**** Before posting this request, I spent many hours searching this forum, and just seem to get more and more confused! So thanks in advance for all your help! Also, if these questions have been covered, I missed it and sorry for re-posting!***

Hi, my name is Tom, and I’m a detailing slacker/novice (they say the first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem!)


In the past, my idea of “detailing” was to take my car through the automatic (touchless) car wash and pay extra for the wax option! I now see the errors of my ways, and am seeking advice to keep my new MINI it top condition.

But first, per OctaneGuy’s instructions in a prior thread, here’s some info. I live in the Chicago area and have an R56, MCa, OB/OB, that is garaged at night and is in an open parking lot during the day. The car was delivered on 9/18/07 and has not yet been washed, mainly because I haven’t had the time (I’d rather be motoring!) and it doesn’t look dirty to me. When it was caught in a light rain yesterday, the water was still beading, and when it dried later in the garage, there were no spots/dirt showing. I have used a California Duster a few times on it, but not on a daily basis. My questions are similar to, but a bit different from the thread, "Slacker car care" which actually prompted me to post this.


So, I’m looking for some advice and tips, to avoid getting into bad habits from the start, and of course I would rather not spend too much money or time (I’d rather be motoring!).

What I’m concerned about the most right now is the upcoming Chicago winter. At this point, the only detailing time I’ll have is on the weekends, as it’s getting dark by the time I get home now during the week.

So, here’s a few questions I have:

1)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]I know it needs a wash and dry, but what do you recommend to use (soap, wash mitt, microfiber cloths?)
2)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]When should I wax, and how? Should the “factory finish” make it through the winter, or should I wax it now?
3)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]What do you recommend that I should do in the spring?
4)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]What’s the best way to care for the microfiber cloths/wash mitts?
5)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]What else am I missing?

My initial thought is to pick up something like the “Paradise Starter Bundle 1” and some Hydro to hopefully make it though the winter, but do I need the Epic wax, or can I use Hydro now, or do I need to use Epic before I can use Hydro?

Thanks in advance for all your help, advice, and tips!

 

If someone has the time/will to answer these questions, I think this thread should get a sticky. I could cut down on the "where do I start" threads.

My short answer, go to Adam's Polishes and check out their DVD collection. I think they are all viewable online, and they cover everything from washing to polishing and beyond.

 

Buy this detailing handbook (or download it free here) , read it and make a plan that fits your lifestyle, budget and such....trust me, it is one of the best detailing books on the market, although it is chock full of plugs for Griots Garage products (very good products BTW), the basics are what matters....


https://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coo...ook_10212.html

Detailers Paradise also makes great products, so to each there own. I am sure that you will acheive great results with either brand, however a good handbook or guide should be applicable to any brand more or less.

Our Car Care + Detailing section is full of just about anything you will need to keep your car in top shape:

https://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coo...Car_Care.html/

 

^ I agree. And I was a "where do I start" person too. My advice (and what I did) - read the forum, check out the products websites, and call people if need be.

 

I see from your post you've been checking out the Prima bundles. Bundles are a good way to get started and save a little cash. I would get the Starter Bundle II, and add a bottle of Hydro.

The Starter Bundle II includes everything you need to wash and dry:

Mystique (wash soap)
Lambswool mitt
2 Waffle Weave drying towels

In addition, you'll want a good 5-gallon bucket with a Grit Guard or Dirt Guard. Some people use 2 (one for wash water and one for rinse water). You can decide if that's for you or if that's too OCD.

For the first wash, use Dawn instead of Mystique to get the ucky dealer wax off of there.

I would wax now before winter starts. No one really knows what the dealership uses for wax, and I would expect that it's cheap and not particularly long-lasting.

The bundle also includes everything you need to wax by hand:

Epic (use a VERY small amount, it only takes a couple of tablespoons to do an entire MINI)
Skinny pad (use to apply Epic)
Monster Fluffy and Platinum microfibers (use whichever you prefer to remove haze)

You apply the Epic, let it dry for a half hour or so (til it hazes over and a swipe with a clean finger across the wax comes up clean and streak-free), then remove the haze. The protection from Epic will last 4-6 months.

Examine the finish for swirls. Driving in salt, you will probably have some. You can order Swirl and use it by hand or using a random-orbital (much easier) to remove swirls.

In the spring and fall I do full details - wash, clay, polish w/Swirl, wax w/Epic. We can cross that bridge when you get to it

I machine wash and dry mine. I wash in cold water, seperately from anything else (I usually do one big load of MF per week). Don't use fabric softener. Some hang theirs to dry. Some also seperate utility MFs (ones they use on trim and wheels or with particularly caustic chemicals) from nicer ones.

You *may* want to clay before you Epic for the winter. After you wash your car, feel the paint and see if it feels "gritty". You can put a plastic shopping or sandwich baggie over your fingers to enhance the feeling a bit. If you can feel grit on the paint, you should clay before you wax. Prima makes clay as well, but it can be had locally as well - Mothers, Meguiar's, and Clay Magic are all decent clays you can get at Pep Boys or Kragen.

Then, once you've got your coat of Epic on there, you can do weekly (or however often you want, I guess!) washes and use Hydro when you dry.

 

Thanks to all who responded!!

bee: Thanks for the link to Adam's polishes, hadn't seen that one before.

ML: Thanks for your very specific answers, that's exactly what I was looking for!

Aaron: Thanks for the link to the Griot's book, also hadn't seen that link before (don't know how I missed your prior post that had it before!)

Now comes the hard/fun part, actually doing the work!

 

Right on! I second the idea that this should be a good "where do I start?" thread.

Do you clay only the bumpy areas or do you clay everything? I had some stripes installed last weekend and was told that I needed to "clay" my car. (Maybe I should just get that book...)

And another total n00b question, what exactly is a swirl? I see lots of products that say they get rid of them but what are they?

 

For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to do this. I'm using a PC and a lot more than 2 T of Epic.

Lawyertom: don't be afraid to clay your car. It is one of the easiest, most satisfying things you can do. Try it on an older car too and you will be amazed.

Good thread idea. I'd also be interested in learning how to quickly cold weather detail without freezing to death.

 

t-pod- it's a little tricky at first because it's very difficult to see that you
applied Epic very thinly until about 3-4min later when it starts hazing.

you kind of have to apply blindly giving faith to your pc and pad that you
did infact apply wax where it appears you didn't.

this is why ive been asking if the Griot's sealant is easy to detect coverage.
to the trained eye applying thin is easy, but for those like me that only
use Epic once a year we tend to forget wat it looked like during the app.

 

Blind faith. Ok Kenchan, I'll put my trust in you. I just feel like it would be bad bad bad to be 'waxing' my car with a dry pad, so I tend to keep squirting it on. However, I do notice there is a LOT of epic that I have to clean out of the pad when I'm done. I'm going to do another coat soon and I'll try to limit myself this time.

Minyuette- swirls are very fine scratches that tend to look circular around a focused light reflection. You have to look kinda close to see them, but once you do, you'll go nuts and they'll be very obvious. There are lots of pictures of them around, I think one of OctaneGuy's ad banners has a picture of swirls. They're easier to see on dark paint, that's why my car is PW.