Most MINI owners are finding that if they get some Epic on their trim, they just wipe it off within a few minutes or so with no staining problems at all. You just don't want to let it sit there on the trim for several days! In most cases, it will wipe off even after it's been on the trim for several minutes.

Having said that, my general comment is still to be careful with Epic around your trim and when in doubt, tape it off or be sure to avoid it. With the variations in trim plastic out there, I'm still not comfortable saying that Epic won't stain your trim. The reality is that it won't stain most trims as long as it's wiped off fairly quickly.

Remember that if you treat your trim with a protectant, like 303 AP, Wizards, BR or Prima Nero, before you wax, the wax will wipe off much more easily!

-Heather

 

Heather - tell your chemists to get on the ball. I did use the Wizard stuff after Amigo and before Epic, still there was a spot that I must have missed and didn't catch when wiping the Epic off - WHITE SPOT. Now it came off with more Wizards so no harm no foul, but still if Sal can build Zaino with no trim issues why can't everybody? I just hate taping; whether before painting or before waxing- car or walls, it just really taxes my attention span.
Here's a thought, liquid tape like you can get for painting window sashes. Put it on, wax and peal it off. What do you think? Call the chemists!

 

There was a time---several years ago, that the yellow Costco microfiber towels were a steal. And then they went cheap, and the towels got thinner, rougher, and even shed fibers. I do not recommend the Costco microfiber towels because of this lack of quality control.

I have packages of the early towels, and packages of the current towels, and there is a significant difference in quality between them.

Best to stick with a name brand towel where you can be assured that the quality remains consistent.

However no matter who's towel you choose, one thing is consistent.

Microfiber towels hold tight any foreign particle. Be it would chips, metal shavings, or plant materials like thorns or pieces of stones. These don't come out when you toss them in the washing machine.

Make absolutely certain you inspect every towel that's going to be used on your paint and remove any contaminants with tweezers. Wiping your paint with a contaminated towel is like taking sandpaper to your new baby. Be careful.

Richard

 

Here's my personal secret: I never, ever tape off. I'm just careful when I wax! What was OctaneGuy saying about the importance of technique on the today's buffer thread???

Seriously though, our chemists have been pretty creative in coming up with combinations not yet acheived before. Perhaps one day we'll have a non-staining Epic released. Until then, don't bother taping and just clean up any goobers with Wizards Black Renew! Taping is truly a drag, IMO. I'll do anything to avoid taping! MiniMaybee, you and I have the same attention span I think!

-Heather

 

That's really funny. I tape off a customers car to save time, and prevent leaving splatter in cracks and crevices that I may overlook later on. But I also don't tape off my own car---which is why I spent 3 hours cleaning the wax residue from my aerogrill, wiper arms, and rubber trim around the windshield!!!

Taping off is only necessary if you're working by machine--not so critical when working by hand.

And depending on what machine, taping off can be essential--anyone that knows how to use a rotary buffer knows that tape also protects high points (thin paint edges) as well as plastic trim that might be damaged by the heat from a buffer--as well as protecting the trim.

But for those that don't like taping off their cars, take a look at your COOPER logo on the boot, and also the Wings logo. I'll bet you have dried wax residue there if you regularly wax your car and don't tape. Cause I certainly do!

Richard

 

i too wouldn't mind having matte black painted arches.

 

thanks. i just learned to manage my time, i suppose. i have a 2 yr old,
plus a job that requires constant attention, a wife that works like 60hrs a
week (she is an IT consultant), but i still somehow manage to get my
play time in there too. and you know what? so does my wife.

 

Kenchan - Now you're just bragging (and making me feel bad too).

Octaneguy - can you offer any tips for using the PCDA on the bonnet in the valley towards the front where the headlights blend in to the rest of the bonnet? It is such a tight bend in that valley that you need to lift the polishing pad almost on edge, but that's not good to do is it? So if you got swirls going on in that area how to you get them out using the buffer? Your next buffer detailing video needs to use a MINI; the relatively flat surfaces of that Vette were too easy.

 

Don't mean to jump in on OctaneGuy... in fact, I'll still let him answer the core question all by himself anyway.

Just wanted to ask if you have our 4" pads and the 3.5" plate? It's a great combo for curvy spots where the standard pads are just to big. OctaneGuy will I'm sure have technique advice too, but I wanted to mention the variations in pads as an option too.

