A Basic Guide to Detailing

[mikestrivens]

Please, please send us some of your rain!!!!!

I'd be happy to bring a couple of buckets worth of rain water if you pay for the business class return airfare. We have just had our summer in Manchester, 5 days of sunshine now back to cold (15 degrees) and rain.

 

[Dosco]

A great post Vortex and thank you.

 

[CL500Wizard]

ULTRASEAL is the best i've found in 35 years.....ptfe . 1 x application, which is easy, lasts 3 years.......only use warm water to wash, no soapy stuff and kitchen roll to dry it..fantastic , and NO i do not work for them , Pete

a bit more details please as to where to source from in UK. typing in googole just brings up tyres relates products.

edit: found this http://upodium.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=U&Product_Code=2629&Category_Code=WQ but no UK suppliers ... I wouldn't mind using such a not so cheap product after polishing my cars and then not having to worry about waxing for a good while.

 

[discoking]

Good post Vortex,thanks

I'm love cleaning cars,mine inparticular which is washed twice a week(or everyday if bad weather) and polished once a week.

The only downside is when I'm outside washing my cars off I get customers come up to me and well they think your just a valeter and they show no respect,I don't tell them who I am and they may deal with my brother or father but if they come back with a problem they are quite taken aback when they have to deal with me for any problems.

Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself are wise words indeed

 

[vortex114]

HMMMM...
Just Bought this!

£135!!!!!

 

[Blobcat]

I've copied this into the DIY section so it isn't lost.

 

[turbopete]

HMMMM...
Just Bought this!

£135!!!!!

thats a big amount of money for a small tin of polish! i hope it does the work for you. id want it to at that price!

 

[Chrishazle]

HMMMM...
Just Bought this!

£135!!!!!

Did you also get the Cleaner Fluid - Pre-Wax Oil that Swissvax recommend using before the wax? I was given a small demo on the bonnet of my 968 at our recent "Show and Shine", amazed at the clarity and depth of colour it gave - but the price is too hot for me! The guy giving me the demo had just won the Show and Shine for the 3rd or 4th time (Guards red 964). Interestingly, he puts the wax on with his fingers, not with a cloth or applicator!
I'll be dropping hints at wife and daughter as Xmas approaches!

 

[vortex114]

Did you also get the Cleaner Fluid - Pre-Wax Oil that Swissvax recommend using before the wax? I was given a small demo on the bonnet of my 968 at our recent "Show and Shine", amazed at the clarity and depth of colour it gave - but the price is too hot for me! The guy giving me the demo had just won the Show and Shine for the 3rd or 4th time (Guards red 964). Interestingly, he puts the wax on with his fingers, not with a cloth or applicator!
I'll be dropping hints at wife and daughter as Xmas approaches!

Yeah, Course i bought Cleaner Fluid. I find LUSSO revitalizing Creme better than Cleaner fluid tho.
Managed to put 2 coats of Wax on yesterday. Leaves amazing finish
You can use with your fingers but its just wasting the product and showing off, as you can apply very thinly with your foam pad. Little goes long way.

 

[turbopete]

you mention that a clay bar will remove overspray. how severe overspray will it remove? i tried blending some 2k laquer which worked fine until i realised the fade out thinner had all been used and i need to bring up the arches somehow. would it be too much for a clay bar?

 

[crockers]

An interesting read - thank you.
I use Meguairs #83 as a cleaner/polish and then for wax am currently using AG HD. Have used Collinite but the 476s - hard to use but great results. Used some heritage wax too - very easy on and off and good results.

 

[wardpaa]

Vortex,
My routine is to apply rain-x polish to the windows (not Windscreen) then Bilberry to the wheels before using an HD foam lance with diluted zip wax (and snow foam solution if the car is bad like in winter) in it to apply to the car. The Rain-x will dilute off.
I then wash with warm water and one of those sheep mittens before power washing off.
Dry with a super absorbant towel.
Wax with Megs #16 mirror wax if required.

Only really clay about every 3 months.

 

[SQ_W211]

Wow that seems very detailed, any pictures of end result??

 

[Yakker]

I used to wash cars on a saturday morning when I was a nipper, for a big house up the road. They had a capri, a silver shadow (which was difficult to reach the middle of the roof) and an old mercedes.

Anyhow - they used two buckets, the clean rinse water always had a bit of vinegar in there to remove any residual grease left after the wash.

Mine now generally gets washed by the rain

 

[Howie54]

Have just detailed my WW203 C220 CDI in amethyst violet.
Washed it then used Meguiars Clay Kit followed by Swirl X then Deep Crystal Polish then NXT Tech Wax.Did it all by hand took me an afternoon but the results were well worth the effort.Would certainly recommend these Meguiars products.

 

[Chippychap]

The idea of this Icelandic volcanic ash containing minute glass particles may be a thing to consider, car washing wise.
Apart from copious water and minimum rubbing of the bodywork and specific ideas?

 

[salmanhamid]

Very Nice!!!

