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I cleaned the inside of mine. 1st time in 4 years. Outside can wait until next lockdown 😊
rOcKeTdOg
SubscriberWalking around you can certainly see who the key workers are, they are the ones with no car on the drive or if it is it’s filthy as they don’t have the time or energy to even through a bucket of water at it
Guilty 😉
But then it must be 10 years since I washed a car, I would rather pay the nice bunch of Polish people that run a superb hand car wash just up the road, sadly unavailable now 🙁
I'm sure it’s one of those things if you get into it It's addictive and I must admit when I look at the car when back from said hand wash it does look blood good.
Am I going to get into trouble for mentioning they are Polish ?
Mine needs done, but I’m currently fixing the 3 oil leaks which have appeared since the end of Feb.
My car rarely does more than 30miles a week and often sits for weeks. Why do I suddenly have 3 oil leaks?
Polish or polish?
Detailers of STW – what have you been up to?
Absolutely nothing, not even washed my tiguan since getting it back from a new car detail and C Quartz Professional ceramic coating last July done by a mate, see here for examples of his work
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What happens with the ceramic finish when it starts to fail?
Can you just patch it up or do you need to do a complete strip and reapply?
I hate having a dirty car but I also don’t enjoy washing them.
Our usual guy that comes around to do them isn’t working at the moment so I might have to do them myself this week.
I’ve got a 25 year old Caterham 7 with bare aluminium bodywork and black fibreglass wings and nose , the bare Ali parts are looking pretty tatty.
Anyone know whats the best approach to make it look a bit neater without attempting to polish it up to a mirror finish.
Magic sponges are good for cleaning up bare aluminium. Just with a bit of warm water. You might want to hit it with some iron x or similar and a clay bar too, to get rid of contaminants.
I would rather pay the nice bunch of Polish people that run a superb hand car wash just up the road, sadly unavailable now 🙁
I’m sure it’s one of those things if you get into it It’s addictive and I must admit when I look at the car when back from said hand wash it does look blood good.
Might look good for a bit but they wreck your paintwork with swirls after a few goes. Fine if it's a lease you hand back in a couple of years.
Magic sponges are good for cleaning up bare aluminium. Just with a bit of warm water. You might want to hit it with some iron x or similar and a clay bar too, to get rid of contaminants.
Think I have a few magic sponges under the sink, will give them a go, ta.
WCA : When the ceramic coat starts to fail will depend on how the paintwork is prepared beforehand and the skill of the person applying the coating, as far as i know (from speaking to my mate referenced above) you cannot patch up sections but need to start from scratch (so to speak), not all ceramic coatings are created equal as you can get polymer based that are reasonably priced and easier to apply but not as protective and quartz protective coatings that are more akin to a nanotech diamond strength coating on the paintwork.
I think i have a minimum of 3-5 years protection on mine, prob more if i bothered to give it a wash, i may get help t'morn to go over it with the snow lance attachment
I washed mine today- it was absolutely disgusting- and then, for the first time in my life, I clay barred one side. Mostly because it had some paint overspray that I wanted to deal with but I have to admit, it is an incredibly pleasing thing to do... rough, oooh, smooooooth.
I did a bit of a garage clear up at the weekend and found some Mer polish.
I was trying to think when I would have bought it so had a quick Google and found out it is Vintage"https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/193391051302?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=193391051302&targetid=876487124366&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9045701&poi=&campaignid=9441124701&mkgroupid=91043569850&rlsatarget=pla-876487124366&abcId=1140496&merchantid=6995734&gclid=CjwKCAjwvtX0BRAFEiwAGWJyZGYmZZ9FfqXUC90y1G2O5HNt5EslHmqzsGQwhFYnHY5hGOA3ILPXUxoC1KIQAvD_BwE"
Have now traced it back to when I had a Vauxhal Chevette about 30+ years ago.
We have moved house twice since then. Do you think it will be any good? There is about 1/4 of the bottle left
Some great looking clean cars up there.
So whats the best way to dry a car off after washing?
Been spending some time polishing my 20 year old e39 touring and it was looking really good. Then it was sat on the drive and got really dirty so i washed it again and dried it with a chamois but its left lots of crap all over it. Needs washing again now to get rid of all the water marks.
What's the best way to dry it?
it is an incredibly pleasing thing to do… rough, oooh, smooooooth.
Wire wool on a bit of wood gives a similar satisfaction.
My car needs some attention in terms of paintwork, probably a good job for lockdown that I'd not thought of.
Some **** keyed it recently too, it's one of the few things that makes me think of getting CCTV.
