I hate to call out one of our vendors, but hear me out.

I've had the stubby on for a while now, and considering my ocd-ness on washing my car, I've been through my local carwash a dozen times or more with no problems.

Last night I went through the wash at a different location (same company, I have unlimited with them). Came out of the carwash without the stubby. The antenna base is broken, and the threaded insert ripped out. We recovered the stubby from within the tunnel, and it is fine, and still had the threaded base attached to it.

I plan on pressing the issue with the car wash that they need to pay for it, but I wanted to poll our community for similar experiences. I suspect they will push back on me because it is an aftermarket antenna, so I am trying to anticipate their push backs.

I am wondering if maybe the stubby is a bad idea though. It is a metal stick screwed in to a plastic base. It seems that the base would be the likely point of failure, rather than the antenna itself, which is the opposite of a favorable situation.

So, calling all stubby owners, I'd like to hear your experiences, good and bad!

 

I have mine from Cravenspeed coming in the mail today actually so I have no experience to speak of but from what I saw in a couple install videos is that you merely unscrew the OEM whip from the OEM base and just screw in your new stubby into the same OEM base. I mean if they BOTH screw in the same way in to the same base then it sounds like it would have happened with either antenna and yeah, the car wash is to blame, IMO. Hope mine is ok. Cheers.

 

I don't have the Cravenspeed, but I do have the Alta Super Shorty. So far, nothing bad to report about the shorty or base when it comes to the car wash. When I had the OEM whip, I used to unscrew it from the base, as most car washes have a disclaimer that they are not responsible for pretty much any damage to your car. I wish you luck with getting them to pay for the damages. I don't know how cooperative they would be knowing they have to come out of pocket.

 

Exact same thing happened to me. Not with a Craven speed model, it was some generic stubby off ebay or something.

I lost my ****, and parked my car at the car wash exit and argued with the owner (luckily he was there, not some employee that had no control). After 20-30 minutes and a line up of cars that couldn't make U-turns, and a senior citizen threatening to fight me, he finally wrote me a cheque, and I left.

I was going to replace it but since my radio doesn't work, and I didn't want to pull down the head liner, I just filled it in with filler, going to sand it and paint it satin black to look like a shark fin antenna. After I upgraded my stereo, the antenna never worked, I've always had my ipod or bluetooth connected for music. So reception isn't an issue.

Funny thing is I went through a car wash over a year ago, the doors at the end didn't open and it pushed me right through them, scratched up my car. The gas station didn't compromise with me, and I learned my lesson. Didn't go through an automatic wash for over a year. Then one dirty day, I decided I'll give it a shot, and my antenna got ripped off.

1 month later I then went through a touchless wash... got stuck on the rail cus my car was too low. that was embarrassing.
The next week was a touchless/railless car wash, got my emblem blown right off. found it covered the holes with tape.
3 weeks later went to another touchless car wash, figured no antenna, no emblem, what could go wrong? Fender trim gets ripped off, and a chunk of paint got blown off my front bumper.

So NEVER again automatic washes. I'll stick to the self serve power wash bays.

 

The oem is all rubber, with a wire core, you can pretty much bend it to a 90 degree angle and be fine. The stubby antenna is solid aluminum, does not bend or flex.

 

Here are pictures, before and after.

 

OCD about paint - goes to automatic car wash
Dafuq?

 

So was this a 'Touchless' carwash or the octopus style? That pic looks like it was hit pretty hard. :/

 

It was "octopus" style I guess. This car wash is highly reviewed, and I've been taking all of my cars there for over a year, never had a problem. This happened a different location than the one I usually go to because I was in a different part of town.

They are the same company, and same manager. They have good marks for customer service, and I've had good experiences with them in the past, so I'm hopeful!

 

My antenna base was broken by a large chunk of snow hitting it (off the roof of the car ahead of me), but it wasn't broken like that! The part that the antenna screws in is weak. My guess is your damage is so severe that it would even have happened with the original equipment antenna mounted....the original antenna isn't completely flexible all the way down to the base.

Also, be sure to order the right antenna base.....depends on if your car has gps and maybe satellite radio. Call a dealer with your VIN to get the correct part and price.

 

I already emailed my service advisor, Derrick, these pictures and he is working up a quote for me.

 

I take mine off before going through the car wash!

 

I remove the regular antenna for washes. Can't see any way that this is on Cravenspeed.

 

I have the MINI-branded stubby, no trouble with car washes. That said, every car wash around me has big signs disclaiming antennas and anything else that sticks up from the car.

I think you just had horrible luck. :(

 

What would you say to Cravenspeed? "Hey you made my antenna too strong and it broke my antenna mount!"...

 

Holy crap. $280 bucks for the part from the dealer. $225 aftermarket.

And as far as the last comment, well... Yea. Now that I've seen the inside of the base, I'm going to seriously reconsider putting the stubby back in there when I get it fixed. Its a tiny metal threaded insert cast in to plastic. The antenna is many time stronger than what it attaches to.

I'd like to see one designed out of a wire core coated in stiff rubber or something, so that the antenna fails, and not the base. The factory one is like that to a certain extent.....

 

+1

No offense, but those car washes trash paint... Obviously I'm a little biased because I have a Midnight Black MCS, but my car has never been through any of those automatic washes. The touchless ones do a crap job and the octopus ones ruin paint. Even when I go to the dealer for service, the tech comes out every time and double checks with me to make sure I don't want it washed.

IMO. Spend the extra couple bucks a week and go to a hand wash. The place I go to is awesome, the guys even get a small air nozzle and blow the water out of the side mirror caps, hood scoop, and body lines when they're drying it so that water doesn't drip out all over the place when I drive off.

The time and money you think you're saving by using an automatic is only going to end up costing more time and money in exterior details, buffs, and paint correction appointments over time.

 

Back on topic guys.... This thread is about antennas, not car washing opinions.

 

The fact that you don't remove your antenna before you put it in an automatic wash is the problem and not the fault of the vendor or the car wash facility.

Not sure why you are faulting either of them at all.

I try not to use car wash places, but having moved to where I am at now, I don't have a choice. However, I take the few seconds to unscrew my antenna.

 

Aaaaand the thread goes down in flames.....thanks to the first few responders. No thanks to the last few.

Moderators, why don't we go ahead and close this thread.

 

Wait a min... You don't get the response you wanted to hear and now you want the thread closed?

I'm sorry... You are right, everyone else is to blame for your problems. Fell better?

Dude, it is a stiff piece of metal that is sticking up and being bombarded by spinning parts. What did you honestly think was going to happen? Every place I have ever gone has a recommendation to remove your antenna before you go in the wash.

This is not anyone's fault but your own!

 

Sorry, gotta add my .02....

I understand OCD, got it myself when it comes to cars, I have four.

I wash all the cars (and wax, etc) myself. If you want it done right do it yourself, that way there is no one else to blame, it's called ownership!

So next time when the auto wash rips off you side mirror, front or rear wiper arm, or a piece of molding you're gonna go back to the owner with your hand out? The sign says "warning" and its there for a purpose...to warn you, but it also protects the car wash owner from each and every person from claiming damage.

Resolution.....wash your own car, save your money buy more stuff for your MINI, be happy.

Now you can close the thread I feel better now.

 

Welcome to posting in public forums. Other people aren't here just to serve you.

 

lmao

 

NOT Craven's fault. And everyone who said not to go through those automatic car washes, is right. Bad, bad idea, ruins your paint, knocks stuff off....

Go to a hand wash, or a do it yourself bay, or do it in your driveway. Far better for your car. :-)