New Mini - don't let the dealer prepare it?

[Butkus]

Hi,



My sister is getting a new Mini Convertible in June. I've mentioned to her that she shouldn't let the dealer prepare the car and that she should request having the car in the same state that they receive it. She thought I was a bit strange, but I took her to see their used cars one night standing on the forecourt under their floodlights. The cars were a mess. I parked my car under the same lighting as a comparison, and she could see my point.



My problem is this. I've said that I will gladly prepare the car for her, but to be honest I don't know how to! What condition will the car be in if she has it 'in the plastic'? Would I need special products to remove any wax? I've seen cars on transporters with all the protective wrapping on them and they don't seem to have much wax on them, but I wasn't able to look closely. I don't want her to get her new car and then have me turn round and say "err, I don't know how to do this." If it was my own car I would just sort it out somehow, but I feel responsible to her and wouldn't want to keep her waiting!



What should I do?

 

[White95Max]

Don't let the dealership touch it! I don't think they would let you drive it home with any plastic on it would they? Just let them remove the wrapping and leave it at that. Then you can bring it home and go nuts!

 

[Detailr75]

It won't be a big problem. Remove any plastic sheeting by hand. Any cosmoline or other protective coating will come off with a careful washing. Also make sure that the foam inserts are removed from the coil springs; and I think there's another bit of plastic at the tops where the shocks (aka dampers) attach.



If the paint is *really* untouched, it shouldn't need much of a polishing step. But the clay-bar step will definitely help, because there is inevitably some embedded contamination in the paint even from the factory floor.