@oikeith @ tallpaul I got a bottle of tripl3 as a freebie from cleanyourcar iirc when I bought a gallon of citrus power. It gave a great finish on the octy, filling the small swirls brilliantly, but it didn't last. Beading stopped in about a third the time I'd expect, which with a garaged car, is normally 6+ months. I did my usual prep citrus, pressure wash, 2 bucket, iron X, pressure rinse, detar, clay g3 mitt and super soapy water for lube, pressure rinse. Then tripl3 with the da and finishing pad. I then, thinking the tripl3 must be about the same as autoglym srp, I assumed my usual lsp, autoglym egp, would go over it fine so applied as usual. I wonder if the sealant didn't adhere over the tripl3 though, and a wax would have been better
Did the car and the van on lockdown weekend 1 and since then, the car has moved 5 miles and the van has been moved nose into the garage so when the battery inevitably dies I can easily get into it and charge it.
I'm not a "detailer" but biggish wash of the year was:
- snowfoam (Auto Finesse stuff)
- rinse
- decontaminate it with AF Iron Out
- rinse
- clay bar
- rinse
- polish with AF Tripple
- 2 coats of Fusso
Doing the car and the van took me most of the weekend. Need a rotary.
Van wheels had just been refurbed so gave them a coat of G-Techniq and the tyres some AF dressing before putting them on. Need to do the interior on both vehicles but I'm doing some chassis work on the van in the coming week so will be washing underneath and wheel arches etc then.
VS the bike that gets thrown in the garage and a bit of lube thrown at it now and then.
@neilnevill - I've had good results using tripple topped with 2 coats of C2v3 and then a coat of Supernatural hybrid wax/sealant.
I really like C2v3, it's easy to apply and can be watered down as a QD as well for a quick top up.
Anyone after good quality and relatively cheap cloths, I've just order from Paragon microfibre and they seem spot on.
For drying the car you can get specific drying aids which reduce the water marks left behind and I use a micro fibre towel rather than a chamois.
<I did a bit of a garage clear up at the weekend and found some Mer polish.>
My container of Mer dates back to 1973 when my dad assured it was the thing to use on black cars (Hillman Imp rally car, 915cc, rootes R17 cam, twin SU's = 55bhp & 40+mpg).
Planning to do the current car next week so looking at:-
Jet wash rinse
Snowfoam
Rinse
De-tar the sides
claybar
polish
First time using the claybar - any tips?
First time using the claybar – any tips
Cut the clay in to several pieces so you can throw one away when you inevitably drop it on the drive half way through.
Use loads and loads of lube and pass in straight lines with light pressure.
Seen AF Citrus Power mentioned a few times - does anyone else think its a bit crap? I've been using it for a few years but never been particularly happy with it as it barely seems to do anything. Any else come recommended?
I've not used AF citrus power but do use Valet Pro Citrus pre-wash and rate it.
It seems to be a similar product to the AF citrus but cheaper.
It can be diluted to various strengths depending on grime levels and I use it instead of a snow foam pre wash.
Interested to see that people de-tar after the foam/wash? I'd have though it would be best to wash - possibly a second time - after this step, to get the solvent off no?
[i]Use loads and loads of lube and pass in straight lines with light pressure[/i]
Can you just use water as lube?
I guess the lube will slide a bit better but it is not actually doing anything other than letting the clay slide which water does as well. Happy to stand corrected
Can you just use water as lube?
It probably depends on the clay. Bilt Hamber Auto Clay is designed to be used with water, and I've read that the clay mitts can be used with soapy water.
chrisdb
Member
Might look good for a bit but they wreck your paintwork with swirls after a few goes. Fine if it’s a lease you hand back in a couple of years.
Only get it washed 3 or 4 times a year, I bought it outright @ 9 months old.
I intend to run it till its into banger mode so a few swirls won't matter
Planning to do the current car next week so looking at:-
Jet wash rinse
Snow foam
Rinse
De-tar the sides
claybar
polish
Put the claybar on a cup of hot water to soften it.
Polish will leave a residue which you'll need to clean off. Then Do a wax or sealant after polishing.
@neilnevill I didnt think AF Tripple was a DA polish? Thought it was hand application only.
Reading this thread reminds me I need to pick up a clay bar, Iron remover and Tar remover to really get the bonnet and lowers gleaming.
Not a proper detail as I haven’t got a DA.. but about as close as I get.
7hours. Bike rack and plates off, rinse, prewash, wheels including the arch liners, foam, rinse, fallout remover and foam again, wash including roof, dry, claybar whole van, rinse again, hand polish. Interior stripped, vacuum, clean, wash down everywhere, pressure wash all the carpets, clean seats, I’m pooped.
Worst part is it’ll just sit there for weeks now!