Detailing Thread

Jimdagym

listermint wrote: »

Well its detailed but its basics for washing the car tbh.

Get x2 buckets - Why ? because you are just rubbing the dirt you just wiped off back onto the car again everytime you dip the wash mitt back in the water.
So - 1 bucket contains the clean water with shampoo the other is for dipping the mitt in for rinse every panel you clean.
(this process allows to keep your paint better with less scratches created from rubbing dirty wash mitts into it.

Get a decent shampoo - it makes washing easier.

Get a decent wash mitt - sponges trap stones and WILL scratch your laquer / paint. Trust me i made this mistake a number of years back on a brandly new painted bonnet.

Get a drying towel - this allows you to dry down the car and reduce water marks which at the end of the day makes your car look like you never washed it in the first place.

Il leave the polish and wax at your discretion they are needed for tip top shine and protection. But if you just want to wash, get the above.

Thanks for that. I do plan going the whole hog eventually, but I just want to start walking at the minute before I run. Like I was saying, if I start washing it regularly, the full detailing is just a progression. Need to start building habits.

dar83

She's back!



I only realised afterwards that I had no before pictures of the rear bumper scrapes/lacquer peel, but the after pictures make me happy.

MetzgerMeister

Fook! The shine off that! It's like a christmaS Tree :P

dar83

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Fook! The shine off that! It's like a christmaS Tree :P

Grroooaaaann....

Yeah he polished and waxed it up nicely. Treated the tyres and everything. Car was looking really well yesterday, until it rained for a bit.... then I drove down the M50...

Still, a gentle foam wash at the weekend and it should pull the dust off it and have it looking nicely shiny again.

listermint

nice finish man. nice colour too

dar83

Cheers. I actually love the colour of it now myself.

When I first started looking for an ST I wanted one in Black, looked at all the available ones and thankfully none of them were that good, so settled on a Performance Blue one. Now I have to say I'd choose the Blue over any of them, although the Electric Orange does still look good, but it's a bit too much ASBO for my liking. :P

listermint

dar83 wrote: »

Cheers. I actually love the colour of it now myself.

When I first started looking for an ST I wanted one in Black, looked at all the available ones and thankfully none of them were that good, so settled on a Performance Blue one. Now I have to say I'd choose the Blue over any of them, although the Electric Orange does still look good, but it's a bit too much ASBO for my liking. :P

You went for the best.

Black is an overrated colour and for the most part never shows the lines of the body as they should be seen.

Its also a detailers pain to keep clean and picks up marks like nothing else.!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

listermint wrote: »

You went for the best.

Black is an overrated colour and for the most part never shows the lines of the body as they should be seen.

Its also a detailers pain to keep clean and picks up marks like nothing else.!

True but black when its clean, corrected and detailed it is spectacular.:cool:

TomMc

While solid black is OK, I don't really like it in metallics. I suppose BMW carbon black is a nice enough colour when detailed but I just find black in general very morbid.

I'd much prefer a bit of colour in my life. The orange colour on those Focus' is fantastic, but more suited to sunnier climates. In Ireland all fast Ford's look best in blue. Same with the Escort Cosworth or Mondeo ST220.

eringobragh

eringobragh wrote: »

Box of goodies arrived just now..I love getting post (except for bills )..

Looks good so far..he threw in a bit of 3mtape and a drumstick as well.:cool:..I fear it is just the beginning



Munching on one of these while we speak!



Now all I need is the weather onside...watch this space.

....lack of updates for a reason on this lads...

the box of stuff still in the corner of my room, last week I cracked my radiator on the way to Galway so detailing has moved down the pecking order.:mad:

Hopefully I'll have sorted this weekend :cool:

vectra

^ Weekend weather is looking good form what I can gather. Hopefully is as I have to take out the seats out of the Toledo and fit a set of Cupra seats. Also a $hit load of wiring for amp and speakers while the seats are out.

Payton

Great thead, what would be the best polish/wax for my car (blue-sea breeze) and a good product to bring the dashboard back to life.

Neilw

on the verge wrote: »

Great thead, what would be the best polish/wax for my car (blue-sea breeze) and a good product to bring the dashboard back to life.

I find collinite waxes ver good, and really durable.
As for the dash, poorboys world natural look dressing leaves a nice matt finish.

Payton

Neilw wrote: »

on the verge wrote: »

Great thead, what would be the best polish/wax for my car (blue-sea breeze) and a good product to bring the dashboard back to life.

I find collinite waxes ver good, and really durable.
As for the dash, poorboys world natural look dressing leaves a nice matt finish.

