MINI Detailed - 56K NO!

[skitelluride531]

Well my MINI was "out of service" for a few days last week, so I took the opportunity to give it a well deserved spring cleaning. EVERYTHING needed to be cleaned. Lots of pictures too!



First, why the MINI is out of service:

...Because the front bumper was FINALLY getting repainted to match my painted arches. So, the MINI was going to be sitting in the garage for a few days.





So here is what I am dealing with (actually, it looks A LOT worse than it actually is, to be honest):

My polishing process:



M80 on a Edge 2000 Blue Pad (Speed 5)

M82 on Edge 2000 Blue Pad (Speed 5)



Test Spot:

I still notice very slight micro-marring in the paint, and I have noticed the MINI black paint to be VERY finnicky. I wonder if this is just me, or if perhaps, if it is the same with other Jet Black owners...it seems even lightly running a clean Microfiber over a clean surface can marr the finish. Oh well, I can live with 95% improvement until I have other tools to play around with... :yu:



More testspot pictures:

Dusty already...

All done with that side:

Onto the bumper. As you might have noticed, I am kind of working on the left side first. I am going to do the right side and the rest of the MINI tommorow.



Before:

Same Process as above (M80 followed by M82) Notice the dirty exhaust pipes in this one too:

Granted, some of the above gunk you see on the right is tape residue, however it makes for a more dramatic picture (kidding, of course :lol. Not to say improvements were not made though...look a little to the right :meeting:

Also did a little work on the exhausts.





Before (Flilthy):

After (notice the line in the paint from the earlier test spot as well):

More in the next post...

 

[skitelluride531]

OK!!



Let's switch gears a bit...



First off, most importantly, after a few days the bumper is back, and painted to match the painted arches!

Now I just need to black out those darn reflectors! :eek2:





So, first up, the engine bay.



My engine bay was a little messy, and certainly needed some TLC.



Cleaned with Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner +

Dressed with Meguiars Hyper Dressing



The befores:

The afters!

More to come...

 

[skitelluride531]

Next up, the wheel wells.



Process:

Clean with Meguiars Safe D-greaser

Dress with Meguiars Hyper Dressing



Before (actually right after spraying on d-greaser):

Afters:

Look at the difference!

I also polished the wheels while they were off:

Still more...

 

[skitelluride531]

Back to the fun stuff...



Now onto the good stuff!





Paint was polished with Meguiars #80 and #82.





Befores:



(The arches actually came like this from the place I got them painted at...oh well, they still did a nice job on them atleast!)

Test spots:

No more swirls:

One more after this...

 

[skitelluride531]

A couple of final shots after my LSP was applied - P21s Carnauba Wax.

Voila!

 

[ConglomrationAL]

Great job!! The whole process described was excellent! Keep up the good work.

 

[BMW335i]

In regards to the "No 56K threads", can we please stop them? Although out of all of those threads this was probably most worthy of that title. It is still not neccessary. I doubt many people have 56K anyway, probably 5% of autopians.

 

[silvergray]

Mini looks great! You seem to have a nice collection of cars there!

 

[BoxsterCharlie]

Looks fantastic! Makes me miss our 2004 MCS. What a great car it was.

 

[BlackElantraGT]

That's one of the cleanest looking mini's I've seen. Nice work, man!

 

[BigAl3]

nice write-up with pics, thanks for sharing... good job!

 

[skitelluride531]

Thanks guys!

In regards to the "No 56K threads", can we please stop them? Although out of all of those threads this was probably most worthy of that title. It is still not neccessary. I doubt many people have 56K anyway, probably 5% of autopians.

Does it really bother you that mch? :wow: Maybe you should go...:buffing:

 

[Charisma]

Near perfection!



I have been looking at Mini's lately, definately some awsome cars.

 

[Macko]

I still notice very slight micro-marring in the paint, and I have noticed the MINI black paint to be VERY finnicky. I wonder if this is just me, or if perhaps, if it is the same with other Jet Black owners...it seems even lightly running a clean Microfiber over a clean surface can marr the finish. O

This is a problem that every black Mini owner I know has. Mine was such a PITA that I sold it & swore I'd never buy another black one. You did a great job though, so much so that I could be persuaed to get another.

 

[DSVWGLI]

Good job, looks much better.

 

[Scottwax]

Superb finish! The car looks amazing in the after shots. :drool:

 

[Bigpoppa3346]

...to give it a well deserved spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning? It is the dead of winter.



Car looks great, pretty wet and glossy.

 

[skitelluride531]

Spring cleaning? It is the dead of winter.



Car looks great, pretty wet and glossy.

:funnypost Not in Austin!! :LOLOL :LOLOL





(Actually today it kind of us...40 degrees and raining!!) :nervous2: :lol

 

[imported_Devilsown]

NICE! got a 03 mcs myself... where did you get the smoke rear tails....

 

[Ben Kenobi]

Spring cleaning? It is the dead of winter.



Car looks great, pretty wet and glossy.

I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps Austin has a temporal time distortion field present. Looks great but black looks like too much of a PITA on a MINI. Can we send you some of the snow we just had here?