Mr & Mrs Janitor's Alfa MiTo 155 Lusso
Discussion
Here we are then - five weeks after collection and I've finally got around to putting together a thread about the Collection and subsequent 'winter preparation' 
Just to recap from the start, I must say once again that Alex, Anthony & Louise at Longstones were brilliant - Alex especially so. We've never been so pleased to have bought a car from anyone as we have them. Great dealership and they've definitely added to overall experience - this is often underlined when thinking about my own less than fantastic and the poor experiences I often read about from Audi and the like
The collection process went fine with no complications or unexpected surprises. All the documentation was present, as well as the Cloverleaf and History of Alfa pack. The car was sat patiently in the showroom along with a few others under their special covers
Longstones were 'allowed' to prep the car (I don't normally let any Dealership touch my cars with their gritty sponge, yard broom and oily chamois!), but as this was the wife's turn to enjoy the new car experience, it may have been a little odd having the 'unveil' reveal a car still covered in transportation gunk etc!
Anyway, the preparation was alright - not stunning as there was polish residue and splatters here and there, but I accept that I do have silly standards in this regard personally, so that’s not a fair reflection on them perhaps - but most importantly, any swirls were minimal. The car had covered all but 1000 miles before I finally got around to sort things out properly, so was in need of some love and attention and this was an ideal opportunity to get some good wax and protection on the car before winter
First up, a rinse with the pressure washer removed most of the hanging crud:
And a mixture of Bilt Hamber AutoFoam & Bilt Hamber Surefex (All purpose cleaner) via a foam lance helped remove the worst of the remaining dirt & grime:
A hand wash then followed using two-bucket method and two wash mitts (good one for the upper half, old one for lower areas) with Poorboys Slick n Suds shampoo before rinse with the pressure washer and a quick towel down to avoid water spotting
The wheels then came off for prep. Being almost new, they weren't difficult to get clean before receiving my usual combo of Klasse All-In-One as a cleaner / base coat followed by three layers of Chemical Guys Wheel Guard (buffed off between each application):
The arches were pressure washed and cleaned using a 4:1 dilution of Bilt Hamber Surefex which was agitated by small brush before rinsing and getting a liberal coating of AutoGlym Vinyl & Rubber Treatment:
Any excess was wiped away with an old microfibre cloth to leave:
With the paintwork in good nick, there wasn't much else to take photos of at this time, so I got the Megs 220 Orbital Polisher out and went over the whole car using Menzerna Final Finish PO85RD on a Sonus SFX-2 Polishing Pad, buffing off as I went, followed by a full application of Chemical Guys EZ Creme Glaze which was applied by the Megs 220 on a Sonus SFX-3 Finishing Pad buffed when cured
Thoughts then turned to wax. I love Chemical Guys 50/50 - it's an absolute pleasure to use and applying this by hand with a German Applicator Pad really adds some 'feel' into the process. Two coats of that went on with half an hour curing time and then left for a further hour between each coat. The second time around provided the perfect opportunity to get the Carlack Glass Sealant twins out and clean the glass properly inside and out before sealing the exterior surfaces - this really helps any water to leave these areas really quickly and as a result, the glass says so much cleaner for longer as unsightly, mucky residue doesn't build up
Following the removal of the second coat of 50/50, the engine bay received a quick dust down and treatment of Aerospace 303 Protectant and then the whole car was misted in Zaino Z8 Sealant for some added bling and protection. As I'd ran out of Aerospace 303 Protectant, the interior had to wait for another day
Two days later, the carpets and mats were cleaned up via hoover and damp cloth. The Frau Leather got treated with Gliptone Conditioner and all the internal finishes (not the glass!) were treated with the 303 - that stuff cleans and leaves everything nicely finished with no sticky residue or ridiculous 80's shine!
