So I have recently found out that the permacoat offered by the dealer is an aftermarket wax job that costs an arm and a leg. The clearcoat is factory done and is on all the cars. Now my question is, if I already ordered my new 07 MCS with the permacoat and lojack is it too late to cancel the permacoat? And is the permacoat a complete waste of money? Any info on this would be greatly appreciated since my car was put on order 2 days ago.

 

The Permacoat will not likely be applied (if at all) until your MINI gets to the dealership. Yes, by all means, cancel it. Complete waste of money.
Clearcoat is paint, and as such is part of the factory paint job.

 

If for example they don't reduce the price since it has been set, what should i ask for instead (already getting floor mats). I wonder if they will negotiate at all in fact. For some reason I did not see anything on NAM about the permacoat which I would have caught earlier. Nonetheless it was my mistake...

 

I don't think there is car sold today that is not clearcoated. Anything dealers sell after the sale are money makers. Go complain you want to change the contract. Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Go in person. If you don't complain, then you'll get nothing.

 

At one time cars where painted with a substance that when dry - had shine. To achieve that, the paint had both pigment for color, and the stuff for shine throughout the mix.

Car builders figured out that the $$ part of this equation was the color pigment. So now cars are painted base - clear. The base coat has the color and is very very very thin. On top of that is applied 'clear'.

The new equation is that some clear is more color neutral than other clear; and some clear dries harder than other clear..... What's on a MINI .... I've no clue.....

Anything applied over the clear is temporary.......

 

kris.sherry, I don't know what you ordered ( or what you paid for the Permacoat, bet it wasn't cheap!), but there must be something in the parts dept that would go well with it. A simple swap of what you want (without money being refunded) will be in your and the dealer's best interest.
Possibilities: Ipod adapter, MINI GPS, wheels, etc. Take a look at the accessory catalog and see what fits you and your budget.

Oh, and I seem to have forgotten my manners; WELCOME!

 

According to the order form the lojack and perma plate (The perma coat must have been at the Irvine Mini and the perma plate is what they call it at Brecht) were $1690. I think the lojack is important since I am not ordering an annoying alarm system and California in general is a pain in the *** to keep your car in your driveway without it getting stolen. However I will call the MA right now and see what I can exchange in the place of the perma plate. thanks for the input

 

You're paying for wax - save 800 or so bucks, buy some wax, and do it like the karate kid!

mb

 

Now I know. The question is what to get in exchange for the $800 wax job. Ipod interface, mud flaps, illuminated door sills, their version of the clearbra, etc. Opinions?

 

Clearbras can be had for about 100 or so bucks plus installation. Ipod interface is a good idea - I haven't been to miniusa for a while, so I don't know what the best options are.

mb

 

So here is the rundown of the Brecht accessories that I am considering and their prices (not including installation):
Sport exhaust Tips: $55
Illuminated Door Sills: $335 (rip off if you ask me)
Ipod Interface: $299.95
Rubber Boot Mat: $59.50 (I have rubber mats included in the package but I assume this only covers the front and maybe rear mats)

I'm thinking Ipod interface and rubber boot mat...but I have yet to call. When the other purchaser gets home I will discuss...

I was fooled! damn

 

Ok I was just at the Brecht site, and I have to say these wheels are hot:
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...catalogid=5277

That's over your 800 bucks, but I'd get rid of the lojack, too.

mb

 

ok can you explain why no on the lojack? Would it be better to get it after I recieve from the dealer or are you saying its not worth lojack period?

As for the wheels I do agree, but I already have the web spoke in the sport package so I think Ill stay with those for now.

 

Do the lojack if you want it for security.
Don't do the paint crap. Yes it is crap and you are better off not getting it even if you don't get money or parts in return.

I worked at a dealership (not MINI) and most paint protection is just some stuff they have a monkey put on and charge you an arm or leg for. If you are lucky they will not use a buffer. Most of the time they will and do serious damage to your paint.

 

I wanted the lojack but my MA talked me out of it, saying something about how the price for the technology it actually offers is way off. The other thing was something about the actual time it takes for them to track down your car once they know where it is, and by then the car is usually stripped anyway. The last reason I didn't go for it was I honestly asked myself if I'd keep/repair a car that was stolen and damaged in any way. I don't think I would.

