Hi All:

Have enjoyed my 2016 MCS since July 18th. It's done in Moonwalk Gray with black wheels, mirrors and roof, with JCW bonnet stripes. Have been told/read that Mini paint is really thin. Asked my SA about paint protection and he said he wouldn''t spend the money on any of them, including what the dealership offered (in hushed voice).

So the advice I'm seeking from you all is this: What is your opinion of paint/wheel/interior protection packages overall? Are any of them worth the money? Any opinions on Opti-Coat or other protection packages?

Thanks in advance for the help and guidance.

 

wax twice a year with a good quality product (Meguires, Mothers, Griot ...) but WAX not polish ... that's different .....


personally I also CLAY b4 the wax ..... (which is essentially a polish)
everything else is snake oil .....

see the DETAILING section for many many discussions on this topic ....

 

Many have used xpel (clear film to protect the paint) and are very satisfied with the product.

I have done what the previous member posted: wash, clay, polish, wax

I rarely drive on the freeway and only take the MINI out on the weekend. I am considering xpel on the front bumper and bonnet but it is expensive ($1000)

 

I consider these different 'add-ons' that are pure profit for the dealerships to be nothing more than snake oil.

 

I use Epic ..easy to apply, you don't have to layer it, lasts for months ...4-6 months ....car beads like crazy ....pretty slippery

 

Xpel clear film for front half of the car if you want to protect against small debris.

Good wax and with frequency is all you need for protection from the elements.

Opti coats, Gtech etc is hogwash for the price in my book.

 

I'm looking into Xpel for my front bumper and bonnet.

 

I don't wax as often as I should and I pay for it especially with all of the highway driving I do. I would recommend it and would probably do it if I had the money. Some xpel or a clear cover.

 

i did a clear bra on the front 1/2 hood, front bumper, front a pillars and a few small pieces around the bottom of the bumper. The rest of the car was polished with wolfgang Uber compound, then wolfgang swirl remover on the black roof. finished up with wolfgang nano coating. 2 coats on roof and hood.

i clay probably ever other wash, especially the rear lift gate.

post wash is wolfgang nano coat detailer

the trick is getting a good base paint correction, then keep some good products on top of it. Don't let anyone wash it but yourself and always use clean micorfiber rags.

 

Up until recently I always used wax. Problem is it really only last for a few weeks. On my White silver car I now use Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0. This product is really amazing. Wolfgang make a polish that car be used first then apply the stuff. It is very easy to work with and you can put wax on top if you want an even deeper shine. The advantage of this sealant is that is "actually" protects for 4 to 6 months!
Always clay the car first to get rid of all that imbedded crap. My car is smooth and shiny!

 

Just remember, wax doesn't make the paint shine. Polishing the right way will make the paint shine. Wax protects the paint.

 

Found a place about 70 miles away that'll do Xpel on the hood and bumper for $750. Now just need to come up with the cash. I've already overspent my toy fund for the year.

 

I put Xpel Ultimate on my 2016 JCW before I put any miles on it. I did the complete hood, front bumper, and mirrors. My previous MINIs were rock-chip magnets even though I only put a couple thousand miles a year on them. Somebody cut me off on an exit ramp and put a big chip on the hood of my 2009 JCW. It was a major hassle to have to get the hood repainted, but I'm OCD and I wanted the car perfect. So far - after a year - I really am glad I got it done. It was about $750 for me, too. I'd recommend it to anyone that wants to keep the car in great shape. Finally, you can't really tell it's there unless you're right on top of it.

 

I used spray wax for the first 2 years and then clay bar and Epic. Car looks like it was new. No 3m mask.