I have had the flu since I bought my new MINI and I am just now getting well enough to enjoy it. Anyway, I just spent the last four hours washing, scrubbing, claying, rewashing, waxing, and conditioning my S. All I can say is:

1) It looks great
2) It looks so good I never want to drive it again.
3) I have a lot of respect for those who do this for a living because it is a real art and it is HARD WORK!

I used the entire line of Meguiars products including the clay bar, polish, cleaning wax, wheel cleaner, tire gel, leather conditioner, rubber & plastic tech conditioner, glass cleaner, tech wax, and about a half dozen other products that I cannot remember. I am very happy with all of the products and I respect the company as they sponsored Mini Meet West a few years ago. Plus all their stuff smells like Jolly Rancher grape-flavored candy - my favorite! It doesn't taste like it, though.

I have a related question. An old friend of mine had an old Gulwing Mercedes that he polished and polished, but almost never drove. Anyway, he told me that the only real way to condition leather seats is to use a "Connoley Lotion" and message it into the leather with your bare hands. Anybody know what this lotion is and was he correct?

 

sounds about right

 

I consider detailing my MCS...therapy :smile:
I wash my MCS nearly every day....
I consider the process of detailing to be an ongoin process.... it never really ends.... as there's always something else to do.

Compare it to painting a bridge...
The joke is that.... as soon as you are done... it has taken so long ..that you must start gain from the beginning.

Enjoy the process... that's the ticket :smile:

Peace,
D

 

The fact I can just reach across to clean the roof still makes me happy. :smile:

The water is very hard round here and leaves nasty marks on the paint when it dries, which really show up on the Indie Blue. I had a silver Audi before which you didn’t need to wash for months and it always looked clean. Not so with the MCS unfortunately.


:???:

 

I am glad that you put it that way. I am constantly telling my girlfriend that my Mini is better than Prozak. I restored my '68 Cooper S from the ground up - a little at a time over about 2 years. My greasy garage time is very important to me but it feels good to have a new MINI where the only "work" to do is polish it! I don't plan on doing any wrenching or modifications until my warranty is over. The old Mini, on the other hand, puts out nearly twice what god and Alec Isogonis intended at over 100 HP. The warranty was up 35 years ago! The satisfaction is great on both cars.

 

Prozac?.....a labor of luv?.....I agree completely. I truly enjoy having a sparkley, clean MINI and I find the process of achieving it to be quite therapeutic. It did take some getting used to though.

 

I've used the Connolly Hide Food on the leather in many of my BMW's before the MINI. I apply it by hand or with a towel pretty thoroughly. Then I let it sit overnight. The next morning I wipe off whatever residue there is.

I'm not so sure it's great for cleaning - I use Lexol for that. It does leave the leather looking and smelling great.

 

>>The water is very hard round here and leaves nasty marks on the paint when it dries, which really show up on the Indie Blue.

Have you tried the Mr Clean Carwash system yet? I also have hard water and indi blue and it really works - no drying, no spots.

 

I'm no expert on the leather....but it sounds like you gave your MINI a top-shelf cleaning. NICE!

I've always hated to see nice cars that aren't well cared for -- you know, those sweet cars you pull up next to, and then see the wheels are dirty as all heck or a car someone is bragging about, they open the door and the entire doorjamb is all dirty -- ugh!

Taking care of a car means not only maintenance, but cleaning (yes, preaching to the choir, but I've got the holy ghost in my so let me get it out ) is so critical to a car's well-being. Think about if people thought they were well kept up because they visit their doctors regularly but never got haircuts, took showers, or clipped their toe nails (ew)....um....anyway....good job for keeping your MINI in tip top shape.

I guess I really hate dirty cars, huh??

 

With regard to the leather, you need to use a cleaner first, such as Lexol, and then follow up with the conditioner, such as the hide food. Applying with your hand works great b/c it gets massaged into the leather. I then use a towel to wipe off the excess.

 

The Meguiars is a combined cleaner and conditioner - bad idea?

 

>>I've always hated to see nice cars that aren't well cared for -- you know, those sweet cars you pull up next to, and then see the wheels are dirty as all heck or a car someone is bragging about, they open the door and the entire doorjamb is all dirty -- ugh!

I clean the door jambs completely everytime I wash the car - hard to get in there around the hinges, but I just can't let it be. Also the jamb all around the hatch - must be spotless or I'm not done.

The place that I neglect to clean often enough is the engine bay. I only get to that about every 4th wash. Shame on me...

 

now that it's not -40 anymore my MINI gets a bath every other day

 

>>The place that I neglect to clean often enough is the engine bay. I only get to that about every 4th wash. Shame on me...

I've been wondering about this as my engine bay is starting to collect a bit of grime...

What's the easiest/best/cheapest way to go about cleaning the beast out?

 

>>The Meguiars is a combined cleaner and conditioner - bad idea?

Hi!

First, great job! i also like to do full wax and conditioning to my mini often my problem is i'm in mexico so everytime i go to USA i have an extra bag with me to bring it all full of Meguiars products.

Regarding leather i use meguiars conditioner too (Not the one combined) i asked directly to them and they told me it was better to use them in a separated fasion. Cleaner when it is needed and conditioner when it is needed (The combined one is for the lazy ones) also if you really take care of your car in a daily basis (which i'm sure you do) you will condition it more ofthen that cleaning it right?

Regards!

P.S. i used the official Mini conditioner (Sold by BMW) not good! keep using meguiars

 

I read somewhere - I believe on this forum - that BMW will not warranty their interior unless you use their crappy leather conditioner.

 

>>I've been wondering about this as my engine bay is starting to collect a bit of grime...
>>
>>What's the easiest/best/cheapest way to go about cleaning the beast out?

Well they make stuff that you spray all over the engine and then hose off (after covering vulnerable parts), but I don't go that far myself. I just put any cleaner that will cut grease and grime on a rag and go at it.

>> I read somewhere - I believe on this forum - that BMW will not warranty their interior unless you use their crappy leather conditioner.

Hard to believe. How could they possibly prove that you didn't use their stuff?