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      03-07-2015, 07:40 PM   #1
Ranger_Vet68
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Car Wash Damage??

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As most of you know by my posts, I bought a GREAT 03 Z4 3.0i (At the time I had no idea there was an "M" series because I came across the Z4 as a fluke) Anyway. All is Great with the car, then the rains come so I wait to get my car washed. Rains stopped, so I went to get the car washed. Here's my question. It was soon after that car wash, that one morning I got into the car, looked at my mirrors and both Driver side (Has it the worse) and just a nick on the upper passenger side mirror, I thought at the time someone rubbed oil in my mirrors. Nope, it was the self dimming "Oil" within the two mirrors that were damaged. Could a car wash do that???

Thank You.
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      03-07-2015, 07:50 PM   #2
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      03-07-2015, 07:55 PM   #3
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You took your car to a car wash? Like the one that you drive threw?
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      03-07-2015, 09:23 PM   #4
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No, not like the one you drive through. All I know, is one day after that wash the two lens go out on me........That just dose not happen on it's own. It has to be "Damaged". I was told by BMW and my mechanic as well (BMW & MBZ)
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      03-07-2015, 10:19 PM   #5
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I once touched the glass of my driver side mirror in winter to test the heated mirror feature to satisfy my curiosity. It was quite hot to the touch. Now there's a permanent spot on it like you describe. Don't know what happened to you though.
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      03-07-2015, 10:27 PM   #6
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Your mirrors start to turn kind of yellow in some spots?
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      03-07-2015, 10:37 PM   #7
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^ Not sure who you're talking to. But for me, there's no discoloration. Looks like a smear from the inside.
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      03-08-2015, 10:40 AM   #8
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No "Yellow" color.....It's as it, (What I first thought it to be) that someone came up to my car and smeared oil in my drivers side rear view mirror, and a tiny bit on the upper part of the passenger side rear view mirror. So I just got some water and a rag to clean it off. But it just would not clean up. That's when I found out that both rear view mirrors were "Self Dimming" mirrors and use "Oil" for that proses. They kept telling me that because I thought it was a oil leak from the mirror housing. Finally after someone sat down with me to described how those mirrors are built. So my Driver side is the worst. It seems after some home work, that the "Glass" was going to cost 200-220. A hell of a lot better then they quoted me at BMW which is 365......That's why I NEVER go to a dealership, unless I just bought a new 2015, or the 2016's that are coming out now. Then it's on their dime, not mine.
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      03-08-2015, 10:48 AM   #9
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And BTW. (This is for Seank's information) The "Car Wash" I took my car to was the kind that you get out of the car, and then they take it, place it on a "Hook" or what ever the device is, and it goes through the Wash. Yes, that might sound like I have a screw loose to have my car washed that way. But you did gain my attention on how to get my car washed. Most of my friends have cars that most likely I'll never have the money for considering they start at 250k. They always tell me "Get it hand washed and hand waxed about twice a month. I think I'm going to finally going to listen to them......
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      03-08-2015, 11:38 AM   #10
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If your friends have 250k cars, they sure pay more for a mirror.....

Still $220,- is an expensive car wash......

Also a car wash is bad for the roof, just wash the car by hand, don't wash the roof. It gets damp by the waterspray, and drying it with a microfiber towel is generally enough to keep it clean also.

MAybe once a year (or every 2 years) clean it with an interior cleaner (brush it in with a hard brush, and vacuum it out with a shop vac that can handle liquids (also called an extractor in car detailing words....) and after that clean with water:


After this, you treat the roof with a spray that weatherproofs the roof (the same as the stuff you waterproof tents with), like this stuff:


This also repelles dirt and maybe gives some UV protection.
Be sure if you use these sprays, to mask off all the rubber seals (window seals etc) as the glass, bodywork etc, as it leaves a pretty tough residue. So make sure only the cloth gets covered in this spray (spray lightly multiple coats, in the shade, preferably inside in the garage)
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      03-08-2015, 11:40 AM   #11
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I only trust washing my car to my own hands. My exwife took my Z3 to a car wash that used a high pressure spray. It wasn't long before the clear coat started to bubble and flake off. The Ford F250 I take through the automatic car wash all the time with no damage. The new to me Z4 will only get a hand wash with a light water spray.
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      03-08-2015, 12:06 PM   #12
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GuidoK, the 220.00 that I was speaking about was the replacement for one rear view mirror. Besides that, thanks for the BIG Tip about caring for the rag top. I had no idea. Question. When I clean the Top twice a year. What product do I need to Clean it?? I understand the Hard brush...(What type of hard brush is best) And then using a water vacuum. So I'm thinking why not do that know, and then again in the next 6 months. I always wondered why I was seeing other Rag Tops So Clean, but I could never get mine that clean. Know I know....Thank You....
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      03-08-2015, 12:35 PM   #13
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Yes I understand the 220 was the cost of the mirror, but if thats caused by the carwash.... it's an expensive carwash

I use a hard brush like the blue/white one in the picture:


Just gently brush the roof
But this type of 'deep cleaning' I only once did (4 years ago!), and my top is still clean with just the drying of the microfibre towels (car is garaged though)

It's especially good against algea (found in colder/wetter climates), and deep settled dirt. If your top is clean, and you don't park your car under trees (never do that!) or is parked outside in a wet climate it should stay clean forever. Just the drying with the microfiber towel is enough imho. What I always do is (when I dried the top, which is the last thing I do when I washed and dried the car), is open the top half way, and also dry (with a microfibre towel) the piece of roof under where the trunk seals to the top. That stays wet otherwise, and now you can reach it. That is a spot where algea grow fondly (i live in a wet climate).

The top is the weakest part of the car, and the less you wash it, the better it holds up.
When you decide to use the top weather proofer (to make it hydrofobe), clean it well (as dirt gets sealed in too).

But there are a lot of carcleaning/detailing forums out there with specialists.
For cleaning the top (before waterproofing), there are special ragtop cleaners, but imho any interior cleaner that is safe to use on doorcarts etc should do. They are all mild cleaners compared to soap based cleaners.
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      03-08-2015, 03:02 PM   #14
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lol...OK, I got it now........ Thank you Very, very much for going that extra 9 yards to help me out with the "Ragtop" Not too many would have done that......
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      03-09-2015, 08:16 PM   #15
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Another tip to extend the life of your ragtop: leave the top up when parked.

I used to have a 2000 S2000 which I bought new. Living in San Diego, I kept the top down all the time unless we got the occasional rainfall. After about 8 years the top started getting small rips or tears at the stress points which kept getting larger and larger. I used black duct tape to cover the holes (I had the top down almost all the time, so I wasn't concerned about the appearance).

I decided to have the top replaced at 10 years and the upholstery shop I took it to told me that leaving the top down most of the time will stress the fabric when you do put it up, eventually causing rips and tears. He suggested always putting the top up when it's parked, even in the garage.
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      03-09-2015, 10:25 PM   #16
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Yep. When ever I take the top down, I always put it back up when I get to where I'm going to. Funny, I have been out here in LA for sometime now and I have never been to San Diego, nor San Francisco......But thank you very much for the tip.
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