It needn’t cost a lot to transform shabby into chic. As with most other do-it-yourself projects, the more elbow grease you are willing to invest, the less you’ll need to pay someone else. Here are some tips to help you go about it.

Outside appearances

The first step to getting the body looking good is to give it a thorough cleaning with car-wash soap and water. Once it’s completely dry, look over the paint surface and assess any damage you see. Note any scratches, stone chips, dings, and dents in the sheet metal.

You can touch up small scratches and chips with touch-up paint, available for a few dollars at your car dealership and at some auto-parts stores. Make sure you get an exact color match. Touch-up paint usually comes in a small bottle with an applicator brush in the lid. Otherwise, use a small, pointed artist’s brush and cover the scratch by going over it in tiny dabs. Let this paint dry for at least a day or two before polishing the car.

To remove or minimize the many fine surface scratches most cars accumulate, you can have the car professionally buffed at a body shop or car wash. This buffing will take out minor scratches and greatly improve the car’s overall appearance. But for a buff and touch-up, you can expect to spend about $200.

If you want to do the job yourself, consider polishing the car by hand if you don’t have experience using an electric buffer. Old T-shirts make good polishing cloths. If you still want to use an electric buffer, you can borrow, rent, or even buy one. Good ones start at about $40. If you don’t know what you’re doing, though, it’s easy to mark or even burn through the paint with a buffer.

Most cars made in the past 10 to 15 years have a “clearcoat” paint finish. That means a thin color layer is coated with a thicker layer of a clear, lacquerlike coating. Whether you are polishing with a buffer or by hand, make sure the polish you use is safe for clearcoat finishes if that’s what’s on the car. You shouldn’t use the old-fashioned, abrasive polishing compounds on them.

Dent removal

Minor dents and dings in body panels can be very unsightly, but getting them fixed at a body shop can be costly. One viable alternative is so-called paintless dent removal. This type of service, which is sometimes franchised under names such as Dent Doctor and DentPro, uses special tools to massage out small dents from the inside. You can usually find a dent fixer by talking to a local mechanic or body shop, or using the Yellow Pages. Figure on paying about $50 to make a golf-ball-sized dent disappear.

The quality of these repairs is very much dependent on the skill of the operator. Before engaging the dent-removal artist, get a recommendation from a satisfied customer or other experienced person.

Fixing window glass

It’s very common for a windshield to pick up “star” or “bull’s-eye” damage from a flying stone. Sometimes those chips are merely cosmetic annoyances, but in other cases, if left unaddressed, such damage may grow worse. As with paintless dent repair, there is a cottage industry in auto-glass repair.

A glass repairer uses a suction-cup device, tiny drills, and special sealers to fill and fix a damaged area. This can shrink the blemish from pea size to pinhead size and stop the damage from spreading. Again, figure $50 to treat a small glass ding. Of course, if the damage is more than minor, this sort of repair won’t work and you’ll need a new windshield or side window.

Before springing for a new windshield, consult your auto-insurance policy. If you have glass coverage, the replacement is free, and usually there’s no deductible.

The inside dirt

Even neat people can live in squalor when it comes to the family car. Carpets get loaded with ingrained mud, sand, and debris. Upholstery can gather unrivaled stains from food, children, and the warehouse grit of shopping trips and general travel.

You can buy special car-interior cleaners, but for plastic surfaces you can use any hard-surface cleaner such as Fantastic or Formula 409. Once you’ve wiped, swiped, and vacuumed the inside of the car, you may still have to deal with upholstery stains.

If you tackle this job yourself, try using carpet-cleaning spray or pet-spot remover on the seats (about $6 for an aerosol can).

You may find carpeted floor mats very tough to clean. If the nap on them is still in good shape, take them to a carpet-cleaning service. Figure on paying roughly $15 per pair. If they’re badly worn, think about getting new ones.

Ridding a car of odors can be another challenge. Various forms of dirt, such as tobacco smoke and mold and spilled food products, can sully the atmosphere in the cabin. The first step is to get all the interior fabrics clean with pet-spot cleaner or another odor-fighting cleaning product. Don’t forget to wipe down the headliner, the cloth covering inside the roof. (Make sure the fabrics are colorfast first.)

Some commercial deodorizers claim they eliminate rather than merely mask odors from mold, smoke, and other causes. Large auto-parts stores carry such products. Or you can use a familiar product like aerosol Lysol and its relatives. Clean inside the trunk and spare-tire well, too.

