Hello friends, here's a rather unusual request for help:
We live out in the country here in Missouri. So I traverse several miles of gravel roads to reach the paved roads, go to town, etc. This means that the rear windshield and hatchback are constantly coated with powdery limestone dust, just as though I were driving a van or SUV or truck. I wash the Mini, and after one trip to town the dust again coats the rear end. Being limestone gravel dust, the dust is a bit abrasive, so I suppose it might eventually mar the finish. Plus, it's a pain in the wazoo to have to continually clean off the dust. Question: If I were to order and install the larger type of spoiler that is on the MCS, would that spoiler keep dust from accumulating on the rear of the car? And, is that sort of modification that is appropriate and desirable?
Thanks kindly, Doc.

 

A big ditto from Maryland. My MINI is an '02 and I've lived 5 years with it being either dust or mud covered.

In MD, we are experiencing a major drought, so this summer its all dust, no mud.

Please keep me posted if anyone has an effective invention.

 

I make a extension (about 4 inches , see gallery) but it really doesnt stop the dust issue.

I did make the rear vents in the bumper "open" and that did help a VERY small bit.

I did see a S wing that someone had put a cueved piece of rubber inside the front "lip"of the wing.. he said that it worked like the SUV "wind deflctors" aka 4 runner and others have.

I think for dust something like that would work.

It is a box on wheels and the dust is a product of that.

 

Dust is Good, at least for a canvas.

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/29/w...of-scott-wade/

 

No, the spoiler does not help. Although I don't know for sure, I would not be surprised if it actually would make things worse by intensifying the vacuum behind the vehicle. It is important to remember that these spoilers are for looks and were not designed for their aerodynamic capabilities (not that dust prevention is generally a task for spoliers).

 

No a large spoiler will not help.

The design of the MINI pulls air in to the rear of the car. You either live with it or wash it daily, but the bottom line is the dirt will be there.

 

Maybe try driving backwards...

 

Same here in NM - a dry, dusty place. If I want my MINI to stay clean, I keep it in the garage. Otherwise, I pretty much have to wash it weekly.

I know waay back in the olden days, my parents had a 1976 Chevy Caprice Estate wagon with a sloped electric rear window/tailgate. It was about the only wagon style car I've ever seen that did not accumulate large amounts of road dirt on the tailgate/window.

-- mike

 

I suggest using a detail product like Prima Slick, a quick detailer from Detailer's Paradise, or Prima Hydro, a dry & wax spray product.

The slick coat will shed a lot of dust and keep it looking relatively good. And you can spray dirt/mud right off on the next wash, then use the spray again to protect.

http://www.detailersparadise.com/_sy...qryDefault.asp

 

Nothing will work. The laws of physics are against you.

Either get used to having a dirty MINI or wash it all the time.

 

+1 This will definitely help.

 

I'm actually thinking of a plexi SIDE spoiler - draw air from off the back of the C pillar and blow it sideways onto the rear window... I may have some fun with that sometime soon.

 

I don't think anything you do will prevent dust from accumulating on the back of the car given it's shape but you could at least prevent it from damaging the paint by maybe having a clear bra put on the hatch and rear bumper.

 

I remember looking at an '07 earlier this year, it had a raised vertical section on the C-pillar. When you see one check it out. I was told by the dealer that it is there to help keep dust & dirt off the back window. You can see it in this pic. Anyone know anymore about this?

 

The 2nd post in this thread suggest that the JCW wing keeps the boot "way cleaner"...
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=110658



I also wonder if an adaptation of the Mitsubishi Evo type Vortex generators might be beneficial:

Discussion of what they do:
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_3059/article.html
Perhaps they would increase air flow around the boot and stop the vacuum that is collecting all the dust? I'll leave that to the NASA types to figure out though.

Good luck in your quest!

 

They may, but the steep angle and sharp taper TO that angle mean, well, our veehicle isn't "dome shaped" and getting air to "round that sharp corner" might take more than some relatively minor obstructions in the airflow! Unfortunately I don't have a wind tunnel to check that out, but looking at the diagrams on the referenced website it would stand to reason. I don't see a way around dirty rear windows without some sort of "scoop" to throw air around the corner(s) - either side or top "corner" - or else just using the rear windscreen wiper...