Never Again will I go to Drive and Shine carwash in my hometown. Today following the advice of my fellow NAMers I drove my car to Schoolcraft Michigan and back to Elkhart Indiana putting over 100 miles on my car I really think a MINI is the best car I have ever ridden in or driven in my entire short life. This is from a kid who's dads friends have Testerosas, Aston Martins, and Bentley GTs, they're loaded!! I only had one problem today. That was, listening to my dad. I took his advice and went to a express carwash. I got there, paid, and started going down the mechanized track into the car wash, all the while in Neutral with my hands off the wheel. All of a sudden about halfway through the little pegs pushing my car kick it up and over the rail and took a huge chunk out of my wheel when it came down. I got done and furiously went to check my car, I saw the chunk, and went back to tell the soup. He told me to call the corporate office and tell them about. My dad called and told the man what happened and he said that it was my fault, because I was behind the wheel of the car. What a lame excuse. So my dad told them (excuse the language) that "the next my son drives his car there I'll make their F-ing dumba$$ soup drive it through the carwash for him. In fact I have a better idea maybe he'll not drive his car to their f-up carwash ever again, and maybe even start a advertising campaign against them." There are three downsides to this situation, #1 my wheels are screwed up, #2 they didn't even offer to give my money back for the carwash, and #3 my dad's been friends with the owner of this place since high school. I think I'll stick to washing my car myself now. Sorry Harmon...: cry:: cry:: cry:: cry:




*Visit the member gallery under ChiliCooperS and the pic is titled wheel damage.*

 

how is your wheel screwed up? Pics? I believe you, I've heard storied of friends who have had similar experiences, I would just like to see, if at all possible.


Thanks and sorry for your trouble.

 

If your dad's friends with the owner have your dad bring it up to him or call him yourself. If you really didn't do anything than there is no reason it should end here. Also, I y'all are that wealthy, have your lawyer draw up a threatening letter (will cost a couple of hundred minimum I would guess) and tell them you expect payment for damages.

 

Did you have it turned off?

 

Yes, this guy is 15 years old and has a MCS. I'm glad I live nowhere near him.

 

I always avoid those car washes with the metal guide tracks for the wheels. The new-fangled touchless lazer washes are pretty decent. Unfortunately, it's been so cold here over the weekend they've all shut down

 

That's for me too... Touchless or handwash in my garage. I went to the touchless car wash today... high of about 15f and it was time to get the salt sprayed off the undercarrige.

 

Actually because my dad kinda took the blame upon himself, fred3, it was him that called and did the talking. I kinda getting fed up with NAMers that keep calling me that. It's been one week and I bet I have been called that by about 15-20 people. What they fail to realize is that I have been saving up since I saw CooperBeagle's in early '03. I worked about 38 hours a week average during the summer and payed for it in full, my parents only pay for the gas. I pay for the insurance, and I payed for the car, because my mother and father tought me early on that if theirs something you really want work as hard as you can to get it. I would really appriciate it if all these comments would stop, fred3, and I already have set up an appointment with my uncle, a detailist and mechanic to fix the 1-3 in diameter ding in my front left rim, and guess what no swearing on my dads part was needed.

Oh by the way erik99 I appreciate your comments also, you obviously didn't read the entire thread. Just shows you how one sided people are, oh and by the way I get a 4.0 GPA.

 

When coming back for Christmas break, I washed the S in 30 degree weather and I almost felt it was the summer, minus the sun, body heat and the constant worry about the suds evaporating before i could wash them off. In the future I might spend a bit more money and have it washed, but at least i dont have to worry about messing up my rims, albeit, i have never had a problem before... Good luck with the repairs, litigation etc...

Cheers,
Jonathan

 

Do a search on "car wash" and htings of that sort and you'll find other people have had the same problem when they take their cars through an automatic wash.

So either:

1. You are not coming across as a spoiled rich kid, and about 20 people on this board are either overreacting or just have it in for you.

or

2. You are coming across as a spoiled rich kid, and do not realize you are doing it.

You have a 4.0 GPA, I imagine you can figure out which one of these is more likely to be the case.

 

Sorry about your MINI but I also stay away from car wash that move your car with on a track. I had a '79 Buick Regal in a wash like this. During the wash my car stops. (It was stilll in neutral and I touched nothing) and the guy behind me hits my rear end. About $500 damage. No one took responsiblity. I would have had to sue the car wash company to get the money. In the winter I take my MINI in touchless washes that circle the MINI. It's not great but keeps the salt down.

 

I only do hand washing or the laser wash where the car does not move. My sister worked at a car wash place that had a moving car wash machine. Always bad idea for really low or wide cars.

One point GPA bonuses for Honors/AP classes are stupid you know. I know I took those classes the first two years of HS. Padded my GPA nicely but they weren't much more difficult then regular classes.

Just wait till you get to college kid it is a whole new world.

