@ Weaf

I am ROFLMAO. I built a greenhouse ready for the winter etc. got it finished two days before Sandy crashed ashore. Totaled it. I have a new one in the crate, 9X12 Too cold to start right now. I will do the frame but will let the glaziers put the glass in.

 

Athens Highway is finally in Baltimore, now, it it can just quickly unload and head to Brunswick.

 

^^^^^^

The anticipation builds!

Hey I only have about a month or so to wait.

 

This past weekend it was clearing everything out of the master bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom so carpet could be removed (should have been done when we moved in nearly eight years ago!), walls painted, and hardwood installed. This weekend we put things back. With any luck next weekend I'll be motoring. Yikes...when will I clean the garage???

 

Right there with you...the anticipation is killing me although I know I am only about 7 to 8 days away from driving my Mini it is KILLING ME...! I need to be careful as I am afraid if I say the word "Mini" one more time around my house my wife may make me live in my Mini when I do get it although in her dreams I can only expect she is sewing my mouth shut or much worse.

What are you going to do first when you get to actually pickup your Mini?
1. Bring a Camera to take lots of first time photos
2. Inspect her from boot to bonnet carefully, may need a flashlight as I will probably be picking her up at night.
3. Run my finger along the hood and roof testing for crap stuck to the car from being transported and sitting in Southampton to see if I will need to clean her with clay or not. Probably will anyways as I want to put an amazing glaze on her before showing her off.

Help if I am missing anything.

 

The Topeka has landed in Port Hueneme

 

I need to read more about this clay procedure, as much as I'm around cars I have to admit that I've never heard of this. Sounds interesting. One of the first things I want to do is see if I can find someone that is interested in buying the run flat tires, I think I can put a really good set of normal tires on for what I could get for those. As for photos, definitely a boatload of these for recording sake. When I go online to OL, there's a line that says I take acceptance of my Mini on March 21st. Are you really thinking that we'll be driving these within the next 8-10 days? I've resigned myself to thinking the end of March, early April. Any sooner will be Christmas all over again. The word Mini around my wife and friends has gotten to be a joke in terms of life for me revolving around it.

I'll probably spend a lot of time sitting in it in the driveway going over all the little things, reading the manual. Jacking it up and getting under it to see how it was made, looking at the oil return tube from the turbo to see how the crimp was made. All the good stuff. Kinda like getting married and watching your wife as she sleeps to learn all the things about her you can...(home mine doesn't read this).

Keep your fingers crossed!!

 

Ha! I too thought I had a month or 6 weeks back on December 14th when mine was ordered. I truly hope you have only a month, this wait is killing me.

 

Thank you...almost forgot but putting my baby up on a ramp will be the weekend of the week I get her. Another one of us Mini owners that recently took delivery in JAN 2013 after only 3 weeks found to major issues with his baby. The passenger windows was rubbing on something in the door scratching the glass and he had a leak under the car (don't remember what it was but it wasn't good). So I will make sure that everyone was at 100% when they put my baby together by simply going over her from top to bottom from boot to bonnet with a fine tooth comb per say during the weekend when I have plenty of light. Gonna give her a major bath the first weekend anyways and seal her with a nice glossy wet look finish.

 

Yea, I'm looking at taking posession next Saturday here in Baton Rouge. I'll definitely be taking pictures, and also going over it very carefully, although compared to the people on this thread, I don't know anything about cars. Waef, what is the benefit of the glazes and stuff you are talking about? Does it just change the finish, or is it also a sealant to protect the paint job?

 

I have an update too, as they told me last night that the completion date is March 3rd.

I have a MiniS Roadster ordered, JCW interior/exterior, Cold package, rear fogs (to fill up that toggle switch, just hate empty areas there) Xenons, part of the JCW package, white turn signals, same thing, auto headlights/sensitive wipers, in Pepper White with a Chili Red stripe being added at the dealers. Will be adding the BSH catch can, and NM turbo shield as soon as possible. Oh yes, and putting 215 x 45 x 17 BFGoodrich gComp tires on it and sell the run flats. The larger size also fixes the speedometer error. That's it.

 

Be very careful of getting too aggressive with washing and polishing. I even won't let the dealer detail my Lil Guy, just a simple wash. Then in a couple of weeks to a month before doing the detailing and waxing. The paint needs some AGE. Bit, do what you want, I just say be careful.

Bill

 

Honestly I am FAR from a Car person but I am very OC when it comes to knowledge and if I don't know something I research the living crap out of it.

