[Lanfear]

Since the picketers are out at work, and I don't feel like waiting for an hour and a half to get in ... I figured I'd make a few posts and go in for 9:30!

What do you folks use to take care of your MINI? Here's my list (some I used on the SUV, so not all new purchases) so far:

• Megiuar's Back to Black for the plastic trim.
• Meguiar's Gold Class Endurance tire gel (it lasts for about a week with one coat!)
• Zaino Z1 (primer), Z2 (polish), Z6 (gloss / detailing spray), Z7 (car wash), and I'm planning to pick up some Z18 (clay bar). I really love the Z6 for keeping the car spotless between washes. I live in a new development with tons of dust.
• Rain-X for all of the glass! You should see my car when it rains. It's hilarious. The water just falls off due to the Rain-X and Zaino. Even my tires and wheels laugh at the water's pathetic attempt!.
• Going to buy 303 Aerospace Protectant for the dash and leatherette
• Mother's leather conditioner for leather surfaces
• Various microfiber towels with trim removed for washing, drying, polishing glass (don't ever use these on your paint), dusting. You can get a pack of towels that are designed to do different things.
• Tire, trim and wheel brushes. (I clean these parts of the car first before I wash the rest)
• Mr. Clean Autodry water cartridge

[zerofighter]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lanfear

Since the picketers are out at work, and I don't feel like waiting for an hour and a half to get in ... I figured I'd make a few posts and go in for 9:30

Slacking off huh? haha j/k I do it all the time

I pretty much use the stuff at the dealership that I use, but here's at short list, which is pretty much all CarBrite products.
-CleanAll (all purpose cleaner, use it for rims, interior, engine, carpet shampoos)
-BriteShire (tire dressing that works great, stays shiny for a long time, doesn't run down the tire like store brands)
-AdhesiveRemover (removes tar, sticky stuff, shipping wax, and tree sap)
-Sleek (black wax)
-powerpolisher

Note: if you have a dark color car, I suggest you go out and find a black wax because if you use a white base wax, it will fill in the scratches and rock chips with white, thus showing scratches/chips much more, Where as when you use a dark base wax, it will fill the scratches/chips in with black, and will hide them more, as well as it will tend to make your paint look deeper.

[everythingsablur]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lanfear

What do you folks use to take care of your MINI? Here's my list (some I used on the SUV, so not all new purchases) so far:

• Going to buy 303 Aerospace Protectant for the dash and leatherette

I picked up a bottle of 303 Aerospace Protectant at Canadian Tire for about $12-14. I was actually surprised to see it there; thought I'd need to order some from the US.

I use:

• Zaino (ZFX, Z2 Pro, Z5, Z6, Z7, Z9, Z10, Z16, Z18 - basically the Ultimate Kit)
• 303 Aerospace Protectant
• Meguiar's Hot Rims (the stock brakes really put out a ton of dust, so I think I use this more liberally than normal)
• Mr. Clean Auto Dry (for rinsing the car)
• California Water Blade and Dry Blade (the latter is smaller)
• Assortment of cotton and microfibre towels for drying, wiping, buffing, etc.
• Sheep skin, chenille, and microfibre washing mitts
• Some foam washing sponges
• Wheel and tire brushes

What I really need to find are some better wax applicator pads. The Cotton covering foam ones Zaino sends just aren't the same after the first use, even with washing. Recommendations? All foam applicators?

[kyriian]

for applicator, i use the sonus microfiber applicator, i think north american car care has them

let's see.. my car care collection
Car wash: Zaino Z7,
Applicator: Genuine Sheep wool glove, if i Dawn i'd use a cheap Simoniz fake sheep wool glove
QD: Zaino Z6, and sometimes Mother's QD if im claying
Clay Bar: Mother's Clay bar
Polish: Zaino Z2, ZFX, Z5
Wheels: Sonus Wheel cleaner, and Griot's Garage Wheel cleaner
Tire Shine: Eagle one Wet Tire, although im gonna start using 303 on this
Plastic Trim: Autoglym Bumper Care, sometimes I use Maguire #40 if im feeling lazy
Metal Polish: Eagle One Metal Polish
Glass: Eagle One 20/20 Glass cleaner
Plastic: Maguire PlastiX
Towels: Sonus Blue drying towel, Sonus Yellow ultimate towel, bunch of Terry cloth for the black trim, wheels, and engine, throw in a California Water blade
Engine Cleaner: Autoglym Engine cleaner
Interior Trim: Maguire's #40, I might try using 303 on it when i have it
Interior Glass trim: 20/20, or plastix
Interior Leatherette: Maguire #40
Interior Leather: Byron's Leather cleaner and conditioner

i think that's about it

[Lanfear]

Nice kyriian! How do you like the 20/20 glass cleaner? I made the mistake of buying Armor All glass wipes. They leave a horribly nasty haze all over the glass.

[kyriian]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lanfear

Nice kyriian! How do you like the 20/20 glass cleaner? I made the mistake of buying Armor All glass wipes. They leave a horribly nasty haze all over the glass.

it works really well, i am very happy with it, but the spray leaves some liquids on the interior if im doing the interior...

also, it doesn't seem to work very well with rain X... i have not tried it as i just zainoed the glass... ill know soon...

i love glass cleaners.. they work wonders in the winter

[Lanfear]

Quote: Originally Posted by kyriian

it works really well, i am very happy with it, but the spray leaves some liquids on the interior if im doing the interior...

also, it doesn't seem to work very well with rain X... i have not tried it as i just zainoed the glass... ill know soon...

i love glass cleaners.. they work wonders in the winter

Thanks. I'll try it, and give the Armor All glass wipes to someone I don't like much.

[Cherry2005]

And don't foget that wonderful tool, the leaf blower. For minimizing scratches & swirles, I've taken to using my leaf blower (generates winds up to 215 MPH) to blow-dry my MINI. After about 3 minutes, I just pat down any stray drips. Works wonders, and it's a "blast"!

Here are a couple of my buddies in action:

[Jim Ray]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cherry2005

And don't foget that wonderful tool, the leaf blower. For minimizing scratches & swirles, I've taken to using my leaf blower (generates winds up to 215 MPH) to blow-dry my MINI. After about 3 minutes, I just pat down any stray drips. Works wonders, and it's a "blast"!

Here are a couple of my buddies in action:

That is a heck of a good idea! And we have a friend coming over next weekend for a MINI car detailing party. He is bringing a friend who dries his MINI with compressed air. We can give the leaf blower the multi car try out.

I bet that it would really help with drying the convertible top.

Thanks for the tip.

[Cherry2005]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jim Ray

I bet that it would really help with drying the convertible top. Thanks for the tip.

I personally am extremely careful not to get the wind from the blower near my top. With the force of the air coming from the unit, it can't be good for the integrity of the canvas. Even when I blow off the rear window, it makes me a little apprehensive because it seems to force the water into the fabric (even with Raggtop on it) and make it billow about. So I avoid blowing the canvas at all costs - it just makes me too uncomfortable.