Grover has some company on Integrity. My HB MINI: Gordo is also on that boat hopefully. I hate waiting like this, but too much information is not helping. If I had no idea when it was coming that might be better. Now it is just so hard to wait.

 

The storm has delayed my ship now about a solid day maybe more. That sux. The manon wants to come home but the booking info slid again. Sux badly.

 

The Maersk Wind is now scheduled to make landfall 5/10/06, one day later than previously scheduled. *sigh*

 

aiiee,

Please tell me how did you get this info? I was hoping that this was our last day at sea and we would depart MW tomorrow.

Thanks for info.

 

Go to the WW cargo tracking site http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppTracking/index.jsp

Choose Customer Care from the top menu, then 'Schedules' from the drop down. Then 'Search by Vessel' from the Schedule Options list, and enter the name of the ship, in our case "Maersk Wind" and you'll see when it is supposed to dock in Charleston. Let's hope it doesn't slip again..

 

well, i guess the good news is both of the delayed ships must have slowed down to protect the Minis on board... i know that doesn't help!
---------
so while we are all waiting... what have people been doing?
- shopping for accessories?
- buying detailer products?
- planning trips for the break-in miles?

i'm looking at getting a car cover... and will probably have the dealer tack on some floor mats (I'm thinking the black rubber mats) and possibly the boot mat. i still haven't settled the MP3 jack vs. iPod adapter question... or the clearbra or not to clearbra question.

i'm currently also trying to decide on detailing products since I want to baby my Mini. So far, I'm a little overwhelmed by all of the products and processes. El Jefe has been giving me some tips.

And here's hoping I can make a long trip when Grover gets here. Either up to NYC to see friends... or if my job situation changes... out to the SF Bay area.

 

I've been reading and reading and reading the forums on this site! I've actually read so much that I saved myself about 200 bucks on the Aux install and am going to do it myself! Now, that 200 bucks can go to a CAI! I have spent hours reading in Detailing 101 and my head is spinning! There is a GREAT sticky in there about basics! I think I'll probably spend the 200 bucks I saved on Aux install on some Zanio products! I want to make the BRG metal flake sparkle! Plus in Chicago we get NASTY winters so I want a good 3 or 4 layers of wax on Gus before the snow falls!

 

If you want it to sparkle and not shine, you should NOT go zaino and instead go Griot's best of show or griot's carnauba paste. Sparkling is colour depth, our mini's, (BRG!) are very dark. Add a bit of synthetic to the top coat and it gleams blacker than one would expect. Some want that, grover wants high gloss, so she should have zaino applied or Meguiar's nxt synthetic. Zaino is gleam and gloss. Mirror sorts of finishes. If that's your bag, youre lucky! Synthetics last much longer!

Wax ='s depth of colour. Shine from them is from the condition of the clear coat underneath, aka, polishing the original clearcoat. That's something I am not going to do. I know that most of the cars around here, say 99.997% of them look like crap so my attempts will make it look better than show compared.

my car keeps getting delayed now up to 2 days from when it was booked/scheduled. sux.

 

Yep wax for depth, synthetics for shiny. My Imola Red roadster looks awesome with carnauba, like you could dive into it

 

Well my head is spinning again! LOL So, if I want a good deep metalic flake (i still want it to be shiny) then I should use Carnauba Wax...So:

Wash
Claybar
Wash
Carnauba Wax
then, do you wax on, buff off, and then apply another coat? What do you guys think about layers of wax?

Brad

 

paste wax, one thin. liquid wax like Best of show: you can do it twice if you have a garage. you put it on, let it harden till next day, you put another thin layer on, before it completely, you buff off. I guess it would be hard to do that. seems impossible. I just use griot's paste. makes life easier. The two finger method is good, you take two fingers, swipe across, when it can clean two lines yet not be wet, time to remove.

1 coat of best of show is fine though.

 

i hear you Brad... the more i read about detailing the more confused I get. perhaps I'll call Griot and have a conversation since they are supposedly really helpful. I just looked at the Meguiars site and I have to say, just from a design/ease of use standpoint, the site is not very helpful. I already feel Griot's is easier (i downloaded their free detailer handbook PDF and ordered a catalog).... but of course, they are significantly more expensive and not as easy to find (I don't think) as Meguiars. A few people are talking about how great Turtle Wax ICE is... says you can get it on the black plastic trim without any discoloration.

I've been reading the forums a lot, too.... obsessively, actually. In some ways it makes me a bit nervous... the windshield problems and the broken strut towers seem like something Mini should have already addressed by now. Still, I'd much prefer to drive around in a Mini than in the Toyota's of my past.

does everyone have digital cameras for the delivery day? I plan on taking lots of photos.

