Ok I'm probably going to get yelled at but
 

the people at car wash places are idiots. Now I know everyone is going to yell at me first for taking my Mini to a carwash and not doing it by hand but anyways, everytime I go it takes them 5 minutes to figure out how to unlock the door and another 5 minutes on how to bend the front seat up so they can get in the back (which they never do ever seem to figure out)

Howard

A CAR WASH?? AARRGGHHH!!!

Just kiddin. Five years ago, I might have yelled at ya, but not now. With kids, work, life in general, well, I went from a detail obsessed gearhead to a "Well, if I hose it off it'll be okay" kind of person. Too much time washing means less time motoring, I say.

That said, I agree with you about the car wash people. I'm not the biggest fan - but it's STILL better than going to the charity fund-raiser car washes at the local schools and churches. Filthy water, gritty sponges - those are the worst. . . :eek: :eek2:

I can't wash my car at home as the well water is to hard,and no matter what I do I get bad water spots.So I go to a wand wash,Cost me 3-4 bucks.I use my own washing mitt.Takes maybe ten minutes,and seeing as both of the places I go to are near the highway,I blow dry at 70MPH.Then when I get home I detail polish.
In the winter,I use the warm air blower to dry locks,latches,and wipe down the door sills and hatch opening.
Not going to yell at ya,but come on,it does not take long to wash the car.
Now if you want to talk detailing,go check out the forum.Now we are talking time,but time I love doing the more I do.
:cool:

MINI abuse! MINI abuse! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Someone call social services! 911, Homeland security, the UN.....:eek2:

Precisely.

Perhaps the roll-through car wash is better? At least persons unfamiliar with the car will not be handling it. But that does not take care of interior dirt

Lot15's method is the other alternative. The self-wash places take longer, but there is less anxiety and YOU get to keep all the quarters you find.

What, you want to start an 'oil for MINIs' program? :wink:

Howard, is tax day not tough enough without inviting abuse from NAM?:confused:
(for our Canadian friend, that's when the IRS takes our money:sly: that they don't use to provide national healthcare for us.)

You didn't ask, but if you had, I'd say "Told you so!" :smile:

Maybe (maybe??) I'm just anal retentive, but I don't like ANYONE I don't know (and most people I do) messing with my car. I'd sooner get up early and wash it before work. I DID go to one of the wand places after my big road trip, but that was mostly to wash UNDER the car to get all the Kansas and AZ salt off of it!

Well, I go to a car wash in Ontario, CA(lifornia) where I work near ... But I feel comfortable with it as the owner (whom I've talked to before) has a MINI himself. Not that he washes the car, but it gives me some odd warm fuzzy about it. :smile:

ummm
 

I dunno, I filed my taxes last month. :) The Early bird catches the worm... Err I mean gets his money back quicker.

Howard

'oil for MINIs' program? ... LMAO!

Dang this obsesion with a clean car is way beyond me. Once a week I roll over to my naighborhood hand wash place, 30 minutes later I motor out and in between I don't think about it. Number one reason I don't own a luxury car is they look bad with even a speck of dirt on them. My mini on the other hand like to have a little road dirt aqnd a few bugs in its grill, it proves its been motoring.

Rule 1) Don't sweat the little things
Rule 2) They are all little things

My car has been washed only at Uptown Touchless Car Wash, 5 blocks from home in San Diego. I don't think it's doing any harm.

The only problem I ever had was a guy not knowing how to get the car in reverse because my shift knob doesn't have the gears on it. I solved the problem but drawing a diagram on an index card and cutting a notch in it. I keep it in the glove box and stick on the shifter for the car wash guys.

As for your issue - I think you could just unlock the doors for them, couldn't you? As far as the seatback, I don't know what to tell you - it's not like there are a lot of possibilities for how to move the seat!

Howard, did you take the MINI to the new Suds on 29 in Centreville?

I've found that I need to make sure all the doors are unlocked before I get out of the car... Otherwise they A) don't open the boot to vacuum it out and B)Herc on the door handles so hard I fear one might get broken off.

Better to just unlock it all in advance.

