I’ve heard of this in passing but never understood anything about it.

Since the recent unveiling of the 2007 MINIs (aka. R56) MINI has created a few mini movies titled Hammer and Coop. It resembles a parody of the hit television series Knight Rider in which Detective Michael Knight solves crimes with his sidekick, a black Trans AM named K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand).

Here are a few reviews on some of my most used products, they can also be downloaded here.

Turtle Wax F21 Wheel Cleaner

Nothing spectacular but it does provide some additional cleaning power in addition to great lubrication. Something I assume is an important factor to avoid scratches your alloy rims.

Turtle Wax ICE Liquid Polish

The best thing about this new product is the easy of application, it is literally liquid. It feels and looks like an oil which you apply onto the provided “sponge”, apply to your paint and let is sit for a few minutes before buffing out with the provided micro fiber towel.

Unlike most waxes ICE Liquid Polish can be applied in direct sunlight and even on your plastic trim without causing discoloration.

This ease of application also makes me apprehensive towards the actual level of protection it provides. I’ve always been taught that if something appears too good to be true, it probably isn’t. I will remain neutral on this product as I continue to struggle with convience versus performance.

Turtle Wax ICE Synthetic Detailer

This product is designed to be a quick detailer between conventional waxes. It took me a while to wrap my mind around this concept as I’ve always been taught to wax after each wash, so here is a quick tutorial for those who have been school’d as I was.

A conventional waxing is normally done every quarter, if not more frequently, while a quick wash and rinse should be performed at least every week. Once you have a good “base” to work with the easy part should be the up-keep, your weekly car washes. During these periods your base wax will begin to breakdown and your paint’s protection slowly compromised if left un-kept. This is where quick detailers become a great tool as it works to prolong your base coat by “building” a thin layer of wax onto the existing layer.

Back to the review, to the untrained eye (my eye) it appears to be little or no difference between this product and the ICE Liquid Polish, aside from the spray bottle applicator. Regardless, according to my paint-finish-sensor (palm) it appears to restore the smoothness-factor.

303 Aerospace Protectant

This product provides excellent UV protection, up to 90-something percent according to the manufacturer’s claims. I would recommend using this product on trim before it begins to fade, as this product does little to restore. The nice thing about using this product on the exterior is it’s lack of oiliness, which normally will act as a glue for dirt and other debris. For this same reason I recommend using it on the interior dash components as it will not cause a shine or reflection from the sun.

The only indirect negative I can find about this product is the price-tag. This product must be applied frequently to maintain results and $13 a bottle (16 oz.) can quickly add up … but it’s worth every penny.

No Touch Tire Care

Like my other tire cleaning product, this one is also average. It does shine-up dull wheels nicely however there are other products on the market which give you that extra shine factor. For the price and the ease-of-application it can’t hurt to have this product as part of your cleaning supplies.

Armorall Cleaner Wipes

Save your money and purchase a bottle 303 Aerospace Protectant instead. Armorall Cleaner wipes do nothing more than a wet paper towel can accomplish.

I am in no way a professional detailer and this review is made solely by my untrained observation.

A few weeks ago I received an email from my MINI Sales Represenative inviting me to the grand unveiling of the 2007 MINI Cooper.

A re-styled MINI Cooper?!?! I just got my brand new MINI a few months ago and it’s already outdated. Bummer.

This email got me interested to identify the differences between my 2006 MINI Cooper and re-designed 2007 MINI Cooper. Engine-wise the newer MINI gets a boost of 5-horsepower (120 hp @ 6,000 rpm) and increased gas mileage up to 40 miles per gallon (MPG) maximum with a 6-speed gearbox.

Engine aside (I’m not much of a gear-head) there have been many cosmetic enhancements changes made to both the interior and exterior. If you’re not a MINI owner you may be unable to notice the changes from the 1st Generation to the current 2nd Generation. The most defining feature of these cars is the center-mountered spedometer, so it’s only appropriate to start here.

In order to provide further leg-room for both front passengers, MINI has decided to narrow the center cluster by relocating the audio controls into the center spedometer. In order to accomidate for these added controls while maintaining function and nastolga, MINI decided to super-size the already over-sized center spedometer. In this process the center console looks very clean empty and boring … in my opinion.
vs. The redesign increases the size of the center spedometer and incorporates the audio controls

vs. The narrowed center console now provides additional leg-room to front passengers

vs. Replaced the tweeter for a mid-range coaxil speaker. Also the external mirror controls have been moved to the door

vs. A nice addition is the ability to tilt open the rear sunroof, something unavailable on the 2006 models

vs. Controls for the map-lights and sunroofs were made to compliment the standard toggle switch panel.

Like the interior the EXTERIOR has gone through a few “subtle” changes

vs. The integration of the turn signals into the headlight housing and the loss pair of lights

vs. The upper grill is seamless compared to the 2006 models

vs. The pair of rear lenses are stockier and the 3rd brakelight moved into the rear bumper

vs. As you can see, the corners wrap around the car a little more than previous models and the windows appear shorter

MINI of Peabody just unveiled the 2007 models (aka. R56). Follow this link to see additional pictures and a quick review by an attending MINI owner.

