Alright people! Spring is kicking in and although my better judgement is telling me that I must always wash my GP with the love and care it deserves (i.e. by hand), I just found a Groupon for a Delta Sonic around the corner for 3 washes with the works. I would really like to use this for the days when I don't have the time to spend hours on my Mini--but is the GP too LOW for commercial washes?! Even though this has made for good debate in our household I would like to get some outside opinions!

So GP Owners--how do you wash your babies?

 

my factory ride height on the R56S was too low for my local car wash...I can only imagine

 

Depends what their wheel track is like...but the front will likely scrape as it goes through. Also you need to be very careful about the wing at commercial washes...it's likely to be ok, but its too much $$$ to risk something happening to it.

Luckily here in Southern CA, hand wash car washes seem to out number automated car washes so its never an issue!

 

Handwash only, microfiber only. Not just because of the potential for rim and undercarriage damage on your very low slung GP, but for the sake of the finish of the Thunder Blue Metallic paint as well.

 

Don't do it!!!

 

I recommend hand washes only. You'll be better off.

 

It is the GP wing that drove the hand wash only sticker. The GP is not any lower than any other Mini with the JCW suspension. I would not want a big wash roller hitting the wing on my GP.

 

Personally I wouldn't do it. The manufacturer does not recommend it and I couldn't image taking the risk. Image if you did it and had to replace the side skirts, wing and underbody parts for the sake of saving some time.

 

I vote NO. I worked at a car wash when I was in high school and to say we didn't care about what happened was an understatement. We'd drive cars up on the tracks and drag them through just to fill the till with another $5.00.

Don't do it man! Spend the money you would on GroupOn and plumb hot water to your hose bib. That's what I did and man, it makes washing my cars sooooo nice!

 

My understanding over the years is that cool water (not cold) is much better to wash your car with than hot.

 

I use the term "hot" loosely. Mix cold and hot together to get a nice temp that makes washing easy to manage year round.

 

You have to watch the numbers also. I know someone who put their GP in one of those no touch car wash's and the numbers came off.
HAND WASH ONLY!!

 

Especially when it's 38 degrees out and had been raining for 2 weeks straight!

 

Sounds like a unanimous no. I had the same thought and I think I just got my answer from this thread =).

 

Funny how most of the replies are from gen2 owners...
A gen1 gp, jcw height is ok for some auto car washes....many, even most of the newer no-touch ones im my area don't even have the traditional rails/bars to drive up on....just some sensors and you drive in...the machine overhead lines up....and 4 miniutes later, a clean mini....except for the rear...hand washes do that better, but do you trust a commercial place to have clean wash towels? I find a no touch fine for 90% of cleaning, then a home bucket was great for a good deep cleansing wash before a wax, etc.

 

Open your driver door. Look at the jamb. "HAND WASH ONLY." Also says, "...Do not use pressure washers..." somewhere too.

 

DITTO THIS.... Read the tag inside the door jam!!! or ruin at own risk. It is there for a reason.