There are several ways to mirror objects in CINEMA 4D. One of the simplest is to use a scale of -1. This video shows how. Works great with hierarchies.
Cinema 4D's standard material is great for many surfaces, but for those surfaces which require special treatment, there are specialized shaders such as Danel for high gloss surfaces, and Cheen for an electron microscope look.
Quickly converting, say, a selection of points to the corresponding selection of polygons, can be a great timesaver when you are modeling. These tip shows you how!