When I was filling the tank the other day, I noticed that the wheel well area has a felt like material. I'm not nit picking but I just thought it was strange. How does this material hold up when it gets wet.

 

I think it is felt...not 100% sure, but this stuff does great when it gets wet (dries fast) and holds up great to any type of debris or anything

 

I think it's designed to keep road and tire noise from making it inside the cabin. If it gets really dirty and muddy you can pressure wash it.

 

I believe it is a composite material made from compressed yak hair. Fortunately, the resin prevents it from smelling like a wet yak when it gets wet. I wish it kept out the noise better. MINI was too cheap to use llama hair which has better noise dampening characteristics.

 

For some reason I reached up into the wheel well and said to myself "that's not metal", and did some searching. I found this response to an old thread:

Funny response, but I could not find an answer. Does anyone know what the material really is? If not I'll just go with yak hair!

 

I'd noticed the feel of it the first time I cleaned my car, having always done the wheel wells with the same product I use on the tires. I've just assumed they were a fiberglass material. I'm probably way off, since a newer MINI is probably different.
Evidentally, what ever they're made of, they hold up very well.

 

This cheap Chinese **** is the one thing I can't stand about my MINI. It holds dirt and dust like glue. I wish they would have just put the same material used in the 1st gen MINIs. You can keep that stuff clean and BLACK for a long time!

 

I thought it was a type of compressed hair product supplied from here:

 

Just curious, what do 1st generation owners use on their wheel wells? Mine's a 1st and I think the wheel well material is very hard to keep black.
Thanks.