I knew kids like you in HS that just breezed through and then couldn't handle it when they got to college cause they went from being the best to just being average.

I had always been just about average so it wasn't that much of a shock to me I was just average again in a much larger average pool.

 

I'm trying to prepare for college the best I can and I work hard at it. Someone please tell if I am coming across as a spoiled rich kid! For I do not mean to do it, I will admit my family is well off but I get and have never gotten anyting handed to me. I do admit I have said some harsh words and regret it and I hope everyone can see the one thread that erik99 was refering to, just to see how stupid young people can be, but also how much they mature in just one week it's an ongoing process, but I'll be the first to tell you it's not going fast enough for me!!
Thanks for everything Harmon will be healed as soon as the temp gets above 15 degrees.

Since the thread he was refering to has been lost please click here to see it.

 

CCS, sorry about the nasty incident at the carwash.

Let's all drop the bickering, virtually shake hands, and continue to enjoy our MINIs and our fun MINI community. Let's give a young lad some encouragement and by our good example, show him how to get along.


Clover

 

hey ChiliCooperS, there are several barriers with online forums, one is the lack of human-human contact (thus people are much more "strongly opinionated" and more likely to not be respectful) and another is the fact that sarcasm easly comes across as rude/cocky/disrespectful/etc. I too am a teenager with a MCS. You, I guess, are less spoiled than me as I neither paid for my car nor do I pay for gas or insurance or whatever. My parents pay for everything. Thats not to say I get anything I want, because I hardly do. I will admit my parents are very giving in the automotive department though. I have found it nearly impossible to post a topic that is founded on people's opinions (especially something illegal, ie speeding) and not have people start making snide remarks. Oh, I hope you know that most people are not going to be fond of the idea of a 15yr old with a new MCS, so it might be best to keep it to yourself to avoid un-needed conflict. I have learned that jealousy can really bring out the worst in people. I must say I am impressed that you paid for it in full, congrats.

oh, and with me being a 4.0 AP class high schooler who is now in college (ga tech), it isn't any harder AS LONG as you go to class (unless of course it is worthless, like chem recitation ) College is great!

 

Sorry you learned the hard way dude

The MINI isn't very normal-car-wash friendly; I'm too protective of MM2 to not wash him by hand. Ohh, that sounded kinky!

 

There have been several personal attacks in this thread that have been removed.

There has been a general lack of respect for other members in this thread. Any further violations of the Site Guidelines in this thread will result in additional moderation.

Going forward, my advice would be to stick to the subject at hand: dealing with damage caused by car washes.

 

Im with you npartist, college is the bees knees. Just kidding, but it is cool. Sorry to go back to that topic. But i am curious as to these mystery touchless and laser car washes. Ive never heard of nor seen anything like it around here. Ive tried to go to some places with the machine pushing my car, only yo be told that my car's wheelbase is too short. Whatever.
Anybody in the chicagoland area know where one of these touchless/laser car wash places is?

 

Removed out of respect for the board.

 

I too, had not heard of the "laser" carwashes until this thread. I did a Yahoo search and didn't really come up with anything in my area. (We do have an excellent hand-wash place, though.) Is this new carwash technology or am I just newly aware of it now that I've graduated from my ancient Corolla to my spiff (and dirt-magnet) MCC?

Thanks!

 

Not sure how common they are, but several of the lazer washes have popped up recently here in Rochester. The ones I've used consist of basically a single car/SUV-sized bay/garage. You drive slowly into the middle and a light tells you when to stop to ensure you're positioned properly. Nothing physically touches the surface of the car....water/detergent is simply sprayed on and rinsed off as the contraption moves over/around the car. Pretty neat.

 

Yes...give the kid a break already. I'd never trust any car wash with anything that touches the car. Stick to hand washing or if it's too cold, touchless jet washers.

 

The only time I saw a car wash like this was in South Carolina at a Hess Gas Station. I was interesting but they are having constant problems with them. I go down there (Charleston, Yea baby!!) about 3 times a year for 2 weeks at a time, and each week I'm there the wash is closed down for about 2 days, I asked the lady at the counter and she said they have problems calibrating the distance measurement with the lazers.

Another comment about the wash I recieved! There's still dirt and soap scum all over Harmon. I used to think this place was the best in town, needless to say i no longer feel that way. Have to look at the bright side though Harmon enjoyed eating up over 100 miles of asphalt, some with craters bigger than the car itself , in just one day, I believe even though he can't talk, sort of like any other pet, he's happy, even with the dinged rim.

 

Like I said below:

Going forward, my advice would be to stick to the subject at hand: dealing with damage caused by car washes.

 

*Brings the LAZER!@!* HaHaHa

Hey sorry to hear about the messed up tire! Hope you get things worked out and repaired. Well anyways see ya around and stick to cleaning it yourself! I think it gives the car a better and nicer clean! Much more detailed!