[BoCRon]

This is on my BFFs brand new F55S. She thought she'd spilled something on the car somehow and asked me to take a look when she was over. I noticed she had the same "spill" in the exact same places on both sides of the car so figured it was not that.
Anyway when you lift the hood, there is a place at each corner and this mess seems to be dripping from it. I figured it out when I pressed on the hood a bit and created more drip! Needless to say it's made a mess out of her trim and I'm thinking it will be a pain to get off.
When I thought about it I realized my R56 had grease dark spots in the same place and I always thought it had to do with me dripping the liquid wax or something when I was detailing. But mine were nowhere near the extent of this.

 

[Hurbert II]

Yep, same on the R56 too, real PITA.

I bought an AirBlaster dryer for exactly this reason. Bit of an extravagance, but it does stop it happening.

Thought about colour-coding? I know I am...

 

[Evlkarl]

look at it from the bright side it is only a small leak.

 

[Mike]

It is wax coming out of the seams, it should come off if you pour some boiling water over it.
At least that is what the local dealer told me when I asked about the same stuff in the same place on mine.

 

[BoCRon]

I'm thinking it's Cosmoline ��.

 

[02fanatic]

I'm thinking it's Cosmoline ��.

Man, I haven't heard anyone mention Cosmoline for years & years. As a matter of fact I actually asked my MA when I ordered the car if they still sprayed Cosmoline on the engine like in the old days and he said no...nothing is sprayed on the engine.

I noticed a very small dribble there after I washed my little guy, but that's it...no issues. Of course, I detailed my car myself so there shouldn't be any wax & such bleeding out there.

John

 

[BoCRon]

The texture of it is like dirty vegetable oil.

 

[Bandit]

Mine does this. It built up on the corner of the hood and is black and hard when dried (like it has in your pic too). It seems like the hood seal is melting or something. I planned to ask about it next week while I'm at the dealership.

 

[Bwanaboy]

Looks like cosmoline. Had same issue on 4 trim pieces on my 2014 Mini. Dealer replaced trim for free. Just got Mini back today after replacement.

 

[mransr]

I have that too (I think, stupid Photobucket).

I guess it isn't something worth bugging the dealer about?

 

[Evlkarl]

Bring it in to the Dealer and have it removed so your Dealer can report it back to BMW/Mini. It is some kind of protection/sealer ( cosmoline or liquid wax) that Mini sprays in at the factory. I can not remember the name of it for my Life. Every car that my Dealer gets in they have to remove that gunk the problem with it is when the car get hot it leaks again. My Dealer is working on it to get the formula changed that is why they report it to Mini( at least that is what the service dept told me) BTW I had it on mine too and the Dealer did a great job removing it so far it did not come back.

No wonder it leaks it was designed for the military. They need them soldiers staying busy cleaning.

Cosmoline is the genericized trademark for a generic class of rust inhibitors, typically conforming to United States Military Standard MIL-C-11796C Class 3, that are a brown colored wax-like mass; have a slight fluorescence; and have a petroleum-like odor and taste (as detected when working with it).