After all of that, I bought the club. If someone wants to break into my car, cut the club, and take it, then fine. Do some more research on this lojack, my information is very general, as it was almost 3 years ago when I had this conversation.

mb

 

Ok my girlfriend tells me the permcoat is something she wants on the car from experience with her other cars. Can you guys tell me what exactly the permacoat is? Is it just a wax? Does it actually protect the car from the elements (sun, sand, etc). She says the her previous cars have had it because they were in the desert and needed the extra protection. Maybe I should just inquire with the dealer and tell them to give me more information on the permacoat.

 

I'd say if she's dead set on something to protect the paint to still ditch the permacoat, but get strategic portions of the car covered with clearbra material (and not from the dealer [and I cannot tell you how grateful I am that not everyone on NAM refers to it as the $tealer]).

 

How well versed is your girlfriend on what wax actually does and how it works? If you want more well-rounded opinions, go here: www.autopia.org or ask user "octaneguy" on this site, as well as others who roam the detailing board here.

Here's my understanding, albeit possibly flawed: wax is a sacrificial lamb to protect your car's paint, just like clearcoat. Wax, which is what I believe this permacoat is, will only last so long, since it takes the brunt of the sun, wind, rain, dust, grime, etc... To really protect your paint, you need to re-apply wax once it's gone. Most dealers have some sort of permacoat scam, and I've had friends buy it and have unprotected paint a couple months later. On the other hand, I had a 1986 BMW with NO clear coat, NO permacoat, 200,000 miles, and perfect paint until the day I sold it because we were vigilant about protecting it with, compared to permacoat, very cheap wax.

Please do some more research on this, but in the end, if it is money spent that will make you more comfortable, then that's your decision. It's your car and we can't tell you how to spend your money.

mb

 

yeah I plan on doing the research. I have about 2-3 months to figure it out I guess. Then there is the clearbra question as well... I have a lot of internet surfing to do...

 

I swear by the clearbra, especially considering the R53's thin paint. I had my car for about two weeks and already had chips in the front when I had the clearbra installed for a total price of somewhere near 150-200$.

Clearbra + regular cleaning and wax = protected paint.

mb

 

Unless you really want to spend the money, either change your order, or simply cancel it and create a new order.
IMO lojack is unnecessary - in the MINI you need a chip for the engine to start, and the odds of someone trailering your MINI are slim.
Permacoat permanently coats the dealer's balance sheet with your money. Spend the money on a good professional detailing when needed, or just do it yourself.
The clearbra is not a bad idea if you like the look - can't really see it from far away, but it is noticeable up close (as are the chips in the paint if you don't get it.) It's a personal preference.
Good luck!

 

I might disagree with this. I am not in law enforcement so I can't say for sure.
When I had a 300ZX there were a number of cars that someone used a flatbed truck to drag the car up on the truck to steal.
Not that a lojack will help much then because those cars are in parts in a matter of hours. Most pro's steal cars for parts not to sell as a car.
Lojack is only good if you know the car is gone before it gets very far away.

 

Well it looks like we have decided to get rid of both permacoat and the lojack. If we want these aftermarket and not with the dealer we can, but it looks like I have enough opinions to rid of both. Now I just have to deal with my MA to either decrease the price or throw in some accessories like illuminated door sills and the ipod interface. We'll see how it works out.

 

LOJACK has been around for a very long time. Its far better than GPS tracking devices simply because GPS needs to see the sky. LOJACK is radio.

As for the club, the club is pretty useless. No thief is going to try to cut the club, they simply cut the steering wheel which might take all of 10 seconds.

Eric, dude, thats so PI (wrong thread). No seriously, the immobilizer chips are good but the trailering thing is not slim. I have physically seen cars left in the middle of the road, turned around, ready to be trailored (happened to my Brothers car, he couldn't believe it). MINIs are so light, they can be easily put on a trailor. If the thieves want the car, its gone.

The real issue is parts. MINI theft rates are very low, I'm guessing, because of the low secondary market for parts. Its not like these are Accords or Civics with millions of other owners wanting the parts ... no market, no need for the chop shops to want the cars.

And the current LOJACKs use a secondary passive device. If the passive device is not present, they email, call, or page you and you know instantly.

Lojack has been around a long time and does work when you notify the police, but your right, it you find out 10 hours later, forget about it.

 

I talked to my MA and I am going to take off the Permaplate and lojack. I asked for the ipod interface, illuminated sills, and sport exhaust tips. Fair trade?