My baby didn't fare too badly. I just had the weather stripping on the rear window repaird, that was about it. We didn't drive it much though because of the intake leaking so it sat... ( I knew when we bought the car that she was going to be a project car...The body looks great in pictures, but there are a TON of little paint chips on the mirrors, front bumper, and a nice scratch on the passenger side of the bumper...The leather NEEDS to be cleaned and rid of that pesky house paint that is set in (I can't believe the previous owner let his daughter's boyfriend drive the car to a work site and he stained the leather!!!), and the center console needs some SERIOUS work. Speaking of serious, well, sirius, that is; I LOVE the satellite radio and I have hidden all the wires, so that is one project that is completed!! So here's the list: Continue treatment on rims to rid of stubborn brake dust stains, condition and clean leather, touch up paint, fix moonroof, clean center console, vaccuum interior and buy floormats!

 

I use big thick rubber mats too, but somehow the wetness still manages to get underneath the mat on the driver's side. The salt stains are mostly around the two plastic foot rests inlaid in the carpet.The rest of the carpet in the driver's area is just dirty from dirty snow. The rest of the carpet inside the car should just need a good vacuuming with the shop vac.

As for the winter beater idea...

I wish I could put the Monte away for the winter and buy a beater. Right now I don't have a garage to store the car, and don't have the finances to afford renting a garage, buying and insuring a winter beater. If/when I buy a newer house, I'm gonna insist on it having a garage. I'm not crazy about having tokeep my car outside. Especially the odd time when we get hail storms. Even though we only get it once or twice a year, I cringe every time I hear it.

 

Well, this past weekend I spent detailing my Mini Cooper (its my daily driver-Monte is still in storage). First I washed it, then I clay bared it. Then I used an orbital buffer with Meguiars #9 and lastly I used Meguairs NXT Tech Wax 2.0. I still have to go back and use a coarser polish to get acouple of the deeper scratches out. But I am very happy with the results!

 

well, college gave it a beating. My underbody lights held up, which I was impressed because of how many peoples around here broke from the snow and harsh cold. Im in BAD need of getting it detailed to try to get some scratches out, not counting the multiple small gashes here and there from people pushing carts away and hitting it and stuff.