So, it's 1/2 way through winter, how does your MINI look.

Both of ours look great. The 5 coats of Zanio in late October
are holding up great so far. 2 big ice storms, snow and rain, plus lots of road salt have all washed off with many trips to the wand wash.

It's raining here now, just out walking the dog, and both MINIs are beading up, and shining under the street light.

I'll post some pics tomorrow, as long as they are not buried under snow.

Bottom line, protect your paint with a good sealant, and a little elbow grease

Mark

 

We only did one coat of Zaino in Oct or so after 2-3 coats over the summer. The darn thing is white with salt, but it's so cold, can't wash it.
Took it to the dealer for the first service today, asked how they wash it and after hearing what we do with Zaino and washes, they replied..."we won't bother to wash it..."

So, she will have had salt and $#%^^&& on her for many weeks before we get to wash her.

I'll let everyone know how the polish holds up. I think we should definitely have a thread in the Spring...

"how did your wax/polish so over the winter??"

 

1/2 way? im about 3/4ths way through winter. another 3 weeks and
there will be nothing but 40F's and rain.... (so i hope!)

 

here in central massachusetts we are having a record winter for least amount of snow....but finally, we are set to get our first decent snow fall for tomorrow, up to a foot, so I finally decided to put on my snow tires yesterday.... the cars are still white with road salt, but I washed my CR last week and the zaino is still beading up like crazy.

 

got about 3-4 inches of snow today...which is a good thing
as it means the temps are rising for the last spart of winter.

but im going to need to use my legacy today. no way in heck my
civic's going to be able to drive on this.

 

Still raining here, temps are dropping though. Should change to snow any time now.

Pics in the rain






Not bad after 3 1/2 months

Mark

 

You mean you can wash these things?



There are a bunch of coats of Zaino under there somewhere.

Currently -6°F, waiting for the two feet of snow to arrive.

 

I hope my mistake doesn't prove too damaging. We have a new car wash in town where you pay when you buy the fuel. When I pulled over to the wash line I realized it was not a "spray only" wash, but a "whirling wet pole of rags" I went through anyway, cause there was sooo much salt I couldn't stand it. Didn't seem to hurt too much and Sgt Pepper really did look better. I had lots of snow packed in the wheels, and the wash didn't get it all out. Then I got up to 55 and things started shaking very badly! After a few miles of dry mouth wondering what I'd done wrong, I pushed the rest of the snow out of the wheels (which made them 180 out of balance)and motored home without further issue. Slightly off topic, could someone please tell me why none of the mud shields will fit the cabrio? I can't see what's so different about the shape of the rear that the sedan ones won't fit.

 

Not sure about the rear mud flaps, but the front mudflaps fit fine on the Cabrio.

From what I have seen of other MINIs with the rear mudflaps, they don't do much anyway. Plus IMO they don't look good.

Mark

 

Lets see....

I think my new Road Salt White color looks good!

 

Trying to at least keep even with the salt (more Space Blue showing than salt and grunge).

I take it to a drive-thru which only sprays water, shampoo and "wax" at it, but finishes with a couple of shivering guys who "dry" it with some really nasty looking towels (and I'll bet they didn't come from Bed Bath & Beyond either! ). I'm seeing lots of swirlies, but I had them when I picked the car up at the dealer in October due to their pre-delivery "wash 'n shine" .

When the weather permits, I go to one of those coin-operated carwashes with the pressure wands and the (dreaded) "Foaming Brush" . I go with a pile of MF cloths and some of that spray-on wax that you're supposed to use when the car is wet. This works pretty well, and the car looks lots better than after the drive-thru wash as I take time to wipe the door jams, hatch opening, gas cap door and (usually) the bonnet (hood) opening and edges so there aren't any of those salt-laden drool marks running down the sides of the car.

Really looking forward to warmer weather and the disappearance of road salt so I can spend some "quality time" with the car and a new PC plus a collection of exotic chemicals.

 

DON"T USE THE FOAMING BRUSH

Take a wash mitt, put a plastic bag on your hand inside the mitt, helps keep your hand dry, and somewhat warm.

I have been washing my MINI at a wand wash all winter. And unless it is really dirty, I just spray it. The place I go to has a big drive-thru blow dryer. It gets 99% of the water off, I dry the rest by hand, wipe down door jabs/sills.

Mark

 

I was thinking that same thing yesterday. I saw a guy scrubbing he brand new Lincoln Town Car with the pink foaming brush. All I could so was cringe.

 

Does anyone think that the foaming brush could be "de-fanged" by blasting the bristles with the pressure wand before removing it from its cradle? Just wondering... or is it like those anti-freezes that "cannot be made non-poisonous" no matter what you do?

 

i dunno. i used the foaming brush on my Veyron and it turned out great! the men in front of me were using it to clean the rocks and mud off their Jeep's and it worked really well then too!!!

 

I'm protecting my cars paint with a coat of snow & slush.

 

Yeah, I've done that too



Mark

 

You've done a much better job than I.

 

my civic looks like that today... i got this huge mound of
drifted snow infront of my porch. at least 3ft high and 5ft across.

yep, had snow inside my boots.

 

I wish I wasn't so good at it.


That was weeks ago. I really feel bad for those now getting it back East.

 

I am sure you folks are sick of the snow, but I am sooooo jealous, I love the snow, and we get nothing here in GA , we are due our ten year storm though

 

One must be careful for what one wishes for, least it come true.

 

you can have all the snow you want from IL.

 

After a Summer and Fall in NM keeping my Mini shiny and glossy, I'm getting grossed out here in VA at the salt & muck that I can't wash off with my frozen hose. I just keep the front & back windows clean and hope it's warmer this weekend.

The worst part of Winter here was a nice-weather drive a few nights ago returning from dinner in DC. Dry salt all over highway 66. And trucks were sucking it into the air so my car could drive through clouds of salt. Now I think the first wash is going to be mostly blasting everywhere I can reach with fresh water.

 

It finally started raining here! I am so excited as when it rains, the snow melts but then the summer comes afterwords, and that when I can go drive without sliding off the turny roads and keeping my cars CLEAN!

Yay.