Looks pretty good ! Nice reflection in the paint, the wheels sparkle, and the tires are clean and shiny.

Some people swear by ICE so it must be pretty good. IMO, it's time to take the plunge and order the PC bundle and the line of Prima products and take your new MINI's paint to the next, and highest, level.

 

Great to hear! Sounds like you are on the road to regular detailing, and a great road it is !

 

Looks sweet! I've heard ICE is very good, too, so no problems using it. Hey, protection is protection, yes?

I have the same wheels as you, and like them, but they are pain to keep clean. I did find that when I'm in a hurry, I go to one of those do-it-yourself places and the high-powered washing wands do well at blasting the dirt off of the wheels, but you still need a good brush to get in those v-spokes.

Congrats!

 

I think I'm gonna do a full strip-down and detail today, since I have nothing else going on. But it's full-on sunny out, so I'm not quite sure how I want to do this.

But I want to Amigo at least my pillars. They came from the dealer looking just terrible...all spiderwebby and swirled. And I need to re-Epic the boot since I took it all off to put on my stripes.

What can I use to strip off the current Epic? Someone said rubbing alcohol but is there a alcohol to water ratio or something i can put in a spray bottle?

 

The Mini looks great just be sure your "soft cloth" doesn't have anything that will scratch your clearcoat. Some cloths will have stitching that can scratch but it should tell you on the package it came in if it will not scratch

 

Twinkletoes

Here on a NAM and any discussion forum you're going to find all sorts of opinions. Beware of everything you read, even from self proclaimed gurus that are all over the net. The proof is in the pudding. Just about any wax product can be made to look good, it's the wax products that make your work look less than stellar you want to avoid.

I've got a Jet Black MCS and love Meguiar's products on it, although these days I've now grown to love Prima's Epic.

Heather from DP has a history of being right on the money. She knows her stuff!!

Sorry I got to disagree here. Sounds like Camminich isn't familiar with Meguiar's products at all.

 

I'm a self proclaimed guru, but on pudding only.
I think the more you read the more you will find that advise from OctaneGuy, Heather at DP, BradB, agranger and others is sage advise. That said however you really need to incorporate what has been written and modify to meet your style/time/needs. We are all not professionals, nor do we all have the time, money or desire to keep our MINIs at 100% all the time. Just avoid the major mistakes and learn about techniques and then do what you can.
It is fun to spend time with your car and your thoughts on a nice sunny day and it is satisfying to see the end results of your efforts and bask in the glory your neighbors will lavish upon you and your shiny MINI.

 

I'd like to thank you guys, and all of the OCD's out there. Got my car in NOV, suffered through winter, gave it a good wash, and then, this weekend, really laid into it. I'm a Zaino guy (for now, at least), and the tips and tricks I found here made it brainless. Took the car when I stopped by the dealer today; easily, it was the best looking car there. And that's a nice feeling.



So, thanks.

 

Sounds like my method, chow.

 

Just use blue (classic) Dawn dish soap - it has a degreaser that will remove the wax. The blue stuff has no additional chemicals (hand softners) and should not leave any film. Or, if you want to spend more or if you can't find the blue Dawn, there are several car shampoos on the market from all the major manufacturers (Armor All, Megiuar's, etc.) that say they're a "paint prep" solution - this seems to mean in my experience that they're also a degreaser (like the Dawn).

I've also used non-blue dish soap in a pinch, usually when I was about to clay bar - I figured that any trace residue left behind by the additional hand softeners would be stripped off by the clay. This always seems to do the trick for me and left the car super shiny afterwards. I use regular car shampoo after the dish-soap washing as as a clay bar lube (diluted, of course), just to make sure I'm not putting anything MORE ontp the surface prior to waxing...

 

^^ i just spray distilled water on the panels followed by griot's
paintprep and keep it damp for like a min. and just wipe off.

removes wax to a very squeaky clean finish (or start).

 

Yeah, but Griot's Paint Prep costs $16 a bottle plus shipping....

 

how much are you going to use at one time?

 

Dawn will not remove Epic.
I've used both a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water as well as a 50/50 mix of alcohol and water. I've settled with the alcohol/water mix in a mist bottle because it does not smell as strong but either will work. Also if you use a polish like Swirl it will remove Epic as will P21S Paintworks Cleanser.

 

Well, after years of using whatever was in the local auto store to wash, and sometimes wax, or 'polymer' (such as Nu-Finish) my cars, I finally took the plunge and ordered some stuff from Detailers Paradise. I got a 3-pack of Monster-Fluffies (I love the name), and a coupla bottles of stuff for the paint and inside (forgot what they're called - Prima Amigo and Nero?), and some applicators. Not knowing exactly which product I need based on what my paint looks like now, the Amigo seemed the best bet.

