Last Saturday we held our first MINI Garage Clinic. I invited local MINI enthusiasts from our FindaMotoringBuddy.com application as well as club members.

Having attended several detailing clinics at Meguiars, I was inspired to hold my own for my MINI club, c3club.org.

But due to unforeseen circumstances, I was caught in a bind at the last minute but fortunately Mike Phillips and Richard Simmons came to my rescue, and ensured that nothing would stop our MINI event from happening!

A big thumbs up of appreciation to them both for their support and incredible customer service!

Our garage clinic wasn't ordinary in any sense. We had homemade chicken enchiladas, a sushi platter, chinese chicken salad. and a bunch of amazing goodies, not to mention a fantastic fruit punch recipe that one of our members got off the internet!

We also had running a detailing DVD that I put together that helped several members learn how to use the PCDA correctly, even before they got their hands on the tool.

We used the typical Meguiars products including NXT Car Wash, Quik Detailer, NXT Tech Wax, and ScratchX, as well as Trim Detailer.

Several of the cars arrived needing a lot of tender care! The first car up was this black MCS. There were a lot of paint issues to deal with. First the car lives outdoors, uncovered, and with our recent rain, it was pretty dirty. Further, there are some pretty deep defects due to a wet bra that was on the car during a recent cross country road trip.

Here are the BEFORE pix:











A thorough wash with NXT Car Wash, was the first step.


Unfortunately due to space restrictions, we had to wash in the sun, so we quickly rinsed off the soap, and brought the car into the shade for final drying and Quik Detailing to remove water spots or anything we missed. Once this was done, we used the W-8006 Polishing Pad with NXT Tech Wax, on a PC DA set to speed 4. ScratchX, was used on several of the worse defects. I didn't have any Show Car Glaze available so we only used NXT Tech Wax and removed it by using the W-7006 cutting pad inside of a microfiber Ultimate Bonnet

Here are the AFTER pix:







Cobwebbing is gone!!! The metallic flakes are very visible.



For comparison, here is a composite of the two pictures.

Not that it's not already obvious, but the left side is the after and the right side is before.

As you can see the results were pretty dramatic with a deep, wet look!

Next Up was a Chili Red Cooper that looked orange due to the layer of dust and dirt!





Same procedure was followed with the NXT Car Wash.
Already looking much better!


Cobwebbing is visible here


You can just make out a fine clear coat scratch


This is where I goofed. After detailing the car, we installed 2 mods (the Ian Cull Auto Up--double click window toggle for automatic up windows, and the diode brake light mod for activating the unused rear fogs) By the time we pulled the car out, the sun was gone, but the before and after look was dramatic. Wet, glossy, and even the scratch was diminished to to the point of not being a bother though it was still visible.





There were 3 other cars that were detailed, but didn't require washing, so they were just Quick Detailed, PCDA'd with NXT Tech Wax.

Here's a quick pic of those that still remained at the end of the day!










All in all we had a fantastic day!! A big thanks to Meguiars for not only making very high quality and affordable products, but for making sure our day went smoothly!!

Thank you from the members of c3club.org.

 

Richard,

Great write up, and I did really enjoy working with other MINIs :smile:
I want to learn how to fix clear coat damage for next time.

Also I would like to know if you use Scratch-X for CR/W Cooper?
After detailing scratch on bonnet doesn't show as much as before, but I was working on plastic trims and tires, so I was not paying attension how you worked on that.

Thanks.

 

Hi Toshi!

Thank you! Yeah it was a lot of fun. Heh heh, I even enjoyed just moving the cars around--getting to drive so many different MINI's. Felt like I was a valet person, but that would be a dream job if I only valet'd MINI's! LOL

re: ScratchX
Yep! I used ScratchX and the Polishing Pad on the PCDA. Since ScratchX contains diminishing abrasives, I worked it into the scratch with varying amounts of pressure on the DA--starting with more pressure and easing up as I tried to work the scratch out. It was still visible, but definitely was much less visible.

Thanks for coming and loaning your equipment! It was great fun and I can't wait to do it again!!! =)

re: Clear coat damage
I think that's something that I might just be able to arrange. We'll talk.

Richard

 

I don't think most of us don't have much damage on clear coat except Wanda
If we can use #83 w/aggresive pad to make surface smooth, how you can protect your paint with less protective coating? Just use NXT more often?

 

Wow. I'm really surprised at the level of improvement. Nice. :smile:

Great photographs to show the effect.

 

In case anyone missed this, one of the purposes of this get together was to be one of the first official Motoring Buddy (FindaMotoringBuddy.com) Get Togethers sponsored by c3club.org. If you're in the Los Angeles area, and received an invitation to a motoring event by OctaneGuy, the following is what you missed.

I also posted this on the Meguiar's forum and this is how they responded:

Hi OctaneGuy,

Very impressive! Taking what you have learned here and then sharing with your friends how they can restore a show car shine to their car's finish, now that's true friendship. Were glad the supplies arrived on time!

(Need a job?)

Mike

 

Thanks again, Richard, for a fun C3 day! And thanks to you and Toshi for doing such a nice job on Wanda...the black MCS featured at the top of this thread. She looks MAHVELOUS, dahling!

Maybe we should make the Detailing Clinic a monthly event? LOL!


Clover

 

You are welcome! Glad you were able to make it. I wouldn't mind doing it more often, but monthly might be a bit too often. LOL. Heh heh, what a deal, free detailing, free food. LOL, we'll be broke way to quickly. =)

I loved how dramatic the before and after was of your car. Very sweet. =)

Richard

 

:smile: Well, Wanda is an adventuress! She's criss-crossed America several times, and will on an annual basis until further notice! That makes for some battle wounds, of which I am very proud! Lotsa fun motoring caused those chips! I'm sure that at some point, I'll have her bonnet painted, then install a clear bra. I've learned my lesson....I think!


Clover

 

Great clinic Richard! Next time make your radius larger and maybe I can participate! Great pics. :smile:

 

The one thing about the Clear Bra is that it wouldn't have prevented the damage much higher up on the bonnet, and that to me was much more serious than the rubbings down below. On my Cooper, my center stripe shows lots of battle damage. I can imagine what it would look like without that built in protection. LOL

But definitely, Wanda is a well traveled lady!!

TMGRobyn:
Sorry about that. I had only invited the people within 15 miles of me, thinking that it would be really easy for local people to stop by, but apparently the assumption was wrong. I will definitely invite you to our next meeting!! Thanks for reminding me!

Richard

 

Richard, the damage further up Wanda's bonnet were caused by my dearly-departed cat, Little Opera. She loved to sleep on the bonnet and exuded a variety of liquids which did some weird damage to the paint. I would consider having a full-bonnet bra installed, not just on the leading edge.


Clover

 

Ohhhhhhhh dohhhhhhhhhh owwwwwwww
Ok, yeah that was some serious rubbing I thought. LOL
Hmmm, never heard of a full bonnet bra. That must be for MINI's with extra large, uh you know whats? LOL

 

I was going to say that if one was available in Wanda's "petite" size, I'd also get her a chastity belt...or was that a garter belt? Tee hee!


Clover