I have begun to notice tiny "rust" colored spots on the boot of my 6/03 MC. Has anybody else encountered these pesky little dots? Although I live in Buffalo and rust due to snow/salt is an issue here, it isn't in September!

Anybody know the cause? Why are they "rust" colored? Any preventative measures besides 3M to protect the paint?

Plus, remove w/ a clay bar?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

It's proably chestnut bits thrown by squirrels. They leave tyini rust colored spots, well sometimes not so tiny. You can buff them out. I get that in my LY/B all august and september. Yuck!

Motor On!

 

>>I have begun to notice tiny "rust" colored spots on the boot of my 6/03 MC. Has anybody else encountered these pesky little dots? Although I live in Buffalo and rust due to snow/salt is an issue here, it isn't in September!
>>
>>Anybody know the cause? Why are they "rust" colored? Any preventative measures besides 3M to protect the paint?
>>
>>Plus, remove w/ a clay bar?

Yes, claybar soon. Lots of nasty things can fall on your car and injure the soft MINI finish. Frequent hand washing of your car weekly will help. Once in awhile good claybar will remove much before applying good Zaino or other durable wax.

You want to keep your outer finish going strong to protect the paint underneath. This might be happening to many people but with a pepper white you are seeing it much easier- imagine it on dark silver or black?

If it is very small then you should be able to clear it up soon before the fall and winter!

 

>>I have begun to notice tiny "rust" colored spots on the boot of my 6/03 MC. Has anybody else encountered these pesky little dots? Although I live in Buffalo and rust due to snow/salt is an issue here, it isn't in September!
>>
>>Anybody know the cause? Why are they "rust" colored? Any preventative measures besides 3M to protect the paint?
>>
>>Plus, remove w/ a clay bar?
>>
>>Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

>>I have begun to notice tiny "rust" colored spots on the boot of my 6/03 MC. Has anybody else encountered these pesky little dots? Although I live in Buffalo and rust due to snow/salt is an issue here, it isn't in September!
>>
>>Anybody know the cause? Why are they "rust" colored? Any preventative measures besides 3M to protect the paint?
>>
>>Plus, remove w/ a clay bar?
>>
>>Thanks in advance for any replies.

LP,

This is interesting. There is a fellow in our local MINI club that has a Pepper White MINI, and he developed those same rust colored spots. He couldn't figure out where they came from, either, but thought it may have been some kind of tire shine product that he used that reacted to the clear coat, since they were on the side of his MINI. We used everything from a claybar to a random orbital buffer on the car, and the spots would not budge.

Just for clarification, are these spots about the size of the head of a pin...say 1 to 2mm and nearly perfectly round? Also, is the color closer to peanut butter than rust?

I'm wondering now if this is some flaw with pepper white paint. You might want to call 866-ASK-MINI and inquire if they have any known issues with the paint.

See ya,
JS

 

>>>>Thanks in advance for any replies.
>>
>>Just for clarification, are these spots about the size of the head of a pin...say 1 to 2mm and nearly perfectly round? Also, is the color closer to peanut butter than rust?
>>

The spots ARE just about the size of the head of a pin. As opposed to your friend, I find that they are limited to the boot (which, like most other MINI owners, is where my Panda MINI accumulates most of her dirt). There are LOTS of these micro-dots, predominantly on the topside of the rear bumper. I'm concerned now that you say a clay bar was not effective for your friend. I will have to go buy and try one this weekend after Isabel weather passes through Buffalo.

I suppose the dots could be described as peanut butter colored...I think maybe I'm really paranoid about rust living here in good ol' Bflo.

 

>>>>>>Thanks in advance for any replies.
>>>>
>>>>Just for clarification, are these spots about the size of the head of a pin...say 1 to 2mm and nearly perfectly round? Also, is the color closer to peanut butter than rust?
>>>>
>>
>>The spots ARE just about the size of the head of a pin. As opposed to your friend, I find that they are limited to the boot (which, like most other MINI owners, is where my Panda MINI accumulates most of her dirt). There are LOTS of these micro-dots, predominantly on the topside of the rear bumper. I'm concerned now that you say a clay bar was not effective for your friend. I will have to go buy and try one this weekend after Isabel weather passes through Buffalo.
>>
>>I suppose the dots could be described as peanut butter colored...I think maybe I'm really paranoid about rust living here in good ol' Bflo.


If you have several of these "rust spots" before trying the Clay Bar removal method, you can buy some 3M "Scratch and Haze Remover" that is also very effective in safely removing oxidation from the clearcoat.

 

>>I'm wondering now if this is some flaw with pepper white paint. You might want to call 866-ASK-MINI and inquire if they have any known issues with the paint.