POLISHING

The term polish and wax are often misunderstood, mixed up and used in place of each other. It does not help when a lot of products on the market blur the lines between a polish and a wax. A polish is a process that should be undertaken infrequently and is simply used to remove minor blemishes, surface scratches and swirl marks. Once you have polished your cars paintwork it will feel smooth. Polishing a car will remove under the surface defects in comparison to the clay bar above which removes above surface defects. However polishing offers no protection and should be followed with a suitable wax or sealant or indeed both!

Types of Polish

Cutting polishes – These contain tiny abrasive particles and actually remove a very fine layer of paint from the surface of a car. These are also called body scrubs and swirl removers.

Glazes – These are pure polishes and do not actually ‘cut’ the paintwork, instead they nourish and add a deep gloss appearance.

All in ones – These are often what your local Halfords sell and will include a cutting agent, a glaze and a wax all in one. They are quick and easy to use but do not offer the same level of shine or protection as completing the steps individually. In addition regular use of these is not recommended due to the cutting action.

How to apply polish

Do not apply in direct sunlight. Polish can be worked in by hand (foam pad) or by using a random orbital buffer. There is no need to let it dry but do work it in well. It can then be wiped off with a soft towel to prevent scratching the paintwork. Your paint should now be smooth and ready for waxing!


WAXING AND PAINT SEALANTS

After all your hard work so far you will want to protect your finish from the elements. Waxing or sealing your cars paintwork is a sure fire way of achieving this.

WHICH WAX FOR ME?

There are a vast array of waxes on the market from paint sealants, carnauba waxes and cleaner waxes (all in ones). Waxes also come in paste and liquid form so, which is best for you?

I haven’t stated any wax manufactures below as all manufactures produce a wide range of waxes, however respected manufactures include Mothers, Meguiars, Poorboys, Nattys, Klasse, Zaino and Zymol though this is expensive and similar results can be achieved for a lot less. Wax products bought from Halfords are generally best avoided. Given that Autoglym extra gloss is a good paint sealant.

Pure Wax

More often than not these come in paste form in a tin. They provide your car with a warm gloss look but are not overly durable and require re application every month or so depending upon your cars usage. These waxes can be very good at hiding (covering) swirl marks in paint

Paint Sealants – (Synthetic waxes)

These are in effect synthetic waxes. These last longer than the traditional carnauba wax but purists would say do not offer the same level of warmth to your paint that a carnauba wax would. These often come in a liquid form and are often applied to the car as a whole and left to ‘cure’ before being buffed off. For a great look ‘top’ your paint sealant with a pure carnauba wax for added shine and protection.

Cleaner Wax

This is a mixture of polish and wax and in effect combines the steps of polishing and waxing. Often these contain cutting agents and can hide or assist in the removal of swirl marks. A cleaner wax is useful to save time but will not give you the same results if the steps are done individually. These are best avoided for regular use but can achieve good results on older undamaged paintwork.

Colour Waxes

These contain synthetic waxes and heaps of colour ‘fillers’ which very effectively hide the swirl marks and scratches on a car. However the fillers tend to wash out revealing the scratches again. These are best avoided and any swirl removal should be done in the polishing stage above.

Applying Wax

Work in a cool shaded area out of direct sunlight.
Use a foam pad to apply the wax.
Work on one area at a time. Some products may allow you to coat the entire car before buffing off, but most do not.
Follow the wax manufacturers instructions on whether or not to allow the wax to dry before buffing.
Use a small amount of wax at a time, and rub it in well.
If the wax residue does not buff off easily, switch to a clean micro fibre or terry towel.
Apply your wax in a back-and-forth motion, not in circles. If you are creating swirls, you need to replace your applicator or towels.
A second coat of wax can be applied typically 24 hours after the first to ensure complete and even coverage.
Waxes can also be layered, e.g. applying 3 – 4 coats for maximum protection from the elements.


Hope this is helpful to somebody.

 

[The_Don]

Good advice here cheers guys

 

[Nytol]

Excellent thread, esp the two bucket method, which is logical, but something I'd never considered.

So many different opinions on wax though, I do not know where to start?

Does the car colour make a difference? Mine is silver.

 

[SmoothBall]

Frequency of using polish and subsequent cleanings of a waxed finish.

My usual routine involves:

• Wash with Autoglym (AG) Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner
• Remove tar spots with AG Intensive Tar Remover
• Dry off with silicone blade, chamois
• Polish with AG Super Resin Polish

and is done every 4-6 weeks. (I know! Utterly neglectful! )

In light of this thread's second post re. Polishing and Waxing by Vortex114, should I be using the Super Resin Polish that frequently? If not, then how frequently is adequate or appropriate?

On my next cleaning, I will add to the above with a final step of a wax coat (or two), probably AG HD Wax, (although I note many others are recommended in the thread—seems like we're spoiled for choice).

What steps are appropriate for subsequent cleanings? All of the above? Just shampoo, dry and wax, with polishing step done every, say, six months/other frequency?

Would be grateful for your thoughts.