I have a 2011 MCS and now that the heat around here is in the high 90's I noticed something. Under the hood several places have been greased on te hood but now the grease is seeping out of the holes of the hood and running down the hood of my car. Really starring to annoy me and it can't be good for the paint. Anyone have this problem? I'm about to call the dealer and see what they say.

 

That is the Cosmoline they use during transport. Do a search on that term to find posts on how to get rid of it.

 

Thanks this stuff is a freaking mess

 

I just got rid of my nearly three year old MINI and it still had this stuff oozing out of a few nooks and crannies! On mine it usually got covered with road grime, oil particulates, ect so it just made for a messy car in general.

 

Yea it's a pain, trying to get the dealer to take care of it for me. Left a message guess I'll see what happens.

 

I'm not sure I'd want the dealer touching it. They'll likely just wash it and leave scratches and swirl marks everywhere!

 

Yea the same thought just crossed my mind

 

I can't remember the name, but there is a product several manufactures use to remove this with out damaging the paint. It's a spray that goes on then gets pressure washed off. Check with Subaru and Porsche dealers. Those cars come coated with lots of cosmoline and I know they wash it off many places during PDI's and some services.

 

Thanks buddy I have a Porsche dealer right by work I'll stop there on the way home.

 

you can clean it up with WD-40 on a rag

but touch up the wax when you are done cleaning if talking about top side

My 07 dripped for about 6 months in Florida summer heat. Only a spot or two tho....

don't complain, be happy they did such a good job protecting your car's inner voids from salt spray intrusion during shipping and were gentle in its removal.

 

I have seen post where it drips on the arches and stains it.
I just used simple green and a cheap microfiber towel.
I wonder if steam cleaning it would help.

 

Yea it's pretty awesome they would even think about doing it for the trip over I never even thought about the salt air.

 

Yea that's mostly where my is dripping on the driver side arch, I already had a leaky gas pump drip a drop on the rear arch and stained it white ARGGG! so I'm already in panic mode. The dang gas was on it like for 5 seconds and stained it.

 

http://www.zymol.com/zymolvinyl85oz.aspx

not cheap

but it works

been using it for 15 years

kept my Miata top looking good and no cracks for 12 years

 

don't. Posts have it right on what it is. On my 2010 Chili red at least, if you even essentially get a whiff of anything on the paint underhood it rubs off. Right onto a rag you see red tint. It has almost no clearcoat even fractions of an inch from the outside seams. Thanks Mini by the way for spending 50 cents less for the minute or two it would have taken to properly spray this at a body build paint shop--my Audis have at least some clearcoat in any meaningful visible non outside area, and even my Sienna minivan w/out clearcoat underhood can stand up to everyday household level chemicals.

So far I found any of rubbing alcohol, 409, Goo Gone and of course 3M adhesive remover take Mini Chili Red paint off underhood. Same around parts of the rear hatch. By contrast, on any outer clearcoated panel, no issue.

Thus, I would let dealer fix and own the issue. But, watch to see they don't rub through to the primer either. Ridiculously easy to do, with just a few gentle hand rubs and any even light solvent it starts to show on a white rag--like I would have never guessed even 409 did it, and first time I ever saw rubbing alcohol be strong enough to affect paint.

FWIW, when I bought my car slightly used from the dealer it showed some tan color primer through the paint under hood. Not a good look on a then 6 month old car! Did help me knock the price down though when I alluded to questions about possible prior damage (it had a clean CarFax)! Now I know why it was so pretty much. Recently got it touched up as part of a minor front body repair. Much better result than Mini's paint production line.

 

Cool thanks for the info, I may just keep a eye on it and wipe it off as needed.

 

MP, clean CarFax notwithstanding, that really sounds like you have a replacement hood that got painted at a local paint shop (not in the MINI production ovens). After I had to replace my hood when I hit a deer, that was one of the first things I noticed - the underside of the hood was a flat red and clearly did not have any clearcoat on it.

Still good advice about using different liquids for cleaning the cosmoline - be sure to test in an area where it won't matter lest one damages their paint. Or try one of the products designed for the cosmoline (may still be bad for something like non-clearcoated paint).

 

Called the dealer again still nothing from them of course it's late so I'm gonna try again in the morning. I got most of it off that I can see with just a towel and warm water but, I am pissed I noticed that it did screw up my front arch a little. Nothing major but I know it's there and it might as well be hot pink cause I see it and it drives me crazy.

 

for various obscure reasons and 35 years experience buying and owning older cars and dozens of up close examinations.

Regardless of the history of the hood, I have the same issue with the same solvents in portions of the paint around the rear hatch opening--closer to the rubber seal in that case since the clearcoat spray/vapor did get in there some. Zero sign anything was touched in any way whatsoever in the rear. Found it when I did the first serious overall detailing of the car.

 

As stated earlier (WD40) will not damage anything is 100% safe. Do your research on it and you'll understand how it is so amazing. I was cleaning stuff off a 2011 ML350 Mercedes the other day. I trust it's that safe for even something that expensive.

 

I have noticed this issue since the first week I took delivery. I am just going to make the dealer remove the stuff and replace the trim. I'm pretty sure mine is ruined. It looks like it has done more than create a stain it looks as if it has actually altered the plastic permanently.