I took Sally in today for her first service visit. The rear wind shield wiper was leaking and they replaced the valve with a new one-way valve. BTW they said they have a service notice about this problem, so keep your eyes out for it on your Minis.
My problem is that the stuff stained the back of the car above the badge. The dealership couldn't get it all off either and my SA suggested I wait and see if the sun fades it at all. I am not sure you would even really see this stain on a different color, but on my pepper white, it looks horrid
Some friends at work have suggested I try clay baring it to see if that will help. So I am going to look into that this weekend. It is just frustrating that my SA acted like it wasn't a big deal. She said they could repaint it but then people might think that I had been in an accident.

So for any new pepper whites out there, keep your eyes out.

Maryanne

 

Wait and see if it fades? What a brush off from the SA. How lame is that? Did the dealership notifiy you by mail or phone about the service notice? Post some pics so we can see Sally.

 

I had the stain too, it was only on the car for the first 2 weeks I owned it and the claybar did a very good job getting it off, or at least making it much less noticable.

It's the price we pay for having such a classy color.

 

Maryanne, I also reported this for my rear washer nozel on my first visit to the dealership 3 weeks after recieving the car.

I had noticed the problem on the front washer nozels and proceeded to flush the entire resevior. however i neglected to do the rears. Actually i didnt know i had a rear wiper washer. The stains were dry and hard and a bit hard to get out. The Service advisor actually discounted the problem and said i should try detaililng it. I asked why I should detail the car if the problem will return.

Either way i was able to clean up the mess and the Service manager was of no help on this.

 

Are you saying that there are two washer resivors? I can only find one listed in the manual. I have the same problem and have flushed the one under the hood. Is there another?

 

There are only 2 resevoirs if you have the Xenon headlights. The front windscreen washers and rear windscreen washers both run off the same resevoir. The second resevoir is only for the Xenon washers.

 

thanks, that's what I thought, but wanted to be sure.

 

I had the same problem in the beginning myself so now I avoid at all cost the use of the rear washer unless its pouring down rain outside and even then I make sure to wipe it clean around the MINI emblem on the boot regularly.

 

If it doesn't get used it may atrophy & seize up.

 

Have the same problem here as well. I have a stain that I tried to remove with the clay bar (no luck) so because I live in San Diego,I just ran the system dry. I have not gone in for my first service yet but will ask for the new one way system. Any other things on a list to check ? how bout the noise with the limited slip diff, Rattle in dash when car get's warm. Anything else ?

 

Is it me, or are the mini's just really susceptable to flaws in the paint? I am pretty disappointed in the paint on our 03 MCS. The factory paint on my 14 year old dodge is light years ahead of this.

Oh well, I guess the car just needs more TLC then the average car, and even though we gripe, we still wouldn't get ride of it.

As far as your SA he probably doesnt have the same attachment to the car you have, so he doesn't undertand.

 

I had the stain, still have a faint version of it, and it wasn't due to actually using the washer, it was just the fact of having the washer. My dealer's service dept buffed the area, and it did help a lot. But my own washing and detailing and clay bar and all that did nothing. It's pretty hard to see now, so I will just live with it until I can afford one of the new MINIs. Hopefully their paint will be better.

 

Wow, my SA sent mine to a body shop and had it sanded out. Then he drained my washer fluid and put in new stuff. It looks perfect. He didn't even once suggest that I try to get it out myself, and was very aware of the problems with staining on the PW. If you can't get it out fairly easily, I would insist that your SA take care of it - period.

 

Maryanne, I suggest that you print out this thread and take it to your SA and service department for their enlightenment. That uncaring attitude is simply unacceptable when dealing with such a new car! Good luck!

 

I was getting Sally's windows tinted on Friday and I was talking to the guy about the stain etc. He had a clay bar so we tried that then he tried some other stuff, finally he tried some med grain polish, and it started to come off. He said to call my SA and tell her that they need to take the badge and window trim off (b/c it is behind the badge and will stain once it rains) and polish it out.
I called my SA after I left and she said she would contact the detail shop Monday AM!
So I think that it will all end up okay. I haven't posted pictures b/c I am not very good at that yet. But I will try later today.
Thank you all!!
M

 

someone sands out my brand new car, i give them a real life literal kick in the teeth.

did you try claybar before doing this?

 

Had the same problem on the MC PW. I used Bug and Tar remover, gently rubbing with a cotton diaper. It took away the discoloration with no problem. The fluid had not been on the paint all that long (2 days?), so this may have helped with the removal of the discoloration. Then I applied about 5 coats of wax in the jet areas to reduce or eliminate this problem from happening again. So far so good.

 

Paint these days is much different than the "good ole days". Today there is a big problem with the solvents that are in paints and air pollution. More and more of the paints are waterbased or the car manufacturer has to install a very expensive collection system and seperation system to remove the solvents from the air before it is released into the atmosphere.:impatient