Just ordered a CM in Pure Red today...had intended on Surf Blue, but decided the red had more punch.

As I was driving home, I called my mom and told her what color I'd chosen and she reacted as if I'd said I bought a bomb. She said red is the worst color to get for cars, wall paint, fingernails, everything as it seems to chip more than any other color and that everyone she's talked to who's had a red car concurs.

So now I'm wondering if I need to hurry and change my color before it's too late.

You all with red Minis...especially those who've had red for a few years, what do you think? How's your paint job holding up?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

 

Like any other color. Take care of it and it will look as beautiful on the day the car is crushed and sold for scrap as the day it was delivered.


If you don't take case if paint, it can fade, oxidize, became spider-webbed, or have a host of other problems.

Of course, red paint which fades or oxidizes looks pinkish... cool if you are a 12 year old girl.

 

Okay. Thanks for the feedback.

 

The only the that sucks about red cars is your insurance company and the cops who like the way red stands out.

 

Holds up as well as any other color and looks better than all the rest! :-D

 

Assuming you are old enough to drive, your mom is probably old enough to remember red paints before clear coats came into existence. (Many reds were very poor with a few years of aging.)

With the combination of newer paint formulae and clear coats, reds are probably equal to other colors nowadays. My red MINI is 2 years old and looks like it did the day I bought it.

One piece of advice: Don't ignore bird droppings! Remove them as soon as possible.

 

My daughter has a red '05 R53. After 7 years, the paint has held up very well in our San Diego sun.

On the other hand, the plastic bonnet scoop and the lip above the rear license plate have faded slightly.

 

Now is also a good time to mention that you don't "wax" new cars. You use Acrylic Polymer finish.

As far as red goes, the paint has the same warranty as any other color. I do remember (yes, I'm old enough) when you bought a car in FL, they gave you a $500 credit because they did not warranty the paint job.

 

I agree with everything here - but that's not everything

30 years ago red WAS a color to avoid, followed by green if you were talking about long term looks. I remember a red Honda motorcycle I had bought new in 1980, after a year of ownership I peeled a sticker off the gas tank and the color fade exposed was HUGE. I bought later, a new red 1995 Miata - which was one of the LAST cars to change to a clear/base paint system; 1995 was single stage paint for non-metalics - go to Miata sites and read the many many pages about folks trying to save or revive especially red paint. The problem is 20 times worse on the plastic bumpers then it is on the metal panels, but they all fade BAD; plastic parts are much worse about it.

MINI IS clear/base and the problem IS less, but not gone. I've a friend with an 03-S that just turned over 120,000 and is RED. The body is good, even the bumpers are good, but the hood scoop went from good to a clouded mess seemingly overnight. Makes me wonder if the bumpers are far behind.

The more garage time the car sees the better ... out of the sun. A good wax is a great idea but does not stop solar energy and heat . . . . One thing about clear coat. When the color fades you need to polish the color, not the clear . . .

 

Did you see one at the dealer? The "red" is not tha same as the red used on the rest of the MINIs -- the ones coming out of Oxford. It is more of a red/orange color.

 

Assumption correct ~ 35, so way old enough to drive.

But my mom is actually talking about more recent things, including her hairstylist who just bought a new red Acura TL this year and has complained about it getting/showing rock chips more than any other color car she's owned. This is her second TL, but the only one she's apparently had this problem with.

There were 3 red CMs at the dealer....aren't they all from Oxford?

And I checked with my insurance they claim not to collect color information and therefore do not charge extra for red.

I don't think any of the colored parts are plastic on these, right? So that shouldn't be a concern with fading...


The comments are mixed enough here that I'm torn! My MA isn't putting my order through until Monday, so I have a couple of days to figure this out.

I always garage my cars and never leave bird poop on them as I know it eats away paint. I'm seriously wanting to keep this car for like ever. I'm wanting to pass it onto my son as a cool classic car someday! He's only 8months old. I don't want to do that if it looks washed out and ugly with excessive paint chips by then.

Appreciate the comments/feedback!

 

No, CM is made in Austria.

No, bumper covers are painted and made of plastic composites.

 

Oh! I'd totally missed that somehow.

 

Granted, I've only had my CMS since November, but so far so good...I love the Pure Red!

Mine is garaged, and regularly cared for with Groits. I do not have a clear bra on the Countryman - yet I have no chipping or cracking anywhere to be found.

I'm happy with my choice of the Pure Red.

 

Pure red is the bomb. Almost as awesome as chili red, but not quite.

My first MINI was a chili red R50, and I never noticed any problems with the paint

 

Thanks! You've bought 2 red MINIs, so apparently youve been happy with them!

 

Okay and LOVE your license plate!

 

I have a Chili Red '09 and love it! No problem with the paint.

 

Just get a clear bra if you are worried about rock chips.

 

Thank you!

 

+1!! Getting a Clear Bra is a No-Brainer!!

 

That would take care of the chipping...but not the potential fading. Which is only an issue to me if it fades MORE than other colors.

 

I really don't think you have to worried about fading for many many years... As said in previous posts, that is a very dated problem. Not anything you need to worry about.

 

That's what I'm thinking...after many of the comments/feedback.

 

Are adhesive bras a good investment? I've heard horror stories about when they eventually break down that the adhesive residue is a monster to get off.

I feel I'd almost rather get a bit of touch up paint and just stay on top of chips; not to mention it's cheaper than those bras!