Ok, I'm bummed. After picking up my brand new '06 PH MCSC and taking it for a long weekend outing I came back to find my hood marred by something that apparently oozed out from around the wiper fluid jets!?!? It looks like maybe some type of bonding agent or something used to secure the jets to the hood oozed out around the entire perimiter of the driver-side jet and rand down the hood and over the bonnet stripe permanently marring the paint and the stripe! If you have ever seen what a raw egg does to a paint job after a few hours in the sun you'll get the idea. Anyway, washing did nothing since it actually appears to have eaten into the clear-coat or paint. I checked the passenger-side and sure enough it's encircled that jet as well...just hasn't run down the hood. Has anybody else heard of such an issue with a Mini? I took some pictures..hopefully you can make it out (it was hard to capture in the pictures).

 

Sorry to see that on your Mini.

Have you dilluted the washer fluid??

I have seen washer fluid without water added destroying the paint on a brand new Gallardo front hood. The stuff actually etched the clearcoat.

 

We never even used the washer or the wipers yet so I don't think that could be the problem. Plus I've never seen washer fluid that powerful! Anyway, it really appears to be coming from underneath the jets and I haven't actually seen any liquid..just the damage "it" left behind. I've got a call into our MA...we will have to see how he's going to address it.

 

From my experience, there is washer fluid that is that powerful - the stuff that came with your MINI!

Here's a link to my old thread on this exact issue:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=46721

I thought I was being obsessive about my paint, but others have also dealt with this. Best of luck getting your hood clean. The short answer to the problem: get rid of the junk that MINI put in the car!

Best of luck...

 

I have the exact same thing on my HB/B MINI and black bonnet stripe. I have that exact same mark on my driver's side stripe. Although, the paint around the washer jet seems fine. Washing does nothing to take the mark off the stripe.

Let me know what you find out.

 

Try rubbing a little 3M Swirl Mark Remover for Dark Cars on the mark... it may just do the trick. You can find it at most car parts stores (Pep Boys, Strauss, etc.)

best,

-boognish

 

I've had the same problem too. Brand new MCSa and haven't even used the washer jets yet. I used Zaino Z5 and it removed it, but took some elbow grease. If it is the washer fluid, why would MINI use it?

 

Sounds like Goose has identified the problem in his earlier thread and that we are not alone. I've e-mailed pictures to the dealer and asked how he is going to take care of it. I'd rather they "fix" it before I mess with it. At least now I know I'm not going crazy and I can back up my claim by referring to this thread and Goose's prior thread. Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

When the MINIs are delivered, are they already filled with the washer fluid, or does the dealer fill it? Is it a good idea to request that they drain this fluid and dilute it or replace it with something less harmful?

 

i had this on my PW/B MCS on delivery, they fixed it. but i was stupid and forgot to replace the fluid or dilute it, so the stain came back, but I didn't want to deal with it, plus i was getting all sorts of junk kicked up on my car in SLC during the winter, so i figured i would wait till spring and i would give the car a good claying, which worked wonderfully minus the damn washer fluid stain, i think a waited to long or something. so now i have to go see if the dealer will fix it. but i am sort of worried that sense i waited so long they might not. I did mention it to the service adviser in SLC, but i don't know if he will remember, also i am in PDX now, but i hear Rasmussen mini is sweet

 

How prevalent of a problem is this? Why doesn't it happen to everybody? It seems too random.

 

you can only notice it on light colored cars, the pepper white seems to be the worse.

 

It happens on all Euro cars.


What some customers do (request is that half of the fluid be drained and water added)

 

Talked to my MA and he is familiar with the problem. Prior to his life as an MA he worked the washrack and said it was a common problem. They end up polishing out the damage in most cases. All I know is it better look like new after he is done with it. If so, no worries. Still don't know why the heck they would use something that caustic for windsheild cleaner. At any rate I'm going to drain mine out and refill with off the shelf stuff that I use in my other cars!

 

I just got my mini - hyperblue last week and 3 days ago I noticed the same markings on my bonnet. Called the dealership today and they said it would come off if you use "elbow grease"!? I haven't tried it yet but I'll let you know tomorrow when my new baby gets her bath

 

I'll be most interested to see if the markings will come off of the bonnet stripes though. I don't know how those can be "rubbed out". I'll find out tomorrow I guess when Mini cleans it up.

 

I have been having the same problem so I guess I will be diluting mine this afternoon. One side seems to be much worse than the other. I even tried using a different brand of fluid.

Also, I don't notice it happening on the back of the car... I guess the fluid just sits on the bonnet but runs down the boot.

 

Update: the dealer tried rubbing out the marks but still wasn't able to get it fixed. I'm now scheduled to take it in and they are going to send it to a body shop to fix the paint and replace the damaged bonnet stripe. The dealer has been really good about it and ran it up the pole with BMW who agreed it's a problem and not the fault of the owner/operator (of course) and will make sure it's taken care of.

 

Sigh...I was hoping it wouldn't happen to me. I even had my dealer dilute the fluid during prep before I picked it up. But, alas, not more than two days after taking delivery, I found the spots. I guess the fluid already in the lines caused it. I have since washed it twice in the 10 days I've had it and the spots remain.

Here's the washer nozzel and the layer of affected paint around it:


And here are the spots on the bonnet stripe:


I've put plenty of "elbow grease" behind this, and nothing is changing. I love everything about the car, but this kind of bothers me...

 

Honestly, you paid msrp on a brand new car. Just received the car and have to put elbow grease to get out a stain created by poor design...

i dont understand why you have to clean it. The dealer should take care of this.

 

Before new MINIs make the voyage across the ocean, they are sprayed thoroughly with the rust preventative Cosmoline to protect them from 1.5-3 weeks worth of salt air and humidity (look in your engine compartments around bends and crooks and you'll see it). Once at the VDCs, the Cosmoline is supposedly completely removed; problem is, it gets into the washer fluid nozzles, front and rear, and tends to stay there for the first couple thousand of miles. I had this same problem with my 05 S and the dealer told me that remnants of Cosmoline tend to "hide" in inconspicuous areas, including under the exterior MINI badges, roof line, under the chrome window trim (a problem area), door handles, etc.) and only time and elbow grease will get it out.

At 18 months and 12,500 miles, I still get occasional "cosmodrip" from my rear MINI badge (after rainstorms mostly), and yes it's very annoying and hard to clean off. However, I'm not about to bug my already taxed dealer with such insignifica--they have other more pressing service issues to deal with--so I just try to keep it under control with Meguiar's Scratch X and some LIGHT elbow grease.

Most of the time the VDCs do well in eradicating it, but some will linger. So it's not your washer fluid per se, it's just what your washer fluid is mixing with, and it seems to collect not only on/in the WW jets, but in the crooks of the wipers, especially the rear, as well.

Cosmoline can be quite persistent; that's why it works so well. Hang in there, it should dissipate after multiple washings and rain storms to where it's at least out of your WW nozzles. Hope this helps, Jimbo

 

This would seem to explain the randomness of this problem. Sounds reasonable.

 

Clay bar!

 

You cant clay bar something that ate through the clear coat down to the paint.

This concentrated wiper fluid is also used in BMW's. simply diluting it wont work since the concentration is mostly at the bottom of the reseviour. To do this properly, one must completely drain the liquid then mix 10 parts water to 1 part Washer fluid. That's how concentrated this stuff is.

Then refilll into the resevoir.

Again, adding water to dilute doesnt quite cut it.

 

yeah, diluted or not, "rogue Cosmoline" will still mix into the fluid and make a mess of things. not worth the effort. it'll go away soon enough (well most of it anyway.) Jimbo