I think I'm up! This round's on me!

 

I'll take a shrimp cocktail and a lemon drop martini please

 

mmm yes save the champange for when we hit port! ill take a vodka martini!

 

So can anyone track our beloved Turandot? Where is she now?

 

I've had no luck tracking since we left Baltimore. I estimate we're somewhere around the tip of Baja... maybe enjoying the waters just off Cabo.

 

it is all about the surprise
i think our cars are trying to sneak up on us

 

SUPRISE! You get to wait an extra few days in the VDC Line because you ordered the JCW body kit :(... This wait is killing me...

 

I'm actually glad now I've canceled my driving lights (they were going to be installed at the port, but I'm getting them put on at Concord instead). Hopefully that will mean that my car will get to me sooner! (fingers crossed)

 

A nice surprise would be if my MINI jumped off the boat as we're passing by San Diego and showed up in my driveway.

 

Well, you can cross your fingers. Tomorrow is lucky 08/08/08. Your MINI might start dog-paddling toward shore! Or else grab some board off the ship and surf in!

Hey, everybody, tomorrow let's hit the casino! I think 8's my lucky number!

 

ugh. the closer it gets the harder the waiting is. i come home from academy every day and bang my head. if i forget what date it is maybe i'll stop noticing my mini is about 2 1/2 weeks away. anyone else ordering a kit from detailersparadise.com?

 

but BostonJohn, how do know that your mini can swim??
i think you should just stay on and go to the casino with us.

 

and the rust! janet is right (and quite the maven at the craps table i might add). see you at the tables!

 

True, true... we don't want rust! Guess i'll join you at the tables. It should just be a few more days now *I hope*

 

Oh, I ordered my starter kit from DP a while back and have been honing my detailing skills on my old car! Did just order more from them, though. Hydro really is the best. That stuff has made my 9 year old paint feel like brand new!

 

i was on the fence about ordering from them because of the cost, but people swear by the prima stuff, and say it lasts for a pretty long time. I got the $140 starter kit should be here soon.

 

I bought Mystique, Epic, Slick, and Hydro. I love the products and have been practicing on my old car. My favorites are the Hydro (spray on after wash and wipe with towel) anf Slick (great for windows). The Hydro is getting used up fast. I wonder if they sell it by the gallon - that's what I will buy next time. I also bought a wool mitt and some special towels so that I won't scratch my new paint. I think I spent $108.

 

They do sell it by the gallon, it's about a $35 savings on a per ounce basis compared to the bottle . What are your tips on Hydro? My Prima supplies just showed up yesterday .

 

I forgot to ask you, are you having your sport stripes installed at the VDC? I am

 

My tip on using Hydro is to not use too much. I went through half a bottle in three washes. Perhaps my old, wax deprived car needed it.

 

If you go to the detailing forum, there's a looooong thread about non-OCD car detailing (but worth reading because it's got a lot of information in it). Basically, with the Hydro, on my current car (a 99 Passat), I use one spray for the hood, one for each of the doors, two for the roof, one for the top of the hood, and one for the back. Definitely more than I'd need for a MINI! But I'll definitely be buying a gallon next time! (Honestly, I was thinking the other day of people I know who love their cars and handwash them and thinking of Prima products for Christmas gifts.)

SuperGreg - yes, we'll both be lined up together at the VDC having our stripes installed. They're just doing your bonnet & boot stripes, and not the roof, yes? Or are they doing the roof, too?

OK, who's ready to get off this barge? I wanna motor!

 

Me me me!!!

 

Thanks for the tips . Correct, bonnet & boot only. My MA said that the VDC would not do the roof stripes .
I am soooooo ready to drive my car. I'll take a pic of all the accessories that I have waiting for her shortly .

 

I got an accessories catalog from MINI of Concord (where I'm getting the lamps installed). Man, they outta outlaw that. It's like a kid with the Toys R Us Christmas toy catalog! Most of the stuff's on the MINIUSA website, but I didn't know I could get sport pedal covers (the stainless ones) for my JustaCooper! Want!

Got my glove box tidy from GoMiniGo waiting and ready and am still waffling on an Actual Size sticker (there are so many MINIs here that it seems like it would be a bit wasted)

 

I hear that, check out the stuff that I have ready to go upon arrival:
-sunshade
-detail products
-glove box organizer
-mats
-valve stem caps
-pulsar third brake light module
-Alta 4" stubby antenna
-rubber console insert
-keychain

That's it for now