I don't think it's anything specific to Pepper White. My wife had a silver Honda Civic a few years back which would develop these spots as well. I always assumed it was just an oxidization type thing going on similar to what happens to golf club shafts over time if not taken care of. The funny thing is, before I was enlightened to car care techniques other than waxing, I used to scrape the little things off with my thumbnail! That could NOT have been good.

Clay bar should take care of this as it does most things in my experience.

Good luck!
Matt

 

Well, I figured it wouldn't hurt to call 1-866-ASK-MINI, so I did. They told me to take it to my local MINI service shop.

So, I'm going to go to the MINI dealership sometime next week. Lucky for me, it's only 15 minutes away. I've been meaning to go to have the roof "gutters" looked at anyways (and pick up a set of rubber floor and boot mats since messy weather starts soon). Even if these microdots are only normal oxidation, it doesn't seem right that I should have so many of them so soon after getting Panda MINI (pick up date 6/6/03). What the heck is going to happen when they start salting the streets in these parts if I'm already experiencing issues now?!?!

 

>>Well, I figured it wouldn't hurt to call 1-866-ASK-MINI, so I did. They told me to take it to my local MINI service shop.
>>
>>So, I'm going to go to the MINI dealership sometime next week. Lucky for me, it's only 15 minutes away. I've been meaning to go to have the roof "gutters" looked at anyways (and pick up a set of rubber floor and boot mats since messy weather starts soon). Even if these microdots are only normal oxidation, it doesn't seem right that I should have so many of them so soon after getting Panda MINI (pick up date 6/6/03). What the heck is going to happen when they start salting the streets in these parts if I'm already experiencing issues now?!?!
>>
>>


I am sorry but I think you are panicking for no apparent reason. look, I live right next to the ocean so salt should be even more of a bigger concern for me. The rear of these cars gets dirty mighty quick and I would say that 80% of the dust and dirt clings to the rear hatch area of the car. the dealer will tell you what everyone here has been telling you all afternoon...Get a Clay Bar and wash, wax the car frequently. there is no much else you can do, seriously.

This problem is not concentric to the MINI or Pepper White finishes...this is a problem that affects nearly every car on the road today.

Just get the Clay Bar, try it for yourself and then get the dealer involve if you detect abnormal finish damage, which I doubt you have.

 

LP,

The dots I mentioned that we could not remove were not on top of the paint, like a rust spot. It was as if the clear coat had become stained with an opaque stain. There was no surface contamination like rust that could be removed.

I hope it's just some mild rust spots in your case and a clay bar will take it right out. Just be sure if you try a clay bar, to first wash the area thoroughly and then keep the area lubricated with a lot of soapy water where you are using the clay bar. Don't apply a lot of pressure. Just glide a piece of the clay bar back and forth over the area. And if you happen to drop the clay bar, throw it away. That's why I mentioned using a "piece" of the clay bar. Cut off or pinch off a small piece of the clay bar, rather than use the entire bar at once.

Good luck,
JS

 

my recently retired 2003 pepper white mini started developing those little rust spots on the boot soon after i bought it. could never figure out what it was. of course i wasn't on mco back then either. :smile:

CTA

 

mine is still in primo shape....
i guess it's because i go by the old saying....
"ya, i got 16's, but i keep em' clean!" hehehehe

 

Here is an "out of this world" guess as to the source of the rust spots.

Recently, I was reading about "micro-meteorites" that are constantly showering the earth as dust-like fine particles composed of mostly iron. They can easily be collected by running a magnet across the ground and appear as tiny iron filings.

So perhaps this cosmic iron dust oxidizing upon landing on the pepper white are to blame?

At least it is a plausible hypothesis. . . .although there is little to be done but protect the paint with a good coat of wax and regular washing. . . .

However, it is more likely that the rust is associated with similar microscopic bits of actual iron filings from the brake rotors. The MINI's aerodynamic properties cause quite a bit of dust to accumulate on the boot much more quickly than the rest of the vehicle's body. I have a very slow oil leak at the oil cooler and the boot of my MINI gets very grimy very fast these days.

But as the classic british car owners say, "If it's not leaking, it's empty".

If I had this problem, I might make a habit of touching up the boot every couple of days with a dampened microfiber towel to remove the iron dust before it has a chance to stain the paint finish.

 

I HAVE THEM ALSO!!!!! IGOT MY COOPER IN DEC 02 ONLY USED ONE PRODUCT ON MY CAR. WON'T SAY WHO YET. I HAVE MET WITH SERVICE MGR. AND THE ZONE REP. AND THEY SAY "AN OUSIDE SOURCE,NOTHING WE CAN CONTROL" I ALSO CONTACTED "ASK MINI" AND THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT PASSED IT ON TO ENGR.

