Hello, Chicago Area Mini owners.

Have any of you been gutsy (or desperate) enough to take your Mini to an automatic car wash? If you did and would go back to the same one again, could you please post the name and location?

I'm nervous about the wash's wheel track damaging my Mini (one just damaged my dad's new car) and those permanent "swirls" in the paint job. Rest assured, I plan on washing my Mini by hand when it gets a little warmer. In the meantime, I do not want the salt eating the undercarriage and don't want to keep bringing it to the dealer (free wash).

Thanks!
-Otto

P.S. I thought about posting in the Detailing 101 forum, but I thought this topic was too regional specific.

 

Otto,
I've been too scared to take mine to an automatic, so I've been fighting the cold and washing as fast as I can in my back yard, followed by a long, hot shower! I'd becareful of the automatics, wheel damage, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they recirculate that water? If that is correct, that is the same as washing your car with salt water. Wash fast, rinse, dry using the big blue towel (5 minutes max), jump in the shower.


Craig

 

If you live in Chicago (or Detroit like me)...the home wash is an impossibility. I've been taking mine to a "touchless" car wash since Day One (Nov. 1). I'll do it by hand, come summer, but until then it's Glo Car Wash here in Dearborn, MI.
No damage to wheels. No swirls. Besides, I think one of MINI's proverbs should be: Let's not live for our cars.

 

where in chicago do you live? i know of a bunch of good spot's to goto!

 

Thanks for the advice, folks. You both bring up good points.

If you know others in the area, please tell them to post their recommendations here. I think this could be a good thread, if just to discuss the logisitics of washing your car in the winter.

BTW, I've also heard some negative things on those coin operated, self-washes. Something about the water spray being too powerful.

-Otto

P.S. Craig, please P-M me with the thread on your recent Colorado trip. I was following it until I had to go out of town for a few weeks on business. Hope all went well.

 

>>where in chicago do you live? i know of a bunch of good spot's to goto!

Thanks, nfo.

I live in the Western 'Burbs. However, my job takes me all over the place, so list away.

When starting this thread, I pondered how specific area-wise would get the most responses. I know MCO has quite a few Chicagoans, so I thought that would get the most attention. I'm happy to see people like LockJawDavis up in Detroit posting.

If people keep posting, I will compile a list that people could print out and carry in their glovebox when on Midwest roadtrips.

 

we'll i've been lucky enuf to find a really good hand wash near downtown. it's $7.00 before 10am.
they do a good job getting all the salt off with sprayers before any washing mitt's touch the car.
as well i've found that the touchless wash's over on the north side are pretty good as long as you bring with some towels to dry off your car when you're done!
as said before, you will never have peace of mind if you don't wash it yourself!!!
i'm too lazy in the winter soooooooooooooo...............

 

I agree with everything LockJaw said. The touchless places usually have no tracks...you just drive in and park it. As for recycled water, I don't know. It seems like if there were salt in the water from the last car, it would leave the Indi Blue with a white film which isn't the case for me. I've been going to the Amoco/BP station at 63rd and Cass because it's close to home, but there are touchless washes all over the area. --Drew

 

There is an awesome car wash on Avondale Rd. / Harlem Avenue, just across the tracks. How do I know that since I live on Long Island? 'cause I just drove there !!!
15 hours each way.

 

oh yeah, they bring you car into a lovely heated warehouse and hand wash it right in front of you, it's awesome.

 

I went to Fuller's Touchless Wash on Ogden Avenue this AM. It's located on the Downers/Westmont boarder. They did a great job inside and out for $12.50, and I tipped the guys at the end since they did such a good job. Noticed no visible swirls in the paint job, yet. Also, no problems with the wash's wheel track on the Mini during the wash (I watched), and no difference in steering feel post-wash on the drive to work.

NFO, what's the name of the car wash you like located downtown?

Beshaw and DrewBlue, thanks for the input! Hopefully, we can get more locations. Tell locals (or Chi-town visitors) you know!

 

Hey, I was all over the Chi area the past few days .. starting with McCormick Place and the Auto Show (pix soon to be posted) .. by the time I arrived from I-55, JoeGreen was a disaster from ice, snow, salt, blowing wet stuff. I used the touchless for $5 at Clark and Ridge. The next day I was in Waukegan area and used another touchless for $4 at Buckley Rd and Route 41, near Knauz. In both cases I used microfiber towels which I got at AutoZone to dry off the water droplets. No problems noted. Only saw two other MINIs in 4 days, except for the 7 + 1 snowmobile at the Show.

 

Hey OttoPequeno,

Turn left out of FL going west, then right at the 1st light. On the RHS at Ogden, I believe there's a Shell with a touchless was plus the 93 octant we seek. Also, if you go west another stoplight out of FL, turn right on Naper to Ogden where there is a Mobile which I thought was brushless. I know the Turtle Wash east on Ogden uses brushes, so it's out. Also, most of the Shell stations in the area offer touchless washes.

Take a run in the MINI and see if my memory serves your purpose.

Good Luck,
SMKKVK

 

Good memory, SMKKVK!

I still am a bit leary of gas station washes, but it is a good fallback in case of emergency.

Thanks!

Hope the drive back to Michigan was enjoyable in the new Mini. Somehting makes me think it probably was, even with all the snow.

 

lns1122......i used that same touchless @ clark&ridge this week. not bad!
OttoPequeno.....the wash i use in the city is on clyborn, just north of fullerton..not sure of the name!

 

My regular Wash is on Dempster just west of Harlem in Morton Grove. They have two touchless automatic's and the work GREAT! With Blow dryers in the winter it just takes a towel to finish the door sills and dry off the glass the doors don't freeze shut.

Luckily I have an AWESOME hand wash/detail place at my place of work that is very reasonable.

 

My usual place is a "do it yourself" spray wash on Skokie Blvd. in Deerfield just off of 41. I generally just use the hi pressure sprayer but will use the brush on the lower parts of the car (only after I spray it off of course). I've been meaning to get down to that one on Dempster but I'm rarely in the area. Anyone know of another in the North Shore?

 

gabe...
there is another good one in highland park.
if you head east on central. make a left at the stop sign before the tracks.
it's at the next stop sign on the left!
really good full service wash!
not cheap from what i remember!
you get what you pay for, right?
see ya tomorrow!

_________________

 

In the past, I have often frequented Delta Sonics. They aren't 'touchless', but the are 'brushless'. I have been happy with the results on previous vehicles, but after all the Mini is more than just any other car, right? The fact that they hand dry afterwards is nice in these cold winter months. Has anyone else had good/bad experiences to relate at Delta Sonic? There are several scattered throughout the area.

T J

 

>>gabe...
>>there is another good one in highland park.
>>if you head east on central. make a left at the stop sign before the tracks.
>>it's at the next stop sign on the left!
>>really good full service wash!
>>not cheap from what i remember though!
>>you get what you pay for though right?
>>see ya tomorrow! :smile:

 

I live out in Schaumburg and use the Busy Bee Car Wash on Golf. Has anyone had their car detailed in the Chicagoland area? If so: where at and how much?

Thanks,
ZM