You can also try cleaning odors from the climate-system ducts by spritzing odor eliminator into the system’s air intake. That’s usually located beneath the hood cowl, near where the windshield wipers park. Then run the air conditioner full blast for at least 10 minutes.

Under the hood

Cleaning the outside of the engine and other under-hood components can be a knuckle-scraping, tedious chore. But it’s good to have a sparkling clean engine bay if you are about to sell the car, and your mechanic will appreciate it in any case. Consider this a nicety rather than a necessity.

If the battery terminals are growing a fuzz of white encrustation, you should clean the battery with a damp rag soaked with a solution of water and baking soda. Use a stiff toothbrush dipped in the baking-soda solution for the tough parts. (Wear eye protection and gloves when working around the battery.) You can then coat the terminals with a dialectric (non conducting) protective grease, and spray the outside of the battery with a clear sealer. Both these products are available at auto-parts stores.

You can clean engine parts with plain soap and water or with a commercial degreasing product like Gunk. Be careful, though, not to get electrical connections wet. Be particularly careful to keep water away from the fuse box, cable junctions, and the large electrical connectors near the firewall.

Steam cleaning is another way to get an engine clean. You can find steam-cleaning services at some garages and car washes. But steam cleaning can short out the car’s computer or other electrical gadgets if it’s not done with great care. The risk of damaging electronic parts has made this cleaning method a less attractive option than it used to be.

When  : Sunday Feb 26^th at 10am

Where : Meet at Walgreen, 2960 Canada Rd, Lakeland TN (Hwy64 & Houston Levee)

What   : Will depart at 10.15am to discover and hug curvy backroads for 1h30.

              Lunch at Rizzi’s Bistro : http://www.rizziparadiso.com

              Drive another 1hr and farewell at Cracker Barrel in Lakeland, off Hwy40 

FUN guaranteed!  The roads are great!

We have 2 leads, NO worry about being lost nor trying to catch up with the group. Directions and map will be handed over to you, 1 moderate speed drive and 1 a little faster.

Let’s get back on the road with your MINIacs Friends! 

Please RSVP on FB event : https://www.facebook.com/events/181409598632706/ OR email us at Midsouthminiacs@gmail.com.

With new exhibits & improvements to your favorites, you won’t want to miss this year’s show, featuring 1.5 million environmentally friendly LED lights.

It’s time to bring out the car antlers, wreathes, bows and creativity! Let’s decorate our MINI’s and participate in the Theme Night.  All participants get $5 off ticket entry (reg price is $20)

When : Dec 01st at 0700pm                                                      
Where : Target parking lot, 475 N Germantown Pkwy, Cordova  

We will line up at Target, decorate our cars and caravan to the Park for a bright drive.

Along the journey, we will stop at the Mistletoe Village for Coffee and Marshmallows.

Then dinner at Rafferty’s on Germantown Pkwy.

Please RSVP at Midsouthminiacs@gmail or FB event

The following are notes from the Dustin’s Tech talk at this year’s Minis in the Ozarks hosted by AMOK. Dustin answered questions from this year’s participants and below are some notes I managed to scribble down. If you have any further questions Dustin can be found at:  http://www.autoxcooper.com/

# The best after market product you can get for your Mini: Driving Lessons and, if possible, in your Mini. Learning to drive your Mini can be fun and rewarding.

# Don’t believe everything your read in forums. Check with your service provider before changing anything on your Mini.

# Should I buy a John Cooper Works Mini or regular Mini and spend the difference on after market products: Check with your Dealership who will be performing your warranty work. Both are good, but if you buy the JCW your Mini’s performance parts are covered by warranty. Be careful with after market products because some Dealerships will void your Mini’s warranty with any after market performance product installed. Dealership make up to 50% less on warranty claims than what they charge you.

# Routine maintenance

• Change your oil every 7,500 miles and use the Mini® oil filters and do not over tighten the filter; it is made to be hand tightened.
• Rotate your Mini’s shoes every 5K miles, they will last longer.
• Change Break and Power Steering Fluids every 50K to 100K miles, especially if you drive in humid areas.
• Oil pan gaskets and crankcase gaskets: Driving your Mini actually prevents seal replacements. Oil pan gasket is a crush gasket…can easily be over tightened. Tighten by hand.