I started out looking for what would make my new Mini have a liquid glass finish as I feel that really shows off beautiful cars. After doing a ton of research I've found that to get that type of finish the car has to be insanely clean first. I've read and watched a ton of videos on how to from a ton of different sources mainly on youtube. The key is to wash your car really well so that brought me to another question, how do you wash your car "really well"? If the car has any oil or coating that allows things to stick to it like some wax treatments with oils or natural waxes you need to remove those first with a car soap that has some degreasing ability if not a regular car shampoo without wax or conditioners should work perfectly. Once the car is "Clean" take your finger across the finish on the hood and roof (big open areas where dust, rail dust, dirt and other debris normally settles) and if your finger glides smoothly without feeling any tiny particles you are good to go for polishing/waxing/sealing or anything you want. If you feel any particles you may want to clay the car first to get it REALLY CLEAN first. Once it is clean wash again with a mild car cleaner and begin your polish/wax/sealing that you have decided upon.

For a product that I considered that was both cost effective and local for most people Meguiar's and Turtle wax both seem to have some great products although I like Meguiar's a bit better. I ended up going with Prima products as I had some confusion and questions and the company answered them quickly and not only told me what I needed but also told me what I didn't need which actually saved me some money and helped me to understand what I needed to do to get that wet glossy look. (Prima seems to have some great products but are not local to most and I had to order them off the Internet and prices were reasonable). I did by Meguiar's clay kit as it got the best reviews overall.

Don't worry once I do everything to my new Mini I will post the pictures before and after...

Plus I am seriously considering starting a website just to help explain to the average person how to do what and with what products in what order. I think the information would have been very helpful to someone like me and even though that information is out there in limited form it is all over the place and most of it is very bias. I would have preferred one location with all the info or at least most of it. Plus I won't be trying to sell anyone anything so the bias will be limited to only the products I've used or tested to that point. (I will try new things on my wife's car first...not on my Mini. If it looks great then I will use it on my Mini).

 

Wahoooooo!!!! Just got a call from my MA, baby arrives in Brunswick this Friday. I will have it in my anxious little hands next weeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkk!

 

Good point as I've read about that too and one thing seemed to be common to all warnings. Don't do the washing and waxing or anything that requires rubbing or buffing in the heat or direct sunlight. Also make sure everything used is mild or designed for new car finishes, there is a difference with many of the products on the market. Most products seem to be for restoring car finishes and that is not what you want, NXT 2 is a great example of a great product but it is not designed for new cars. Also to minimize cleaning I've taken two steps: I will use a Synthetic that has an anti-static type property to avoid things from sticking to the finish and an mild follow up product to help maintain the glossy look without re-washing the whole car all over again.

This is what I ordered and the order I plan to use them:
1. (If the car has any oil or stuff stuck to the finish - just a tiny amount of this stuff goes a long ways and can be mixed with the Hydro wash to reduce how much is needed) Chemical Guys Bug Bugger Heavy duty shampoo
2. (If I feel any roughness/particles stuck to the finish) Meguiar's Smooth Surface Clay Kit
3. (If the two above are not needed this will be the 1st item) Prima Hydro Wash Shampoo
4. Prima Epic Synthetic Wax (glossy wet look and sealent) (this can be applied in layers and is recommended 2 to 3 coats)
5. Prima Slick Quick Detail Spray (follow up spay used about once every week or two to help maintain the wet look).

I plan on only doing the Epic Wax every 4 to 6 months based on performance of the products.

 

 

Waef, definitely put up some before and afters. I would love to see the effect of the sheen you are talking about.

 

Very Nice!!!

 

Yes I attended Mini's on the Dragon last year and I am signed up again this year. I have family in Statesville, NC so I visit family and visit the Dragon I am in the same boat as you, I sold my 2010 MCS and am waiting for my new Baby to arrive. According to all the tracking she is on the Honor due to arrive in Baltimore on the 27th of Feb Maybe I'll see you there

 

Congrats!!!

 

If I see you at the Dragon, you won't have a hard time recognizing me, I'll be the one with the grin plastered all over my face....

 

Excellent!

 

No, I didn't get eaten by sharks swimming the Panama Canal looking for my MINI. I got shut down by the dang flu for nearly a week. Gotta say, it helped the time fly by. Hi everyone!!!

Missed all the obsessive complusive behaviors. LOL LOL LOL

So, what have I missed?

 

Jake, I am soooooo jealous!!!!! THanks for sharing. It helps the wait. Hopefully only 7 - 10 more days and I'll have my baby!!!!!

 

See what happens? You were so obsessive you left yourself open to the flu bug. Good to see your feeling better. I was wondering where you were. Being sick though kept you from spending any more money on the new MINI, ....or not.