 

I'm really torn! Like with ANY product some people are swearing by Griot's while others say its a great way to spend too much money!!! I grew up (i'm only 24 so maybe I'm still to young to say that) using good ol'e Turtle Wax LOL...

I know I want something fairly easy...I live in chicago and will be doing the major detailing jobs (probably quarterly to be realistic) at my family or friends houses back home in Michigan. But, I want it to look awesome, stay protected, and stay looking awesome for a long long long time!

From everything I read the big thing is not to get synthetic type waxes on the black pastic as that is what streaks and fades it...From what I understand the Carnauba stuff won't bother the plastic at all and will in fact help protect that too...But I'ts very likely I've got that wrong too! LMAO!

 

Use Griot's to start. It's good stuff, and the Best Of Show won't break you. Their accessories are expensive though. The paste carnauba isn't too bad either, but i think the Best of Show gives the greatest depth. Read autopia.org, learn about other products and you'll soon wean yourself away from Griot's. That's the trouble with Griot's, everything is so convenient and that's when the bills start ratcheting up. And I don't know how they are now, but they used to take forever to ship, I used to have to wait two weeks until I got my stuff..

As an example of where they are expensive, price their Porter Cable polisher against Coastal Tool. The numbers speak for themselves.

 

their orbital was designed for them. it isnt a porter cable.

They ship immediately by ground or 3 day airmail. morning if you buy it, goes out midday.

Yes, some overpriced things. But, they work REALLY well.

For someone who wants it ultra simple and durable, get the Paint Sealant from Griot's. Its supposed to last a year out doors. You could just speed shine it once in a while for a nicer look after washing.

Which lasts longer in elements? Best of show liquid or Carnauba Paste from Griot's?

 

OK, I think I'll go with Griot's at least at first for the chemicals. I found some places with much better prices on microfiber drying towels and 100% wool wash mits...

Two questions, where can I find a good, cheap bucket? And Do you think Griot's Vinyl & Rubber dressing will work on dash and leatherette seats?

 

Eh, not to sound like a spokesperson for Griot's but they themselves offer 3 grades of microfibre. ahh.. so there are grades I found out today. They have these green MF towels for interior cleaning. They use white for wax and speedshine, and this thick gold colour for their drying towels. There is a noticable difference in them. the green ones will see grime and gunk, no point I guess in getting a pricey one for interior stuff like wiping off mud and greasy hands.

Might want to consider quality of MF towel vs price. the higher quality ones last a long time I have noticed.

I just put griot's vinyl and rubber dressing on dash and well, the mini for me isnt here but I know it is also meant for the seating material in a Leatherette car. Get a sprayer. it will save on gluging like i just did tonight applying it on my old car that is sold but awaiting pickup. (im just messing around with my new products, the car looks sick now) the vinyl and rubber dressing work really well on bumpers and dash and odd pieces of random solid colored plastic. Clear plastic = Plexus.

this is liek a mini detailers forum all of a sudden All of us are noobs though. Ive learned a lot from Kenchan and most of all from Octaneguy. The detailers forum is top notch here.


Now wheres my (#%*@ CAR !!!

 

The Wind had to slow down to let Isaac pass and will now arrive in Charleston on Thursday (early) instead of Wednesday.

 

The Wind is sailing again, Charleston tomorrow, now thats a great feeling.

 

I hope everything turns quickly on this end.....

 

We are so close! We should have no problem making into port on time!

 

Mine will need to get thru DC and QA, the on to Dublin, OH where I will pick up. I may be a bit optimistic but am hoping in about 10 days.

 

I found a good Rubbermaid 2-well red bucket at Lowe's. can't remember the price but it was reasonable.

I use 303 Protectant on Vinyl and leather. It's got UV protecton in it. My convertible is 6 years old and the vinyl and leather look new.

 

Cool, I'll check out Lowe's for the bucket! Thanks for the reply!

 

Just thought those of you that are on the Maersk Wind with us might enjoy this!






Vessel data
Owner: A.P. Möller Singapore Pte Ltd
Management: A.P. Möller
Flag: SNG
Ship Type: PCTC
Capacity car (RT43): 5 300
Capacity car/trucks: 2 520/450
Length (m): 179.9
Beam (m): 32.2
Draft (m): 9.6
Deadweight (m/t): 16 886
Gross tonnage: 51 770
Main engine/Power (kW): 14100
Built year: 2000
Delivered: 2000
Builder: Hashima Shipyard Tadutsu, Japan
Charter: Wallenius Wilhelmsen