BoCRon

Haha cute I like it especially the Mind the gap custom plate

 

 

Sometimes it feels like Mind the Gap and other times it's more along the lines of Mind Gap.

Thanks for the thumbs up everyone. I've been getting trashed on another forum, which only bothers me just a little bit . So funny how people can get so worked up about someone else's car and money. Even when I see a car that isn't to my taste I would never say anything as I realize it wouldn't serve any purpose but to make them feel bad. And funnily enough sometimes a design I don't like eventually grows on me. I used to hate super modern design but have come to really love it. Things we learn as we get older and more tolerant I guess. 

Annette

Thanks all. For me the MINI is about fun. My last one was all dark and serious and while I liked it, it never made me grin. Hard not to chuckle every time I go in the garage with this one!

Annette

Thanks to everyone here with the help getting the car prepped.

The theme is HR Pufnstuf.

OK, since I got grief for the pics of the old products in my detailing corner I'm adding an updated view.

Annette

I have a friend (corvette person) who was raving to me about something called Flynn's Cherry Wet Wax. I was going to give him some of my Adam's waxes (I got a few and never use them as I realize sealant is just more to my liking). I was going to do a little detail clinic and show him how I use my Adam's products.

Not looking for a bashing of a product, just want an educated opinion from folks here. And any heads up on my plan. I'm going to show him how to clay (he hasn't ever done it! had the car detailed and they did it and I think made him think it was only something they should do ) and then give him my Adam's waxes to use.

Annette

Thanks! I have all-purpose so will go with that.

I did all gloss graphics based on the fact that I hate taping off to detail .

Thanks for the tip on the damp microfiber, I'll do that for sure.

Annette

Still working on the graphics for my car. I received a decal yesterday and the directions suggest using denatured alcohol followed by a citrus cleanser prior to application. Should I run out and grab something or am I wasting my time? My plan is to top with some HG&G when I'm done.

Annette

Dan, thanks so much for your help. So glad to hear from a graphics pro, I was worried I'd caused the issue and was feeling pretty guilty.

When I picked up the car this afternoon the guy was showing me what was going on in his opinion. He did say that my car's paint job was in flawless condition compared to 99% of the cars he does so that made me feel better.

I am taking the car back in a couple weeks to try again. 3M is sending out new vinyl and made sure it was a different batch.

As this isn't my daily driver I will leave it garaged until then.

Annette

Get before pics of your first official detail!

Enjoy,

Annette

So I posted last week that I was set up to get roof graphics done on my new MINI. I originally clayed the whole car and then applied liquid sealant, followed by a few coats of HG&G over the summer. In prep for the graphics I asked here and decided to clean the roof with all purpose cleaner, I then clayed it again and followed up with a wash with dawn. The graphics guy did the isopropyl alcohol wipe down once he got the car.

Anyway he called last night to say the black vinyl wrap wasn't adhering. It was actually turning into something that looks like ostrich skin. He seems to think it is a bad batch of black vinyl as he put red vinyl on my husband's car the day before with no issues. Hubbys car had same exact treatment.

Just thought I'd check in here to see if anyone has insight.

Here's a pic of how it looks. Ignore the reflections ????.

ANNETTE

Thanks, I was just thinking the All Purpose would be the way to go. I'm worried about it running down the car when I rinse as I don't really want to remove the sealant from the rest of the car. Maybe I can spray the all-purpose directly on one of my microfiber applicators and apply it that way and then rinse with some wet double softs and then wash?

Annette

I am finally getting my roof graphics and stripes done on my MINI, woohoo!

When I first got her I did a pretty good detail, wash, clay, followed by Paint Sealant and then followed up over the summer with a few applications of HG&G. I also did glass sealant and can't remember if I did the glass on the sunroof.

The guy that is doing the graphics has only asked that the car be brought to him in fairly clean condition, not an issue. He did state that the only time he's had trouble with graphics on the sunroof is when someone has applied rainx or similar recently.

He uses an alcohol based cleaner to wipe down prior to applying the graphics but I would like to remove what I can from the roof and sunroof. 

So what should I clean the roof and sunroof with prior to delivering to him next week? The car will be garaged and not get driven next week so I'm not worried about removing any protection.

Annette

If I'm being realistic I'm sure I would spend it on wine to add to the cellar. 

Annette

I find the wedge easier to hold so have been using it more lately. Also my husband has had some issues with his skin reacting to soaps and chemicals so he likes that he can hold the wedge and keep his hand out of the soap for the most part.

I've only had mine since June so jury is still out on durability.

