Today I did some detailing...

JAMES VTI S

Chimaera wrote: »

My guess is it's the difference between someone who does it once in a while as a hobby, and someone who's doing it all day every day for a living.

Übung macht den Meister as they say

I went to the UK to get training from Autoglym, they showed me the best way to to do things, that helped a lot.



Having the right products is a BIG help, next having a good technique and routine

Repeat Repeat Repeat ECT.

JAMES VTI S

XsApollo wrote: »

So i am thinking i will go with the AutoGlym HD wax, HD Cleanser Kit and AutoGlym Clay kit in there.

Nice.

XsApollo

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

Nice.

Hopefully
Reading reviews of the wax it looks nice, also easy to apply and buff off.
Also save about 35euro with the 3 for 2.
Which will help when my wife cops on to all the stuff i just bought

JAMES VTI S

I used HD wax before



Was last year, easy on easy off.
Can't remember if it gave a good gloss or not, it has a big following though.

Black_Knight

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

I found a company in the US that offer polycarbonate cut to the shape of the original which is scratch and UV resistant. It bonds directly to the original trim, so does protrude slightly, but you would have to know it was there or really go looking for it to notice.

Link?

Mc Love

Fecking sun! Can't wax cos the bodywork is too hot! Took me extra long cos parts of the car were drying out too quick. Used wet n wax after all that but going to try some insulator wax and sealant in the morning!
Uncovered a good few scratches, would anyone be up for doing some polishing for me? James?
Also the chrome trim isn't as shiny as it should be, is there anything I can use to restore it?

Curran

Ye cant win, can ye! Praying for a dry day and then crusing it when it arrives....wait until a bit later when it cools down, but before the cold starts setting in along with the dew.

On the chrome; use a mild metal polish and a microfibre cloth. Should bring them up nicely!

Mc Love

Curran wrote: »

Ye cant win, can ye! Praying for a dry day and then crusing it when it arrives....wait until a bit later when it cools down, but before the cold starts setting in along with the dew.

On the chrome; use a mild metal polish and a microfibre cloth. Should bring them up nicely!

A dry cloudy day is perfect! A canopy would have been handy.

Any metal polish? From supermarket or auto shop?

Mc Love

Started off with some bilt hamber wheel clean, then rinsed the wheels.
Then snow foamed the car using cotton candy!
Rinsed
washed with 2bm
rinsed
Iron Cleanse
Rinsed
Tar Cleanse
Rinsed
Iron Cleanse all over
Rinsed
clayed
rinsed
washed with 2bm
rinsed
dryed
cleaned windows with AG glass polish
forgot to use hydrophobe so rinsed the car again after applying it.
used wax it wet because body was too hot
tried to touch up the chrome with turtle wax glass clean but didn't make any difference.

Cantona's Collars

Just witnessed some awful car washing.A neighbour went at hers a few minutes ago,decided to wash the wheels & tyres first then used the same water to wash the car.Has now left it to dry......oh the horror of it.

SeaFields

Can i ask ye, I was given a gift of an Autoglym Detailing Kit recently (clay bar, lube, polish and cloths). I have a bottle of Turtlewax wash and wax in the shed. Can I use the clay kit after the turtle wax or would I need just a car shampoo?

Would love to give my newish car some TLC tomorrow with the weather being good

discombobulate

SeaFields wrote: »

Can i ask ye, I was given a gift of an Autoglym Detailing Kit recently (clay bar, lube, polish and cloths). I have a bottle of Turtlewax wash and wax in the shed. Can I use the clay kit after the turtle wax or would I need just a car shampoo?

Would love to give my newish car some TLC tomorrow with the weather being good

Hey. The process there would be to wash the car, clay the car, wash down again and dry, then polish and then wax is the last step.

You would be best getting Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection instead of the turtle wax though as it would give better protection as it is developed to work well with the polish that comes with your kit.

Hal1

The autoglym is longer lasting and more durable than the turtle wax.

SeaFields

Sorry lads I should have clarified its a wash and wax combined. Probably everything that goes against car detailing but just for a wash before claying would it suffice?

discombobulate

SeaFields wrote: »

Sorry lads I should have clarified its a wash and wax combined. Probably everything that goes against car detailing but just for a wash before claying would it suffice?

