[Mk2] [Turbo] Can you take your mk2 MR2 through a car wash?

[moscoworbust]

Has anybody done it? Any problems with the shape? is it ok?

[MR22]

Not something I've ever done and doubt that many on this site have either. I believe we all think too much of our cars !
However, if you have no option I would be very careful.
The front lower lip and rear spoiler are all very vulnerable, and unless your aerial mast retracts fully, that could be a nasty problem too. If yours is a T-Bar you'll most certainly find out if the roof leaks in a high pressure wash.
Good luck though.

[helencooke01]

I've put mine through a car wash a few times, no problems whatsover

[k-ro]

You can. But i certainly wouldnt recommend it. Thats an awful lot of work to get through the engine lid and into the leccies.

[daveparf]

i forgot to put the aerial down and it ripped it off

[CosmosblueMR2]

bl00dy women





i did it "once" on my first mk2 (goodward green) - was one of those ARC jobbies - that advertise super soft brushes - car was scratched beyond belief - i kicked myself for being so lazy after


for the same price and if you really cannot be ar$ed to wash it yourself - take it to a hand car wash... preferably one you trust don;t drop their "mits" on the floor

[Harry]

There are many things one can do does not mean that we should do it!!!

A big NO!!!

[JOHNM400]

You can take your MR2 through a car wash but as pointed out it will end up full of tiny scratches. The brushes are made of nylon bristles (except the soft brush washes which are cotton). Imagine those nylon brushes spinning at high speed and you get the idea that they act like a whip against your paintwork. Even the soft cotton brushes at high speed will whip your paintwork to death.

Another reason not to use car washes wether they be rollover brushes or hand washes is the chemical they use to pre spray the car (TFR) usually contains caustic. Caustic is not good for any part of your car.It dulls the paintwork with repeated use,it starts corrosion on the bodywork if it comes into contact with any bare metal eg.a stone chip,and lastly it attacks the rubber and plastics and makes them look old and weathered.

[HighwayStar]

Done it once or twice about 7/8 yrs ago with no noticeable probs. Now? Sorry but who doesn't enjoy cleaning their 2 properly? 3 buckets, 2 sponges, a chamois, 3x lint free cloths, shampoo, wheel cleaner, wax, t-cut (for lights and removing exhaust soot), cockpit shine, silican spray for rubbers, leather care for the seats and a bit of metal shine for my lovely exhaust. Oh and 2.5 hrs of my day.
Time well spent I reckon.

R

[Si_Crewe]

I put mine through a car wash once after lorry I was overtaking hit a fox and... well, the results weren't at all pretty.

TBH, I was bricking-it about the rear spoiler (rev 2) but it was fine. Dunno if the Rev3+ spoilers are easier to mangle cos the brushes could get under the ends of the spoiler, which they can't on a R1 or R2.

Oh, just remembered something else I was worried about...
When the blowers moved over the car I noticed it had sensors on it.
As the blower moves over the roof, and then from the roof to the engine cover, I was terrified the blowers might try to drop down to the height of the engine cover without detecting the C-pillars on either side of the engine cover.

Anyway, the car survived without many scratches and no damage. The T bar didn't leak either.

The only problem was that the rear of the car, behind the roof, was barely touched. It was still covered in blood and fur.

[Tiamat]

Put the MK1 through the car wash and it wouldn't start for 2.5 hours afterwards as the engine had too much water in it. That was with the liberal use of 1/2 a can of WD40 afterwards as well - never again.

Put the MK2 through - did a good job on it but did flood the passenger side footwell with the leaking t-bar! never again.

I now hand wash them or I use one of the powerhoses and brushes, but always, always check the brush for dirt, remove grit from it and run it round the rubber of the tyres first to remove grit and other particles.

[fearless]

dont do it jet wash yes but carwash no read loads of horror stories of carwashes, everywhere you go now there is guys wanting to clean your car only cost's a fiver you shop thay wash had some good jobs done on my 2 cars, this one guy done our galaxy charged me £8 polished the thing dressed tyres it looked fantastic, and with winter looming who wants to put there hand in a cold bucket i know i dont, just building up the polish on my n/a to protect it over winter.

[Olly P]

I put my old Rev3 through a Texaco one once and the drying fan hit the underside of my spoiler as it was drying the car. Took two hige chunks out of it. I've been in a BP one with my Rev2, but always use the hose/spray ones in petrol stations now.

[BenF]

Yes is the short answer - I used to from time to time with my Red Mk2 when I didn't have time to Jetwash it or hand wash it.

I didn't have any problems with scratches, but the area behind the rear windscreen and the top of the engine lid didn't get cleaned well.

I guess the darker colours tend to show up any scratches much more clearly as they are much more reflective than (eg) white.

[Vindezal]

No.

[Leon.]

I've never used a car wash, ever, and never will

If I don't have time to wash it, it doesn't get washed, buts that's better than torturing it

Helen, shame on you

[zak_godsell]

you can get away with it these days as the car wash m/c,s do not take your paint of like they used to.these days they hardly touch your car so you may aswell do it by hand anyway

[craig]

I went to Turkey for 2 weeks and when I came back my car was covered in muck and dust so I took my T bar with a rev 3 spoiler through the car wash.

for £4 I wish I hadn't bothered. Wheels weren't that clean and it missed the rear window, back of engine lid and middle of the boot.

Won't be doing it again. My T bars didn't leak that much either

[ryan]

I would NEVER take it through a car wash . I only did it once with my old crimson red rev 1 6 year ago, one of those IMO washes, and I was left with tiny scratches that made the paintwork dull, that had to be polished out. Not everyone must have this problem with them though. Strange

[robx]

i put my mk2 rev 2 through one every so often and it seems to be fine, no scratches. although i do have a heart attack with the dryer thing, it gets a tad confused around the engine lid / spoiler area!!!