Easy guide

[thestig]

Just wondering if anyone has, or has seen on this section of the forum previously, a simple simple guide to how best to clean and care for your car.
I know its a crazy complicated world this detailing lark, and that everyone has thier own opinions of methods and which products to use, but for absolute begginers like me its a nightmare!
Ive cleaned my cars before now, but before the Z Ive never really thought about it in much detail.

I have a selection of Autoglym products which are great, but my process has never really been more than:

Rinse car to remove grit and dirt
Wash with warm water and Autoglym shampoo
Rinse with hose (multi use head set to fairly high pressure but not jet wash pressure)
Chamoix leather to remove most of water
Chamoix again to fully dry
Polish (autoglym) on
Polish off
Spend days afterwards finding bits of polish remnants I have to wipe off.

I assume the wax stage (if doing a wax stage) comes after the polishing does it?
I have some of this waterless cleaning stuff I got for xmas.
I'd never use it on a dirty car as directed, but im considering using it on my Z once fully washed, rinsed and dried off.
It seems to give a nice shiny finihsh and contains carnuba wax.
Any thoughts on how I can be doing better without getting mental about it all!

thanks.

 

[Zed_Steve]

Your first five points are exactly how i clean mine, not yet used any polish as it doesnt need it.

Ive read about people who go through about a dozen or so processes when they clean their cars, which i think is a bit overt the top tbh.

Like you i also have some of that waterless cleane,r but dont have the courage to use it when the Z is even when it is only lightly soiled. Does bring give it good shine though

 

[thestig]

Yeah, there is NO WAY I would spray it on a dirty car and start wiping it around.
I've never tried it at all, but I came to the car yesterday morning ready to go for a spin and found some bird muck.
I quickly rinsed it all off with cold water and a microfibre glove and dried it off.
I though with going straight out I'd spray a bit of this stuff on the now clean paint and buff off to negate any damage the mucj had started.

thats how I know it gives such a great finish.

Going away for the weekend this Saturday so Im going to wash and dry the car and give the whole car a going over with the "waterless" wash and wax stuff.
Cant do any harm using it that way can it!

 

[Herminator]

Chamoix can be hard work, get a mircofibre towel or two. I have two waffle weave ones, one I use to get most of the water off, the other I keep drier and do a follow up wipe with, which gets the paint nice and dry. No wringing out needed at all over the whole car.

 

[thestig]

Good shout.
Im going to review my cleaning kit this weekend and junk most of the crap and just have a few quality items I think.

 

[GAZA62]

After the AG Super resin polish pop on a couple of layers of the AG Extra gloss protection this will seal it and then a nice carnuaba wax for that nice glossy wet look.

Then once you have done all this get yourself some Quick Detailer and everytime after you have washed and dried the car a quick 10 mins poping on the QD and you have that just waxed look.

This one leaves a nice glossy wet look http://www.seriousperformance.co.uk/Products,78,toView_337.html

 

[Ian_Mac]

1st off burn the chamoix. Use a decenct quality lambs wool mitt for washing the body, use a different type for the wheels. Put grit guards in your buckets to help prevent swirls, a good thick waffle weave towel for drying. They should be your basics, shampoos etc is down to preference or recommendation. Any good detailing site should be able to supply the items, if in doubt ask them, most places will give quality advice. Snowfoam is quite a popular treatment before the shampoo and mitt stage, a pressure washer is needed for the snowfoam though.