Annette

Tim extremely generous of you, thats what this forum is about man!  I've seen BG in person, its truly easy on and easy off and shine in a bottle for sure, I just have no room for it in my current regimen which is just continuously laying down sealant protection (LPS+HGG) and doing rinseless washes and its been really efficient and I've been truly happy with it.  Throw it up in the pay it forward thread I'm sure someone here would love to try it out!

I'll try it. I've been dying to but hubby will kill me if I order anything else!

We do the wet method. Hubby and I both have MINIs and detail together. We wash one, pull it in the garage and both take a side of the car and get to work. We can finish applying HG&G to a MINI In about 15 minutes.

Annette

Annette- how do you like the Ulti-MATE garage cabinets? I've been seriously thinking about getting a few of the 2 door or 3 door upper cabinets to store towels and pads. Menards sells them and when they are 11% off the price isn't that bad. Also thinking about the Pro version of the cabinets but I probably don't need the extra heavy duty shelves. Do you really like yours? Do you shine them up with detail spray?

I really like them. I think they are now around 8 years old and are holding up well. We had to replace one, but that was damage a water leak caused. It was nice that we could still buy the same exact cabinet.

Never thought of cleaning them with detail spray, I just wipe them down on occasion.

Annette

I'm happy with my standard fluorescents with 6500k bulbs. Fixtures were $20-40 each and the bulbs were ~$3-4 each. The light is great. Though, I've never directly compared them to LEDs.

Here are some pics of what I just did. On the ceiling I've got (2) 4-bulb units in the front half of the garage, (2) 2-bulb units in the back half. Then, (2) 2-bulb units on the walls in the back half.

Very pleased so far. I'll get some pics of the lights on the ceiling this weekend for you.

 

By the way... NICE GARAGE!!! color me green! ; )

 

 

Back at ya. Love your storage for the products. 

It was suggested on another thread that I would really be pleased with the Rinseless wash I got in my Mystery box recently. I live in the south so can wash my car outside for about 10 months of the year. I just do without the other 2 as I hate the cold and will do anything to avoid being outside when it is below 50 degrees. We did install a heater in the garage last winter for alternate reasons but realize I could do some detailing in the winter now if only I could see. 

My garage is a standard 2 bay. There is a fluorescent fixture at the front of each bay and a hanging shop light on the support beam between the 2 bays. Not sure if you can see very well but here's a pic. You can also see the heater installed above the door.

The area at the back (overhead door end ) of each bay doesn't have anymore space in the ceiling as I have pulley operated storage in the space above the doors.

Like this-

So what would y'all suggest for additional lighting? Are there good, easy to store temporary solutions? Or is there a good option for mounting on the side walls? 

I'm super picky about doing anything that is too "gear intensive", meaning if I have to spend half my time setting up to do something I generally give it up (hence the abandonment of scuba diving lessons ).

Thanks all,

Annette

How about if you could wash and dry you car in 15 minutes, use only 3.5 gallons of water, and do it in the garage?  I have been using rinseless washes on my cars for about 5 years, and rarely use a regular 2 bucket wash (only time is for a 'strip' wash with APC).

I may give that a try this winter. As it stands my garage is a bit dark and kind of tight on space to move around for very long. My husband says he wants to upgrade the lighting but I'm not sure how we can at this point so for now daylight is best. Good idea for another thread I think, I'm sure I can get good suggestions from folks here.

I got a bottle of Rinseless in my Mystery box. I wasn't thinking I would really use it very much as I live in the south and can wash my car outside for at least 10 months of the year. I will definitely mix up a diluted bottle and keep it for this purpose. I have a boatload of towels so that isn't an issue. So is it ok to mix up a 16 oz bottle and leave it in the cabinet with my other products? 

Thanks so much for all the help!

Annette

Awesome, thanks so much. I love those videos  .

What about the glass? It does have glass sealant on there so just dusty at this point.

Annette

This is a pretty regular set up at my place. The car has been washed recently, has Liquid Paint Sealant as a base followed by a couple of coats of HG&G over the past month or so. I washed it last weekend, have only driven a couple of times. We haven't had rain in a few weeks so it's pretty gritty and dusty on the roads. 

I'm going out later and wanted to clean the car up a bit as it has just been sitting. I took my Sidekick and blew it off hoping to get any standing dust and grit off the paint.

So I have detail spray and Waterless wash. I have double softs, single softs and waffle weave towels.

As there isn't really any old dirt or mud on the car my thought was Detail but I want to be sure to protect the finish and sealants I've applied thus far.

Annette

I had a towel do this when my husband and I detailed both our cars together. We both did the exact same thing, but for some reason the blue applicator he used did this same thing. I sprayed it with All Purpose and soaked it for a bit which got rid of most of it.

Annette