It’s been a few weeks since my last car washing adventure and I was getting a little bored working on the household cars so I decided to hit-up my family members for the use of their cars. In exchange for their loss of automobiles for the day, they will receive a free car wash. My first “customer” also became my car washing partner, cousin Reiki and I were out washing cars on Super Bowl Sunday.

First car in the line-up, a 2000 Toyota Celica GTS

Within the past 12 months the GTS was given a new paint job and since then has been well maintained. We started at the wheels and they proved to be the most difficult part of the cleaning. Covered in brake dust it was a chore to remove the caked-on residue from the outer portion and almost impossible to clean the inner wheel. With a little help from Turtle Wax F21-line’s spray-on wheel cleaner and a little elbow grease we were able to remove 90% of the residue, onward to the paint. After a thorough wash and rinse, a quick pass with the clay bar removed what little defects were hidden on the paint’s surface. A coat of Turtle Wax F21-line polish and Meguiars’ Cleaner Wax were we complete. Details such as wheel dressings, fender-well and rubber trim were handled by No Touch Tire Care, 303 Aerospace Protectant and Turtle Wax’s Wet n’ Black respectively.

A few pictures of the finished product

Here’s a tip for those with hazed headlight housings, a coat of wax on the outside clears them right up.

Before

After

Second and final car in the line-up was a very un-maintained 2004 Toyota Corolla-S. A pass with the clay-bar revealed many impurities, to the point where it felt “like sandpaper”, but once the defects were removed the remaining processes went very smoothly. Again all rubber and black trim were treated with:

• 303 Aerospace Protectant
• Turtle Wax Wet n’ Black
• No Touch Tire Care

I tried another “trick” I learned to remove water-spots from the windows, white distilled vinegar. Didn’t work to perfection but it appears to have softened the spots.

Here is a link to the list of products I’ve used, including my reviews, price paid and purchase location.

So far all the pictures I’ve posted about Kahu have been exterior shots. Nothing to show what makes Kahu work, so here it is … bone stock.

After a much needed bath this morning, I got working on some finer points of Kahu that hasn’t seen a cleaning. The first is all the trim along the bottom edge of the hood.

Your typical engine bay photoshoot from the front bumper

Valve covers and spark plugs

According to the Owner’s Manual, oil change is required once-a-year or 10,000 miles … which ever comes first.

My collection of Frank Kozik’s Smorkin Labbit from Split Obsession.

Why does the State of Hawaii require automobiles to display front license plates??

Certain states employ Red-light cameras to identify and prosecute traffic light violators. In order to fine and/or prosecute the offender the vehicle must be identified, in which case I agree with the requirement of front license plate.

Hawaii doesn’t employ this type of traffic violation enforcement.

Back in 2002 Hawaii attempted to crackdown on speeding by utilizing a Speed-limit Photo Enforcement (aka. VanCam). Due to community complaints in reference to invasion of privacy the program was disolved after a few months of operation.

Reading some articles it appears the VanCam takes a picture of the offending vehicle from both the front and rear. The reason for the rear photograph is because the State of Hawaii does not require motorcycles to display a front license plate.

Which leads me to my next question, why are motorcycles not required to display a front plate while a requirement for passenger and commercial automobiles?!?!

Doesn’t any car look much cleaner without a front plate?

When I purchased Kahu in November, it was baking in the sun covered with water-spots, twigs and dirt. Obviously Kahu was given a thourough cleaning before delivery and I was unable to find any imperfections, a job well done … until I removed the front license plate bracket.

A few twigs short of a completed bird-nest is what awaited me behind the bracket, complete with hardened-waterspots on the grill and bumper. In addition, MINI of Hawaii has made the decision of mounting my bracket DIRECTLY into the bumper. In fairness to MINI of Hawaii, majority of Hawaii car dealerships attach front plates in a similar fashion.

Why can’t dealerships go that little extra and attach your front plates using some body-preserving method. Perhaps something like this License Plate Mounting Bracket sold by MossMini.com.

I’ve heard many positive reviews on this product, 303 Aerospace Protectant. A restoration and protection on various rubber materials.

Now the embarrassing …. earlier this week I left the office early to detail some family member’s cars as a surprise New Years gift and to make use of my newly acquired car cleaning tools.

I started with a very abused and un-kept 1999 Acura TL, complete with water spots, swirls, bird turd, dents, etc. Anticipating multiple passes with the shampoo and claybar, I was surprised to see a single pass was sufficient to remove the impurities. Left with a silky smooth surface (with exception of deep scratches and dents) I applied Turtle Wax ICE Liquid Polish and noticed the once dull paint took on an oily appearance. Nice. Finished up with Meguiar’s Gold Class Liquid Wax, left to cure for an hour while I started on the next car.

A black 2001 Acura RL, in substantially better condition although it had quite a few dents. Same process … wash, rinse, claybar, rinse, dry, polish with ICE and wax.

