What'd you do to your BMW today?

[balancerider 757]

Got in there early and updated the Navigation! 😁

[NZ BMW 368]

2 hours ago, balancerider said:

Got in there early and updated the Navigation! 😁

Out of interest, did you have this done by your local dealer? I don’t think mines been done since 2016 and I am trying to weigh up an update or going the CarPlay route at some point. 

[balancerider 757]

I didn't use the dealer but it wasn't for want of trying. Was going to use Winger in Wellington but it wasn't worth 4 figures to me to update it 🙄

Coombes Johnston in Hamilton and Hawkes' Bay BMW quoted a much more reasonable price - PM me if you want details for self-updating. I think Carplay requires new hardware for pre-mid 2016 build cars

 

Also not technically something done to my car, but joined NZ BMW Car Club! 😎

Edited December 31, 2020 by balancerider

[Driftit 2078]

On 12/31/2020 at 4:43 PM, balancerider said:

I didn't use the dealer but it wasn't for want of trying. Was going to use Winger in Wellington but it wasn't worth 4 figures to me to update it 🙄

Coombes Johnston in Hamilton and Hawkes' Bay BMW quoted a much more reasonable price - PM me if you want details for self-updating. I think Carplay requires new hardware for pre-mid 2016 build cars

 

Also not technically something done to my car, but joined NZ BMW Car Club! 😎

Oh you could have shopped for a new MG after looking at all the new BMW's.

Winger BMW is now Continental Cars.  Chinese MG's alongside BMW's.
Nice to hear other BMW dealerships are more realistic though.

[balancerider 757]

@Driftit After my previous experiences with Winger I wouldn't be in a massive rush to spend more money with them. Hopefully Continental Cars can do better, although no change in staff as I understand it.

[Driftit 2078]

@balancerider yeah same staff who have no interest in second hand BMWs.

[TermiPeteNZ 1318]

15 hours ago, Driftit said:

Oh you could have shopped for a new MG after looking at all the new BMW's.

Winger BMW is now Continental Cars.  Chinese MG's alongside BMW's.
Nice to hear other BMW dealerships are more realistic though.

Continental Cars are at least focusing on BMW... MGs are goneburger to Gazley... and yes fingers crossed for positive change and more general brand enthusiasm/support. Lots of work to rebuild their profile, image and reputation and we can only hope that the new owners inspire the staff to warm up and get enthusiastic. Leaders/owners can have a huge impact.

Locate a Dealer | MG Motor New Zealand 

[Driftit 2078]

 

9 minutes ago, TermiPeteNZ said:

Continental Cars are at least focusing on BMW... MGs are goneburger to Gazley... and yes fingers crossed for positive change and more general brand enthusiasm/support. Lots of work to rebuild their profile, image and reputation and we can only hope that the new owners inspire the staff to warm up and get enthusiastic. Leaders/owners can have a huge impact.

Locate a Dealer | MG Motor New Zealand 

I really hope so Peter.  I went from not suggesting them to people to actively telling people to avoid them.
Will give them a chance and see if Continental sorts them out.

[gjm 3258]

Bought new tyres for the front of Miss Ms car. 

Seem to be in constant cycle of service and/or repair at present! 

Oh well. Better go look at another this arvo. That way we'll keep one working... 

[GorGasm 563]

Not BMW but I finally got around to properly cleaning the Maserati.  The paint looks and feels so much better now and will be a lot easier to clean.  The gold flake really shows up now.

This is my current process:

1) Wash car

2) Meguiars spray clay using a Repco Eclipse Texture Glide Pro Detailers Claying Block

3) Wash car

4) Autoglym Super Resin Polish

5) Meguiars Ceramic Wax

The above takes a bit of time but the effort is actually quite low.  The spray clay does almost as good a job as a clay bar but is much easier and both the Autoglym SRP and Meguiars Ceramic apply and remove very easily.  I knocked the above out by hand in about 5 hours.

It does make me wonder what the "premium" products provide over what I have used.

Shitty photos, but you get the picture seeing the gold at the front going to black at the back.

Edited January 8, 2021 by GorGasm

[Sammo 2544]

@GorGasm Very nice! Is the Meguiars Ceramic Wax the blue spray stuff? (can be sprayed and rinsed or rubbed in)

Have a bottle I got on special at SCA that I have not got around to applying yet - reviews seemed good.

[Navin 180]

These ceramic sprays have certainly impressed me. 4 weeks after application on mine, I used the Mother's CMX this time and the car still looks great

[GorGasm 563]

Mine is the Meguiars Ceramic Wax liquid.  From the youtube review I watched the spray and rub in application seems to be the best followed closely by the liquid.  Spray on and rinse seemed to be a bit of a dud.

For the price ~$50 for Meguiars Ceramic and ~$25 for Autoglym SRP I reckon it's pretty darn good.

