Finally!! Success, well almost. It's not OCD perfect but at least I got rid of my swirls. Some know I tried the PC with Meguiar's M80 & it didn't touch my swirls, then I tried Prima Swirl (2 passes) & it barely lessened my swirls. I am learning though & I think it could have very well been bad technique that limited my results in tries 1 & 2. Well this time around I used more product & I feel like I had success. I am rid of my swirls but I am left with these odd dots all over my bonnet. They look like someone took a ballpoint pen & went dot, dot, dot... all over my bonnet. Could this be indentations from rocks/dirt/etc that have hit me while driving? They look exactly like all the dots on my windshield that I know were caused by debris. Any thoughts would be welcome.

In the spring I may have to give Prima Cut a try (even though I am scared of it ) to see if I can get rid of the dots.

I warn you, the swirlies are bad & those with a weak stomach should turn away from the 1st 2 pictures My swirls were so bad that I almost wonder if I wasn't using enough product in my 1st 2 PC attempts & I actually introduced new swirls at that time.

After using the PC I tried a new wax called Deep Swax that I read about in the Ferrari forums. It looks pretty good. Application is a bit more labor intensive but worth it... 1st coat, wait 45 minutes, wipe off, wait 2 hours, apply 2nd coat, wait 45 minutes, wipe off, wait 24 hours, dry wipe, & then apply their QD. I opted for a 3rd coat of the Swax, they recommend 2 coats minimum.

waxless swirlies in all their glory
(psst... when you see folks post pics of their great finish from certain angles keep in mind that even with all these swirls from a distance & out of high noon sun my MINI looked flawless in pics so don't believe everything ya see)


Swirlies & H2O spots


post PC-swirlies gone but see the damn dots around the suns reflection (pre Swax)


dots almost disappear after Deep Swax application


real (but deceptive) after Swax pics. The way the rest of the non-OCD world sees my MINI (but I know the damn dots are still hiding in there but I'll get em come spring )




Ta-daa.. I can finally feel like my PC is no longer a virgin now that it has actually removed something

F.Y.I... At the onset of all this (pre-PC, I waxed on then PC'd off all 4 waxes) I did a neat 4-wax bonnet test borrowing wax from friends. I used Deep Swax to the left of my bonnet stripes, split the center between P21-S & Zymol Vintage Glaze (very very pricey stuff), & put Epic to the right of my bonnet stripe. I gotta say the Zymol was barely (practically nonexistantly) darker than the P21-S but HEY $30 vs $2K, the P21-S looked pretty impressive I was also pleasantly surprised that the Epic was almost as deep & dark as the 2 carnaubas. The Deep Swax was the lightest looking (but not shiney shiney orangey or anything) but I can't really judge it fairly based on my test as I wasn't able to apply it with all the wait times per the instructions for my test. I still like the look of carnauba the best but I am scared that I am not getting enough protection from it (thus I ended up with all these swirls, water spots, & dots) & so I am a woman on a mission to find a synthetic that offers a look as close to carnauba as possible.

I like the look of the Deep Swax now that I have applied it properly. After the 3rd coat it had a nice depth then after I waited the 24 hours & applied their QD it added a shine kinda like the depth is enclosed in glass. Their QD is a bit different in application, you spray it on, rub it around, let it sit for a sec, then wipe with a dry MF (as opposed to rubbing it in like most QD's) I am anxious to see how it holds up over the coming months durability-wise. I think come spring I will also give Epic a try & then decide which one I like better of the 2. I still think my MINI looks pretty HOTT for a 3 year old, ungaraged, daily driver.

I want to thank Heather, OG, & Scott for all their patience & advice which helped me get to this point.

THE END

 

Looks great good job.

 

Looks MUCH better, TT !!

I looked in your book... errr.. I mean your POST but didn't see it... which pad did you use this time ? I have very good results with Swirl on the orange pad for stubborn swirls and light scratches. On the dark paints like CR (and JB), the white pad just doesn't seem to cut it.

And what's THIS ?? Swax ? You're hanging out on Ferrarri forums ??!!




Again, one of the best dressed MINIs I've seen is looking HAWT !!

PS. Would love to see these "dots" you're talking about !

 

I actually 1st read of the Swax on the autopia forums where it was getting some carnauba-like comments so I had to try it. I was directed to a few write-ups on the ferrari forums. I called & spoke to the Deep Products creator. He was very nice, helpful, & knowledgeable. His stuff is very new

I used the orange DP pad with swirl. That's why I think I may need to try CUT to remove the dots. You can see the dots in the 3rd pic from the top. Look closely around the suns reflection.

 

Ahhhhhhh, I thought those were just reflections of light.

Hmmmmmm, not sure what that could be. Time to call in OG or Heather !!
And okay, I'll forgive you for cheating on us with the Ferrari forums. But just this once !!

 

lookin' good, bamatt!

 

Bamatt - Did you clay first? Are the dots raised at all or do they feel like they aren't there? Finally do you park next to any pine trees or any trees that poop sap?
I think you did a great job, it looks really good and the write-up was nice too. You are one of the few that I've seen write-up a side by side comparison and though the results are always going to be rather subjective, at least you can say you have done it.

 

Of course I clayed silly wabbit, y'all taught me better than to not

Nope no trees. Had seven pines cut em all down pre-MINI. I can't really feel the dots. My guess is that they are impact mars in my clearcoat & I need a more aggressive polish to be rid of them. But I dunno & hopefully I can get to work on them in February but for now the MINI looks great & I can live with them provided I don't look at my MINI from a 90° vertical angle on a brite sunny day at lunchtime

Thank ya for the kind words

 

Looks beautiful! I'm counting the days til I can hit Clara with the PC!

 

great job!

The dots may be rock chips so be careful when attempting to remove them. The bonnet is prone to rock chips and I've seen it in a couple of MINI's I detailed. They only appear when you get wax residue stuck in the tiny pits.

 

Yeah that's a possibility. Polish could have wedged in there when I was using the PC & I am sure when I wiped the remaining polish off the MF wouldn't have removed it

 

Congratulations on your success bamatt!

 

WOW! Niiiiiiiiiiiiice write-up and terrific job on the MINI, TT!!!

Now come to San Diego and do mine.

 

Agreed on all points except that she is going to do my MINI next!

 

Only if your MINI is conveniently located in a place between her house and the airport.

 

Actually his MINI is only about 10 miles from my MINI & hey now that I actually got some results out of the PC I am ready to practice on teach another victim

 

VERY nice, T!

 

i wonder how many newbs are thinking you used a computer "PC" to
do your work.



PC = PorterCable random orbital buffer.

 

WOW wouldn't it be cool if my computer could do all that work for me. I could just sit here havin a beer & operate the PC with my PC mouse

 

well, it might be the same paying OG via paypal?

 

I betcha those dots are just a little bit of whats left of the water spots. You'll get them in spring. Looks fantastic! I wanna red convertible now.