Here are some final shots of various details:
Kick Plate and mat:
The 'mock carbon fibre' material finish):
And BOSE of course (yes, despite two Mk2 TT's and the various pannings owners have given their BOSE systems, the detail and clarity still shines through for me so it was a no-brainer!):
Frau Leather (Alcantara would have been the choice though... had Alfa actually done it):
D.N.A. - this switch selects between three modes: Dynamic, Normal and All-weather. Dynamic makes the engine and the steering more responsive, Normal softens everything a little whilst All-weather increases the traction and stability control sensitivities (Of course what really happens is that Dynamic merely offers you what the car can do and the other modes soften everything down bit by bit, but I'd have to concede it's nicely done and offers something to the overall car... but it's most certainly not as exciting as the "direct from the top of the range Ferrari" sales crap which a young salesman attempted to feed me when I was first looking at a MiTo! ):
Engine bay:
Exterior detail - even the door handles are beautifully done and shiny, lucid chrome mirrors to match the light surrounds and other chrome highlights were a must!:
The front of the MiTo is somewhat 'controversial'. Lots of people hate it and I'd have to admit that square on, it does look to have a rather 'surprised stare'. Having said that, many cars don't look their best head on - I know it's my least favourite angle of my previous Elise and TTs too! However, I'm a fan of the MiTo nose otherwise. There is a good amount of aggression in the lower spoiler area and the way the centre part extends around the iconic grille really reminds me of the snout if an old F1 car:
The whole car:
Nice reflection:
Some moodier shots from another location:
And there she is
Just to recap from the start, I must say once again that Alex, Anthony & Louise at Longstones were brilliant - Alex especially so. We've never been so pleased to have bought a car from anyone as we have them. Great dealership and they've definitely added to overall experience - this is often underlined when thinking about my own less than fantastic and the poor experiences I often read about from Audi and the like
The collection process went fine with no complications or unexpected surprises. All the documentation was present, as well as the Cloverleaf and History of Alfa pack. The car was sat patiently in the showroom along with a few others under their special covers
Longstones were 'allowed' to prep the car (I don't normally let any Dealership touch my cars with their gritty sponge, yard broom and oily chamois!), but as this was the wife's turn to enjoy the new car experience, it may have been a little odd having the 'unveil' reveal a car still covered in transportation gunk etc!
Anyway, the preparation was alright - not stunning as there was polish residue and splatters here and there, but I accept that I do have silly standards in this regard personally, so that’s not a fair reflection on them perhaps - but most importantly, any swirls were minimal. The car had covered all but 1000 miles before I finally got around to sort things out properly, so was in need of some love and attention and this was an ideal opportunity to get some good wax and protection on the car before winter
First up, a rinse with the pressure washer removed most of the hanging crud:
And a mixture of Bilt Hamber AutoFoam & Bilt Hamber Surefex (All purpose cleaner) via a foam lance helped remove the worst of the remaining dirt & grime:
A hand wash then followed using two-bucket method and two wash mitts (good one for the upper half, old one for lower areas) with Poorboys Slick n Suds shampoo before rinse with the pressure washer and a quick towel down to avoid water spotting
The wheels then came off for prep. Being almost new, they weren't difficult to get clean before receiving my usual combo of Klasse All-In-One as a cleaner / base coat followed by three layers of Chemical Guys Wheel Guard (buffed off between each application):
The arches were pressure washed and cleaned using a 4:1 dilution of Bilt Hamber Surefex which was agitated by small brush before rinsing and getting a liberal coating of AutoGlym Vinyl & Rubber Treatment:
Any excess was wiped away with an old microfibre cloth to leave:
With the paintwork in good nick, there wasn't much else to take photos of at this time, so I got the Megs 220 Orbital Polisher out and went over the whole car using Menzerna Final Finish PO85RD on a Sonus SFX-2 Polishing Pad, buffing off as I went, followed by a full application of Chemical Guys EZ Creme Glaze which was applied by the Megs 220 on a Sonus SFX-3 Finishing Pad buffed when cured
Thoughts then turned to wax. I love Chemical Guys 50/50 - it's an absolute pleasure to use and applying this by hand with a German Applicator Pad really adds some 'feel' into the process. Two coats of that went on with half an hour curing time and then left for a further hour between each coat. The second time around provided the perfect opportunity to get the Carlack Glass Sealant twins out and clean the glass properly inside and out before sealing the exterior surfaces - this really helps any water to leave these areas really quickly and as a result, the glass says so much cleaner for longer as unsightly, mucky residue doesn't build up
Following the removal of the second coat of 50/50, the engine bay received a quick dust down and treatment of Aerospace 303 Protectant and then the whole car was misted in Zaino Z8 Sealant for some added bling and protection. As I'd ran out of Aerospace 303 Protectant, the interior had to wait for another day
Two days later, the carpets and mats were cleaned up via hoover and damp cloth. The Frau Leather got treated with Gliptone Conditioner and all the internal finishes (not the glass!) were treated with the 303 - that stuff cleans and leaves everything nicely finished with no sticky residue or ridiculous 80's shine!
