Detailing chat

Curran · 11-04-2017 09:37AM

You are applying too heavy. Thin layers are easier to apply and also to buff off.
The benefit of 2 layers is three fold.
- Ensuring 100% coverage...often small areas are missed
- Extra depth to the appearance
- A little added durability

After that, the laws of diminishing returns apply.

Veloce · 11-04-2017 11:17AM

Hi lads, can anyone recommend a decent car wash in Dublin that don't use brushes/cloths? Apologies if these has been asked over & over. I recently had my car compounded and polished and don't want to end up getting more swirls.

Thanks

MetzgerMeister · 11-04-2017 11:46AM

What part of Dublin? The only one that comes to mind is Elite Auto Clean.

Veloce · 11-04-2017 11:51AM

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

What part of Dublin? The only one that comes to mind is Elite Auto Clean.

I am in Dublin 15 and see that they are too. Do you need to book in with these guys for basic wash?

quadrifoglio verde · 11-04-2017 11:52AM

Veloce wrote: »

I am in Dublin 15 and see that they are too. Do you need to book in with these guys for basic wash?

Yes
I've gone up a few times and they were too busy

Veloce · 11-04-2017 12:02PM

Thanks lads.

Curran · 11-04-2017 02:38PM

5 Star Valet in Kilbarrick are supposed to be OK; never used them though.

Cantona's Collars · 12-04-2017 10:42AM

This might be handy for those with karcher washers. http://www.halfords.ie/motoring/car-cleaning/pressure-washers-hoses/karcher-pressure-washer-foam-spray-nozzle

quadrifoglio verde · 12-04-2017 10:51AM

OSI wrote: »

Used them myself a good bit and they've always done a decent job. Basic wash is a 15-20 minute hand wash, costs about â‚¬15. Bloke even commented that he noticed I had a ceramic coating on it in the past.

I still think you're better off giving Ian an extra 5er.
The work that goes into that 20 Euro wash is unreal

Shlippery · 12-04-2017 01:24PM

zerks wrote: »

This might be handy for those with karcher washers. http://www.halfords.ie/motoring/car-cleaning/pressure-washers-hoses/karcher-pressure-washer-foam-spray-nozzle

Thanks - picked one up in Halfords, got it for €12 with a 15% off card i had, will see how it goes at the weekend, might be ok til I can buy proper foam lance!

punisher5112 · 12-04-2017 02:08PM

zerks wrote: »

This might be handy for those with karcher washers. http://www.halfords.ie/motoring/car-cleaning/pressure-washers-hoses/karcher-pressure-washer-foam-spray-nozzle

Bought one few years ago and its rubbish.

Proper snow foam lance all the way.

MetzgerMeister · 12-04-2017 02:20PM

Product advertising aside, just look how easy it is to damage your car's paint by using brushes, sponges and bad washing techniques:

https://www.facebook.com/carthrottle/videos/1587214501289594/

MaceFace · 12-04-2017 03:18PM

punisher5112 wrote: »

Bought one few years ago and its rubbish.

Proper snow foam lance all the way.

I have used one for the last year and find it excellent.

MetzgerMeister · 12-04-2017 03:20PM

MaceFace wrote: »

I have used one for the last year and find it excellent.

Have you used a proper foam lance?

Hal1 · 12-04-2017 07:50PM

My p/ss would create more foam than that little lance...

Slattsy · 12-04-2017 09:22PM

Hal1 wrote: »

My p/ss would create more foam than that little lance...

Stop drinking fairy liquid!!

Shlippery · 20-04-2017 01:44PM

Locking wheel nuts lads - anything to save them from rusting? Put some BH Auto Wheel on the alloys at the weekend, and everything came out spotless except the locking nuts on each of the wheels.

From a quick google, seems a common enough issue with them, anyone recommend anything for looking after them, if I pick up some new ones?

Curran · 20-04-2017 04:02PM

What type? Are they shiny chrome?
Or could you remove one from each wheel and spray them black?

Shlippery · 20-04-2017 09:22PM

Curran wrote: »

What type? Are they shiny chrome?
Or could you remove one from each wheel and spray them black?

Not the best picture, but shows the rust on it pretty clearly.
The 4 came with the car were already pretty rusted.
But at the moment, they're the one thing bothering me after the car is freshly washed!

I might be better off just getting regular ones to match the others, not sure how much of a deterrent the "locking" nuts are to thieves anyways!

SBPhoto · 20-04-2017 11:28PM

Hal1 wrote: »

My p/ss would create more foam than that little lance...

Don't know what your using in it, i have one and it works great, real tick foamy shuds from it no bother

Noccy_Mondy · 21-04-2017 01:35AM

Shlippery wrote:

Not the best picture, but shows the rust on it pretty clearly. The 4 came with the car were already pretty rusted. But at the moment, they're the one thing bothering me after the car is freshly washed!

