So what happens when a Car Crazy guy whose obsessed with MINI's, drops off his own MINI for servicing, and takes home a dirty MINI loaner?

You get a super shiny loaner car for the next lucky person!


Steps:
NXT Car Wash
Mild Clay with Quik Detailer
Rotary with M80 and W-8006 pad
PC with M80 and W8006 pad
PC with #7 Show Car Glaze with W-9006 Finishing Pad
PC with NXT Tech Wax with W-9006 Finishing Pad
NXT Metal Polysh for Chrome
Quik Interior Detailer for Smell
Tire and Trim Gel for interior/exterior plastics
NXT Tire Cleaner
Meguiar's Hot Shine

From a distance, it doesn't look bad (13,000 miles)

But get closer...



The truth is in the details!



Somebody Removed Air Bag Warning Sticker --Glue Left Behind

A Bath With NXT Car Wash First

Some Goo Gone For This Adhesive Residue

Can't forget the claybar!

Paint was so rough!! Especially the boot (hatchback lid) which gets really dirty--only constant cleaning will prevent this buildup. The worst areas was the bonnet (hood) and the boot. Clay was great for removing all kinds of bonded contaminants like these marks that looked like scratches or scuffs! They came out 100%


Look how dirty the clay is getting!!!

NXT Metal Polysh Works Wonders!

Look at that NXT Shine!




Finish it off with a c3 antennae ball


I know white isn't a great color for demoing a detail job, but what I learned here was that white shows every little bit of dirt, and Goo Gone is a great mild cleaner for removing all kinds of road grime.

Thanks SouthBay MINI!!!

 

.....


wow.... i always thought you had a little too much time on your hands Richard, now i see you have WAY TOO MUCH time on your hands!!!!

 

WOW! Sure hope your service team goes the extra mile to get you looking perfect! (and that they remember not to wash your car )

Nice work.

 

Hahahah, Rick, you better believe it. Thanks to the power failure that left half the city dark yesterday, I wouldn't have stopped buffing!!!!

Thanks MINISTEVE!!!!

Richard

 

Actually I should clarify that I accepted the MINI as dirty. They first offered me an MCS hardtop, but when the car was ready they instead pulled up a Cooper Cabriolet and I know rear visibility is terrible with the top up, and with the top down, it's not ideal for kids back there because of the wind buffeting. (I had my 1.5 year old with me)

So I told them I wanted a hard top, but then they told me it was dirty and I would have to wait a long time for them to wash it--that's when I said, don't worry, just give it to me dirty--I'll even wash it for you.

As a MINI owner and as a detailer enthusiast--it's hard to drive a dirty car!! So I really didn't mind cleaning it up. In the back of my mind, I figured it would give me a little more detailing practice as well.

:D

When the dealer called to tell me that I would have to wait another day for them to order a part--I told my SA that I washed and detailed their car for fun. The guy laughed of course.

There was so much caked on gunk on there, I bet they didn't even know 99% of it would come off. During the inspection, I was noticing all the marks, and they're like--Oh don't worry about that--just looking for major problems.

Richard

 

Wow Richard!

You can borrow my car anytime!

 

Hahaha any time Johnna!!! LOL. Hey CO isn't THAAAAT far from CA.

 

so, richard, will my california welcome be a free detailing? lol

i'm probably gonna come thru on xmas break, so my car will need a post - snow - driven detailing for my drive thru cali, lol

 

Hahah most definitely Rick!!! You can't leave or enter Cali without a Clean MINI!

 

OK...

I've been called "Crazy" several times on this board for my 10+ page detailing process. If anyone ever makes fun of my detailing fixation, I'm referring them to this thread!

(Great results, by the way!)

 

...and my neighbors thought I was obsessed.


Great job, Richard. You should charge the dealership for such a great job.
If you hadn't explained how you got a loaner in such condition, I would have thought hard about bringing my car to them for service.

 

haha thanks. It's a good dealership, especially considering I didn't buy my MINI from them, and I still got a MINI loaner--but to be frank--in my 45,000 miles, of all the dealers I've been to, this is my first MINI loaner--so you can say I was certainly pleased to have an MCS. At this point, I hardly miss my MC.

Agranger
Yeah, this obsession never seems to end--so many outlets!! I'm glad to know you think I'm just as crazy as you.

