Hey,

I do a near full detail on my car about every 2 weeks, near full meaning minus clay (I clay when I have extra time, or when it needs to be clayed) Either way everytime I wash I remove the licence plate, I was wondering over time will the bracket that screws into the boot get the threads stripped? Anyone know?

Thanks

 

Bump

 

just be careful not to cross-thread when putting it back and you should be fine. It might also help if you put a few drops of oil on the screws before reinstalling.

 

better yet, put a few drops of oil on your paper towel and clean the
screw thread once in a while. best not to overtorque.

im not sure why you would need to remove it though...ive never removed
mine when i detail my cars after each drive.

 

I have a Euro Plate under my California plates, a bunch of dust and basically whatever is on the boot most of the times find it's way under there. I usually don't tighten the screws tightly. Also with the plates out of the way, waxing the boot is so much easier, well at least to me.

 

I remove my rear plate as well. It gets nasty under there, especially after having to drive on wet roads.

I replaced the screws with torx head screws and put a dab of silicone rubber on the threads. It seals the threads and holds the screws without having to crank down on them. They break loose pretty easily and the torx heads are less likely to strip.

 

That is exactly why i'd be weary of removing the plate often. Do you really need to detail behind there EVERY time? It is never seen, and likewise never touched so although crud may build up it won't be scratched. Once a year seems more reasonable. I just did it during my spring detail, for the first time in 3 years.

 

I cannot stand the fact there could be road salts stuck back there just itching to damage the paint. I dunt(tm) detail everytime I clean Romi. But I do clean behind the plate every time I clean her.

Less grit, less grime, less damage over time.

 

road salt in texas??

 

I put a little dab of grease on each of the bolts to prevent corrosion and siezing, plus I replaced the plate and mount hardware with stainless screws.

If you are worried about the dirt and crud under the plate, maybe I should not tell you about the horrendous mess that accumulates under the back glass trim.

 

Darn right there's road salt in Texas (unless the Hi-Way Dept decides to mess with us). Our Interstates can be a major challenge every winter any time from late December thru the end of February when the artic ice storms hit us.

 

If you are talking about the gap under the upper rubber gasket/seal. I use an air compressor to blow out the water and debris from under it. It's not really a seal, more of an extension of the rain gutter rubber from the sides.

Yes LynnEl, we have road salts. Due to our inane manner in dealing with ice during the winter, there is salt on our road surfaces practically year round, as it gets pressed into the asphalt from winter, then slowly washes off all summer.

 

Actually it's the lower beltline seal that can get filled with gunk. Removing mine one day out of curiosity I was surprised by the sheer amount of crud built up. The trim pops off, underneath there is a fairly large crevice where the glass meets the hatch sheetmetal. The clips that retain the trim piece also reside here. It's a space about 1/2 inch wide by about 3/4 inch deep. The rubber 'lip' along the beltline seal is supposed to minimize dirt instrusion, but over time the area will slowly fill up with gritty dirt. The dirt will begin to build up between the trim lip, allowing more water and dirt to collect in the space. I perodically remove the trim, blast out the crud, then wash out the area using soap and a brush. leave the trim off when waxing the car, then replace it. The wax should help protect the area somewhat, but dirt will always collect there. The same goes with the plastic wheel moldings and rocker panels. Removing the wheel opening moldings damages the trim clips, so replacing the trim requires new clips (they are cheap though).

 

Just for my own edification GreatBear, are you talking about the 2007 R56? I ask because I went and checked the bottom seal on mine, and I am really hard pressed to see how any dirt would get past that seal with the tension it has on the glass.

 

I removed my plate for the 1st time ever when I detailed back in April. There was very little dirt under there so I figure removing it for cleaning about once every 2-1/2 years will do for me just fine

 

Funny, I nearly posted somethign similar the other day. I don't remove my plate every time I wash the car, but at least several times a year. SIcne theMINI ususes an adapted plate between teh license tag and the car ther eare 2 things to take off.

The screws for the plate go into metal machine threads in teh adapter so I can;t see them getting stripped. The plastic adapter piece that attahces to the car and then accepts the plate screw does go into plastic retainers on the car so I can see you stripping that if you are too agressive on them, but I have not felt like they were that delicate yet.

Those that do not take theirs off, do it and check under your plate next time. It may depend on weather, but I have found I get just about as much gunk under it as you normally get on the boot.

 

I'm speaking of experience with older cars, I have not had any hands-on experience with the trim on '07s but figure it's probably similar. The rubber on my car fit tight to the glass initially, then relaxed a bit over time and let the mess in. It's apparent that it's behind the trim if the trim rubber looks 'lumpy' when examined closely.

 

Are you talking about the rubber/chrome (stainless, whatever it is) piece that goes all the way around? If so, do you have any how-to pics to show how to pop it off?

 

It should be held on with steel spring clips MLW. But it should also have a sealer of some type under it. It may not.

Popping it off without plastic body tools could damage the paint. There is a tool which looks like a flar, straight spatula with a sort of fork in the end of it. That notch is where the spring clip would fit. You slide it under the rubber seal and simply pry it off. The spring clips should just pop off undamaged, if they are spring steel.

I understand what you mean about the rubber shrinkage there GreatBear. I figure if the seals stop sealing it will time to replace them.

Which begs the question. How long does Mini keep body/trim parts around for older cars? I plan on keeping Romi for 10 years.

 

The trim piece is held on by plastic clips, which are actually 'stepped'. The trim is pressed on under the glass. The clips actually 'ratchet' and grip at many levels, in this fashion it's possible to push it in more as the rubber lip loses tension. In my case, it's pushed in as far as it will go, and I should soon replace the piece. Removal is simple, just grab and pull it off.

 

I am familiar with the clips you are talking about, but I have to admit I am surprised they are used on an external seal. Hmmm.

 

Yo Ken ... are you talking the whole nine yards ... polish, glaze, wax or just a bit of your addiction on Hydro?

I mean removing the plate? Are these cars going to be judged in a Concours Event?

Where does everyone find the time to do all this stuff???

Hehe. I bit too much I'm thinking like every time I sell it (no wait ... not even then)

 

Does anybody on NAM know if the plastic pieces in the boot where the adapter screws into is replacable? If so how hard is it to replace, just thoughts about the long run. Anybody ever have to replace them?

 

I do the whole nine yards every 2 weeks, minus clay (only when needed as I said earlier) either way, after each detail I feel the MINI is ready to be judged at a Concours event .

 

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