c3 NXT Detailing Day June 18th

[OctaneGuy]

June 18 2005 NXT Clinic
What a great way to spend Fathers Day weekend! I can't think of a better way to do it than spend it with my MINI friends!! 8 MINI's showed up but only 4 of them wanted to be detailed for various reasons. Also we had two c3 members drop by unexpectedly, David E. and Ronnie, to say hi. What's funny is that both of them had appointments that turned out to be just blocks from c3 HQ.

Featured Products:
NXT Tech Wax
NXT Spray Wax
NXT Speed Detailer
ScratchX
#83
Quick Clay Detailing System
NXT Car Wash
Quik Detailer
NXT Glass Cleaner


First Load of Microfibers

Each of my clinics begins several days earlier with washing all my microfiber towels. Because of varying manufacturing qualities, I have towels just for paint and others of lesser quality for wheels, glass, and trim. After washing, I separate them into groups, and painstakingly go over each towel with tweezers removing any matter that could cause scratches!

MINIs awaiting their turn

Hmmm how did that SUV sneak into line 5 cars back! Well he wasn't a counterfeit MINI, so we just skipped him.

Are you washing your car again? How about me?

My 12 year old doggie

EZ UPs provide shade

We detailed in the garage, but washed the cars in the shade to keep the paint cool.

MINI #1:: Jeanine's Hyperblue got scuffed

On our last group drive up the coast, Jeanine's new 2 month old 2005 Hyperblue MC took an unintentional offroading adventure taking her through brush that scratched the entire side of her MINI. Her mirrors and window pillars were also scuffed.

Jeanine's Hyperblue Offroad Adventure

If you look carefully there are 3 dusty MINI's there and they are all Coopers!! The front one is a 2005 hyperblue MC, the white one in back is a 2003 Pepper White MC, and the one to the right side is a silk green 2003 MC. All 3 of these cars were here for their makeover!

Another Scratch



One of the scratches to remove from Jeanine's MC



Scratch in black window pillar



Wiping Down with Quik Detailer



Quik Detailer and Clay

Jeanine brought her MINI prewashed so it was just a matter of using Quik Detailer to remove any surface dust, and clay bar to remove any embedded contaminants.

Clay Bar at work

Normally we'd use a larger piece of clay, but we didn't have much clay to work with--a little clay needs to stretch over many clinics!

The owner claying too



Doing a test spot using M83 and NXT Tech Wax

After doing the test spot, we pulled the car back into the sun and determined it was now swirl free, however, the pictures really couldn't capture the fine swirls so you will just have to take our word for it!

Scratch X removed this scratch!

One of the many clear coat scratches from her offroad adventure.

No more scratch!



Jeanine using PC for first time

Here we've got the Meguiar's Microfiber Bonnet on a red cutting pad!

NXT Shine!!!



Looking Spectacular

All the major scratches were pulled out using a combination of ScratchX by hand with a foam applicator pad, followed by M83 using the PC, then NXT Tech Wax, and Meguiars Clear Coat Wax with a finishing pad and PC. We spent around 4.5 hours restoring this shine!

MINI #2:: Linda's MCS Before Washing



Linda's Scratched Roof



Linda's MCS Before Washing



Linda's Scratched Roof

Lots of deep scratches and swirls!

Linda's MCS Being Washed



Linda's MCS and AUX Port Install

Matt #1 and Matt #2 worked on installing an Aux Port for the owners iPod, while we worked on detailing!

Linda's MCS All Clean and Shiny



Linda's Scratched Roof After



Linda's Scratched Roof After



Linda's Scratched Roof After

Light swirl marks still there, but major scratches gone! Definitely a 100% improvement. A little more time and we could have made it perfect, but time was running out as the sun was going away!

MINI #3:: Reggie's Baby (Former Zaino Shine)

Complete claybar, M83, NXT Tech Wax

Completely taped off

Owner had been to previous clinics but would never let anyone touch her MINI. This time, she finally relented but was still reluctant. After some coaxing it turned out she was concerned about the trim turning white, so we taped off the whole car.







Plastic trim was removed when possible, otherwise it was masked off with painters tape.





















Even white shines with NXT!

By this time, all the sunlight was gone so we just had the overhead fluorescent lights but NXT looked fantastic!

















Jeri wants a MINI

My neighbor Jeri saw Matthew and I working on our MINI's one day and wanted to know more about them. After a few minutes, I offered to give her a ride, and we took a fast tour around the Marina. Soon after that she told me she was in the market for a preowned MINI, so I invited her to sit in my MINI for a picture!

Let's stay shiny until next time!! Time to put in a new order at Meguiars! We need more clay, M83, M80, #7, Speed Detailer, Glass Cleaner!

[Jeanine]

Just wanted to tell everyone that I had a great time working on my Hyper Blue MINI. Everyone that helped were great.
Richard, thanks for educating more on the products. I've been to one detailing clinic with Mike in Irvine and I thought that was great. You take the time to actually talk about the products so that I would understand. I would really like to go to many maore clinic in the future!!!! I think the products are great!
Thank you
Jeanine

[Mike Phillips]

Wow! Awesome write-up Richard and way to go helping your fellow Mini Cooper owners learn the art of polishing paint with Meguiar's!



How many clinics total have you put on at your house now?

[OctaneGuy]

Thanks Mike!

