I’ve been neglecting the aesthetics of my old vw t4 van.

The paintwork is good but hasn’t seen any wax etc for many years.

In the ol days if I remember correctly you would use ‘ t cut’ and then a wax polish.

Is this old hat and what products would be best for blinging the old girl back to her former beauty ?

What colour is it?

Sounds like a Machine Polish and good quality carnauba wax is needed.

Can have it looking better than new if the bodywork is good with no major scratches or damage, and its only age and weathering that’s causing the problems.

If you are in Yorkshire give me a shout and I can sort it out for you.

Dark blue.

Ah shame… South coast.

Would it be cheaper to get it professionally done then ? Obv not cheaper just financially but time, effort and products etc

If you don’t have a good quality rotary polisher (or you aren’t proficient at using one)

Then yes, have it done by someone else who knows what they are doing.

It would need to be cleaned and de tarred, then decontaminated with a clay bar.
Then machine polished (not easy if you aren’t trained to use one properly)
Then a good quality carnauba wax applied (2/3 coats, left to fully cure each time)

My T4 Multivan took me about 9 hours to do fully, and I’m pretty fast as I do it a lot.

Without a machine, it would take forever to do properly. And to be honest, the results would be rubbish compared to doing it properly. It’s just impossible to get the same finish without using a rotary machine.

Email me some pictures if you like and I can let you know what it should cost ?

Nealglover@gmail.com

A good few years ago I had the same issues with a plain red Vauxhall Corsa – achieved pretty good results using a coloured T-cut polish/reviver – car was about 8 years old so wasn’t expecting to get it back to “showroom” standard but a few hours of effort got it looking quite reasonable.

The coloured t-cut type stuff just masks the problems really. It’s basically coloured filler for the clear coat and as such is a temporary fix.

The problem is caused by microscopic scratches in the clear coat meaning that the light does not reflect off the colour coat clearly.

To solve the problem permenantly, You need to polish out those scratches using a compound and fast rotary machine.

An added bonus is that you have a much smoother surface to apply wax to, and this means the vehicle is far easier to keep clean.

Paintwork thats been Properly machine polished and waxed can go from feeling like chalk to feeling like silk 🙂

I use this stuff 😆

neal glover speaks the truth. either get a detailer do the whole lot, or a bodyshop might do a machine polish on it for you for reasonable money breaking its back and leaving you with the diy’able job of waxing (and waxing again)

no reason why it shouldn’t look bran spanking again though.

Neal – Slight hijack – looking at using a clay bar on my t5 before giving it a wax ~ any recommendations please?
Also, after touching up stone chips, is wet and dry best to get an even surface? And can I use a buffing compound with my dremel mops to get a good result?

Thanks

Nealglover ….what sort of money are you talking for a T5? (Apologies for the hijack)

Neal – Slight hijack – looking at using a clay bar on my t5 before giving it a wax ~ any recommendations please?
Also, after touching up stone chips, is wet and dry best to get an even surface? And can I use a buffing compound with my dremel mops to get a good result?

Thanks

Built Hamber Autoclay is good option, and its designed to use clean water as a lube so it’s not necessary to buy a second product.

Otherwise Meguiars do a full clay kit for about £25 that has everything you need.

I would use a good Tar and Glue remover first though personally, saves the clay bar a lot of work lower down the panels.

The finest grade wet and dry you can find, soaked for 30 mins in clean water, and used with a rubber sanding block would do the job! go easy though !
wouldn’t have a clue about using a Dremel. Sounds like a really bad idea though.

There are correct tools for the job, personally I would stick to using those.

Fast rotary machine with a G3 foam waffle pad and polishing compound.

Nealglover ….what sort of money are you talking for a T5? (Apologies for the hijack)

I would need to see it as a lot depends on the current condition, and also what you want to achieve.

Anywhere from £150 for a quick clay, mop and wax.

Multiply that by 10+ if you wanted a full wet sand, paint correction etc.

Brack: OT but do you still have the Uno 1″ quill stem? Would like to buy it if so. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/retromania-leather-brooks-saddle-and-uno-stem

Luke – who operates ‘down south’ depending on where you are produces good results

http://www.lgautoworx.co.uk/lgautoworx/detailing.html

Priced accordingly for the quality of the work

My mate offered to do my Transit for £100. That was serious mates rates and would have seen him out of pocket. Never bothered since its only a van!

Be careful if trying a machine polish yourself, get a spare panel somewhere first to practice on. I hear its very easy to burn through the paint. AutoGlym and macguires do good polishing products for a general tidy up, plenty of guides online. Check pistonheads detailing section for loads of info.

Or for a cheaper solution buy a can of Autosmart New Image paint restorer.
You might have to find an agent as they sell sort of door to door to garages.
I might be able to blag you a litre as my mate works at Harwoods Chichester Jag /Aston and they use it on the p/x’s that come in.

Thanks Neal 😀

Singletrack mind oooh yes that would be the mutts nutts.

I used to have a contact at jag many moons ago….

I bought a t25 off him and we stayed in touch… But then I went overseas for a few years. I wonder if its the same chap.

Kona bunny yes I do as a matter of fact.

£9 posted

Gonadnomad
At
Hotmail
Dot
Co
Dot
Uk

will try and sort it this week
you able to pop in and collect one afternoon?

some interesting tips- thanks guys!

Yes of course

Nealglover ….what sort of money are you talking for a T5? (Apologies for the hijack)

I would need to see it as a lot depends on the current condition, and also what you want to achieve.

Anywhere from £150 for a quick clay, mop and wax.

Multiply that by 10+ if you wanted a full wet sand, paint correction etc.

Would just like a shiny van for a change, no point doing anything too special on mine, the bumpers were colour coded on a budget so would probably look terrible if the rest of the van was mint. Would like to get rid of a scratch in the bonnet though. Do you have place or travel around? Wouldn’t drag you to mine just to look at the van (i would probably turn into a quivering mess when you started talking cold hard cash) but if you were passing I wouldn’t mind knowing what needs doing I’d like to keep the van till it dies and would like to keep the paintwork decent. If you are passing (near junction 39 of the m1) and fancy a coffee let me know

Kona bunny let me know re stem.

Singletrackmind let me know when is good for you re the colour restorer- cheers.

Brack – emailed you but it bounced back!

Small bottle of AutoSmart platimun paint restorer is waiting for you in my flat if you still want to give it a go?