My MINI dealer is planning to "polish up" my baby before the big presentation in about 2 weeks.

On one hand, I want a shiny car for my 28 zillion dollars. On the other hand, I don't know how often they clean their polisher bonnets, whether their guy knows to only shine a car immediately after washing (it's dusty here), etc. In short, I have swirl-mark phobia.

What has been your experience with MINI dealership car-polishing? Should I let them press ahead and look forward to a shiny and non-swirled car, or should I tell them to just turn it over to me for a few nights of obsessive-compulsive Klasse hand-detailing?

Thanks! --doug

 

I personally would never let a dealership do my detail work. High volume, done quickly with ??? training.

I insisted mine still have the plastic wrapping on it when I arrived at the dealership. They thought I was crazybut JB is NOT an easy color to take care of.

 

Ours came kinda swirly and with wax left in some of the cracks. I redid it as soon as I got it home. Got the webs out and put a good coat or 3 of Zaino. Also did the Zaino on the wheels - these brakes are soooo dirty.

Chuck

 

You can do what we did.

Upon delivery the car was bright and shiny. My wife then in a very detailed manor went over the entire car from top to bottom and told them to get their detail guy back her and FIX every flaw, every bit of dirt, everything that was not to her satisfaction.

They did

 

Just tell them NOT to touch your car. Do it yourself you'll be happier

 

chows- was it your wife that loves washing cars and mesh wheels? and
you just point to tell her she missed a spot or something and she cleans it
thoroughly?

i doubt the MA means "polishing" as running an abrasive...rather just
"cleaning it up" polishing.

 

CON CON CON CON CON!!!
As in CONvicts! Serving multiple life sentences for:

-voluntary vehicular finish destruction

and for

-DUI, detailing under the influence (they have to be to screw things up so bad!)

Don't let them do it!

 

mine car was detailed. and my dog could have done a better job.

wax in the cracks, water spots, missed spots. tire splatter all over the trim

what a **** poor job. never ever will I let them touch it again.

and i wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

 

I've seen dealership detailers drop their filthy, nasty wash rag on the ground, pick it up and start washing the car again without even rinsing it in the wash bucket. I've also seen a new BMW 7-series destroyed by a dealer detailer who got too agressive with a dirty rotary buffer... the high gloss wax covered the scratches for 1-2 washes, then the sandpaper finish started showing up and the car turned from black to grey.

If you consider your MINI to be a 'just a car' rather than your 'family', 'child', 'toy' or 'prized posession', have them wash it and put a coat of wax on for you. It will save you from having to do it for a few months. If you consider it to be 'just a car' you probably wouldn't be reading this right now...

I told my dealer that I would not take posession of the car if it had been washed, buffed, waxed or detailed in any way. The MA chuckled and thought I wasn't serious until I took him out and showed him my '97 Nissan Altima (80k miles) with a finish that was better than any of the MINIs in the showroom. He put a bright orange sheet of paper w/ my order with "DO NOT DETAIL / WASH / WAX" in large letters. When MINI USA said that the car was in transit, I called the MA to remind him of the request and reiterated that I would not buy the car if it had been touched. When I took delivery, the car was dirty and needed a wash badly, but I thanked the MA for following my directions.

When I send my car in for service, I tape a "Do not wash" sign on the dash.

The sign is available here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...22&postcount=5

 

Thanks everyone for your inputs!

I arranged for my Mini to not be waxed/detailed, and had a great time that evening doing it all myself. Foamy now has zero swirl marks.

--doug

 

Way to go - you made the right call!

 

made the right choice

 

One word:

 

AS QUOTED ^^^..BY SandiePepper


Just tell them NOT to touch your car. Do it yourself you'll be happier

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE...!!!