and c pillars.)

 

So far I've only taken Hobbes to the self-wash place near me. I'm petrified of going through any auto wash with a convertible, but, as pgrzez says, maybe I'm worrying too much.

Do other cabrio drivers regularly go through auto washes?

I'm happy to do the self-wash but I agree with pgrzez about getting the undercarriage wash done to get the salt off the underbelly.

 

Wash it yourself with low pressure and don't wax for at least 6 mos.

 

pgrzes.........I've used car washes for years and what you say is absolutely correct...

 

I've used regular auto car washes every winter followed by a very through detailing in the spring, never had a problem for 15+ years.

 

Just to go a littler further into washing, touch free autos should be fine for a mini. They are far enough away from the jets that the pressure is diminished quite a bit! The biggest issue with mini and the pressure is the clear coating on some of the trim pieces, and they have so much loosely attached plastic parts. Again shouldn't be a real problem. BIGGEST concern is touchfree's use a High ph/Low ph cleaning system. For those that are unaware they use "acid". Don't be overly concerned pretty much all washes are using some type of lo/high-high low setup. Everything is very well formulated to be safe for you're cars finish. If a wash has a problem and the presoak sits on your car too long, well that could be a major problem, presoaked in the sun is a problem. I have seen windows that were hot that got presoak sprayed on them that have been etched. So again just be sure to use a wash that it set up well. Keep your car clean and if they prep outside ask them to not spray any chemicals on them outside. Another concern is what type of drying you do. Chamois and micro fiber towels will leave marks and DO REMOVE wax. The more you wash and towel the more you will need to wax!! Just because you get the top wash with wax or a wash and wax does not mean you don't have to hand wax, and quick waxes/shines don't replace hand waxing!!!
Again I am open to getting flamed, I'm used to it!! I am just trying to offer up real info. Take it for what its worth, or what you paid for it!!

 

For those who can't wash the car, you might wipe it down good and use something like the Honda Polish like we use on the bikes...just a thought...


I think Maguires has a waterless car wash too.

 

Thanks for the info. This is your business and I am sure you know it. You wouldn't happen to know any good car washes in the Denver CO area would you? A little much to ask I know.

What is the best towel for drying the car if you hand wash it?

 

Lol sorry I can't help you there. Most all new washes are fine. Older washes that have been updated with soft cloth should be fine. If an older wash still uses micro switches with fiberglass wands to turn off functions I would steer clear. If you go to a touch free wash that has prep people just ask them not to prep. why go touch free if they prep??? Convertibles should steer clear of anything with a top roller brush.(they aren't brushes anymore they are made with neoprene)