Zip

 

Great start erickvonzipper. Just keep in mind that the Amigo is a polish/filler and not really a wax. Epic is the Prima wax and goes on well after an application of Amigo.

 

50/50 with alcohol does it for me too. thats what i usually use when
doing decal work to spot remove wax.

 

What exactly is Turtle Wax Ice? It goes on without fouling the black plastic, and seemed to stay on for at least a coupla months, and gave a nice shine. I'm really bad at keeping wax off that black plastic, and it looks like crap when it turns white(-ish).

Also, does the Amigo clean the paint, and then 'fill' imperfections? There were a number of products at DP that seemed to do the same types of things. But the Amigo sounded almost like an all-in-one, aside from wax, that is. Thanks.

Zip

 

It won't? Wow - did not know that.

Good tip on using a polish to strip it off - I usually just clay bar the car before polishing anyway and that helps as well.

ICE is a transparent wax and detailing spray (2 different products) that are well-favored around here because they do not leave residue on the plastic trim. I've used both products and found it to be OK - definitely easy to use, but the shine and longevity doesn't hold a candle to Prima Epic IMHO.

Amigo is a "glaze" and should be used prior to waxing. It helps the wax last longer and have a deeper shine (I'm sure Heather will jump in to extoll any of Amigo's virtues I've forgotten to mention). I forgot to apply it the last time I Epic'd the car, and the wax looked fantastic and endured all winter even without it, so I'd only bother with it if you want a REALLY deep shine. I'd still polish the car prior to glazing or waxing however if you have the time and inclination. With a new car, you should be able to hand-polish out whatever minor swirling is in the paint without too much effort. Of course, if you have an extra $150 or so laying around, a Porter Cable polisher is a GREAT investment - so much easier and SO FUN to use!

If you want a great product to fill minor swirlies in-between polishing, check out DP's "Hydro" - the detailing gurus here love it as an in-between product (there's a thread by Octane about it with great photos). Just spritz it on your wet car after washing and wipe it off - it hides minor imperfections cvery well, but does wash off after a few soakings. I've not seen huge benefits on my car since the paint is fairly swirl-free (or maybe I'm just not **** enough), but it should help you in those times in-between polishing sessions.

 

White marks on the plastic trim are my only bad mark for Epic. But if you use Nero or another trim dressing prior to using Epic you will avoid any white marks. Also DP sells Wizards Black Renew which does a great job of removing any wax marks from the trim. I think OctaneGuy's new stuff does as well but he won't sell it to those of us who were unable to go to AMIV .
Amigo is similar to Zaino's Z-5 in that it is not a wax but it does clean the paint and will fill-in slight imperfections. I usually go from Swirl, to Amigo and then finish with Epic when using the Prima line-up. Ice is a polymer wax that some really like. Durability is probably an issue but at least it won't leave any marks on your trim.

ImagoX - I usually do the 50/50 water-alcohol mix prior to using clay just so I'm sure to start with wax free and clean paint. Then I go after it with clay and then wash with Mystique prior to beginning the swirl removal and waxing phases.

 

Note on Epic and trim... I just keep a scrap of towel wet with my favorite trim sauce (usually Prima Nero) on my shoulder when I apply Epic and if I get any on there I wipe it right off - so long as it hasn't cured it comes right off.

 

So is there any one best DP product for bringing the paint up to snuff before waxing? Or that not a fair question? IOW, does it depend on the paint, itself? I've got some water spotting and some swirling, but the car still shines nicely.

Zip

 

Depends on the damage. Not being able to see it, obviously, I'd go Wash -> Clay -> DP Swirl (by hand or on a white random orbital pad) and see what it looks like. With what you describe, I'd bet that would get it looking like a mirror and ready for final waxing. DP makes an even finer-grade polish, Finish, that can be used as a final shine step, but Heather told me that lots of MINI people with "light to moderate damage" have great success with Swirl on a mild pad like the white all by its lonesome.

If you have heavier damage you can use Swirl on an orange pad (which has a bit more abrasive "tooth"), but you might get a bit of hazing afterwards - DP Finish on a white pad as a follow-up should remove all traces of haze and get you all ready for wax.

 

I'm gonna do it by hand, I think. Does this change anything?

Zip

 

Nope... just takes a bit longer. Just stop often to see how it's doing - no need to keep polishing if the scratches are gone.