I recently had body work done at a large MINI dealer in my area. When they were done, they detailed my car. They must have used armor-all, because the car was all greasy looking. Anyways, fast forward 2 weeks and my arches look gross! There is a white-ish powdery looking residue that won't seem to come off. They were nice and black prior to going there, so I know it's their product. Is there anything I can use to clean the arches? It looks like people swear by Black-Wow. Is that an appropriate product for what I need? Thanks in advance.

(p.s. I did a search and couldn't find anything about this. Sorry if this has already been addressed)

 

yep, BW is THE product to use on the arches.

you should try cleaning it off with alcohol before you apply BW so that
you get max adhesion/penetration to the plastic.

 

cool, thanks for the info!

 

yep, you'll like it.

I found that it first attracts dust but after a wash (or QD in my case)
thereafter it will keep your arch looking like new for a long long time
without attracting dust. and you can touch it or rub your pants on it
and it will not transfer any black gunk like you would see from like
Back to Black or Meg's Vinyl and Rubber dressing, or even Griot's Rubber
and Vinyl dressing.

it almost seems like BW painted it matte black and became a part of the
body.

 

i second blackwow.
arches look fresh. i should have cleaned them with alcohol prior to puttin it on.
cause it didnt apply 100% the first time. (couple weeks later i saw it white here and there cause of my sucky application of wax a while before that..)
BW is a bit expensive tho. but it lasts a looong time and you dont need that much for each application.

 

I third that emotion. And also suggest that you never let the dealer wash/detail/ruin your Mini. The whitish stuff sounds like wax residue. Only redeeming part of it is that the dealership probably used really cheap stuff - drawback being that the wax they uses lasts no time on the paint but seems to last forever on the plastic trim

 

mmm gotta love the dealer..

 

I'm with the crowd on BW - absolutely love the stuff. As far as it being expensive tho, I really can't agree... maybe price per ounce, but the stuff will last you forever as near as I can see. Have only had to do my MINI about once every six months. Have done 5 of our cars at least once, the 95 Toyota twice (it really needed it), and only about an inch of the bottle has been used. Quite a bargain if you ask me!

 

I too like the black wow. You do have to rub with it to clean off the polish or wax that the careless dealer got on there. Use a rag with some bite. You can tape off the paint so your black wow doesn't get on there and go to town. It wears away slowly. I just reapplied since my first application in June.

 

I use Griots Garage Interior cleaner to get all the wax or old stuff off first. There Paint Prep works better, but I dont want have any of that sitting around. Then fallow up with your choice of dressing.

 

I use these small polish pads from Kiwi (shoe polish company). available
at your local supermarket, walgreens, etc.

they work great for the arches cause they are small and easy to manuver
around the arch without using any tape.

only like $3 with tax and you get 2.

 

yah, interior cleaner is great for that stuff.

 

Black Wow is great - I was a little taken aback at the size of the bottle compared to price - pretty expensive per ounce - but it takes very little - it will last a long time. I applied mine with a makeup sponge that you can get at drug stores - is small enough to have control when working on areas next to the paint and doesn't soak up a lot of product as something larger would.

 

yah, if you use more than a pea on one arch, thats too much.

 

Pam, I love your inginuity, but most guys will not be able to use the same methods you do.
__________________________________________________ _____________
(in drug store, at checkout)
"HONESTLY!! sir,...it's for my,...my...car!! Please believe me! You didn't have to announce it over the p.a. that the guy in checkout #1 is looking for makeup sponges,...did you?? At least you could have said,... it's for his CAR! LOOK!...let me show you the Black Wow that I have in the back of my car. Just check it out, before you roll all over on the floor again!
__________________________________________________ _____________

Like I said, love your ingenuity Pam, but I'll stick with the shoe polishing pads idea. It's better,...to save from some possible embarressment.

 

why? ive bought tampons and wings (?) at my local walgreens for the wife.

i didn't think much of it....

 

Just trying to inject some levity. Bored today. It is just some funny "shtick" that came into my tiny, tiny, little brain.

 

oh... perhaps i will share another story then...

i was at a mitsuwa in torrance, ca long time ago when i picked up
some well... tools to prevent pregnancy. that was the only thing
i had in my basket. the young girl at the register tried scanning it
but won't scan. she was getting alittle embarrassed holding the
box and asking for her male manager about it. so i said real loud
"HURRY UP MY WIFE'S WAITING IN THE PARKING LOT!"

everyone at the register looked over and cracked up. she turned
so red she looked like a tomato. hehehe.

 

ROTFLMAO!

 

hehe, yah, im kinda "bad" at times.

 

i know i'm going to get flack for this (and I think I'm ready for it) but when I use BW, I don't see a difference. YIKES!!!!! maybe I'm using too much and not doing it right. It looks ok the day I do it, not WOW as the name implies, and then I have to do it again in a week or so. I rub it into the black exterior trim with a terry covered applicator. It's real greasy. HELP I want to be WOWed.

 

^^ i think you might be putting on too much.

you shouldn't have to reapply after your next wash... infact, it should
look like freshly painted matte black finish for at least a couple of
washes.