The claying i'd imagine would remove any wax it applies anyway. You could use fairy liquid even as you'll have no protection on the car to strip anyway.

Main thing though would be that there's no point polishing i'd imagine if you don't apply a protectant / wax after. The effects of polish would wear quickly.

SeaFields

Ok cheers, that answers that. Ill have to try and get wax and proper car wash solution before using the clay kit. Hopefully the weather stays with us and Ill finally get around to chancing this claying thing by the weekend

MetzgerMeister

Also be careful using something like fairy liquid or any car shampoo as a lubricant. Don't clay the whole car in one go as this will let the shampoo dry on the car and you do not want that.

vectra

I use demon shine as a clay lube
great stuff.

discombobulate

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Also be careful using something like fairy liquid or any car shampoo as a lubricant. Don't clay the whole car in one go as this will let the shampoo dry on the car and you do not want that.

I think there's an autoglym lube with that kit which would do the job.

Curran

vectra wrote: »

I use demon shine as a clay lube
great stuff.

Used it a few times and it does give great lubrication, but if you were going straight to wax/sealant, skipping polishing, I dont like the greasy finish it leaves due to the gloss enhancers. Always find I have to use a strong APC mix to cut it back.
Each to thier own though...everyone has their favourites!

vectra

Curran wrote: »

Used it a few times and it does give great lubrication, but if you were going straight to wax/sealant, skipping polishing, I dont like the greasy finish it leaves due to the gloss enhancers. Always find I have to use a strong APC mix to cut it back.
Each to thier own though...everyone has their favourites!

Should have mentioned.
I always wash the car down after claying with a solution of Surfex HD.

Mc Love

And it continues, SRP done and EGP is drying waiting for the liquid insulator wax to be applied.

Only washed her yesterday and there was a good bit of dust on her already. Only been on the road twice since yesterday

Taylor365

Going to do a total clean next month just want to be sure i have everything covered.

Wash - Autoglynn lite shampoo, 2 buckets, MF mit.
Dry
Detar - Autosmart tardis (Where to detar? No clear areas of contamination)
Clay - Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit
Wash
Dry
Polish - Need a good polish, any suggestions?
Wax - Collinite 476S Super Doublecoat

Correct order?

Curran

Wash - Autoglynn lite shampoo, 2 buckets, MF mit.
Just let it drip dry as you'll need to wash it again and you want a dry towel later.
Detar - Autosmart tardis (Where to detar? Spray it everywhere below the trim line half way up the door)
Rinse Down
Clay - Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit
Wash
Dry
Polish - Need a good polish, any suggestions?
Wax - Collinite 476S Super Doublecoat

Generally speaking the polish and wax combo should be from the same manufacturer to ensure the most durability from the wax. The layer of polish will hinder bonding of the wax, so its best to stick with something thats designed to work together if you want max durability. That said there is nothing wrong with using Autoglym Super Resin Polish or Chemical Guys Pro Polish 3n, or whatever polish you can get your hands on; but dont be suprised if you need to top up the wax frequently, or if you are disappointed by how it beads / lasts on the car!

Stallingrad

Is Autoglym EGP a substitute for waxing?

Did a clean, de-tar, AG polish and AG EGP a while back with good results. Does it matter that I did not wax?

discombobulate

Stallingrad wrote: »

Is Autoglym EGP a substitute for waxing?

Did a clean, de-tar, AG polish and AG EGP a while back with good results. Does it matter that I did not wax?

Yes. EGP is a synthetic based sealant rather than wax based sealant.

Slattsy

Howdy.

Got a fair bit done today.
Washed (2bm), de-tarred, washed again and then used autoglym SRP and EGP.

Quick question for the lads, i picked up a bottle of Megs Ultimate Quick Wax the other day. Im wondering will there be any point applying a layer of this over the autoglym stuff? Will it bring out more gloss like?

Curran

Probably not, but there'd be no harm in trying. It will only last a little while but at least it will be a sacrificial layer.

