Hi,

My '02 PT Cruiser is being replaced with a 2013 HT S, Midnight black body and roof, white bonnet stripes, chrome air intake scoop, moon/sun roof, black headlight housing. black union jack side mirrors, rearview mirrors, and valve caps, 17 inch black wheels, white turn signals, black leatherette interior, black piano dash, mini connected with navigation, automatic air, rain sensor/ wipers, comfort access, Harman Kardon stereo. I don't have it yet but I'm very excited! I'll post pictures when I can.

Any advice for a new Mini owner besides : Use premium gas. Anything I should know? or Tips on some supplies I should keep in my car at all times for quick touch up and cleaning of interior/ exterior in between washes.

Thanks everyone!
Brad

 

Have fun with the mini! Make it your own theres plenty of good websites to order some pretty cool stuff for the mini to personalize it or make it faster. Only advice i can give about keeping it clean is don't take it through an automatic carwash hand washes only especialy because its black. Ur gonna love the car i love mine

 

Thanks so much for the reply.

Ya i heard about the automatic carwash. Brushless automatic car washes are ok now and then right? I also heard that black is a nightmare to keep clean. I figured the more i can do to keep it clean the longer like dusting the outside and keeping a bottle of a spot cleaner in the car. i can go before washing 2 weeks instead of every 2 days as an example.

As a non car guy and new Mini owner any other advice anyone has. I've heard to use premium gas, check fluids before leaving dealer lot and often. Any other biggies

I really appreciate your time and have been and will research on my own. I'm just so excited and figured I could post in the 1st gear forum what may be simple questions.

Any excuse to talk Mini! Oh and I'm in Dallas btw. If anyone has a road map of the city that avoids these horrible pot hole roads. Lol

Thanks again
Brac

 

No problem bud i know how annoying it can be when no one gets back too you on a post lol
Your idea about the consistant wiping down each day does have some merit as i have read on ferrari fourms before that alot of owners simply buy quick detailer bottles and each day they gently wipe off dust from there cars so they dont have to subject the expensive paint to water so often. Me i personaly sometimes use my air compressor to blow dust off my mini so it always looks clean but 1-2 times a week i wash my car as well. Depending on what wheels you have i would buy a wheel wand from autozone to get in between the spokes makes washing the wheels wayyy easyer and my rims are always sparkling because of it!

 

I would also buy a claybar kit have a few large drying microfiber towls a wheel wand and wax as well as aplicators plenty of smaller microfiber cloths for the wheels. I have bought all those and they make keeping the mini clean so much more enjoyable Maby im werid i actully enjoy washing my car! Also get a bottle of armor all for the black trim apply once every two weeks to keep it nice and black then the basics wax it every other month and clay it every 4 months ect

 

Thanks! Any concern regarding bonnet stripes? To avoid damage?

 

Yeah dont put an orbital polisher on them if they are older and i would rotate the stripes on and off because over time under the stripes will b a gorgous deep black and the rest of the car will be a more sunfaded color so id do 6 months on 6 months off with the stripes to save the paint. And this is just to protect the paint i u honestly never see you ever taking off the stripes or changing to single stripe smaller larger ect ive seen way too many posts of people who messed up there stripes decided they didnt want em any more then they take them off and still have stripes on lol

 

Welcome to NAM, Brad Chiasson and congrats on your new MINI. We'll be patiently awaiting those pics. Us MINIacs move pics here at NAM.

 

on vindecoder.net it list the Manufacturer as BMW Group, Germany but the plant as Oxford, England. Can anyone tell me what that means? Specifically where was it built. and is it possible to know when it was built?

Thanks!
Brad

 

BMW owns MINI and some (most?) models are made in Oxford. I ran my VIN through http://www.bmwarchive.org/vin/bmw-vin-decoder.html and that listed the build date and all of the options etc.