Most liked posts in thread: What product for roof edge

Nero is an interior product, so it likely won't last long. Aerospace 303 may work, or Black Wow.

I have just been putting Hydro on that trim on our Clubman's roof trim. I don't think anything will get that rough texture to get any kind of shine:incazzato:.

Mark

 

Black Wow works rather well for that bit of trim. And...for those of us that have painted over all the other trim one of the little sample bottles lasts a hella long time...

 

Nathan, that trim is different on the 2nd gens. It has a rough texture, not the smooth texture of the 1st gens. Maybe OG will pipe in on what he uses. I will give some Black Wow a try later today, the weather is nice here today. I'll report back how it works.

Mark

 

Well ya learn something everyday Black Wow worked fine on the textured roof trim.

Here you can see some wax residue left from the late fall full detail.


After I cleaned the area with some QD, I worked some BW on a small area on the right.


Couple more, showing the difference BW makes.




I use a foam pad like this with BW.


Mark

 

I'll ditto the use of BW on that trim. What I've been using for a couple years now.

 

I have been using the 303 stuff with comparable results also.

 

I kind of figured it would work well also.

Mark

 

BW probably will last twice as long as 303. Mother's Back to Black lasts almost as long as BW in my unscientific testing, but has a glossier look to it that some people don't like (plus it isn't the product of a Mini owner's blood, sweat and tears). BW is recommended for any textured plastic trim. It's not for tires, and not great on smooth trim like the rubber around the belt line.

Has anyone had their roof drip rails sanded down and painted, by the way? Mine are in rough shape, the only thing on my car that's really showing the effects of sitting outside for 5 years. BW makes them black, but it can't help where they're just baked from the sun at this point.

 

I've always used BW on the roof rubber and the preferred applicator is a finger. This is also where OG's applicator card comes in handy since there is no margin for error.

 

I'm with you on this issue, almost 7 years now outside. My MINI not me

Mark

 

I use the skinny MF pad OctaneGuy sells to apply the BW. It puts it where you want it and doesn't waste much product.

 

Thanks guys, I couldn't have said it better myself! BW restores the color and evenness of surfaces, but if the surface is severely splotched and mottled due to weathering, it's not going to help that. I've got that on my 2005 as well.

I had a customer stop by the shop the other day who was picking up a gallon of Hydro and he mentioned to me that he was having trouble with BW on his R56 arches. I gave him a demo and 5 minutes later, he realized what he had been doing wrong all this time. I know the arches aren't the same as the drip rails, but a little technique goes a long way.

Richard

 

Hey Richard, the wedding is over, the restaurant is running, and you've moved into the new house, SO WHERE IS THE PRE-BW

Mark

 

I use the low-pile side of a 2-sided MF buffing cloth to remove BW from glass and paint. The high-pile side seems to smear it around, but the low side works well. I put BW on after washing (the car!), so adding more scratches to my finish isn't too likely. Applying BW before washing makes it all moot.

Were there any more diluted formulas in the days of BW development? I wonder if that would make it easier to apply, and also easier to remove from paint and glass. Or would the trade-off be any trim detailer that lasts only 2 weeks at the most?

 

Some of us have been wondering if it could be diluted enough so it could be sprayed, so doing things like honeycomb grills and such would be easier.

Mark

 

I actually had a spray version of BW and it really just came down to the fact that once you thin it out, the durability is compromised. I agree that the honeycomb areas are a PIA with BW. I usually just use a spray trim detailer like Meguiar's for that on my own car. Normally my process is apply BW on the face of the grills, then finish off with a spray product for the in betweens.

Glass Cleaner like Prima Clarity removes any residue very easily. If you're using a dry MF towel, you just have to keep turning it...the moment you rub it with an area that already picked up the BW, you just put it right back down again, lol.

Hahah Mark. I can't hide from my FaceBook friends, lol....wait...I'm still moving into the house!! And it's raining cats and dogs here in California now..and my MINI almost got trapped in a flood...so I have lots of excuses still!!!

 

Adam's used to make an aerosol trim sauce, but it apparently used volatile chemicals and is no longer on the market. I've still got a can, and it is just the ticket for grilles. They actually marketed it for interiors, too, but anyone who used that stuff in a small space is probably out on the street mumbling to themselves at this point, considering it smells like UNI air-filter cleaner.

Meguiar's and Stoner make similar products. Even if they only last a week, it's gotta be better than applying BW into hundreds of tiny spaces with a Q-Tip, right?

 

Adam's still makes a non-aerosol liquid undercarriage spray - I use that on the honeycomb grilles with excellent results.

Adam's Invisible Undercarriage Spray

 

gummi pflege works really well on the roof trim. The applicator it comes in is very easy to use / apply. I like it better than 303 on the exterior. Black Wow really works the best aesthetically on the exterior, but it does require a little bit steadier hand and for me that requires slowing down a bit - which sometimes I just want to be DONE.

So Aesthetics - Black Wow
Lasting - Black Wow
Ease of Application - Gummi Pflege

303 is a good all a rounder. It is quick, you can be "careless" with it and it holds up "ok"
GP is only good on small areas because of its applicator design.