MY SPOTS ARE DOWN THE "WHOLE SIDE OF MY CAR" IT CAME FROM THE PRODUCT I SPRAYED ON THE TIRES. SINCE THEN I HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT CLEAN THE TIRES. I AM MTG WITH THE SUPPLIER ON OR ABOUT 10/08. HE SAID "WE WILL TAKE CARE OF MY PROBLEM,DON'T YOU WORRY"

 

YES I HAVE THEM ALL DOWN THE SIDE OF MY CAR. IT IS FROM THE PRODUCT I USED ON MY TIRES. IT SLUNG OFF. I JUST CLEAN MY TIRES FROM NOW ON.
I AM MTG WITH THE SUPPLIER 10/08. HE SAID "WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM"

 

>>YES I HAVE THEM ALL DOWN THE SIDE OF MY CAR. IT IS FROM THE PRODUCT I USED ON MY TIRES. IT SLUNG OFF. I JUST CLEAN MY TIRES FROM NOW ON.
>>I AM MTG WITH THE SUPPLIER 10/08. HE SAID "WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM"


Can you please lay off the caps?

It is rude and implies you are shouting. By the way did you use a Clay Bar? I do not understand what is the big deal about spots that can be removed fairly easily. If this is any consolation, I used to own a '97 Acura 2.5TL in White that also exhibited several "rust" spots on top of the clearcoat.

 

LP,

Did you ever try the clay bar on the spots on your MINI? I'm curious to know if it removed them, since no amount of claying, buffing, etc. had any effect on the spots we tried to remove at our detailing seminar.

Mincop67, are you Tony? If not, the gentleman at our detailing seminar had your EXACT same issue...spots down the side possibly induced by a tire shine/cleaning product. Interesting.

See ya,
JS

 

sorry if the caps. bother you i did it because i never had typing so i thought it was the safests way to type.

I have had my car to two of the best detailers in the Charlotte,NC area and they couldn't do anything with the spots. cay bar white scratch remover,white rubbing compound,red comp. even 1500 wet and dry,then 2400 wet n dry.All to know avail, i still have the spots.

I also went two body shops and ther people tried there best, with no luck. They both said the only solution was to paint the car,that the paint was stained,but they wern't sure it was into the white. :???: hemay@earthlink.net

 

ya it's me "SALTY"hemay@earthlink.net :evil:

 

I had the same problem with my PW MC. I used a clay bar and got most of the spots off. I *think* the spots were on the car when I got it a year ago. Keep her clean and waxed after the spots are off, and hopefully she'll stay beautiful into her later years! =)

 

I think everyone is going a little overboard. I have a 2003 PW/B (for about five months now) and the first time I washed it, i noticed some of these rust colored spots. They promptly and easily come out with a claybar. Everytime i wash, there are a few more, and I remove them all when I am ready to wax again. My theory on all of this is this: Metal shavings. Very small metal shavings from road construction, debris, etc. I live in Columbus, Ohio and our construction is nonstop. Regardless, metal shavings latch on to the paint, rain comes down, causing them to rust. This is what the claybar is for. Use it and relax.

On a side note, I think there are two different things being talked about here. And i think I have dealt with both. First, the rust spots (which I already talked about). Second, the dark brown spots on the side of the car. When i picked up the car at the dealer, they had dressed the tires. I have never been a fan of it, but they aready did, so no big deal. Well, it was probably a week and a half before I got to wash it. Well, the tire dressing was being flung off of the tires, onto teh side of the car. They hardened a bit. So when I washed the car, I had to use a clay bar to remove them. This took the top of the spots off. But they seemed to 'stain' the paint a light brown. The claybar wouldn't touch them. I tried a few different products. None worked. I panicked. But here is the good part. They just went away. I know, you probably don't believe me. I didn't either. I decided to accept it for then, finished waxing the car, and was going to ask the dealer about it later. Next weekend, I washed the car. The spots had faded away. Needless to say I haven't used tire dressing since, and I haven't had the problem again.

 

:???: hi I also went to my dealer over the spots,what did your dealer say to you ?

mine serv.mgr and the mini ser.pep told me the spots were caused by an outside source so it was my problem and not a defect in the paint.

the dealer had his body shop do some work on it,but it didn't seem to help.

so i guess i'm stuck with the spots. they do seem too be getting lighter and lighter so maybe they will go away by themselves.

good luck

mincop67
hemay@earthlink.net

 

Where might one aquire a claybar?

 

I got mine from Zainostore.com but it didn't help with the rusty colored stains.