 

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by GorGasm

[hunter 408]

1 hour ago, Navin said:

These ceramic sprays have certainly impressed me. 4 weeks after application on mine, I used the Mother's CMX this time and the car still looks great

Any washes etc in between application and that photo Navin?

[Navin 180]

47 minutes ago, hunter said:

Any washes etc in between application and that photo Navin?

Nope none, there's probably a thin layer of dust/pollen that doesn't show in the photo but still pretty darn clean in general. 

The wheels are another story to keep clean. Considering just getting them powder coated gloss black

Edited January 13, 2021 by Navin

[GorGasm 563]

Gloss black wheels are the worst colour to keep clean.  Gun metal would hide the dirt the best.

Change to a ceramic brake pad for less dust.

[Jacko 2154]

Ive played with some of the expensive/exotic stuff.... $200 a jar wax nonsense...  and honestly... save your money  

The low/mid range stuff is as good. Some of the Turtle wax cheap stuff is properly legit too, their spray ceramic wax stuff beads for ageeees and look good on ya average daily. The meguiars spray on hose off thing works ok on white cars, but leaves weird streaks on black cars. 

Cleaned the 130 in the weekend, and tried the turtle wax ceramic spray for black cars, and other than having to do 2 coats as it doesn't want to go on very evenly.. its properly gleaming at the moment.

If paste wax's (in this case they perform like legit Si02 stuff) are your thing, the Soft99 King of Gloss and Fusso coat are realllly legit, and not expensive (there is an NZ supplier now). All the soft99 stuff is legit - https://www.oakey.co.nz/car-waxes-ceramic-coats . Ill put Fusso back on the cars for winter.

Edited January 14, 2021 by Jacko

[Navin 180]

1 hour ago, GorGasm said:

Gloss black wheels are the worst colour to keep clean.  Gun metal would hide the dirt the best.

Change to a ceramic brake pad for less dust.

Don't mind cleaning them more often but I've found on previous cars that powder coated wheels just make the cleaning process much easier.  Brake dust just used to hose off after track days etc. These wheels are a nightmare.

And yep will be switching to some decent Ceramics when the current pads are done, usually go for Ferodo's so hopefully they're available for this car.

[M3AN 4016]

4 hours ago, Navin said:

...These wheels are a nightmare...

Spray on, wait 4 mins, wash off. Next to zero effort.

https://www.repco.co.nz/en/car-care-panel/car-care/tyre-care/crc-9309-mag-monster-mag-wheel-cleaner-4l-9309/p/A1336147

 

[Sammo 2544]

38 minutes ago, M3AN said:

Spray on, wait 4 mins, wash off. Next to zero effort.

https://www.repco.co.nz/en/car-care-panel/car-care/tyre-care/crc-9309-mag-monster-mag-wheel-cleaner-4l-9309/p/A1336147

 

Does it need high pressure? I've tried wheel cleaners (the ones that turn purple) on mine and find while they do help, can't beat 1 minute a  wheel and a microfibre towel.

[M3AN 4016]

26 minutes ago, Sammo said:

Does it need high pressure? I've tried wheel cleaners (the ones that turn purple) on mine and find while they do help, can't beat 1 minute a  wheel and a microfibre towel.

I'm pretty impressed you only need 1 min each for those wheels, they're stunning. My BBS RC's, with less than half the spokes, take many minutes each!

The CRC stuff is the same chemical compound as Dragon's Breath and other similar products, they all seem to be purple, I don't know if that's dye or if they have chemical permanganates in them.

You don't need a pressure washer but I think a pressure washer would leave less residue (as little is left after using a normal hose anyway). In my experience timing is important, there's a smallish window between "I've got the crap off" and "I'm going to dry and leave marks".

All said and done I consider it a blessing. When I first got Dragon's Breath I was amazed, this is the same stuff for 1/4 the price. I got a 4l bottle for $99, 50% off.

Edited January 14, 2021 by M3AN
clarity

[KwS 2425]

+1 on Mag Monster. I've been through a bottle and a half on my wheels which were a previous owners track wheels, so baked on brake dust everywhere, and they're almost silver again. Normal wheel cleaner didnt touch it. If it dries it says to wet it with more MM before washing off, but i'd do it in the shade to be safe.

From

To

[str8_6 275]

Might have to try it. Never found anything that works other than a wash mitt and car wash. Even dragons breath doesn’t really get rid of the brake dust unless you agitate it. In saying that, my wheels never get to the baked on stage so perhaps it’s better for really stubborn baked on dust. 

[Sammo 2544]

@M3AN maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but it’s not too onerous at all, I’ll time myself on Sunday 🤣

[GorGasm 563]

+1 Mag Monster.  It often won't get all the dirt off but it's pretty close, and I haven't used anything better, including dragons breathe. Also helps if your wheels are waxed to start with.