Here are some final shots of various details:
Kick Plate and mat:
The 'mock carbon fibre' material finish):
And BOSE of course (yes, despite two Mk2 TT's and the various pannings owners have given their BOSE systems, the detail and clarity still shines through for me so it was a no-brainer!):
Frau Leather (Alcantara would have been the choice though... had Alfa actually done it):
D.N.A. - this switch selects between three modes: Dynamic, Normal and All-weather. Dynamic makes the engine and the steering more responsive, Normal softens everything a little whilst All-weather increases the traction and stability control sensitivities (Of course what really happens is that Dynamic merely offers you what the car can do and the other modes soften everything down bit by bit, but I'd have to concede it's nicely done and offers something to the overall car... but it's most certainly not as exciting as the "direct from the top of the range Ferrari" sales crap which a young salesman attempted to feed me when I was first looking at a MiTo!
):Engine bay:
Exterior detail - even the door handles are beautifully done and shiny, lucid chrome mirrors to match the light surrounds and other chrome highlights were a must!:
The front of the MiTo is somewhat 'controversial'. Lots of people hate it and I'd have to admit that square on, it does look to have a rather 'surprised stare'. Having said that, many cars don't look their best head on - I know it's my least favourite angle of my previous Elise and TTs too! However, I'm a fan of the MiTo nose otherwise. There is a good amount of aggression in the lower spoiler area and the way the centre part extends around the iconic grille really reminds me of the snout if an old F1 car:
The whole car:
Nice reflection:
Some moodier shots from another location:
And there she is
Got to be the cleanest MiTo into the world - congratulations! I've never been able to make my mind up about the MiTo, somedays I love it and others I think the styling is just too fussy. However I saw one at Goodwood on Sunday (red just like yours) and the guy spent some time showing it to me and I'm beginning to warm to them.
I noticed that the lower rear section of the bumper is colour coded on your car - I've noticed that others have this section in matt black - is that an option or model dependent?
Cheers, Philip
I noticed that the lower rear section of the bumper is colour coded on your car - I've noticed that others have this section in matt black - is that an option or model dependent?
Cheers, Philip
PhilipAlfa said:
Got to be the cleanest MiTo into the world - congratulations! I've never been able to make my mind up about the MiTo, somedays I love it and others I think the styling is just too fussy. However I saw one at Goodwood on Sunday (red just like yours) and the guy spent some time showing it to me and I'm beginning to warm to them.
I noticed that the lower rear section of the bumper is colour coded on your car - I've noticed that others have this section in matt black - is that an option or model dependent?
Cheers, Philip
Thanks PhilipI noticed that the lower rear section of the bumper is colour coded on your car - I've noticed that others have this section in matt black - is that an option or model dependent?
Cheers, Philip
Some people really aren't sure - which is fine as it would be rubbish if everyone was the same! I though they were dead funky from first sight, but the missus was not so sure. However, some time spent around a couple soon changed all that
Yes, ours is in Lusso trim, so it has the colour coded panel - the black valance comes as part of the Veloce pack. There were a few other elements of the Veloce trim package which we really didn't want - such as the Blue&Me phone prep (with that Windows logo
) and the arm rest - so we went for a Lusso and specced the 17" Exclusive Wheels, the Rear Spoiler and Chrome Mirrors which really complete the same look and came in at £150 lessClive
RicksAlfas said:
PhilipAlfa said:
By the way, what's so bad about the Blue & Me phone prep?
Yes, I was surprised at that comment. I think it works really well and is neater than having a Parrot or equivalent on the dash. The only Windows logo I have on mine is a tiny one in the glovebox...I think the position of the B&M unit in the MiTo is a bit poor, though.
PhilipAlfa said:
Thanks for that - now I know how to identify Veloces from Lussos! By the way, what's so bad about the Blue & Me phone prep?
RicksAlfas said:
Yes, I was surprised at that comment. I think it works really well and is neater than having a Parrot or equivalent on the dash.
Sorry guys, I should have made the reason why a bit clearer...I'm an iWh0re you see - windows is now the work of the devil, so that just won't do!
Besides that, I like my phone to be my phone and my car to be my car
I can understand the need for those whose daily job involves the phone though
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