But not when you're standing up washing it...

 

so are we cleaning the car to look at it while washing, or are we cleaning
the car so it looks nice when its out on the open?

 

Well, it would be easier if I had a detailing gnome to do the low parts. Not as young as I used to be.

 

I always miss that part too. Next time I wash the MINI I'll have Kenchan's little voice whispering in my ear "don't forget that black air diverter thingy!"

 

hahaha.

takes one more step for true perfection, huh?

 

Would take me a LOT more steps... I'm happy just being better than every other car in the lot at work... which is pretty easy...

 

yah, me too.

my Fit that got washed in the rain looks better than 99% of the cars
out there.

 

'xactly.

 

No I did not miss it. I even used BW on it. But alas, I had to drive over gravel to get to this parking garage (damn new construction) and I scraped a bit.
I even BW'd my gas tank while the wheels were off and same too with all the other plastic parts under the car. Plus I waxed the painted parts in the wheel wells and the black painted parts of the suspension. I even used Black Renew on the spare just in case some one looks or it is needed.
So I feel pretty good about the thoroughness of the job I did.

 

We need a list of "Commonly forgotten spots to detail on the MINI."

 

I need to get a stainless steel exhaust - galvanized is too hard to clean.
I always have a hard time cleaning the door hinge area. My hands are too big to get back in behind the hinges.

 

I'm betting a lot of people don't take the effort to clean the black plastic trim in the area just above the tailpipe(s). Out of sight, out of mind.

I had my CR MINI at work Friday for our annual car show and I bet it was at least 20 people who asked me how in the world I've kept a two year old car looking brand new.

It's not only the PC and polish every six months, it's the little areas "normal" people never even think to clean. My door jambs look better than the exterior paint on most people's cars. And the rain channels behind the boot hatch... most people ignore that area.

Yeah, I had a few people there on Friday call me "insane" and "sick", but I take those as compliments.

 

It is always hard to keep that water channel above the boot on a cabrio clean. Gets dirt from driving then water from the washing and you get mud.
CRPWJBINSANE, got any tips?

 

I think I like my new name.

All I do, Chuck, is after every wash, take one of the microfiber rags from Griot's and go along those rain channels along the boot. It's easier on the hardtops because they don't build up as much gunk from the roads. But after washing, there will be some moisture in there, so just wipe it away. It's not pristine, but it's pretty close.

I use those same mf rags on the door jambs and the wheels to dry them after washing. They're not expensive which makes them disposable. That's nice for use in areas where they're going to get a bit grimey. Don't want to use the Monster Fluffies in those places !

 

yah, i too clean the bottom horizontal part of the rear bumper cause it's
quite visible from the rear of the car at sitting height.

what i do is just take some paper towels, wet it down with griot's SprayOn
wax and just gently wipe off. i do that on the wheel wells too where it's
visible from the side of the car on an angle.

 

Another spot often overlooked is the black trim inside the mirror caps. If you're not ever vigilant, water can drip down from behind the mirrors and leave spots. After I wash the mirrors I turn them out so more water can drip out from behind and under, dry the rest of the MINI and then flip the mirrors back in place and wipe the remaining water. Stick the edge of the towel up inside the mirror just for good measure.

 

yah, that's a good place to use a leave blower to get the water out followed
by some QD or sprayon type waxes.


hey, griot's got a lot of new stuff a their site. check out their "whats new"
section.

 

Worked most of the night, seem to have gotten a cold, so I feel like crap. Not doing nothing today.

Mark

 

ewwww... GOOD tip, Chuck... thanks ! Yeah, I was going back and wiping off the drips every 15 minutes or so, until they stopped. My feeble brain never thought of tilting the mirrors.

Mark... awful time of year to catch a cold. Summer colds are the worst ! Take care of yourself.

 

you can also slide a paper towel into the parting line to absorb the water...

lotsie- rest rest rest!

 

I don't use paper towels for anything. First off they are linty and secondly they aren't 100% man-made; We have no control over nature so I don't trust it. Leave the tree for the beavers, give me synthetic or nothing at all (except for my lamb's wool mitt).
After my mirrors, my second worst spot for annoying post-washing seepage is under my M7 APD. Water gets under there and it can take months to get back out. Of course I'm assuming it would take months since I end up washing again well before that.

 

Compressed air, baybee. I do the mirror-tilt trick, but use 100psi compressed air and my blow gun to blow all the water out of the mirrors, grilles, cowl vents, wiper arms, APD, around the taillights, side vents, lug nut holes, behind license plate, cabrio boot hinges, rear bumper grilles, etc...

 

I need a longer hose. For my air compressor, jeez what were you thinking?
I've got this damn Aspen tree shading our drive that is constantly spewing aphid turds so I usually park down at the end to wash. I guess it is time to set the canopy up again for washing that way my hose can reach. Or I could use the leaf (leave?) blower as kenchan suggested but it is so loud that at 6:00 AM I'd get calls.
Another weepy spot - under the chrome belt line molding in front of the doors. Really got to be patient to draw the water out with your towel or else it will drip about 30 minutes after you put everything away.

 

The leaf blower idea would work, but the nozzle is much bigger than an air nozzle from a compressor, and it tends to kick up more crap.

Mark

 

Well, outmotoring shipped me the wrongs pads so it looks like I am going to have to wait a bit longer before I can polish. I have contacted them but they are closed for the next while so it could be a bit.