It's a Ford thing, all their lock nuts go rusty. Bit of wire wool takes the dirty look off of them for a while.

Curran · 21-04-2017 07:42AM

Or spray the locking nut silver

Hal1 · 21-04-2017 08:56AM

SBPhoto wrote: »

Don't know what your using in it, i have one and it works great, real tick foamy shuds from it no bother

I suppose a lot is down to the foam used, from what I'd seen it didn't impress me. Maybe in experienced hands it would perform better.

MaceFace · 21-04-2017 11:19AM

Hal1 wrote: »

I suppose a lot is down to the foam used, from what I'd seen it didn't impress me. Maybe in experienced hands it would perform better.

I use Bilt Hamber Auto-Foam and for the last year have used the Karcher lance that has the adjustable knob to control water/foam mix. On the couple of comments in this thread, I bought a new lance to go along with a new Nilfisk Power Washer.
The new lance was €50 and it has a similar setting for foam/water mix as well as a control to set how wide or narrow you want the spray.

I've only used the new lance once so far.
I typically power wash the car first to remove heavy dirt and then foam, however this time I didn't - I just went straight to foam.
I didn't notice any real difference in terms of the amount of foam. It did tend to dwell a little longer, but I was thinking that was down to the car not being wet before applying the foam.

The only other difference was that after shampooing, it repelled the water a lot more than it typically does, but I can't see why that would be down to the foam, considering I used a good shampoo and gave it the same thorough wash.

So, in the limited testing so far, the €50 lance was better, but so far, I don't think I could say it was worth the extra cost. For €15, I think the Karcher lance performs excellently.

Curran · 21-04-2017 11:42AM

Bilt Hamber Auto Foam isnt the best foam to measure a lance's ability - the foam doesnt dwell long on the car through any lance. Its a brilliant snowfoam in terms of performance, but some foams will show a much greater difference in terms of thickness and dwell when used over Auto Foam.

MaceFace · 21-04-2017 12:30PM

Curran wrote: »

Bilt Hamber Auto Foam isnt the best foam to measure a lance's ability - the foam doesnt dwell long on the car through any lance. Its a brilliant snowfoam in terms of performance, but some foams will show a much greater difference in terms of thickness and dwell when used over Auto Foam.

which begs the question - for Auto-Foam, does a high quality lance offer more to the user over the likes of a €15 Karcher?

PGE1970 · 21-04-2017 01:04PM

Curran wrote: »

Bilt Hamber Auto Foam isnt the best foam to measure a lance's ability - the foam doesnt dwell long on the car through any lance. Its a brilliant snowfoam in terms of performance, but some foams will show a much greater difference in terms of thickness and dwell when used over Auto Foam.

Having recently acquired Bilt Hamber Auto Foam for the first time, I have noticed that it doesn't dwell that long (compared to 50 Cal). I upped the concentration a little the second time and it made a little difference. However, I agree that it is a great cleaning foam. A quick rinse and the car was very clean even before shampoo.

@Curran - any sign of those incredmitts coming in to stock?:)

Curran · 21-04-2017 03:58PM

MaceFace wrote: »

which begs the question - for Auto-Foam, does a high quality lance offer more to the user over the likes of a €15 Karcher?

Thats a question I cant actually answer, as Ive never compared Auto Foam from, one that you have, versus a dedicated snowfoam lance (w/ brass fittings, gauze, etc), but I have with other foams, and can certainly say there is a vast difference. Without comparing, I cant say if by using Auto Foam, cleaning performance would be any different as a result of using the two different lances....it actually works very well through a pump sprayer too. Hence why pointing out the Auto Foam, isnt the best 'base line' for comparrison. With foams, a lot depends on the dilution / air mixture, etc, so there may or may not be diffferent results.
At a guess, there would be little difference using AutoFoam, but larger differences using other foams would be noticeable.....be a very interesting test....maybe someone has both lances and can do a side by side test, but for accurate results, wiping the panel with a white cotton applicator on the two test surfaces to see cleaning ability.

PGE1970 wrote: »

@Curran - any sign of those incredmitts coming in to stock?:)

CarPro has cleared, delivery Monday - so I can order some other ranges now - and Microfiber Madness is a priority!

Curran · 21-04-2017 04:03PM

And to clarify......

This Karcher lance, will do a better job
$_12.JPG

than this Karcher lance
4039784392700_01c

Snowfoam Lance > Karcher w/ adjustment knob > Karcher no adjustment
Id expect some reasonable results from the one with the adjustment; but again, foam thickness, dwell time, and cleaning ability, will vary from foam to foam using this lance....but through a dedicated lance they'll be more comparable.

edburg · 22-04-2017 06:12PM

Auto foam is for a better word a wetter product and spends less time on car but works every bit as good as other snow foams I used (although not 50cal).

Its just the way it works IMO.

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