After a month of owning it, I figured it was time to give Egan it's much needed wash. It's been in the rain a couple times and at one point I drove it during the night at which point I gathered an army of bugs.

Sorry no pics, but you can look at the pic in my sig and get an idea of how clean it is again.

Now that it's clean maybe in a couple weeks (after I've washed it again of course) I'll give it it's first wax job. I'll also make sure to vaccum it out once in a while.

A clean Egan is a happy Egan.

Looking nice and shiny!

Egan is lookin' good!!

good job there! First of many i bet

Hope you guys realize that the pic in my sig was when I first got my car so you get an idea of how clean it is again.

I'll update my sig soon though.

Glad to learn someone else washes the MINI less than weekly. Once a month seems a good idea.

I guess that means you can join the club!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...omatic+carwash

You waited HOW long

I usually wash my Mini once a week. I've started using Eagle One spray wax every second wash. I find I can wax the car is less than 20 minutes, and the car doesn't even have to be dry. Just spray on and rub/buff. An added bonus is that it can be sprayed right over the black trim without leaving any white marks.

Interesting thread. Thanks. I share my garage with 199 cars that belong to others so nowhere to store anything. The only place to wash the car by myself is at a self-help stall where a rattling timer rocks the quarters I inserted and shimmies the minutes away. I get as wet as the MINI. My car has been washed about 6 times in 14 months of ownership and I will try to increase the frequency to once a month.

I learned from NAM that the supposedly touchless system at Mario Andretti's (suspended tendrils of used carpet material) is bad news--this was after it removed one of my magnetic stone guards (looks better without them anyway). I have only had my car in the BMW dealer twice and once it was washed for me--not a good job (I would have been disappointed if I owned one of the expensive BMWs). However the service person told anothercustomer (not me, I overheard it though) that she could bring her MINI in as often as she wants for a free car wash!

I might have to consider that. I'm going to try to keep Egan from getting a wash from everyone else but me.

Sadly yes. But I plan on cleaning up my act and start to wash Egan maybe every week now.

P.S. On a side note, I drove my dad's '01 S4 again today because it needed a good run (haven't driven it in weeks and the battery was starting to die) and I'd rather drive my Mini than the Audi. Sure the Audi has more power, will probably handle better than a Mini and is faster, but the Mini just has this sort of sensation to it that I have not experienced before in a car. It just brings smiles to my face everytime.

I haven't washed my MINI in over three weeks at least. Shocking, I know, but...........between my dusters, daily QDing, a few other clever tricks (along with prevailing drought conditions = no rain).....it is still absolutely clean!