# MINI Arches and Skirts



## whitecupra (Jul 19, 2008)

Hi folks, my other half has a wee Mini, 2008 model. What's the best product to feed and blacken the arches and skirts? Anything I use just washes off or goes grey again after a while


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## Wingers (Jan 20, 2011)

Mate, I use the AG vinyl and rubber care. Comes up a treat and lasts a while as well


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2011)

c1 from Gtechnic and no other:thumb:


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2011)

DETAIL said:


> c1 from Gtechnic and no other:thumb:


I think you mean C4 trim restorer?

I have had this delivered today, for a MINI Cooper S trim funnily enough, and will do a write up soon about it :thumb:


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

Wouldn't C4 Permanent Trim Restorer be a better product?


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## jay_bmw (Jan 28, 2010)

always use megs endurance tyre gel on the missu's mini 

seems to do the job well


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## Bratwurst (Jan 23, 2009)

303 is a good 'semi-permanent' dressing.

but for value surely must be the gtech going by previous users results)


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

Does anyone know if this would be ok to prepare the trim before applying C4?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tetrosyl-Pre-..._Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item25602c9a5d

Can't find IPA anywhere over here and cant ship it in


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## -tom- (Jan 27, 2009)

Veedub18 said:


> Does anyone know if this would be ok to prepare the trim before applying C4?
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tetrosyl-Pre-..._Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item25602c9a5d
> 
> Can't find IPA anywhere over here and cant ship it in


your local chemist should be able to help you with the supply of ipa if they havent got it they should be able to order in for you.


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## andrewst500 (Nov 2, 2008)

C4 :thumb:


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

agree with -tom- a chemist/pharmacy should be able to get you it if they dont have already.

and i would also go for C4 (i just ordered some!)


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

Thanks guys, I'll try a few chemists - one I spoke to won't sell it to the public for some reason


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

how do i put this politely lol...(not meaning you lol)

some of them wont sell it to the public due to the fact that some alcoholics mix it with water and drink it. and its not very good for you.


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

CraigQQ said:


> how do i put this politely lol...(not meaning you lol)
> 
> some of them wont sell it to the public due to the fact that some alcoholics mix it with water and drink it. and its not very good for you.


LOL!

I prefer a nice bottle of Sancerre! :thumb:

Managed to find someone who sells it so off up there now to get some. I'll do a write up later on showing how it went, its a lovely sunny day here today so should go ok.


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

lol printo error c4 lol


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## herbiedacious (Sep 27, 2010)

Groundnut oil does an amazing job. Ideal for the lower panels,wouldn't use it any higher than skirts or arches though cos it runs a bit after rain. Gives a lovely finish and brings back the black a treat.


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## neilneilorange (Oct 9, 2007)

You can buy 1 litre tins of IPA from your nearest Maplins.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/isopropyl-alcohol-28994


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

I also found ebay was quite good for IPA much cheaper than maplins

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IPA-ISOPROPYL...Equipment_Lab_Supplies_ET&hash=item45edfba86e


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## jedigav (Jan 22, 2011)

I use AG vinyl & rubber care on the plastic on my Mini. It stays black almost a month, but needs a few applications when I put it on, just wipe on, work it in, then take it off. I had AG super resin get on the plastic strip above the windscreen, which is a pain to get off. I used AG Vinyl with a toothbrush to agitate it & it got it off. Don't know what my neighbours thought, watching me clean my Mini's teeth tho:lol: It's great on all the rubber bits on the Mini too.


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## dalecyt (Nov 16, 2010)

what about painting the arches?
it totally changes the look of the car.
just a thought.


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## whitecupra (Jul 19, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the input! Would one 15ml of C4 be enough to do the whole car?


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

neilneilorange said:


> You can buy 1 litre tins of IPA from your nearest Maplins.
> 
> http://www.maplin.co.uk/isopropyl-alcohol-28994


No Maplins in Guernsey, and you cant ship IPA through the post anymore!


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

whitecupra said:


> Thanks everyone for the input! Would one 15ml of C4 be enough to do the whole car?


It certainly is, I've just done mine. Loading pics up soon :thumb:


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

whitecupra said:


> Thanks everyone for the input! Would one 15ml of C4 be enough to do the whole car?


depends on the car mate.

mine has a lot of plastic round the bottom being an 4x4/crossover thing

so on robs advice i bought 25ml.. but i do have a lot of plastic lol.

cars with full black plastic bumpers might struggle.:thumb:


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

Ok so here we go then. Anyone who owns a MINI will know they have a lot of plastic trim, from around the roof to around the bottom of the car.

I ordered a bottle of C4 from G|techniq which arrived promptly and well packaged to the Channel Islands :thumb:

I found some IPA at a local chemists and a pack of normal make-up remover/cosmetic pads.










The MINI getting some attention today is a 2003 MINI Cooper S, a new daily driver bought in Southampton and under the MINI Cherished scheme. Although it was clean, the trim was looking tired.










So after a wipedown using IPA and the cometic pads I was sure the trim was clean.










I primed a pad with a very small amount of C4. You don't need very much as I found it went a very long way. The bottle is very small so I made sure I left it on a shelf after priming a pad, its too easy to spill a product if you carry it while concentrating on applying it! :doublesho

C4 really does "what it says on the tin". The trim immediately looked like it did when it was new. No shiny false look, just like it had restored the new look. 
The pics below show the difference as I've left a strip untreated.



















I treated everything possible, including the rear wiper arm, spray jets, plastic gutters, door sills, window sills and front vents. I was left with this. (there was a little bit left over, enough to do another car bumper perhaps).










Ok so in my opinion this product is well worth the cost. Ok its not cheap but the results really do speak for themselves, the trim really does look like new and beads like its been waxed ( I washed the car shortly afterwards). I usually treat plastic parts like this with Zaino Z16 or 303, but after seeing these results I no longer need to. I had read a lot of good things about this, and I can now see why.




























Well impressed :thumb:


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## RichardC (Apr 30, 2006)

Sweet looking Cooper S :thumb:


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2011)

RichardC said:


> Sweet looking Cooper S :thumb:


Thanks bud :thumb:


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## whitecupra (Jul 19, 2008)

Great review there! Thanks alot! Do I order it directly from the company website or does anywhere else do it?


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

you can get it direct from gtechniq. 
or the ultimate finish.
or shinerama(just started stocking some gtechniq stuff.

the cheapest place is actually ultimate finish.. they charge the same as gtechniq but no postage over £30. so win win [:Y:]

(even cheaper for me as my car club gets discount)


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## Smooth Criminal (Mar 26, 2011)

Hey Veedub how did you keep the C4 off the paintwork when applying?
Cracking S btw


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2011)

Veedub18 said:


> Ok so here we go then. Anyone who owns a MINI will know they have a lot of plastic trim, from around the roof to around the bottom of the car.
> 
> I ordered a bottle of C4 from G|techniq which arrived promptly and well packaged to the Channel Islands :thumb:
> 
> ...


Have you seen the car since?

How is it lasting/looking?


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## BandyQuill (Jun 21, 2010)

hows this holding up on your mini after a few months, im tempted to get a bottle for the MCS JCW as the plastics look a bit drab...


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## wayne_w (Jan 25, 2007)

As an alternative, I used Chemical Guys New Look Trim Gel on my Cooper S.
Easy to apply with a foam applicator like the type to apply tyre gel, lasts for ages too.
Wayne


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## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

C4 or vp trim glitz.


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