BTW the Dr Wash on 50 isn't too MINI friendly either. My euro tag was ripped of the front of the Cooper going through their wash tunnel.

Cant do it!
 

I've taken my vehicles through a carwash 3 times in my life:

1. Roller fell off and machine dented my door to the point it wouldnt open.... Damage done: $1200 (paid by carwash)

2. 7 years later.... getting ready to sell truck, so did't care too much... front plate bent up, minor scratches throughout.... Damage done: minimal, but required exterior detail

3. 2 months later... after I sold my truck, to buy my mini (waiting in Southhampton still:mad: :mad: ) I took my loaner car through. Car wash bent antenna 30', and missed 20% of the dirt.

I will never take my Mini through a car wash!!! I just bought some microfiber towels and some Zaino cleaner wax in anticipation of my May/June Delivery!!!:grin:

30 minutes in a wand wash?What are you doing washing other peoples cars:wink:
10 minutes,15 if real dirty:smile:Then hit the highway for the blow dry:thumbsup:
:cool:

Actually
 

I've found Dr. Wash to be a bit softer on my car then Suds. Dunno about Embassy though, called them and the lady told me they don't do convertibles. Though I live a block from Suds so its a bit nicer to go to, though they just raised their prices and even with a 5 dollar off coupon its still 18 dollars. And they used to have this really nice rain guarentee for 24 hrs and they got rid of it then raised their prices. Makes me mad! Problem was when I get out of the car to let the guy drive it on that moving blue belt they seem to get it up to 15 miles per hr to go 10 feet. Oh well

Howard

Why you little! . . .

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...yyoulittle.bmp

Yeah I saw the price increase after the last snow, and Dr. Wash definately seems softer (of course since we're not riding through the wash tunnel it's hard to be sure of that. :wink:). But I think Suds actually does the best job cleaning the car.

As for Embassy, I went to the one in Manassas several years ago. I thought they were expensive and VERY slow. Haven't been back since.

Of course with the new MINI since it has roof racks and I'm too lazy to take them off no car washes for me. Gotta do it all by myself.:wink: Although the BP off of Westfields behind the Amerisuite has a touchless wash that I might chance it in... At least to blast off most of the grime...

hmmm
 

Gas station car washes, those give me the creeps! You try it and let me know.

Howard

:lol: Yes, but it's the SECOND mouse that gets the cheese!

Tatt

I'm going to go dust and polish Poco.I love rubbing my MC:thumbsup:
:cool:

I've brought the Cooper there a few times and I bring the Subaru there every so often.

For a gas station car wash it's not bad. It's not perfect either, but for $8...

The other place that's really good, but a little far, is Champions on Route 7 in Tysons. Your car still goes on the belt like at other car washes, but this is a hand wash place. You sit in the car while a couple of guys hand wash the car as it travels on the belt to various stations. Last time I was there it was about $25 or so.

Hmm
 

that sounds kinda cool I might have to make the trip! Mini car wash road trip!

Howard

To make matters worse, they probably go through the same learning curve w/ every other car they service, unless the cars are the same ol' generic blah. I had a valet (the ONE time I handed my keys over to one at a hotel) go bonkers on how to simply unlock the doors (...from the inside)!

I think most people are idiots, especially if they're doing something the first time. It'd be rare indeed to find someone at a car wash who REALLY knew how to handle a MINI. Might be worth spending a few minutes w/ someone who looks eager to learn and then try to have them care for your MINI every time you visit. Just a thought...

Trouble is around here most of the people who actually clean the cars are merely transient flunkies who aren't there for more than a month tops...

If the car wash people had graduate degrees I would be even more worried!

I don't think most folks are idiots,I just don't trust most folks with my MINI.
Besides what went on from the factory to me.The dealer,me,my daughter once on her own,my son with me in the car,my ex,with me in the car to show her the Echo she had was boring,and my brother in-law,once, to return a favor from 35 years ago ,when he let me have his 69 Grand prix,409 ,hurst shifter,one of the few with the rev.counter on the hood.
I motor my MC,I paid for it,so I do the motoring:wink:
And I wash it:razz:
:cool: