Sure, that's three VERY different topics in one thread. But the central item tying them together is they all relate to my sweet R57 2012 MINI Cooper S Cabrio. Let's get started...Since this is a three-parter thread, I'll use numbers for the main part and then letters for each sub query.

1 - I have posted about how easily and completely the RaggTopp sealer/waterproofer works. It's great. I love it. The question I have is more about frequency of washing and methodology you use. Our parking pad is not covered and is under a pollen-laden series of trees that are infested with chipmunks, birds and spiders.

1a - Each morning I find detritus on the roof and I've been gently attacking/removing this with a chamois and a soft horse-hair brush. Would I better off spending $1.75 at a self-serve car wash (six minutes away) and spraying the junk off the roof with the highpressure rinse?

1b - After rinsing the roof, I'd be inclined to towel it dry and let it air dry in the hot summer sun and then put the roof down. I might even put on more RaggTopp when I have the roof up and clean and dry. Can I do TOO much RaggTopping or is it fine as long as I only apply when the roof is clean and free of dirt and crud?

1c - Do you have another option that would work as well and be the same price or less and the same effort or less? One thing that comes to mind is lint brushes that pull dirt and dust off the roof easily. I have these, but have yet to use them.

2 The MINI dealer (my car has 98,000+ miles on it) suggested I get an alignment and tire rotation because my tires are starting to wear a bit in a way that indicates a slight misalignment. I have a set of spare 17-inch wheels (the set of tires on the car are run-flats on 16-inch rims) that I COULD use as my spare during certain seasons. The current set of 16 is all-season and looks to have about 40% of their life left.

2a - I have an appointment at NTB tomorrow because MINI was going to charge an arm and a leg to do a rotation and alignment. And they MIGHT be hesitant to put non-run-flat tires on the vehicle. NTB has assured me they can and will swap out the tires on the 16-inch wheels for non-run-flats; or put non-run-flats on the 17-inch wheels; and also do the required alignment and tire rotation. Anyone have great stories about NTB?

2b - I am leaning toward just selling or giving away the 17-inch wheels and using the 16s for everything. I'll buy some non-run-flat tires and make those either my winter set or my summer set (likely winter). Is it horrible for your wheels and/or tires to change them twice a year? What sort of dangers to the bead or to the TPMS sensors could (and often occurs)?

2c - If you were buying new tires - and had all-season run-flats ON the car right now - would you wait until November (I live in Boston) to get better all-season non-run-flats? Or would you spring for fun, grippy, comfy summer/all-season tires now and get them mounted for four upcoming months of motoring around? Regardless of purchase timeframe, the rotation and alignment likely has to happen tomorrow so I'll already be in for a bit of $$ and NTB offers alignment and install specials when you buy four tires.

3 - There are tons of rallies and group motoring events coming up. I want to participate in many of these, but some of them seem a little TOO overproduced and controlled by the folks putting them on.

3a - Do you do rallies and group motoring stuff or are you more of a solo motorer?

3b - Are you taking part in (or have you ever taken part in) MTTS or an event like MINIS on TOP at Mt. Washington in NH? What is the best part of each of these? What is the worst?

3c - What do you find is the etiquette at events when you decide your fun meter is full and you want to motor off on your own? Do you alert the leader that you're bugging out? Does this keep you from playing a more pivotal role in organizing or leading? There's a local group that wants to do a rally to the very tip of Cape Cod this summer. I know the roads like the back of my hand, but I want to be free to bail on the ride halfway if people are pokey mcpokealong or folks are being too serious.

3d - Do you find that the best events are ones with a checklist and point-by-point directions and contact info? Or are the best events organically grown and ones that just happen - hey, let's grab breakfast at the bridge to the Cape and then maybe drive to P-Town?

TIA for all your help. Let me know if you want to punch me in the junk for this long, multi-topic thread and I won't do it again. Though I feel it's very efficient and offers fun for everyone.

Motor safely!