# When driving in the mountains should I use the brakes or transmission to slow my Mini down: Brakes – the cost to replace brake pads is a lot cheaper then replacing your Mini’s clutch or automatic transmission.

# Your Mini’s clutch only has a certain life expectancy; to extend its life do not depress the clutch if you do not have to and do not sit at a stop light with the clutched depressed. When coming to a stop light do not depress the clutch just slip the car into neutral and leave it there until you are ready to go.

# Brakes & Suspension:

• When possible upgrade to your brakes to CarboTech pads especially if you rally drive your Mini.
• Your Mini does not need expensive rotors, while generic rotors may not look as good, they perform just as good.
• Big brakes kits usually are a good investment if you race your Mini.
• Front Hydraulic control arm bushings: change after 60,000 miles.

# What aftermarket fuel additive products are good to use on my Mini: BG Products – CF5 every 5,000 miles, and K44 every 15,000 miles.  http://www.bgprod.com/products/fuelair.html

# Run Flats or Regular: Regular tires can be just as good such as Continental Extreme Contact DWS. These can be purchased from Tire Rack and shipped to any service provider ie., Alpine, Motorworks, etc., for installation – http://www.tirerack.com. Although the Continental Extreme Contact is not a run-flat, you can purchase a products such as Tyre Shield which when installed into your tires can help remedy punctures. http://www.tyreshield.com.au/

# When purchasing a new set of tires for your Mini you can usually add a 5 to one of the first two numbers to your tire’s measurements.

# Make sure whoever performs an alignment on your Mini knows how to perform a front andrear wheel alignment. Always get all four wheels aligned.

# Always use Premium Gasoline. Yes, it does make a difference inside your engine, especially if your Mini has a turbo. Occasionally RED line your Mini, it helps reduce carbon build up from all that stop and go traffic.

# Ok, for all you 2007 Mini’s with a turbo there are issues with heat, timing, and oil consumption. For the turbo heat you can get a DDM ram air shield for your Mini, especially if you do a lot of stop and go driving. Check your oil levels frequently.

# If you drive you Mini S with an automatic calmly during the week, then on the weekends you take it on aggressive runs through the mountains, it is good to disconnect the negative ground cable to reset your automatic transmission computer. Your Mini’s transmission actually tries to set itself up for your driving style and you can confuse it.

# Your Mini’s serpentine belt does not show cracks like the belts of old. Be sure to change them at the recommended maintenance schedule.

# For those of you 1st Generations owners, your supercharger will need to be rebuilt sometime in your Mini’s life, typically over 100K miles.

# For turbo Mini’s in Sport Mode there is a slight backfire, this is ok, because Mini uses fuel to help cool the engine, which causes the backfire.

# Finally try to find a mechanic who looks beyond the problem description, to make sure he repairs the reason for the failure and not just the failure itself.

The MidSouth MINIacs would like to thank Dustin for his Tech Talk, taking the time to answer the many questions we had and leading us an another “spirited run” thought the Arkansas Mountains. ( article by Ron Snook ).

By the time the event would close on Sunday morning, over 130 Minis and over 220 participants would take to the highways and byways of the Ozarks.  Standard Minis, Mini S’s, Clubman Minis and Countryman Minis were all in attendance.

Being a new Mini owner, this was my first gathering.  It was obvious from the get-go that fun was the prime order of the event.  Thursday evening started with packet pick-up, dinner and a social, so one quickly got started meeting and talking to fellow Min owners. MITO attracted drivers from as far west as Nevada,  north asMichigan, all the mid-south, and Atlantic states; 22 states in all were represented. 

 As driving the scenic roads around Eureka Springs was the goal of the event, the organizers developed nine drives varying in time, attractions and speed that participants could choose to take.  Some were “on your own” drives, others were escorted . Sharon and I started our Friday with an escorted tour to a medieval castle— that’s right a castle is being built in the heart of the Ozarks.  For the next 20 years, a group of men wearing authentic-type medieval peasant garb (apparently sewn from low thread-count sheets) will labor with authentic thirteenth-century tools to create a full-sized castle, with 45-foot-high towers and 6-foot-wide walls made of stone hewn from local mountains and hauled to the construction site by especially strong horses.   For more information Google MedievalCastle, Ozarks.  Our 117 mike trek took us through some of the most beautiful valleys I have seen, and we arrived back in Eureka Springs in time for lunch. 