Thanks I'll check my local motor factors over the weekend.

E39MSport

Re: streaking and hard water marks. Normally if you dry the paintwork with a suitable mf drying towel then it's not a problem.

However, the water here is hard as nails and I sometimes roll out my aquagleam http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/aqua-gleam/30ppm-de-ionising-water-filter-30.aspx for a final rinse.

It's expensive though and the harder the water the shorter it's life span.

Interestingly, the chap that works on my water purification system (well water) asked what it was and he said that the stuff inside it looks and describes like the much much cheaper (silicate?) he uses in household well water purification systems.

He was to drop a bag of it up to me but hasn't as yet.

Alternatively, my purification system uses basic sale to flush out the filtration system. I might have a go at flushing my aquagleam with salted water to extend its life.

Neilw

on the verge wrote: »

Thanks I'll check my local motor factors over the weekend.

I doubt you will get either of them in any shops over here. Detailer.ie used to sell them, not sure if cleancar.ie do.

E39MSport

Brought the touch up gear home from UK yesterday (panel wipe bottle took a bit of a beating in the bag but survived).

Typical, as soon as I open the door to have a look and get a plan together, it starts raining. Want to start building up the paint spots this weekend.

listermint

E39MSport wrote: »

Brought the touch up gear home from UK yesterday (panel wipe bottle took a bit of a beating in the bag but survived).

Typical, as soon as I open the door to have a look and get a plan together, it starts raining. Want to start building up the paint spots this weekend.

Plenty of Pics.

magnavox

Hi people,

Just wondering would there be anything wrong with using WD40 to remove big spots of tar before I begin to clay the car?

vectra

magnavox wrote: »

Hi people,

Just wondering would there be anything wrong with using WD40 to remove big spots of tar before I begin to clay the car?

No.
Work away
Make sure you wash it off and polish it afterwards

magnavox

vectra wrote: »

No.
Work away
Make sure you wash it off and polish it afterwards

Thanks, it will be getting the works after.:)

E39MSport

I've started buildin up the paint. Theres a good few chips and some old ones had to be ground out with a dremmel because they were the wrong colour and it turned out there was slight rust under some of them.

Didn't take pics of the chips but will take pics of the now proud paint dots and the rest of the procedure.

I'm planking it at the thought of taking the sanding petals to the bonnet but happy enough with how it's gone so far.

Ordered a new roundel from C3BMW too.

MetzgerMeister

E39MSport wrote: »

I've started buildin up the paint. Theres a good few chips and some old ones had to be ground out with a dremmel because they were the wrong colour and it turned out there was slight rust under some of them.

Didn't take pics of the chips but will take pics of the now proud paint dots and the rest of the procedure.

I'm planking it at the thought of taking the sanding petals to the bonnet but happy enough with how it's gone so far.

Ordered a new roundel from C3BMW too.

After you use the petals, is it just a matter of using a D/A and compound to remove any scratches?

If this works for you I would consider getting that stuff too. I have loads of white marks on my bonnet and doors

Stheno

I'm possibly in the wrong thread (apologies mods) so please bear with me.

My car is a coupe, and the rear panel on the driver side has a patch of rust on the wheel rim that needs to be dealt with

The rear bumper has scuffs that need to be fixed.

The rear panel on the passenger side needs respraying with scratches

Then the passenger and driver doors have scratches at their edge (the bit that would hit another door)

Do you think a smart repair would work for them all, or is the fact two are doors would be a problem?

irelandspurs

I want to buy a starter kit as i've been reading this thread the last few days and want to give it a go,can anyone recommend where to buy from.:)

TomMc

autokote.com, cleancar.ie or detailingshed.com

vectra

irelandspurs wrote: »

I want to buy a starter kit as i've been reading this thread the last few days and want to give it a go,can anyone recommend where to buy from.:)

I never dealt with The above except for Cleancar.ie

Friendly guys and superb customer service along with next day delivery

What color car have you got?
We could give you some advice on what products to get for a start off.

irelandspurs

vectra wrote: »

I never dealt with The above except for Cleancar.ie

Friendly guys and superb customer service along with next day delivery

What color car have you got?
We could give you some advice on what products to get for a start off.

I have a metalic grey focus and have just bought a cheap almera as a run around that i can practise on which is green on log book but colour code is BW3 which is tornado grey.Focus has a lot of swirl marks

MetzgerMeister

+1 for cleancar.ie.

Excellent service.

irelandspurs

so this one will do http://www.cleancar.ie/kestreldas-6starterskit.html ? plus a few cleaning products and a snow foam lance?
Think i'll have to be nice to the wife for a few weeks