Jeff

 

1. Your top care routine sounds...sound. One caution, I'd avoid the drive in car wash. Horror stories abound. Thinking about it sounds like a PIA but have you considered an outdoor car cover?
2. No comment on tire selection. Completely different conditions here for that, but; after you get everything aligned and balanced, make it a habit to rotate the tires every 5K miles regardless of any potential negative remarks.
3 My sig tells the story of our rally attendance. We love the locations and the back roads and after the first few times pretty much do our own thing when it suits. Nobody is counting noses and you can plug in to the various activities you feel like. Who knows, you might make some great new friends.
MINI motoring is what you make of it.

 

In Wisconsin so I have a separate set of winter wheels and tires. 17 summer performance and then 16 Dunlop WinterMaxx. They make a massive difference and you are only changing out the wheels so no damage to the rims over time.

Slightly OT the original tires provide great grip but a horrid ride, looking forward to them being replaced but it will be a while as I am not even at 20,000 yet and I run two sets.

 

I use the Raggtopp Cleaner and the Protectant as well. I would say that every 4-6 months, the top should be scrubbed clean with the Raggtopp Cleaner, and then the Protectant should be applied. The Protectant should not really be re-applied in between these thorough cleanings as it bonds best to a perfectly clean top that is stripped of all the old protection.

So I will do a thorough cleaning and protecting of the roof once every 4-6 months, basically once I see the water beading protection is degrading during rain showers or a routine car wash.

I wash my car once a week, and when I wash, I will first wash the roof with a soft boar's hair brush and the car wash shampoo solution I am using to wash the reset of the vehicle. I then towel-dry the roof at the end of the wash (along with the rest of the vehicle).

If there is bird poo-poo on my roof, I just take a paper towel moistened with water and gently wipe the poop off. It does leave some residue but that gets completely wiped clean at my next car wash. If the acidic bird poo-poo has stripped the protection in that area, I may re-apply the Protectant in that area, but no more.

What I am saying is, only thoroughly clean and protect the roof every 4-6 months. Don't waste your money re-applying protection at random times, only in places that you had to spot-clean that has lost its protection. Wash the top with soap/water whenever you wash the rest of the vehicle, and then just spot-clean any bird droppings or other gross things like that as they happen.

 

My regimen for our convertible top is similar to MrElusive's (nice write-up). Our Cab doesn't have a garage....same for the Clubman....and I put car covers on them almost every night. Sounds like a pain, but I've been doing it for years and it is very routine now.

Our Cabrio is pretty much a summer car and backup car for when our other cars are in the shop. We run all season runflats on it. We don't drive it much in the winter...esp. when the roads are tough.

On my car (Clubman) and my wife's car (hatchback) we have two sets for each car. Dedicated summer and winter sets. This works well for our weather - we live south of you in Sandwich. I don't like the hassle of having to take the car to a shop to change tires. My '09 Clubman has the TPMS that takes sensors mounted to the wheels, so I bought extra sensors even though all my tires for that car are non-runflats....I just don't like the TPMS light on....should get it coded. My wife's '07 hatchback has the "old" style TPMS that senses different rotation speeds across the wheels, so no wheel sensors to worry about. Luck for me, when I've swapped wheels/tires between the '08 Cabrio and the '09 Clubman they are completely cross-compatible with the TPMS systems.

I am a real proponent of winter tires - they are so much safer than all season tires. So I guess my recommendation would be to use one set of wheels for winter tires and run out your all season tires during the non-winter months.

Can't comment on attending very many events...

 

I got a set of spare rims for my wife's '14 R57 specifically for winter driving. The taller sidewall and narrower width made the convertible much more pleasant to drive in winter conditions. The low profile ones are like driving across ball bearings if there's any kind of snow/slush/freezing conditions. I did, however, get runflats for these as well. No spare and winter weather does not make for a good combination. The ride is much more forgiving, if a bit dialed-back a bit from the go-cart thrill of the 18's.

I got the tires via TireRack and used their recommended on-site installer. I've had them back to swap the 18's back on.