MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring

drftobin · #1 05-08-2009, 09:57 PM

Thought I'd try a new wheel cleaner the other day so I picked up
Black Magic's new wheel cleaner. WOW It is by far the WORST wheel cleaner I have ever used. It was so bad I was willing to go through the trash in my garage looking for my receipt so I could return it, didn't find the slip though, but please know one waste there money!!!!!!!!! I use there back to black and it works very good and I have tried some of there other products that were ok but the rim cleaner is total JUNK!!!

kenchan · #2 05-09-2009, 12:22 PM

how is it total junk again? not that i use wheel cleaners.

let us know why you felt it was junk. did it tear off your clearcoat or
discolored your wheels?

drftobin · #3 05-09-2009, 08:48 PM

It removes ZERO brake dust, I think water worked better

ngweibing · #4 05-09-2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drftobin

It removes ZERO brake dust, I think water worked better

so sorry u have ot pay to test it for all fellow MINI peeps....

BUT we appreacite it alot

kenchan · #5 05-10-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drftobin

It removes ZERO brake dust, I think water worked better

oh... thanks.

live and learn, huh?

sorry to hear though. ive had my share of crap luck using off-the-shelf crap.

El_Jefe · #6 05-19-2009, 11:22 PM

well, I have had lighter duty wheel cleaners before. You can't expect a clean mini wheel if you dont wash 1x a week for a regular car. Otherwise, you are using the severely dangerous and toxic stuff.

I think the only recommended wheel cleaner that works is p21s's gel. It aint cheap though. On the cheap, probably toxic end, I have seen a neighbor use Mother's wheel spray stuff on his 1990 bmw. The wheels are minty clean and it lives outside, and he commutes into Brooklyn and Staten Island.

I have seen all sorts of bad things about wheel cleaners, really, some wheels are made like crap even though they cost a bit. The coatings can get etched it appears.

countryboyshane · #7 05-21-2009, 11:15 AM

More reasons why I wash every week.

CR&PW&JB · #8 05-21-2009, 11:24 AM

Griot's.

Strong enough to remove the brake dust even if you haven't washed your car in a couple of weeks.

Not so strong that you just spray on and rinse off (Beware of those types of wheel cleaner). It loosens the dust enough that you can easily wipe it off.

rockridge · #9 05-21-2009, 03:32 PM

Ditto on the Griot's. Buy it by the gallon. It works great, and doesn't trash your driveway.

wolf617 · #10 05-21-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CR&PW&JB

Griot's.

Strong enough to remove the brake dust even if you haven't washed your car in a couple of weeks.

When have you ever let your cars go a couple of weeks without washing?

drftobin · #11 05-21-2009, 08:46 PM

Griots did nothing for me maybe I got a bad bottle cuz it did nothing on my rims??? I wash my car every weekish I even have a hot water connection for my hose which helps alot with dirty mini grime.

TheBigNewt · #12 05-23-2009, 01:01 PM

This works every time, is "green' and really cheap: Soap/water, a plastic brush followed by a mitt on your hand

. If you think you can spray some product on the wheel and rinse the brake dust away you're still waiting for the tooth fairy!

erickvonzipper · #13 05-23-2009, 05:51 PM

I use Mother's FX. Works very well.

Fly'n Brick · #14 05-23-2009, 09:43 PM

Simple Green full strength and a scrub brush did the job here. A few spots of road tar were quickly disolved with OOPS. A good waxing afterwards makes follow up cleaning a breeze.

MLPearson79 · #15 05-24-2009, 08:08 AM

I still like Meguiar's Wheel Brightener. I got a gallon of this stuff from Richard a while back and holy smokes does it work well. I spray it on, leave it on for like 30 seconds, go around and just wipe the wheels down with a mitt (or I like to use a soft body brush for this so I don't have to bend down), and rinse. EVERYTHING comes off, even OEM brake pad dust.

I need to find something new for my summer wheels though. I think the WB is no good on chrome...

jiffener · #16 06-06-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly'n Brick

Simple Green full strength and a scrub brush did the job here. A few spots of road tar were quickly disolved with OOPS. A good waxing afterwards makes follow up cleaning a breeze.

Simple Green FTW!! Based on a tip someone posted in this forum (who knows what thread), I tried a 50/50 mixture of Simple Green and water.

Spray all 4 wheels with water, spray all 4 with SG, by the time you get back to the first one all you have to do is wipe with a damp utility MF.

I have had my MINI since late January, had not cleaned its wheels EVER until today. The process in the previous paragraph made them beeyootimous!

Once I recover from the aggravation brought on by the REST of the car washing process (due to 2 bad sprayers and a hose with a bad attitude), I plan to put some wax on them as people have recommended.

To summarize... Simple Green--YES. You can buy it by the gallon and it dilutes way down and it's useful for so many things!!

kenchan · #17 06-06-2009, 06:17 PM

But you also remove wax each time. Probably better to use wax and wash with car shampoo.

Then after the of season wash with simple green (given that your wheels are OE and sure they are clearcoated).

jiffener · #18 06-06-2009, 09:44 PM

The idea is that they won't get so heinous next time, since now they are clean and in the time since I posted earlier, they have also been waxed

But if you have major grunge that won't wash off with your car soap of choice... then simple green is a major WIN. It worked so well I don't there's any reason to have a dedicated wheel cleaning product. I had bought a couple of "soft" bristle brushes in case it was impossible to clean the wheels, but I didn't even use them. After spritzing on the 50/50 SG + H2O, I just wiped with the utility microfiber. Not even hard wiping either, no pressure or scrubbing.

SG is pretty environmentally friendly too. (I wouldn't drink it or invite any animals to do so... but I think it's better than most of the aerosol spray type foamer gunk.)