cleaning and detailing etc

A

andyb99

Member
Hi Guys, so i've had the car 4 days and its been stolen already..........by my wife......still its raining and i had work to do.

anyway, i was just reading a thread about some facelift indicators and saw a signature regarding a detailing service...and some company showing all the swirly marks on the car before and after...I WANT TO AVOID THIS and am willing to put in some hard work to keep it looking tiptop.

what do people recommend to clean and polish.......previously just used turtle wax shampoo and some wax from halfrauds...but i didnt have a car like this then.

does anybody ever use an abrasive polish (such as used to remove scratches) and how how often can you use it....any jetseal on wheels etc???

suggestions most welcome
 
If you machine polishing a car, this removes clear coat (the top part of the paint layer)...So It can't be done too much to preserve the coat...

However... I normally give my car a good polish when I first buy it... then give it a "finishing polish" once a year until I sell it – if I keep them that long! ... giving it a final polish to hopefully get it sold quicker...

How much clear coat comes off with each polish is down to type of paint, polish, machine and user.... and you really need a paint reader to see what is going on, and how much clear coat is there at the start, as well as how much you’re removing….

BMW paint is usually hard, and trying to remove swirls by hand is sometimes tough work... a good DA machine is a step up, but can also be time consuming...and a rotary, although a great machine, can easily damage paint in the wrong hands...

If you want to start by hand, I would suggest something like Gtechniq P1... that seems to get some good results... but don't think the Autoglym range via halfrauds isn't good enough....

:thumbsup:
 
Jonny essex said:
use seperate clothes to wash body
Click to expand...
I usually take my clothes off to wash my body (then use a cloth or flannel :wink: )

With apologies to Johnny Essex and joking apart, his advice is good advice.
Read the threads linked above on detailing world and be prepared never to just "wash" your car again :!:
 
thanks guys....my car doesnt have swirls at all....the paintwork is tip top.....i want to KEEP it like that so was just wondering what i should use...i dont use car washes (which i think most people who get scratched paint do)...so was looking for recommendations on shampoo/wax combo and a finishing (by hand) polish to make it shiny without scratching.

soz johnny essex....i'll chuck the turtle wax away
 
any shampoo works well... don't get drawn into the hype... :wink:

It's considered better to use 2 buckets, one clean one with the shampoo in, and the other with just water to rinse out the crud...

Again, any wax will protect the paint and some will give it some shine... no need for super expensive stuff either... most of the shine and gloss comes from having flat paint, i.e. no swirls...

You can get the same results using Turtle wax and Autoglym as you can with the expensive stuff...

I recently used a wax that cost over £5000 just to PROVE that it adds no shine, or gloss to paintwork... but a £30 one does...

DO not believe the hype and some of the utter BS that surrounds "detailing"... and if you go on Detailing World Ltd, do so with open eyes and watch for fan bois.

:thumbsup:
 
cheers cueball....i think its technique rather than product that stands out.....there are good tips (that are also obvious but easily not thought about) regarding sponge use and the one you mention (two buckets) so i guess i'll invest first in things like another bucket and a lambswool washmit!!!

appreciate all the advice :D
 
Hi my advice is what e Eric brand you choose try to stick with it for each type of product . If meguiars then use their polish and their wax. I think this tends together the best result regardless of the individuals ability. Get spending and I would suggest using a drying towel rather than squeegee and leather as this seems to reduce scratches?.
 
firstly, any bucket will do... I use the £1 B&Q ones.... some people spend loads of money on a water carrier... don't get it...

Anyway... a couple of them....

I would ditch the sponge, unless you are using something called ONR (a waterless wash, then you don't need buckets! :lol:)

Confused yet>???

Anway, yes ditch the sponge, and look for some mitts..something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Meguiars-Lambswool-Wash-Mitt-Mit-Clean-Car-A-7301-/330481429753?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item4cf23a6cf9

I have 2 like them...

As said above, as much muck as you can get off the car without touching it helps... so a good powerwasher... maybe a pre wash (I use Autosmart G101) then a snow foam if you want... people argue if this does anything... yes it does... if nothing else, it's fun to use... :D

There are products out there that help dry the car as well...

I just depends how serious you want to get, and how much time and money you have...

DW is probably still the best place to go for serious anal stuff... but as I say just have your eyes open and think about things....

I put most of my details on there...I'm no professional though...

:thumbsup:

csm180 said:
Hi my advice is what e Eric brand you choose try to stick with it for each type of product . If meguiars then use their polish and their wax. I think this tends together the best result regardless of the individuals ability.

Get spending and I would suggest using a drying towel rather than squeegee and leather as this seems to reduce scratches?.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but your first point is rubbish.... especially when you understand that most "brands" are made by the same people in the UK....

I agree 100% on your point about the towel.

:thumbsup:
 
I thought most swirls were created during drying :?

My personal favourite the megs 3 step cleaner, polish and wax... And doesnt cost much.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
 
Be careful with a pressure washer. I've seen radiators damaged and paint around small stone chips flaked with too much pressure.

Snow foam and snow foam lance is the way to go.

G101 is great if put on hot as a pre cleaner followed by foam leave to dwell and power wash (gently) off.

Foam again wash. I often mix with a good shampoo to aid lubrication.

If drying with towels megs last touch 50:50 reduces swirling.

I use a leaf blower with a homebrew filter.

NEVER EVER use wheel cleaner and the better the car is waxed the less you need to scrub to get dirt off.
 
Why do you say never use wheel cleaner?

I only ask because I think I made that mistake the other day. In the kit BMW gave me with the 'seal and protect' package (which I honestly didn't realise I had, dealer slipped it in the costs without me noticing!) there was a spray bottle of alloy cleaner. I wanted to clean the wheels straight away because as I mentioned in another post the wheels came from the dealer with a weird liquid coating on which immediately collected dirt and streaked black grime all round the alloys making them look terrible, my mate actually asked how I'd managed to kerb all the alloys in the first day, until I showed him it just rubbed off!.

Anyway, I sprayed the BMW wheel cleaner on the alloys, it went on clear but quickly turned red around all the dirt, and I used the soft cleaning brush provided to scrub them. In fairness, after a splash rinse the alloys looked tip-top. However, after I'd finished the alloys I noticed that where the alloy cleaner had been blown by the breeze there were HUNDREDS of tiny specks of red all over the paintwork around the wheel arches. These red blobs were really difficult to remove, like they'd dried on, took me ages with a damp chamois to remove them all.

Is this stuff bad for the paintwork? If so, what is the safe way to clean brake dust and road dirt of alloys?!
 
Wheel cleaner will eventually corrode the finish on your hubs, callipers and wheel nuts.

Acid free wheel cleaner is just strong alkaline.

You don't need to use it. G101 applied hot will do just as good a job.

if you want really good wheel protection look at this.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=189099
 
http://www.bilthamber.com/
I like to use this companies products, 1 cos the're good and 2 cos they're British :)
 
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