I have started accumulating all the different products for cleaning my new Mini when I pick it up in about a month. I have read the detailing for non OC thread and bought Mystique,Clarity,sheepskin mit,Paradise microfiber cloths etc.. My question is, What process or sequence would be good on a brand new car to set a foundation for keeping the paint protected? I am really a newbie at detailing. In the past I have just washed and dried my cars with turtle wax car wash. I want to try detailing it with "better" products with this car.

 

With mine, based on the research I did here, I went for the following:

1. Wash with Dawn
2. Clay entire vehicle
3. Wash with Mystique
4. Wax with Epic

That seems to have established a good base for me. Regular washings, Hydros, BW the black trim every now and then. Occassional spot clay if I get something really nasty. I've been reapplying Epic every six months - basically once to get through the winter months, once for the summer months.

I'm starting to detect some very light swirling in a couple spots along with the wear and tear put on a daily driver. So probably looking at having to do a polish with a PC this next spring.

Not bad for a couple years into ownership.

 

so would you say that there is no special or different process based on a car being new and presumably never having had a wax coat

 

Good advice above with one thing to add, check for swirls in the paint.
If the dealer does a standard dealer wash you will have swirls you should remove before applying Epic. If you want a really great finish you will need to get the swirls out first. If you are lucky, the dealer will not swirl the paint and you can clay and wax.

Have fun with your new MINI.

 

This may sound dumb but when you say Dawn, do you mean dish washing soap

 

Yes, Dawn dish washing soap. We use it to help remove pre existing glazes and natural waxes from the paint that the dealer might have applied.

Richard

 

wash, clay, wax. keep it garaged.

 

Really important^^^^^^

Get a good chamois or waffle weave towel to dry the car. Some guys even blow the car dry so no water is allowed to sit on the paint. If the weather dries up here I will wash, clay and wax my new Mini. Just be careful and dont get wax on the black trim...it is an eye sore.

 

I'd add.

Ask the dealer to NOT wash or wax car before delivery. They will power wash the cosomoline off at the embarkation point. No need to have some added holograms/swirls added to your new paint by the $10/hr prep guy at the dealer

Also I'd look real close for any swirling. Take a PC to it if needed to do some spot Swirl application. OG has some DVD's on techniques if you need some help

I'd take Amigo to the whole thing prior to Epic.

While not necessary it sure makes it look sweet. Griot's Best of Show on top of the Epic absolutely rocks!

I'd also suggest having the car Clear Bra'd at your first oppty

 

Agreed. I would do the following:

0) Ask the dealer not to wash the car.
1) Dawn wash.
2) Clay.
3) Look for swirls/holograms at delivery. If needed, use Swirl/PC to remove them.
4) Amigo.
5) Epic.
6) Wait 24 hours, then Epic again.

You should be good for the winter from there.

 

Thank you, this is what I needed to complete my pre-arrival purchases of detailing products.

 

added the 2 critical elements missing

 

garage, check
beater, check

 

Keep the MINI garaged? Nah - get that thing out on the road!!!

 

Me and Clara and our 98k miles don't need a stinkin' beater!

 

you are on the right path to OCD.

 

How about this for OCD.

MINI #1 gets the garage. Soon to be MINI #2 is getting a self storage place 5 minutes away from the house.

 

I'm in the same situation. JUST got my Cooper last night and I'm already thinking of the weekend washing.
One question....what is "clay". I have never heard of this.

 

There I fixed it..........

 

OctaneGuy is probably the best qualified to answer but I think he is still on his honeymoon so cut him some slack.

In short Claying deeply cleans the surface of your paint above and beyond what any car wash and wool mitt can. We're talking deep salt water brine from the trip over the pond or metal particles from the brakes of the rail cars that transported your baby to your dealer.

As I understand there is really one mfg of Clay, don't know who they are, and diff retailers sell diff versions (color and consistency)

I got this from Octane Guy, works great. http://www.showcarsupplies.com/shopd...Detailing+ClayGriot's would be another choice. I'm sure my fellow OCDers will offer opinions. I've used California Gold and was not that crazy about, thought it fell apart quckly

You'll need something to lubricate the clay when using, the Glide on OG's site works great but any Quick Detailer will work

 

yes, definitely qualifies for OCD-ness.

my G and Z are both sound a sleep inside... outside, it's snow, salt, and all the corrosive icemelt crap they spray...

not to forget all the stupid drivers who either drive too slow or drive too fast in the snow...

 

hey, you're doing pretty well to explain clay.

i found that meguiar's blue clay is a bit too course for some paints...especially on my nissans they almost like wetsand the clear. i used it on my brandnew 370Z and quickly ended up with a haze. so had to polished it out using my random orbital. i guess i smoothed out some of the orange peel so it's okay but be careful with it.

the griot's clay (i call it 'mud') is very soft. that is what ive been using on my G and my old R53 that i had the last 3-4 years with great success. just wear gloves though cause that yellow dye will get onto your hand. i recommend using meguiar's cheezo maroon bottle quick detailer as lube....or use Slick 50/50 with water.

i hope Prima re-releases their clay. that was firmer than griot's yet softer than the meguair's blue.

 

I use the Meguiar's blue clay on Clara and have no hazing problems. I really like it and the Four Star clay the best out of all of them.

 

Sounds like a perfect blend. Haven't had any hazing on my R56 from the Mcguiars.

Thanks for the heads up on the Griot's clay. Sounds similar to the California Gold stuff I used

 

Picked up my new MINI I haven't started my detailing process yet but I am well on my way to OCDing. Though I wasn't able to clay and wax it yet. I did bring it home and wash it. Than over the next two days I worked on every detail getting water spots and wax out of cracks. It is so clean now that I don't even want to drive it haha. Hopefully next weekend will have a dryu day and I will give it a comp[lete detail. I did realize that I need more waffle weave micro fiber towels so I ordered more and some cosmonot also for when that day comes.