As Sharon is a cat lover we spent the afternoon on our own and headed to Turpentine Creek, just 20 minutes south.  Turpentine Creek is the largest big cat refuge in the world!  Lions and tigers and  bears, literally.  They provide a loving and safe haven for hundreds of animals who have lost their homes due to a myriad of reasons.  One lion joined the habitat after it ate its owner’s recliner, and she rethought the safety of having a lion in the house with four children-DA! Many of the animal’s story were heart wrenching.   We stayed through feeding time which was a truly jaw dropping experience, then headed back to Eureka Springs to participate in the parade through town.       As Minis began pouring into the parking lot at the Crescent Hotel, we swapped stories with other owners and learned of their Mini adventures.  We finally got orders to saddle up and began our trek down Spring Street and through the heart of downtown.  Clearly some of the locals knew there would be a parade, but I do not think they were ready for the barrage of beads and candy we tossed their way.  Too soon the parade came to an end and Sharon and I headed to dinner.

Saturday morning started with a tech talk by Dustin Etheredge, owner of Auto X Cooper.com (autoxcooper.com).  Clearly a no BS kind of guy who knows a lot about Minis and the car industry in general, Dustin spent the first twenty to thirty minutes talking about the main things you can do to get the absolute best from your Mini.  He then opened the floor to questions, which he fielded until it was time for him to lead the 22-2-123 drive, a “spirited” 250 mile hike through the Arkansas country side.  I had long before decided to take this ride and was glad I did.  I think we started with about 30 Minis, and ended with 23.  It was a GREAT drive that really let the owner feel the phenomenal handling capability of the Mini Cooper. Sharon tells me we passed some very gorgeous country side, but I was busy keeping my eyes on the road and working my way through hair-pin turns. The drive ended at Turpentine Creek where all the Minis were gathering for a group photo. It took a bit of time to line up everyone, but finally the photo was taken.  If you go to theMITOwebsite, Sharon and I are in the third row, furthest car on the right.   The evening ended with a very fun Halloween  party,  poolside at the hosting hotel.  Tunes, snacks and beverages were available.   Most of the attendees were in costume.  Sharon and I went as vampires; the old kind that looked spooky. 

 Certainly one of the highlights of the rally was getting further acquainted with some of our fellow MidSouth Miniacs.  Miniacs accounted for 10 cars atMITO.  Attendees included: Patti and Steve Hammond, Debby and Mark Salvadore, Linda and Scott Seal, Audrey and Chuck Evans, Diana Jarava and her parents, Terri and James Baker and their son, Kathy and Ron Snook, Nathalie Fouque, Kathy and Chris Culver, and Sharon and I.  Definitely mark your calendar to attend this event next year as it just gets bigger and better!

MINIacs Hit the Roads in Eureka Springs. By Tony Sebbio.

Dinstuhl’s Candy Kitchen Opens it Doors for the Holidays!

We will meet at 01:30pm at Roadshow on Germantown Parkway, will depart at 02:00pm and motor 1h30 thru twisty roads leading us to Dinstuh’ls Factory in Bartlett TN.

Please RSVP by the 7th of Nov at midsouthminiacs@gmail.com or FB :

Yes, we need events coverage small and large, columns and some brand history, but feature Minis & MINIs are the meat of the magazine.
To that end, MC2 needs your help. We need to find those hidden Minis and MINIs that can help fill our pages in towns small, cities large, and far-off lands where hundreds of MC2 subscribers live. Yes, we want to know what you are hiding in your garage or barn. Not just for our “your wheels” section of MC2, but actual multi-page features in MC2.
We want to know what “hot rods” you are hiding. Obviously, they have to be well customized and interesting to many of the readers.
If you are interested, please send low-resolution quality photos of your or your friends Mini or MINI, plus a quick biography of 100 words about it, with owner’s or contact’s name, state/province, or nation. The photos should be clear of any background rubbish like trash cans, road signs or obvious distractions, and be shot during daylight. No great shots of art, just descriptive for this first introduction. We can ask for better shots if your car makes the short list. The really short list could then be that we arrange for a real photo shoot, or the best shots you/your friend can get us of your Mini or MINI if you’re in a far-off land.
We need one interior, one under-bonnet/hood engine shot. We need two overall shots of the three-quarter sideview of the car showing the front and a side, and the same shot of the side and rear of the car. This gives us views of the three sides of your Mini or MINI. If you have 2-3 Mini/MINIs, then send us a group shot, too.
The prizes are not going to be boxes full of parts, just the chance to be famous in the pages of MC2. We are looking for some top-notch, great feature Mini or MINIs from our readers. Some of the best images will fill the pages of MC2, and very likely the MC2 website. Maybe we’ll make wallpaper downloads of the best from the four corners of the World?
So, start shooting photos. Send us images no larger than 1mg each image and 3-5 mg each e-mail total. If we need better or larger we’ll ask you for them.
Send them to both: Editor Peter duPre’s editor@mc2magazine.com and myself with the subject line “As featured in MC2 magazine.”  Send a fresh e-mail as just replying to this e-mail will likely get your reply trapped in our spam and firewall system.
Thanks much for your help,
Barry Brazier
publisher@mc2magazine.com

