Dealer Carwash?

[Ricfutures]

Can anyone please share their opinions on dealer car washes when you take your car in for service? I always wash my car myself to limit swirls,etc... She's dirty and just wondering if the dealer wash is safe. If not I'll wake up early to give her a bath.

Thanks,
Rick

[BobsM3Coupe]

White car would probably hide the swirl marks the dealer will no doubt put in the paint.
When I took delivery of my car about a month ago (also Alpine White), I told the dealer to leave all the plastic covers on the seats and don't wash the car. I got it home and gave it the wash myself. It really wasn't that dirty anyway since it only travelled about 100 miles from the VPC to the dealership. And I believe BMW transports all their new vehicles in an enclosed trailer so that keeps all the road dust, etc. off the car.

When I go for the 1200 service, I will tell them not to wash the car.

[Ricfutures]

Thanks, my main concern is the CF roof. I'll be sure to wake up early and git 'r dun.

Thanks,
Rick

[roller]

I always tell the dealer not to wash it. My last vehicle had more and more swirls each time the dealer gave it the weekly free car wash.

[Eliminator XP]

Do Not Let The Dealer Wash Your Car
The Scratches They Induce Can Be Devasting To Your Vehicles Finish

Free does not necessarely mean something is good, sometimes it's worse

[Sandye90m3]

PLease Whatever you do, Don't make your dealer wash your car please. I come from personal expierence. I took my car in for service and my dad told them to wash the car . I went to go pick it up, everything looked great. I normally drive the car at night so it was hard to tell. I use microfiber everything. And one day I took my car out at daylight time, and man I saw all these mini scratches. Im 99.9% they are not from me, I folow everything for not getting scratches on the car and yeah the one time I take it to the dealer that eff up the paint on me.

And can anyone explain to me how to polish the car??? I tried looked on the website can't really find anything?

[Martin_D]

Originally Posted by Sandye90m3

And can anyone explain to me how to polish the car??? I tried looked on the website can't really find anything?

http://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/

[Singletrack]

Do not let the dealer wash it IMO. Usually they have someone making min wage doing a rush job with suspect wash mitts etc.

[saeedg48]

DONT DO IT MAN!
BMW dealer car wash is the worst car wash in the world.

I drove my car to the dealer for some oil and wanted to check out some of their new cars like the X Mzz so I figures; hey why not a free car wash.

I walked to the back of the deal to see how it was going w/t my car and noticed that while the car was going through the automated car wash system they were scrubbing my cars body panels w/t a broom (like the ones they use to get brake dust of your rims).. They have no idea what he hell they're doing trust me! Wash it yourself or go to a touch-less carwash at a gas station.

[Griz]

Originally Posted by Eliminator XP

Do Not Let The Dealer Wash Your Car
The Scratches They Induce Can Be Devasting To Your Vehicles Finish

Free does not necessarely mean something is good, sometimes it's worse

Tell them to put a note on the windshield "Do not wash vehicle."

[ajc1882]

Don't do it. Not only will they leave swirls, but the car will be even dirtier

[gthirtyfizle]

Originally Posted by Griz

Tell them to put a note on the windshield "Do not wash vehicle."

I save them the trouble nowadays and just put the note up myself. Like that they should have absolutely no excuses lol.

[Georgeair]

Originally Posted by gthirtyfizle

I save them the trouble nowadays and just put the note up myself. Like that they should have absolutely no excuses lol.

Absolutely the best choice! I have three spares of the note, bold lettered, printed on legal paper, in the trunk.

[Trier Germany]

Don't let em touch your paint

[M3 vert]

Its true, I let them wash it every now and then in my first year and then last year too, and I can see those mini scratches at times during sunlight!

However, I dont know if thats just normal wear and tear of the car's paint i.e. during use, regular hand washes, sunlighjt etc.

From this year i will wash it myself only, after getting a full blown detail in the spring when i take her out!

I even got the car waxed before I stored it, but I guess it will need a polish, hate to polish the cars paint this early, when its only been 2 years

[haze gray]

Why would you be surprised that they would do an "average" job on a car wash done by the lowest members on the service totem pole? I won't let anyone else wash my M, including family members.