Click here if you want to see what I'm talking about: 4" Pads/3.5" Plates

It's impossible to polish our '79 Alfa with just the standard pads... it's just too curvy. Except for the hood lid and trunk lid and a few other spots, we use the 4" pads alot on that car. It really makes a difference.

OctaneGuy- Have you used the 4" pads with the PCDA?

-Heather

 

naw... dont worry about it. there's always down sides to every story.

 

Heather - does using the smaller pad create any increase risk of marring the finish? Same pressure downward but with less pad area to spread the force seems to me that could be trouble or at least require more technique/attention.
I got the pads that came with your package, I think they are 6".
I think Octaneguy has left the building, so feel free to jump in here.

 

Heather
No Problem

Octaneguy left the building?
Naw, I'm on NAM pretty much 24/7. LOL.

MINI Video
Absolutely, it's in the works. There will be an upcoming technique DVD on polishing out a MINI, from head to toe--from washing to waxing.

Trick for area around the headlight
It's actually quite alright to turn the buffer at an angle. The PC is a safe tool, and there pretty much aren't any "thin" paint edges on the MINI that you would have to be concerned about. Buffing on edge really refers to not using the rotary buffer, not the PC.

While a smaller pad can be helpful--and to answer Heather here--no I haven't used the smaller pads, but I've used a prototype Microfiber pad that was smaller and super effective--but I can't really talk about that here-- I've never had any issues about moving the PC around on the MINI.

The only hard to access part on the MINI is the body area between the exterior side mirror mounts. You can rotate the mirrors, but you can't really get the buffer in there with a 6" pad.

All other parts of the MINI are accessible to the PC. So like I said, if you're concerned about using the buffer at an angle try it on a car that you don't care about, or get a body panel from a body shop--usually free for the asking---and try it until you are convinced its safe.

Richard

 

So Richard, with regards the area I'm specifically talking about, how do you get the webs out? It seems that I'm either flat to the bonnet and the edge of the pad is on the fender curve, or I'm flat on the fender curve and the edge of the pad is on the bonnet. The blend area of those two seems to be impossible to get. And yes, behind the mirror between the mirror and the window is another tricky spot. Do you think a smaller pad would be worth a try?

 

Ok hold on, I just went to my garage and took some photos to describe this process. I'm gonna process those photos now and post back within the next 20 minutes....oops, just got a buyer for my wheels outside---make that 40 minutes.

Richard

 

40 minutes seems an eternity. In 40 minutes I could install my new parcel shelf. Kenchan on the other hand could not only install his parcel shelf, but make a run to Sear to get proper parcel shelf installation tools, fully document the install process, post it on NAM and his website, submit a review of the product and install process and still have 20 minutes to wash and wax every car in his neighborhood. I'm such a slug.
Has it been 40 minutes yet?
With this much time on my hands my mind has time to wander...
How many MINIs can you fit in a telephone booth?
If your MINI was traveling at nearly the speed of light, what would its mass be and what would happen if you turned on the headlights?
What kind of chemist sits in his lab all day working on building the perfect car wax?
Did Luke actually do Princess Leia off camera (before he knew she was his sister)?
Gosh, 40 minutes is a long time!

 

Haha oops, sorry I'm back. Neighbor (high school kid) wanted to know about MINIs, so I took him for a wild ride around the block a couple of times. Back to processing pix!

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you wanted to know how to buff out the "valley" area between the headlights and bonnet area.

I'm using the Meguiar's stiff backing plate--although the flexible Sonus plate also works well here. The trick to buffing these areas is where you apply the pressure and how much. Also I apologize if my PC looks a bit different from others--my plastic cover got loose and comes off at the worst times, so I just removed it altogether.

And based on your sigline---I did this pictorial on my Cooper rather than my Cooper S so it would be even more applicable--although the differences in this area are minor between the two models.


I'm applying medium pressure here. I did this demo using Meguiar's #66 Quick Detailer which is a one step cleaner wax--it polishes and waxes in one step.


You can see that at the base near the headlight, I'm applying pressure to polish the front of the "valley".


I change position here, and polish the valley wall. I vary the pressure on the PC, always keeping it flat to the surface I'm focusing on.


Again working on the front of the valley.


Another view.


Here I'm focusing most of the pressure on the bonnet, and applying less pressure to the headlight area.


