Hey Tom, glad to hear your car is fixed. I think Todd was talking to you on the phone while I was there or talking to someone else about the incident. I haven't talk to him since I called to tell him my displeasure, but I'm sure he did something. I'll have time to polish my car after I get back in town next week and my tint doesn't appear to be damaged. See ya soon.

 

I think one of the questions I asked was "are you sure they weren't there before?" by one of friends. I spend 2 hours every saturday cleaning/detailing my car every saturday and spend at least 20 minutes a day just looking over it. I know where every nick and scratch is on it and 90% of the damage was NOT there when I took it in. Sure, my car imperfections (most only noticable by me); dent on hood from a huge rock, chips on the hood from pebbles, scratch by the headlight that someone did (fixable when I do everything else), and scuffs on the bumper from my ebrake accident. Those are all the consequences of a daily driver. But all the damage done was because of a lack of effort, carelessness, and disrespect. I guess it could have been worse.

 

While I realize that there are some incompetents out there (I had a fool once squirt some type of cleaning liquid into the auto-clima sensor on my GTI - shorting it out and also ruining my stereo head unit in the process - cost me $1,000 to replace, and just try to get the shop to accept responsibility for their irresponsible employees!! but I digress...) the truth is, you've gotta get used to it.

We use our cars on the public roads, they are not garage queens. Inevitably one day something will happen to our babies, that's just what use, age and mileage does. My advise is to not take it too personally, nor atempt to return the car to better than show-room condition. Take Darkness out and flog it, that's what MINIs are for. Leave the uber-detailing for the geriatrics with the 1934 Packards.

Just my $0.02

 

Darkness, I'm sorry to hear about your experience and, and I hope that those swirl marks come out.

MGCMAN, thanks for interjecting your $.02. My MINI is going in for service tomorrow and I've finally decided to go ahead and let them wash it. I haven't the last few times because they always make a mess of the windows, but.... Truth is that Miranda's paint job is less than pristine by now (even the beautiful black roof ). More importantly, there's no way I can wash the car myself because my splinted pinky just won't fit in any work gloves (see "oops" thread... somewhere) and as good as Z-6 is, I know my baby could use a real bubble bath! So I will let go of my misgivings, accept the complimentary wash, and say thank you very much when I pick it up. :smile:

 

I understand that things will happen to a daily driver (what happened was not the result of being a daily driver) but I think thats kinda silly you say that I shouldn't keep it in better than show-room condition. I take great pleasure in keeping my car looking as good as it has and it's really rewarding to see the shine when all is said and done. One of the comments I get the most is "did you just get this?" and no one can believe that I've had it for over a year. I detail cars for money on the side too, and this helps convince people to let me do theirs. It's my hobby.

Don't worry about me not flogging the Mini. I drive it the way it was meant to be driven by going around 15mph corners at 50 mph