Amazingly this was our 7th clinic at my house since I began last September. I don't see an end in sight! In fact, I've been asked to help out a person in Arizona and in Mississippi set up a c3 Detailing clinic in their town as well.

I've had a great teacher (ahem Mike Phillips) and this forum has been invaluable!

Jeanine:
I'm so glad I got to work on your MINI and bring back that better than new car shine!! Always glad to see that smile of yours!

Richard

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
Wow! Awesome write-up Richard and way to go helping your fellow Mini Cooper owners learn the art of polishing paint with Meguiar's!



How many clinics total have you put on at your house now?

[MintyCPR]

Well this was certainly an anxiously awaited clinic.
I think i speak for all three of us from the *offroad trip* when i say that there were some scratches we thought would never come out.

Especially in the case of Jeanine's new HyperBlue MINI, they looked like they might have even penetrated the clearcoat. That ScartchX & #83 did wonders!

It's real obvious that a lot of luv & care went into restoring/improving our beloved little cars shine :-D
(Two almost equally shiny cars parked right next to me yesterday in the park; all the others were filthy..)

Thanks to Rick/C3 for corraling us all together to make this happen, to all our helpful hands who showed up weather or not their MINIs got detailed, and to Mike P. for helping us kick-start this whole thing. :-)

[Ronnie Wexler]

I was thrilled to have "accidently" found Richard's house last week on my way home from a friends house two blocks away. While I was turning to leave the neighborhood I saw all the Mini's lined up on the street and backed up and found it was the detailing clinic at Richards. I was jealous that I hadn't attended, but alas I had a previous engagement. The car's looked fantastic, the products work, I've used Meguiars products and think they are excellent.

[LnkPrkSoldier]

to Meguiars Online Ronnie

well, that happens, but attending the clinics are fun. i went to one with the bimmerforums, i took a mercedes :P , and even then, they treated me nicely. most likely because all of them were faster than mine, but thats fine. maybe later on you will get the chance to attend it. Have a good day

[Reggie]

Great post OctaneGuy. It was a wonderful detailing day. I admit to being the one with the nerves.

But at the end of the day, all of the cars looked shiny, felt smooth, and beautiful. Thanks to Richard and the c3 gang for all of their hard work and dedication. After an event like that it's time to restock on all of those Meguiar's products, eh?

I still have a lot to learn but it's cool to be around others that have learned from Mike and are then passing that info along to others. Thanks to all.

[OctaneGuy]

Thanks Reggie!

Well for those that don't know you, it was quite an honor to be finally working on your MINI.

Glad you enjoyed the clinic! I've been getting tons of requests for our next one in July--so I guess we better set the next date soon! :lol

Richard

Originally posted by Reggie
Great post OctaneGuy. It was a wonderful detailing day. I admit to being the one with the nerves.

[Jeanine]

Did I hear the next clinic is in July? Woohoo!!! I wish Mike P. could be there but I've heard that he has every weekend booked for the entire year...wow. Maybe we can double up with another group he has already booked,,double the fun.
As long as I keep learning more about these great products, and get to go to these clinic's(either with c3 or Mequiar's) you will have a customer for life.
Is there anyway we could get any promo items to use or display? You know like T-Shirts, stickers, cups or office supplies like post-its, pens, note pads, folders, etc. I would love to promote a product I trust and believe in, not to mention love. I really like all that stuff.

[imacarnut]

great job octaneguy! looks like everyone had a blast! on a side note... i noticed your 12yr old cocker spaniel, ours was 13 yrs of age and recently we had to put him to sleep (had bronchitis and could barely breathe and if we didn't put him to sleep, his lungs would of collapsed) give him/her a hug for me! take care, buddy....

[OctaneGuy]

Aww that's really sad to hear--so sorry. My cocker does have an irregular heart beat--forgot the medical term for that, and she breathes/snores loud and sleeps deeply. Can rub her and shake her and she continues to snore. She's been doing ok, but I sense that things may not be that way for long. She got over a dangerous blood disease a year and a half ago, and suffered a stroke due to her medications (I think).

Thanks, I will give her a hug!!

Richard

Originally posted by rcknit
great job octaneguy! looks like everyone had a blast! on a side note... i noticed your 12yr old cocker spaniel, ours was 13 yrs of age and recently we had to put him to sleep (had bronchitis and could barely breathe and if we didn't put him to sleep, his lungs would of collapsed) give him/her a hug for me! take care, buddy....

[imacarnut]

Originally posted by OctaneGuy
Aww that's really sad to hear--so sorry. My cocker does have an irregular heart beat--forgot the medical term for that, and she breathes/snores loud and sleeps deeply. Can rub her and shake her and she continues to snore. She's been doing ok, but I sense that things may not be that way for long. She got over a dangerous blood disease a year and a half ago, and suffered a stroke due to her medications (I think).

Thanks, I will give her a hug!!

hey richard,
i hope she continues to do well, and thanks for giving her a hug! take care

[OctaneGuy]

Thanks for your well wishes--much appreciated!

Richard

Originally posted by rcknit
hey richard,
i hope she continues to do well, and thanks for giving her a hug! take care

[jks79ta]

Nice write up and pics of the Mini's. My sister has an 04 and I have had to detail it once and man it takes no time at all. I just wish she would keep the darn thing clean. Everytime I see it I give her a little grief that her wheels aren't supposed to be black.