 

I totally understand your need to have detailed the loaner! My neighbors can't understand why I spend so much time and money on my leased MINI. I'm gonna buy it when the lease is up!

When I painted my calipers, I took the opportunity to wash, clay and wax the entire wheel. Now I know they must think I've lost it.

Ken

 

Octane you are nuts!
All I can say is I wish I had your free time.

Actually there are times I wish I could detail my friends' or girlfriend's cars. But I rarely have time for my own.
And if I did have the time I would think charging $100 or whatever to do so, would be worth it for many people. But I don't have that kind of time. Damn.
Anyway, great job, let us know your dealer's response when you bring it in. I'm sure you will have a big huge

 

Richard, I think you really NEEEEEEEED to borrow Wanda for a day or two!


Clover

 

You are one fanatic!!! Amazing results!

 

I'm driving a loaner right now and it's filthy Want to take another one on,Richard?

Lois

 

Just finished grinning my way through the series of pictures - Very Nice! And, a cool reco. on the Goo-Gone too. I had been leery of trying it 1st time, on MINI paint.

This thread just inspired me to try my clay, on a (self-inflicted) scuff mark (hint: CLOSE the boot hatch BEFORE exiting your garage ).

Tatt

 

Richard,

You are a sick, sick man. Most people, when presented with a loaner, will do to it what they only dream about doing to their own cars. You, on the other hand, did exactly what you do to your own car. That is just sick. Perverted. Un-natural. I would refer you to a 12 step program, but I have a feeling you would turn it into the 12 detailing steps.

 

LOLOL yes! AND, it would illustrated!

In this forum/thread, that'd be preaching to the choir anyways,
Tatt

 

I'm sitting here shaking my head from side to side<<<>>> you are nuts, have WAY too much time on your hands, completely obsessed, sweet as pie, and when did you say you were coming to do ours???

Donna

 

Hahah you guys are funny. Jerry you're right, I would find something good in those steps!! Gotta make it fun.

Hahah Donna---yeah I guess I better get back to work now. I've been on extended vacation---next week I return to being forever busy, so it's playtime right now for me. Remember we are bringing our clinic down to WCM in the coming months.

I'll be returning it back to South Bay today---DiD is going there tomorrow for servicing--maybe he will be the lucky recipient. LOL!!

Btw, here's a little tip--I used to carry loose bottles of NXT Speed Detailer and Glass Cleaner in my boot, and sometimes they would leak a bit. I finally got smart, and attached a bungee to the lip of my CD Changer--so if you happen to have one in the back--it makes a great way to keep any vertically standing objects stable!



Richard

 

Yes I too got a 2005 Purple Haze MCS for a loaner. It was a mess - not too bad by other peoples standards, but I am MINI crazy. Took it home and washed and waxed it - I think my SA said they sold it the next day. I loved the way it handled and enjoyed cleaning and looking at all the changes MINI made to it since my 03 model. I would lose my license with that MCS - cool car and now it has a home.

 

I totally understand what you mean about losing your license. I love to drive my Cooper fast, and doing it in the MCS is just so much easier--amazing to feel it pulling so hard in 5th or even 6th gear on the freeway where I'm normally in 4th to feel that kind of pulling. It's just really easy to haul--just a matter of stepping on the gas--no downshifting necessary. Yesterday I drove 70 miles with 3 adults, a baby, and had the AC on, and was amazed to find it still completey drivable--unlike my MC where driving alone with 1 person is the most fun and with the AC off.

Funny, I can't find the clock on this MCS--it's got the Chrono package, and though the clock was either on the radio or speed or tach, but couldn't find it. The overhead map lights, driver sun shade, and lighted door pulls are all nice touches. I hate the little tray underneath the hand brake though--I got the MINI rubber tray and it fills up the whole space between the seats.

Congrats on making that sale---hmmm, seems you should have gotten a commission!

Richard

 

You are RIGHT ON about both the nice touches (I would also add the "puddle lights" on the undersides of the doors) AND the silly dust/dirt collector under the hand brake! I still use it though, for "mascot MINI" to roll around in, but (like the space under the toggles, and the cup holder's various pieces and parts (no i'm not going to go there)) it is a PITA to clean thoroughly.

Where's the line for free detailing again?
Tatt