After that pass, I go over the area of the headlight and overlap by 50% to ensure full coverage.

Hope that clears things up. I'm never really buffing on edge. I am applying the pressure differently as I work though.

Richard

 

Richard that's perfect. I think I understand. I guess I was too focused on keeping the pad flat on the surface and applying even pressure. This was just impossible for me to do and hope to get the bottom of the valley. Based on what you show, your pad overlaps the bottom of the valley from the fender side and then the bonnet side just by using pressure - not really tilting.
I want the first DVD copy of your MINI detailing How-To.
Thanks for showing this to me Richard, really appreciate it.
(I don't really think Luke and Leia did anything off camera by the way)

Cheers,
Chuck

 

Cool, feel free to ask any other questions on that as you try it out. The PC is a very safe tool, and as long as you can physically get the buffer in place, there's really no chance of causing any damage. That mirror area is one place--and a smaller pad won't help because the buffer is just too darn bulky. I just do this by hand since you can't see the area anyway once the mirror is in place.

re: first copy
OK!
I'm planning on soliciting some local NAM member car(s) for the video.

re: Luke and Leia
Understand Star Wars reference--but not sure......

 

All that polishing is fine ... I just want to know how you took the pictures and still had (2) hands on the PC?

 

^^ i want to know the temp in LA! shorts??!!!

 

or ... you could shoot your video here in Colorado and get some great backgrounds. I can see it now - fade in to snow-capped peaks, blue sky and tall pines. Camera pans left to a row of about 50 MINIs of various colors. Cut to Octaneguy and PC against the vast back-drop of mountains, really long extension cord and a space heater ...

Think about it.

Never mind about the Star Wars thing - just rambling.

Do you ever pop the washer jets out to get the paint around that area? I did since I've still got the Cosmoline issues going on around them. Didn't get the marks out entirely but it sure is better now.

Thanks again.

 

Hahah, my wife was around--fortunately she was willing to snap some pix while I put the pictorial together--my son was running around naked--she delayed his bath for me to put this together!
It was around 60 degrees.

 

Haha nice setup----

I never did pop the washer jet out. I've come to realize the paint isn't perfect, and since I didn't acquire this until after 37,000 miles, the paint is what it is. There are some ugly drips in the paint around the nozzles that won't come out with even my rotary buffer, so they are gonna stay until one day I decide to just repaint the bonnet.

 

There you guys go again... I step away and miss all the funny stuff! (especially MiniMaybee's stream of consciousness...)

One thing we've found with newbies on the PCDA, is that they often take awhile to get a feel for the correct amount of pressure to use while still allowing the polisher to orbit.

For the newbies out there, let me explain...

The PCDA does 2 things: vibrates and orbits, hence the "Dual Action" part of its name. One of the tricks in using the machine is figuring out if you have applied too much pressure to it to stop the orbiting. The reason it's tricky is because the machine will still vibrate no matter what you do- this makes it appear that it is still doing both actions, when in reality it may be just vibrating and not orbiting.

The way to avoid this confusion... Here's a tip:

Simply take your backing plate and a sharpie marker. Make tick marks all around the backing plate, almost like your indicating where to cut pie slices if the backing plate was a pie.

What does this tip do?
Try it. You'll see that if you press down very hard on the polisher (remember that you won't hurt your paint by doing this!), the tick marks will vibrate but will not move in an orbit. As you let up on the polisher, the tick marks will vibrate and move in an orbit.

Doing this tick marking will help you assess when too much pressure is stopping the orbiting. Without the orbiting, you're doing very little. The vibration is part of the mechanism, but is a smaller component compared to the orbiting. After a while, you'll just develop a feel for it. In the meantime, it's hard to even tell one way or the other!

I'll take a picture of the tick marks later in case I haven't explained it well in writing.

Anyway, this should help you master the angles demonstrated in OctaneGuy's pictures. And, like he said, you can't hurt anything by angling the polisher on your paint. You just have to be careful to not stop the orbiting when you do it.

As always, feel free to experiment with the PCDA! It's so safe that you'll be surprised how much you can learn by just trying different things with it. We like to say, "Learn the rules, then learn how to break them." Just a little experience with the PCDA and you can really play around with it for the ultimate results. Same applies to polishes and pads too.

I hope that all makes sense!

-Heather