Since most of us have to live with the JCW dust problem building up very fast, is anybody found a chemical product to clean the wheels without having to wash the car every time they become very dirty?

I saw some Meguiars products. I have the Turtle F21 Wheel Cleaner but it is more a scrubbing job than anything. I bought a very thin soft micro fiber brush designed for this application. It is neither a a success.

The JCW Challenge wheels are probably the worst to clean.

I am thinking about using vinegar in a spray bottle. It worked well on chrome spoke wheels before.

Also, is there any coating that could make easier the maintenance of these wheels?

 

Google "Sonax wheel cleaner". It's magic. It's German. Get it from Amazon.

What I've found about the Mini wheels is you must use an iron remover (like Sonax). The iron particles get stuck to the finish.. Very hard to remove.

 

Use a dry microfiber cloth (daily), that's all you need (plus gloves).

 

+1 on Sonax. Full Effect Wheel Cleaner - 500ml And use a little brush that safe.

Use it on the R112 black wheels all the time. Spray and let set, goes from green to purple. Then scrub an spray with water.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/ES2626139/




Good brush that safe.

Wheel Brush Set - 4 In Set - Priced Each Set

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/83190395821/



or Chemical Guys Gerbil ACCB01


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/ACCB01/



thanks

 

+1 on the Sonax. I'm an Amazon Prime person so shipping is fast and free, which counts on heavier items. Prices are good too. Sales tax offsets some of the savings however.

 

I tried several products and ways to do the job between car wash and at the bottom line, here are my comments.

No matter you start "dry" cleaning the dust deposit with all the tools or even micro fiber cloth to remove most of it, you have to finish with a "wet" cloth because the JCW Challenge wheels have so many crannies that are hard to clean.

The best product to do the job is still 409 from the supermarket.

I don't see any reason to spend more because it is a waste of money.

Also, I cannot justify to replace so early the brake pads on a car that has less than a thousand miles from new.

Nobody seems to complain about the problem. Maybe I am too meticulous on my to keep my car clean.

 

Almost forgot about the wheel wax. That's after you clean, apply. Helps keep the dust / dirt off. Work great on the Challenge wheels and other multispokes.

Wheel Guard Wax & Sealant - 8oz Chemical Guys

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/ES2619329/



Thanks

 

My 2007 Mini had silver wheels and they were way more full of brake dust than my black JCW wheels. I'm not that meticulous but this stuff looks like it would come off using a California Duster.

 

I stopped by the dealer today to pick-up my order about touch up paint.

The service writer I spoke about the problem said the brake pads and rotors are very soft on the JCW. The rotors are "dusting away" with the pads at the same rate.

Well............I am just a bit over 1k miles. Seems strange.

Any comments?

 

Brake pads in most higher performance cars are softer and wear more quickly in order to improve stopping power, reduce stopping distances, and quiet brake noise and squealing. They definitely throw off more brake dust, and need to be replaced more frequently.

Brake rotors in most newer cars including MINI are thinner now than in past years, mostly to save weight...even a few ounces improves mpg. Because they are thinner, they often can't be resurfaced on a machine lathe, and often must be replaced when they are grooved or scored from use. I've never heard of any rotors that are made of a "softer" metallic compound. Wouldn't make sense to have both the rotors and pads out of a softer material. Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

It is what the service writer said about the rotors. They are from a softer steel and more flexible.

Well, I am curious to know how much cost a brake job on a car like this and at what mileage some owners had to have the job done.

By the way, are they covered in the three years maintenance plan?

 

Its been a MINI and a BMW thing for quite a while on the dusting. Most people switch to a EBC or hawk pad while they are at it. Its the pads,. The JCW brembo front pads seem to dust more then the stock Cooper S/ Cooper pads in my opinion. The wheel wax helps.

 

Yes, MINI will replace brake pads within the 3 year maintenance plan, but only if they are worn down to the indicators. I drove my 2010 S Cabrio fairly hard with a lot of brake dust for 36K miles, but the pads never got worn down to the replacement indicator, so they didn't get replaced under the plan.

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My 2007 MCS pads didn't need replacement until about 50k miles. The indicator light hadn't gone on yet either but the service indicator said it was time. $500.

 

$500 for all four or just the front? Does it include new rotors?

Overall, from what I read and understand from this forum, a Mini is an economy car very expensive to service and the dealer has pretty much the free hand to exploit the customer on what is covered or not under warranty. So the 3 years maintenance program is really not more than oil change.

I guess labor may not even be included.

 

"Mini is an economy car" Think of it as a sports car that can get good gas mileage.

Here are the JCW Brake parts: 2013 MINI Coupe JCW Prices can vary.

Front and rear rotors JCW Brembo Brakes kit ( factory JCW cars )

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2013-Cooper_Coupe-R58-John_Cooper_Works-Coupe-N18B16C/Braking/Rotors/

You will need rotors , rotor screws ( one per rotor ), and brake pads sensors( if they cannot be reused. One sensor for the front and one sensor for the rear.




Then JCW Pads front and rear: And sensors.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2013-Cooper_Coupe-R58-John_Cooper_Works-Coupe-N18B16C/Braking/Pads/







You can see prices can very dependent on OEM or aftermarket.

DIY the brakes yourself and you will save on the labor from a dealership.

 

Ordered this ( and received it ) whe I saw this post. I am well versed in BMW /MIN brake dust issues. I was just amazed at how fast it built up.
Gonna try a deep cleaning and this wax and see how it goes. Anything gotta be better than what we got especially us JCW owners

I'll burn thru the first set of pads at the track and then see what I'm gonna do.

Thanks again ECS for a good idea product

Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

Thanks for the information. It seems anybody can expect a brake job of about $700 at 30-40K if the calipers are ok and don't need to be rebuilt or replaced.

I read on this Forum that the clutch wears pretty fast even in normal driving condition at about 20-25k and that the dual mass flywheel may need to be replaced at the same time and nothing is covered by the maintenance program.

So, what are also the cost of these parts to figure out non-covered maintenance on a JCW?

 

Who says a worn. Clutch within the 3 yr 36 k maint warranty isn't covered by MINI maint plan?

I can see an abused blown up shredded Smoked one not being covered.

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Thanks