Slipping into the roomy cabin of the Coupe I was expecting a stiff chassis setting optimised for the demanding 230 mile test route through the Austrian, Italian and German Alps but both Cooper SD and the JCW models tested were both surprisingly comfortable yet utterly capable of delivering memorable driving experiences.

With four cases swallowed into the boot the Coupe packed in pin-point handling precision normally found in a purpose designed sports car.

Headroom was particularly good thanks to the belled roof lining and the seats easily coped with a six footer yet securely held them on the myriad mountain hairpins.

Engine responses are sharp and strong with bags of pulling power, a short gear-change action but a long clutch-pedal travel, karting like steering with immensely powerful and well balanced brakes.

Visibility is a little compromised by the sweeping roofline when pulling out of road junctions but you can still place it precisely on the road when covering ground quickly.

Noise levels are all low and engaging the Sport mode audibly alters the engine note as well as makes it even more responsive.

That the Coupe is going to be another successful chapter in the Mini story there can be no doubt, and part of the continuing excitement is not knowing where that story is going to end as sales of this British icon appear unflagging.

Mini Coupe specification

The new range comes with DAB digital radio, air conditioning, park distance control, alloy wheels, 3-spoke sport leather steering wheel and sport stripes on the body work.

Outputs range from 122hp/90kW in the Mini Cooper Coupé to 211hp/155kW in the flagship John Cooper Works Coupé. The recently launched performance diesel engine, the 143 hp/105 kW Cooper SD, is also available and the line-up is completed with the Cooper S which offers 184hp/135kW.

Six speed manual gearboxes are standard but Cooper, Cooper S and Cooper SD can be ordered with a six-speed sequential transmission including paddle shifts.

Features such as Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start/Stop, Shift Point Display, Electric Power Steering and the need-based operation of ancillary components help to make efficient use of fuel with low emissions.

JCW models can also be ordered with a tauter sports suspension or still firmer Works set up which also lowers ride height for the really serious Mini aficionado.

Mini Coupe performance

Fuel economy on the combined cycle stretches from 39.8mpg in the John Cooper Works Coupé to a frugal 65.7mpg in the Cooper SD model while CO2 emissions are as low as just 114g/km on the Cooper SD. Even the MINI John Cooper Works Coupé emits only 165g/km.

Likely to prove popular with many potential Coupé customers is the Cooper SD variant, which offers the best fuel economy, lowest emissions and highest torque output of any Coupé model. What’s more, it will still sprint to 62mph in under eight seconds and carry on to a top speed of 134mph.

With a BIK value of just 13%, and zero first year road tax, user chooser company car drivers and fleet managers will also see its obvious appeal.

The Mini Coupé boasts class-leading residual values, with the Cooper SD model retaining 47pc (£9,575) of its original value over three years or 60,000 miles and the John Cooper Works model retaining 45pc (£10,625).

Mini has created a bespoke range of luggage for it to fully utilise the available space which runs to 280 litres or 20 litres more than the Clubman.

Signed up for the MITO weekend in Eureka Springs ?

Lets caravan to AR! We have mapped a route for you!
* we’ll depart at 07am on Thursday the 20th from the Visitor Center, 119 N Riverside Drive * we’ll stop along the way for lunch
* then warm up our tires on the famous ” Push Mountain rd “

Let’s get ready for a fun drive and fun weekend !

Strike up the MINIacs ! Can you spare a moment and join us for a bowling Night ? Wednesday, Oct 12nd.

Let’s meet at 06:30pm and start the games at 07:00pm at :

Cordova Bowling Center
7946 club Center Cove
Cordova, TN

Food and drinks are served at the Bowling Center.  Come and have Fun with us !