7-hours later — both cars look much cleaner and shinier than their previous state. Silky smooth I might add. A happy and rewarded newbie-auto-detailer … until this morning.

In attempts to perfect and fuel my auto detailing O.C.D., this morning was spent reading online reviews for various products, one of them being Turtle Wax’s ICE Liquid Polish. As it appears, this is a wax, not a polish as you would assume by the packaging. So what does this mean? Nothing really … just an extra coat of wax without any benefits of polish.

Hmm … more research and another trip to the local NAPA for some POLISH!

After a multiple Saturdays of Christmas shopping and similar Sundays of golfing, Kahu was pretty dirty filthy.

As 2006 comes to an end and we welcome in 2007 I figure I’d give Kahu a nice once-over in anticipation of the upcoming weekend parties. I haven’t purchased any auto cleaning tools for a while now and thought today would be a good a time as any. A short trip and a $135 later I believe I have a great starter set:

• Auto Armor Shine! Maintenance Kit w/Paint Protection Cleaner/Re-newer (courtesy of MINI of Hawaii)
• Meguiar’s Gold Class Liquid Wax
• Turtle Wax F21 Wheel Cleaner
• Turtle Wax Wet n’ Black
• No Touch Tire Care
• ICE Synthetic Liquid Polish
• ICE Synthetic Spray Detailer
• TECnique Correction Clay Kit
• Armorall Cleaner Wipes
• Chamois
• Tire scrub brush

View the supplies list here, in Excel format
As the weather made a turn for the worse, I was forced to ditch my waxing effort and concentrate on other aspects of Kahu’s bath: Interior detailing and tire cleaning.

The Round the Island adventure last weekend caused a lot of brake dust to coat my rims. A quick shot of Turtle Wax F21 Wheel cleaner quickly took care of that … although I believe the coat of wax applied by the dealership would have proven sufficient.

Kahu’s Christmas present from Terri & Duane, it’s called an Ionic Breeze Car Ionizer Air Purifier. It supposedly filters out the impurities from the air and allows for an odor-free environment. With the few remaining days as a smoker (New Years Resolution) I will be extensively testing the integrity of this device.

With many “co-pilot” requested pit-stops along the way, we managed to cover some 300 miles of Oahu roads in 6-hours, Kahu’s first around the island drive.

Early in our cruise Kahu found his first “twisty” experience near Hanauma Bay, and I quickly realized the negative effect of the hard run-flat tires. My dealership upgraded the standard rim and tire package to 16″ R32s with the run-flat tires. Although useful if I had purchased the Cooper S, which doesn’t come equipped with a spare tire, my Cooper with the run-flat option AND additional spare set doesn’t make sense. The run-flat tires have a harder sidewall which prevents tire collapse should the inner air-tube become compromised, but it also prevents the sidewall from flexing during high cornering loads, meaning reduced traction. None-the-less, it was still fun pushing the corners at speeds in slight-excess of the posted limit

Once we got through the traffic-heavy Waimanalo, Kahu got his first taste of an open-road-experience … well more like an appetizer. Burdened by traffic once again, we made our way into Kaneohe to our first pit-stop, Valley of the Temples graveyard for our annual Christmas visit to my grandparents.

Continuing our Motoring experience we made our way to Chinaman’s Hat via the coastal drive of Kahalu’u. Since the first day of ownership I’ve always felt like a GIANT standing next to my MINI, so we decided to perpetuate this fantasy by taking some distance-enhanced pictures next to Chinaman’s Hat.

Continuing our coastal drive we Motor On into Kahuku for our next pit-stop, the infamous Giovanni Shrip Van. Located directly across of Kahuku High School, literally on the side of the road, this is a favorite with both locals as well as a must-have for tourists. At $12 a plate, this isn’t a place Rachael Ray would be featuring on her $40 a Day Show, but it worth the drive, crowd, wait and flies. My first visit to Giovanni’s a few years ago I made the rookie mistake of offering to pickup a plate for friends and family. Not only was the order request overwhelming but my wallet felt the pinch too. Since that learning-experience I have made a self-imposed rule … if you’re not making the drive with me, you ain’t getting a plate.

With a stomach full of garlic shrimp we made our way through weekend beach traffic at Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay … choppy and blown-out … into Hale’iwa Town. With luck on our side we were anticipating a nice cold shaved-ice from another local and tourist favorite, Matsumoto’s Shave-Ice … no such luck. Parking was non-existent and the line into the store was snaking it’s way around the adjacent parking lot. Decided to pass-up the shave-ice and decided on juicy pineapples at Dole Plantation instead.

Into Wahiawa we go and another open-road experience for Kahu to stretch his legs a little.

Back in 1877 Jim Dole came to Hawaii with $1,500 in his pocket and purchased 61-acres of land in Wahiawa to begin what is now known as Dole Plantation. After a big meal, a few slices of pineapples will help your body’s digestive process. I learned this while on the Pineapple Express, a educational train ride that runs though the Plantation property.

One last stop … Kahu meet Kahu.

11;30pm – 15 hours since my Saturday began – the day is finally over.