Mini Cooper Product/Process Suggestions

P

paulisher

New member
Hi,



My wife just purchased a slightly used '05 Mini Cooper Convertible that we are picking up next week. I am looking for products to use on it and a proper updated process for applying them. Two reasons for this, to be honest I am using the same process I have been using for the past three years on my vehicle. It has worked but in the past three years newer, better products have come out that might work better. Also, I am totally new to convertible top care so I want to make sure I am doing it right.



Convertible Top...

1) Raggtopp Fabric/Vinyl Cleaner

2) Raggtopp Canvas Top Protectant



I am still reading how to apply these, and trying to find a good brush since it appears the Oxo brushes are gone.



Paint...

I am thinking about purchasing the Sonus SFX or DAS pad kit. I am currently using the last of the LC Pads I bought from CMA years ago. They are pretty much shot at this point. I bought more than I needed at the time and have just been using them up. I am also debating about a swirl remover and paint cleaner. I have been using 3M SMR, but I have never liked it because it takes eternity for me to get it worked out completely so it won't leave a haze. Current thoughts...



Step 1) Dawn Wash

Step 2) Z-18 or Claymagic Blue Claybar

Step 3) 3M SMR or ?? to remove swirls with either white LC pad or Green Sonus DAS Pad

Step 4) Z7 Wash

Step 5) Zaino Paint Cleaner (if it is available) or maybe AIO with either LC Black or White Pad or Sonus Blue Pad

Step 6) Dawn Wash

Step 7) Z6

Step 8) Z5 with ZFX

Step 9) Z6

Step 10) Z5 with ZFX

Step 11) Z6

Step 12) Z5 or Z2 with ZFX

Step 13) Z6 (or maybe Z8, haven't tried that yet)



I do have a wash mitt question also. I have been using up my large stock of Viking 100% Cotton Mitts that I bought in quantity. I have noticed that it appears the cotton mitts have fallen out of favor around here. I was worried about using a cotton mitt because the lint issue with the convertible top. It seems like microfiber mitts are still frowned upon. Whats the current favorite wash mitts around here for dark colored cars?



Vinyl Stripes on Hood...



Not sure how to deal with these. I thought I would Zaino right over the top of them, but wasn't sure how to 'polish' them first.



Leather...



Z9 Followed by Z10 is what I was thinking. I don't know how 'coated' the Mini leather is. I need something with good UV because it is a convertible. I thought about 303 Aerospace or Lexol, but don't really know.



Carpet...



303 Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner as needed followed by 303 Hi-Tech Fabric Guard.



Thank you in advance for any help and/or advice...
 
Vinyl Stripe on Hood :

I would not "Polish" Vinyl Graphics. I tape them off to protect the edges when using the PC/Rotary for swirl removal or polishing. I have used light cleaning products ( AIO ) as a wipe on, wipe off to detail them prior to the top coat.



Paint :

I still use my Viking mitts. One marked for wheels and one marked for the body.



Rag Top:

I just used the "Meguiars Versa-Angle Body Brush" and have to say it is extremely soft and would use it to replace my OXO brush. Perfect for the Rag Top cleaning.



yhst-91251181283697_1844_5643087
 
Thank you for the replies. I will check out that brush, I appreciate the suggestions. I'll go with taping off the stripe too.



Maybe I will just buy some new Viking mitts, of course I have to find the 100% cotton ones and those seem challenging to find these days.



Thanks again.
 
I like sheepskin mitts for washing paint, and chenille mitts for grunge work. MF mitts (bought a few, back when I was young and stupid) get relegated to interior duty.



As for the SMR, I cannot reccomend Menzerna polishes enough. They leave no oils behind so you can skip the Dawn wash, and go straight from them to Z-whatever (I don't know anything about Zaino, it seems as if its a cult that i'm not in). I like PO85RD, but its pricey and only comes in 32oz bottles. I'd suggest FPII, if you cant trade for a sample of PO85RD.
 
<Brain quickly trying to learn Menzerna products>



Thank you for the reply. The Menzerna products are new to me. Three years ago I was trying to figure out what to use for a new car and decided on either Klasse or Zaino. I was pretty skeptical of the Zaino cult but tried it anyway. I've been happy with using it over the past three years. Sometimes I wonder if I would have been happier with Klasse, but I keep using the Zaino. I guess old habits die hard.



I will have to do a few searches to figure out the differences between FPII and PO85RD.



Thanks for the recommendation.
 
Smitty,



I've tried Klasse and Zaino and I love them both. If you haven't used Klasse AIO, you should definately consider buying a small bottle when you order your new pads. For general cleaning and prepping of paint, it is outstanding.



Two weeks ago I detailed my friend's metallic green Mini Cooper coupe and she is exceedingly happy with the results. She was not into washing/waxing or detailing at all before. Her car was recently hit with paint overspay in the parking lot where she works and a "professional" detailer just made things worse, so she asked me for help.



I used the ClayMagic clay bar on every hard surface of the car. Took off hundreds of paint specs. Even used it on the windows. Then we used Stoner's Invisible Glass on the inside windows and Klasse AIO on a polishing pad for the outside of the windows. She says it now seems like there is no glass in her car, it is so clear.



After claying, I used Meguir's #83 on the paint to take out LOTS of swirls, followed by a Meg's Gold Class shampoo follow up wash. Since she hates to spend time waxing the car, I used Zaino Z1/Z2 instead of wax. I recommend Zaino not for the shine, which I think is great, but for the durability.



On my and my brother's light colored Vettes we did some meticulous testing and proved to ourselves that proper prep and application using Meguir's waxes will give a better "initial" shine than Zaino. The Zaino lasts much longer however, so if you aren't into waxing, Zaino will provide a shine and protection LONG after the Meg's is history. Follow up coats of Zaino Z2 are quicker and easier than most other waxes also. For those who hate to wash/wax the initial prep work with Zaino pays great dividends far longer than other waxes in my opinion. So I recommend that the lazyer the person, the MORE they need to use Zaino.



I purchased a coupe of different pad combinations for my PC a while back. If you are ordeing new pads I cannot speak about Sonus pads, but I can recommend that if you order LC pads, try to get the newer concave "pocket" version. I've tried both the original flat and concave type and I find that the concave one seems to work better. Generally seems to move easier and require less pressure to obtain the same result. I've also tried a Meguir's polishing pad and noticed that the Meg's pad is slightly smaller than my LC 6-1/2" pads. On my PC the Meg's pad worked best with a 5" backing plate and appropriate weight. For the LC pads the 6" plate and weight worked best.



Even though I have 303 protectant, I also have a big bottle of STP Son-of-a-Gun which is much cheaper. I used that to wipe all of the lower plastic body moulding twice. It helped pull off the overspray and returned a luster to the considerable amount of plastic along the Mini Cooper bottom. The few really stuck bits of overspray on the moulding I used Klasse AIO to get clean and then applied a couple coats of SoG. She will follow up wih 303 protectant in the future.



It looks so good her neighbor complimented that it looked new. Where she wasn't concerned with washing and waxing the car before, now she wants to wash it evey week to avoid too much dust settling on the shine.
 
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