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People who "detail" a car rather than clean it are up there with roadies in my opinion . . . . absolute weirdo's.
There is a level of madness.....
The only thing I'll say is a good cheap investment, is the foam polishing pads - they don't half cut down on polish being wasted by being absorbed by various cloths. My car is 17 years old, and you'd not know it's that old. It's a 'used car' but I wash it every week as the alloys get filthy with brake dust. Waxed about 4x a year - Autoglym Super Resin is very good, get's the crap off. Then use the more basic Turtle Wax tub (it's a fiver) and that lasts with the 'foam pads'.
It makes washing the car really easy, same with bikes TBH.
We have a perfectly good jet washer at home. Son has his first car now but my 'jet wash' doesn't do 'snow foam'... I said doesn't matter... He went out and ought one that does.... his money...
Jet wash doesn't get the fine dirt off. You use it for under the car and excess crap. I just stick with buckets - wash top to bottom. If the car if filthy, then a jet wash first, then sponge wash, and rinse.
If you wash/polish the car sort of regularly, it makes cleaning it easy. Just like the bikes...
Jet wash took the paint off my Mondeo. Or rather the tar I was hitting did. Oops.
People who voluntarily spend their own time cleaning their car (especially those who do it regularly) must lead such boring lives. IMO of course.
My car is 17 years old, and you’d not know it’s that old
Reg number
My car is 17 years old, and you’d not know it’s that old
and one of my cars is almost 10 years old and has 90,000 on it. The couple of times a year I do wash it the paint work looks like new (the alloy wheels are another matter!).
I am guessing that the layer of dirt is protecting the paint
People who voluntarily spend their own time cleaning their car (especially those who do it regularly) must lead such boring lives.
Ya got me..
Reg number
Private plate? Or whatever they are called
It's no different to other hobbies or interests, there's different levels.
If you see a car as a white good then you're not going to spend 3 hours washing it. But for someone who's into cars...
Take audio. You've got your average listener, using an iPhone and corded apple headphones. Then your person who is willing to spend a bit more, they might have a couple of £50-100 pairs of headphones. Then there's your full on audiophile with £100's/1000's of worth of kit.
Computers. Same there.
Bicycles. Same there 🤣 I bet there's a thread on a forum somewhere along the lines of "buying a bicycle, when did it become so complicated?"
As for the 2 bucket thing, that's just common sense, things have moved on from grit covered sponges and chamois leather to dry your car. *shudders*
I've got a decent amount of detailing kit, and claying a car does get a really good finish. It's also useful for getting rid of tree sap etc on your windows. I don't spend 5 hours every week though, maybe 5 hours every few months,so when I do wash my car I want to get a decent result.
DezB
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Like anything, you can be obsessive about it, make it your hobby, or just do the job.
I have a neighbour who cleans his car obsessively every single day (no lie!)
It makes me leave mine filthy as I’m sure he twitches when he sees it sat in the drive.
His is (arf) a Ford Focus 😂
He's not called Colin is he as I worked with a lad who would do a light wash of his car every day at work with the pressure washer and spend at least 4hrs on it at the weekend.
The only cars he ever had were Ford Focus's
acceptance that a few hours need to be put aside for a respectable job is a manageable compromise
I don’t accept this! Half hour maybe, once ‘unacceptably filthy’ has been reached. Then a two hours on the bike too. A much better compromise.
Though this thread has reminded me to clean the glass.
I tend to favour the Waterfall method over AGILE. Just squirt it with a hose from a distance for a bit rather than go to the trouble of jumping around reaching under wheel arches with sponges and stuff.
I got a £10 gift voucher and bought some autoglym stuff called magma for getting iron bits off yer wheels. It's turns red after a couple of minutes so it's worth getting! A quick pressure wash off and bobs your uncle 👍👍😁
I bought a silicon squeegee about 15 years ago for wiping dry the car, takes no time at all 😊
I bought a silicon squeegee about 15 years ago for wiping dry the car, takes no time at all
used to love those, lots of work repairing long straight scratches on otherwise spotless panels 🤔👍
Oldfart, not read whole thread but yes what you've said in first post is correct. I only need to use the citrus stuff in winter when the grime is thicker, this time of year snow foam is enough.
I now use Sonnax bsd after the wash and it's great stuff £7 odd from ECP. Easy to use, spray on and buff off, two cloths. Water it down as it makes it easier to use.
I've honestly never had a problem with the silicon squeegee marking panels. I always give it a clean down before I use it tho
I presently go for a protective layer of road crap to protect the paintwork but a proper job is
1. Tfr on the wheels and sills
2 hot water foam jet wash top to bottom
3 cold rinse top to bottom
4 clean chamois leather to wipe away water residue
This will give a showroom finish.