It it's hard to believe that BMW use a less resistant clear coat. I wonder if the Lexus has a good wax or protection system. It would be good to know if she did.

 

By the time your vehicle is in your possession the paint has had more than a month to cure
I intend to Wax it

 

Interesting post here that I ran across on another Mini forum:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=339704

 

I always put a coat of paint sealant on my cars 3 times a year and then use a spray way after each washing. I'm just wondering if the MINI paint is more porous than the Lexus paint. I found this post on Detailing World regarding bird poop:

This is from Autoglym

New research from Autoglym, the UK’s leading car care experts, suggests that the familiar sight of car bodywork ‘etched’ by bird droppings are not the result of any corrosive property in the deposit, as is commonly believed. In fact, damage instead results from the paint lacquer contracting upon cooling and moulding to the uneven texture of the hardened deposit.

As paint lacquer warms – in the direct summer sunshine for example – it softens and expands. At the same time, that heat dries and hardens any bird droppings on the surface. Autoglym’s researchers discovered that as the paint lacquer cools, overnight for example, it contracts, hardens and moulds around the texture of the bird dropping. To the naked eye, this moulding at a microscopic level appears as dulled or etched paintwork. The light’s reflection is interrupted by the imperfect surface, unlike the undamaged paint surrounding it which gives a clearer reflection.

Autoglym’s tests with strongly acidic, neutral and strongly alkali bird dropping substitutes highlighted negligible differences in the damage caused. However, differences in paint damage were noted when the substitute bird deposits had varying degrees of grain-to-liquid content. A grainier texture caused greater light distortion (dullness) when the paint moulded around it.

Wax and polish treatments – that protect against chemical attack from acid raid and UV sun damage, for example – provide limited protection from the paint moulding to bird droppings, although they will make them easier to remove. The longer the deposit remains on the bodywork, and the higher the temperatures, the harder the dried deposit will be, and the greater the propensity for the paint lacquer to mould to it as it cools. Bird dropping damage can only be prevented by motorists remaining vigilant and removing the deposit as soon as possible.

Autoglym’s has outlined some tips for minimising the risk of damage from bird droppings:

Remove the deposit at the earliest opportunity
Motorists should use a moist cloth – Autoglym’s Bird Dropping Wipes are ideal – to gently lift the deposit from the surface
If the deposit is dry or doesn’t lift easily, place a moist cloth over it for ten minutes to soften the deposit
Dispose of any cloth or wipe used to remove bird droppings immediately and carefully wash your hands, as bird lime can harbour diseases

 

Washed my F56S this weekend and boy does this car need a set of mudflaps for the front wheels. I had something thrown on both the door and the rear quarter on the drivers side. The passenger side wasn't as bad but still had evidence. It seemed like a grease as it didn't want to come off very easily with soap and water.

I contacted Sewell today and they said Mini has both front and rear mudflaps in production but it could be as late as late August before they're available for sale here in the US. Mini really seems to be behind the ball when it comes to the after-purchase goodies for these new F56 cars. I bought the blackjack mirror caps but other than floor mats and key caps, there doesn't seem to much else in the queue just yet.

 

I have to agree.I just took delivery of my car this past Wednesday.you really get to know your car when you wash it for the first time.
Hoping mini will get on the ball with F56S accessories.
Did I say how much I loveeee my Mini?!!!!

 

I love how fast you can wash these. Compared to my old 2011 Buick LaCrosse (full size car). I always lift the rear hatch to dry out all of the crevices that hold water. Same with engine bay. I probably won't do a detail/polish until late July or early August.

 

Washed mine for first time this weekend too. Paint's fine, but the stripes came out with waterspots on them (roof esp) that I hate. I always use spray wax (Hydro, Detailers Paradise). I was always told not to wax new paint because you can screw up the factory wax job which is supposed to be pretty good. And you'll never catch me dead with mudflaps. Gack! They're for pickups.

 

Are the windows on this MINI tinted? What percentage? Got any side pics?

 

Perhaps its the goofy mood I'm in, but in looking at the line of Prima detailing products on showcarsupplies.com, I've come to the conclusion that most of the Prima line product names could be used for "different" kind of products as well: Glide, Mystique, Slick, Swirl and my favorite: Banana Gloss :D

 

sorry for taking the thread off topic but yes, 30% Lumar. It was a metalic film, so not the more expensive ceramic film.