This is my first winter in my 08 Clubman. Yesterday, after a trip to the spray wash, I noticed the back doors have about 100 tiny rust spots forming all over them. Looks like a case of the measles or something. I'm pretty sure the constant barrage of dirt and road grime caught in the swirling back pressure that coats my back window in about 2 minutes of driving in the wet has chipped the paint. I plan on visiting my Mini dealer. I hope they don't use the "stone chip" excuse for not honouring the rust warranty. Has anyone else experienced this????

 

Hi MiniCarver!

I had this issue on my old MINI. If you pick up some automotive clay and use it on the back, it should take this right off. It is probably just paint contamination. You may also find the same type of stuff on the front doors just behind the front wheels.

You can get a kit like this from your local auto parts store.

If you have any questions, let me know. Also, check out the Detailing 101 forum as there is a ton of information there on claying.

 

i had the problem. they gave me a fall out/acid rain claim. thought i thought it was bs. most of it buffed off while cleaning/waxing so maybe?! i also had it on a roundel badge i have in the hitch plug so i know it's not the car....but would like to know how to prevent it....i'm going with the thick coat of wax plan

 

Supposedly its caused from the stuff in the exhaust from the factory or something, and will go away eventually..its just on the surface and some gentle claying should remove it... Some wax should help it to come off with washing though i would imagine

 

They blame it on stone chips...on the barn doors ? Yeah right, just tell them on occasion you like to drive the freeway at posted speeds while in reverse gear...lol.

Good idea on the fix, but since it is still under warranty it may be better to wait until the dealer performs their examination. You issue would be better documented and since this could be wide spread issue they will have better data to support a factory paint issue, recall.

I remember a whole line of Chevy Cavaliers with similar issue involving their clear coat back in the late 80's. They either paid the car owners or repainted their cars. And some of them were over 5 yrs old.

 

I would agree that it sounds like it just needs a good claying. The boot on my PW R50 needs claying often as well - contaminants from the exhaust build up and stick to the paint. Clay will take care of it.

 

+1 for trying a clay bar.

I have a buddy that picked up a 10-year old MB sedan for a song. The car was mechanically perfect, but it hadn't seen a decent wash / wax in ages.

I told him to try a clay bar, and it worked wonders, getting the surface back to near glass smoothness.

 

Agreed, claybar is awesome stuff - it works wonders.....did so on my 03 MCS.

But on a 2 yr old car ? Claybar technically should not be needed unless it was parked under a pine tree and not garaged all year long. Every time clay bar is used, some clear coat is removed from the surface of the paint.....

Take it back to the dealer, it's under warranty as there should be no flaws in the surface of the car as described from just normal wear and tear........

 

Not really. You're removing contaminants embedded in the paint so there's an uneven surface on a microscopic level but a clay bar doesn't remove clear coat in the way a polish would.

I've seen this issue too, especially after driving in the rain. Stuff from a wet road gets kicked up and adheres to the paint. Something similar happens when condensation forms on a dirty car. It's part of normal use and a clay bar should take care of it.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to take it to the dealer to get it on record and let them explain why it happened. After that, I'll use the clay on her.

 

I've seen it before...on other cars....most likely the sand, etc on the road had a bit of iron....and it got stuck on the paint....got wet, or sat there, and got stuck, then rusted....a claybar should fix it!!

If you run you finger over the spots...you will see it sticks up a bit...rather than is slightly indented as a newly/recently rusted paint chip would be.

 

I used a clay bar on my Clubman yesterday, when we finally got a decent sunny day here on Long Island. I thoroughly washed the car, then used the clay bar, and, as usual, it picked up lots of nasty surface contaminants, especially on the lower doors and barn doors.

I followed the clay bar treatment with a second wash and then a wax.

Finish is now smooth as glass, and, of course, it runs much better, and goes faster.

 

Well I took the popular advice and used a clay bar on the spot, followed up with a paste wax. It removed all the rust spots and I was happy to see, that they were not pits in the paint, rather rust spots stuck to the surface of the paint. Thanks to all to the clay bar suggestion. I'll be claying the rest of the car in the spring.