I was wondering when a Mini comes in prior to taken ownership I assume the dealer gives the car a once over. Does the car just get a wash and dry or does it get a wax. Should I get home rewash and wax and if so what products to use for the first time. Then recommended products to maintain.

 

Generally it just gets a wash and dry, but it depends on the dealer. I'd say at best you'll get spray on wax, but that's probably a stretch.

If you search the forum for detailing products you'll get a laundry list of answers. Prima, Adams Polishes, Griots Garage, Blackfire, Pinnacle, Meguiars, Poorboys...and the list goes on and on. All of these brands have good quality auto washes that will do just fine. As for wax, that one you'll get a ton of different answers on. Some here prefer sealants, others like traditional carnuabas. Personally, I have really grown to like Prima's Banana Gloss for ease of use and looks. Can be used in direct sunlight, and you basically just wipe it on and then wipe off. Great stuff.

 

Ours was very clean when we picked it up - but didn't appear to be waxed.

So I gave it a cleaning and wax the first weekend after purchase.

For the wax, I recommend Meguiar's carnauba wax. For soap, I'd be curious what others might recommend. I didn't have anything special on hand, so I used an organic soap used for washing dishes by hand.

Not too much as I didn't want to chance harming the finish. Anyway, seemed to work just fine.

 

Have not purchased the MINI yet but be very careful using dish detergent such as Dawn etc. The products are made to cut grease and will cut the wax base on your car. It is good to use prior to clay bar or stripping the old wax or sealant off but other then that, would recommend any good car wash. Years ago, I thought car washes were a waste of money till a good friend showed me what some dawn would do to a good wax job. It may not completely cut a good hard carnuba wax the first time but over time it will. Given that a good detailing is not easy, I try to wax as seldom as possible and that requires that I use a good car wash. For a daily driver you might consider a sealant however, detailing like oil choices is very personal..

 

Sorry for the additional post but I did not address the issue of what to use. NJ MINI had a good list of quality products. Not sure if MINI comes to the states uncovered or not but if they have been out in the weather, they may require a clay bar prior to wax or sealant. I recently purchased another vehicle and it did not require it but many do. It is a good way to prep the finish to get maximum shine and brilliance. As NJ MINI stated, if you use a quality product you can't go wrong. I use mostly Griots' products and they have a website with videos to show off their products however, I believe what NJ MINI stated in that there are many good products out there. I use a Griots carnuba on my other vehicle however, may go to a sealer on the MINI due to its ability to resist breakdown longer then a wax. The shine may not be as brilliant as a good carnuba but unless you are showing the car, you probably will not notice. Wash with clean water and good car wash. Do not let the washing mitt or cloth sit on the bottom of container and rinse the mitt often to keep dirt and debris off the car finish as it will scratch the paint or clear coat. Use micro fiber clothes when touching the cars surface. Most polyesters or synthetic fibers will scratch the clear coat. I use a speed shine often to remove any bug or road debris before it can set up on the paint. I also use a California duster every few days to keep dust off. Again, don't underestimate a good prep prior to whatever you use as in most things, the prep is half the work in getting something the way you want it. Sorry for the long post...And yes, I am a tad OCD with my cars..

 

Better yet, read the sticky's above on detailing and car washing.

 

If the cars came with a long term protective coating, they wouldn't be trying to sell you on one of those 5 year waxes, lol. First thing you want to do is clay the paint, then seal it.

We offer a service called New Car Prep where we wash, clay, seal the paint and condition the interior surfaces as needed. Black Wow on the exterior plastics such as the cowling and arches makes significant improvements.

We used Prima for washing, cleaning, polishing, sealing, and conditioning the interior.

You can find all of these products at www.ShowCarSupplies.com

This week old Clubman S


Even came with buffer trails


Washed with 0ppm distilled water


Foamed


Black Wow dramatically improves the week old trim


After claying and polishing with Prima


Waxed with Prima Epic


Being on the lift gives us more freedom to detail


Look how much better the vinyl armrest looks after using Prima Nero


Finally the new car truly looks NEW

 

Is this a service done in house or is it a package you offer. I don't seem to find this package on the website?

 

This is an impressive display.

But now I am gonna just ask what I am sure is a very ignorant question - why clay?

Is it like polishing compound? What does it do for a car and can you use it with impunity?

Just the very word sounds like I am distressing the finish and then polishing it out but in almost every post I see about cleaning and waxing, someone insists that clay must be part of the process.

And I am surprised a new car really needs it.

 

Even a new car can pick up impurities on the paint that stick to the paint. Many and maybe even most will not come off with a good wash.

Using clay takes everything off the paint surface. It leaves it feeling extremely soft and slick. It's really like nothing you have ever felt before if you have never used clay. You have to use clay with a good lubricant or it will not work. It will stick to the paint and you'll have a mess. Used with a good lubricant it leaves the paint oh so smooth and clean. Now your are ready to wax and seal.

I try to clay my car at least twice a year. It will make the products that you put on the paint adhere much better and your surface will be extremely shiny and beautiful.

Only clay again when you need to strip the paint and add fresh product anew.

If you run your hands over a 1 foot area of your paint and then clay it and then run your hands over the same area you will be utterly amazed at how different they feel. Wow!!

Pat

 

It's a service we offer to our customers but our Fresh Start bundle offers the same thing with you supplying the labor. We are actually revamping our Fresh Start kit because many of the original items have been discontinued.

Clay removes above surface bonded contaminants. These are things that bond to the paint but don't wash off. Just about any car can benefit from removing these contaminants. Although the paint might feel smooth to the touch, after claying it will feel even smoother. Further, things that appear to be scratches but are really just transfers can be removed using this process.

Clay is similar to polishing in the sense that it is an abrasive material that shears off contaminants. Instead of leveling paint, it levels or brings contaminants down to the level of the paint.

Watch my video on using Clay Bar

 

Thanks to both for the reply - good info.

 

I use the Meguiars wash and wax. It's a yellow bottle of car wash that leaves the car with a nice shine, and then, on top of that, I wax it with Meguiar's Carnuba wax.

 

Nice pictures your car looks great..

 

I just wish I could find a great detail shop in the Seattle area. There are times when I get lazy and would gladly pay a reputable shop the fee to detail my car. Trouble is shops that can live up to my standards just don't seem to exist. At least I've not found one yet.

If anyone knows of a place in the Seattle area speak up.

 

Do you have someone up in the Ventura, Thousand Oaks, or Calabasas area you can recommend? I'd support a NAM member but you're a little far.

I'll eventually be picking up my Coupe and I would like to get a New Car Prep done. Going through the dealership will probably come at a premium.

 

Prima specifically makes a product to remove the wax your car comes with (CosmoNot) so you can get down to the actual paint. clay off the impurities picked up while sitting in the lot, travelling on a boat, being sloshed around the states on a trailer. Your new car may only have 5 miles driven but it has gone a lot farther than that without a proper cleaning. start from the top down and give it the clean it deserves. I love a lot of products they just require different procedures. Zaino, Zymol, Prima and Meguiar's all give great results. They just vary for personal preference. take a look around the site at people showing off and pick the products that give the result you want.