Slattsy

Didnt really think so, i left it be anyway.
Have to say the autoglym stuff is very good for lads doing it by hand. Is there a better product out there for hand use?

cena

Ii noticed one of my neighbors has a DA polisher. He said I can have it some day.

I think I well take that offer.

HJL

Slattsy wrote: »

Megs Ultimate Quick Wax

Was just reading a review on this a couple of days ago. Got a pretty positive result for what it is. You might not notice any difference to the gloss of your car, but I should imagine a quick going over with it after a wash would bring back the 'freshly waxed' look and also make the EGP last longer.

Although as Curran says, sticking with the same maker can help products to bond better, so AG Aqua Wax would probably be better.

But I personally mix and match many items, I like waxing my car so durability isn't an issue for me.

If I were you I would divide the car bonnet in 2, put the Megs Ultimate Quick Wax on one side and see if you notice any difference or see any other benefit of using it like tighter beads or helping the EGP last longer. You have the perfect excuse for a mini experiment

Here is the review on autogeek i was reading:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/32288-review-meguiars-ultimate-quik-wax.html

Mc Love

This the finished product - noticed the beading on the bonnet as I was driving, instant smile on my face. However I couldnt get rid of the strange marks on my chrome trim.






Wheels were never really washed so I am looking forward to getting my wheel woolies to give them a good clean!


This is one part of the trim that is okay-ish

And this is two shots of the problem area:

Mc Love

So after I had finished waxing my own the mother in law asked could I give her car "a bit of a hose....". There is no such thing as "a bit of a hose"!! Then she followed it up with "I just want it clean looking" Tbh i didnt kill myself but I still wanted it to look somewhat decent!

Before:






After:





It looked like a new-ish car after I finished it. Had to go over it twice with the power washer, had to use two coats of wheel clean. Used snow foam which and iron cleanse helped a good bit. There is so much tar its not funny! The dirt on one or two of the wheels is really bad, its like its growing its own eco-system! But I finished it off with some wax-it-wet and some Turtle Wax Glass clean.

MetzgerMeister

That'd oxidation on the chrome trim, had it on mine too but got rid of it with metal polish and a dremmel. It's a PITA of a job to do because the dremmel is so small. I even tried a D/A with rayon pad and an orange polishing pad but it didn't make much difference.

Mc Love

Hmm and if you dont have a dremel? I had used silver metal polish on it but to no avail. Another posted PM'd me to say try a clay bar.

MetzgerMeister

Clay bar won't work for oxidation on metal as the metal surface has changed shape if you like, there's nothing there (i.e. bonded contaminants) that clay will remove.

JAMES VTI S

Top work Eoin :-) ... did you get a new car ?

JAMES VTI S

I Valeted and re-waxed this today, i machine polished back in September.

It had been washed once after i machine polished it.





Eight hours later :cool:

JAMES VTI S

After applying Collinite wax this was the gloss level

HJL

Mc Love wrote: »

Hmm and if you dont have a dremel?

Raid the kitchen cupboards!

JAMES VTI S

That's plastic trim not chrome you have eoin

deaglan169

i know on my car audi a4 b6 the chrome trim is the same in spots, but the chrome is lacquered and its water beneath the lacquer so it would need stripping back i just put up with being honest

sebastianlieken

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

@ JAMES VTI S

Bee-ae-u-tee-ful!

Lovely job!

Funny how your rear brake disk has that tell-tale layer of oxidation you get after a days detailing, but your front ones don't

JAMES VTI S

Thanks very much.

With wheels like this I clean them then move the car so the bottom of the wheel is on top so I know iv missed nothing and maybe that's why.

MetzgerMeister

What the hell did you do to the wing mirror?! :eek:

JAMES VTI S

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

What the hell did you do to the wing mirror?! :eek:

Lol I turned it out so he water would run out of rue housing

Mc Love

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

That's plastic trim not chrome you have eoin

you sure? Got any recommendations to remove the marks from it?

and yep - a very happy camper with the new car

Marty McFly

That's the spitting image of my car just a lot shinier than mine right now .

JAMES VTI S

Mask the surrounding areas and polish.

Mc Love

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

Mask the surrounding areas and polish.

Tried the silver polish - think its called Silvo?!? Didnt work, going to try a dremel and see if that works!