Today I did some detailing...

Stallingrad wrote: »

If you get an even finish on an area that large with a Dremmel I'll eat my hat!

I did. All you're doing is polishing the oxidation out of metal for feck sake! You're not remove a layer of aluminium or anything like that.

Toyotafanboi

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

Cheers lads. There's a couple of bits to finish off on it alright. One of the worst bits is the roof rails. They're aluminium and as far as I can tell they have a clear coat on them. The problem is that they have oxidised under the clear coat and they can't be polished back with metal polish. I remember people saying that this happened to their Audis on here before but can't remember how they fixed it. Any ideas? On a phone so I can't post up pics but I will later.

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I did. All you're doing is polishing the oxidation out of metal for feck sake! You're not remove a layer of aluminium or anything like that.

not sure if trolling or just didn't read DZ's post

randy hickey

@DedZebra, have a look at this:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=226491

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

not sure if trolling or just didn't read DZ's post

I did read it and I'm trying to say that I used a dremmel with that exact same cotton pad that DZ posted along with Autosol metal polish and it completely removed the oxidation.

Toyotafanboi

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I did read it and I'm trying to say that I used a dremmel with that exact same cotton pad that DZ posted along with Autosol metal polish and it completely removed the oxidation.

Was your oxidation under lacquer?

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Was your oxidation under lacquer?

More than likely. it just leaves a very smooth finish. No such thing as an uneven surface.

MarkR

Gave the focus a bit of a going over. I never seem to get the time for it, so a wash, liquid "clay" bar, and wax was a big thing.

The liquid clay bar was a thing from turtle wax I picked up a couple of years back. I don't think it did much more than a polish would do, so I'll pretend I polished it.

I also got some of those privacy shades for the car. Now that the summer sun is safely gone, I've popped them in.

I've had them before, and I like them in that you can pop them out if you are reversing out of a tricky spot at night.

Before

After

This is what they look like from the inside.

And the rear window

Probably not to everyone's taste, I was torn between this and tints. I do like the option of removing them though.

Noccy_Mondy

Just looking for a quick answer here. Please dum things down for me!

Want to give one of the cars a quick going over before it goes on its merry way. Seeing as I have a bottle of turtle wax I want to use that. What's the procedure? De-tar first, wash, apply wax? Does it need protection after? Can I get names of products as well. Would a 500ml bottle of Turtle wax be enough to do a Peugeot 206?

MarkR

500 ml would do a fleet of cars.

You put it on fairly sparingly, let it dry until it doesn't smear with a touch of a finger, and then wipe it off. There are loads of videos on youtube that should help. The more wax you put on, the more you have to wipe off!

These guys are a laugh.

Paddy@CIRL

After a summer of neglect, its first wash in nearly two months:

I've some seriously stubborn bug stains on the front bumper that any mixture of bug bugger or APC won't shift. Any ideas?

mik_da_man

For really stubborn stuff like that I use holtz tar remover.
Great stuff IMO.

mik_da_man wrote: »

For really stubborn stuff like that I use holtz tar remover.
Great stuff IMO.

I dont often tell people not to use a certain product, but Holtz Tar remover in the aerosol can is definitely one!
Its does a serious job of removing tar, but also at softening paint and destroying trim!! Messy as fook too!!

Unfortunately, it the bugs are that mashed into the car, it is going to need something strong enough to remove them, that will also remove your layered products. So easiest is to use a tar remover, and re-apply whatever you have on the car again.

mik_da_man

Curran wrote: »

I dont often tell people not to use a certain product, but Holtz Tar remover in the aerosol can is definitely one!
Its does a serious job of removing tar, but also at softening paint and destroying trim!! Messy as fook too!!

Unfortunately, it the bugs are that mashed into the car, it is going to need something strong enough to remove them, that will also remove your layered products. So easiest is to use a tar remover, and re-apply whatever you have on the car again.

Really?, I did knida wonder that seeing as how it gets rid of stuff so easily
I know it's a pain to work with but I find it great at removing tar/bugs
But if it's damaging my paint I'll stop using it!

Used it years ago when I used to do my auld fella's car. Got stuck without my usual tar remover and grabbed a bottle of it in the motor factors, as there wasnt anything else.
When I sprayed it on, it didnt come out as I expected, and got some on the trim, which marked it.

Yes its a pain in the arse job to do, but there are other tar removers almost as good at removing tar, but a hell of a lot safer. Rather have to do an area twice knowing its safe, than once with something that is going to shift it but at a risk!

Paddy@CIRL

I've AF Oblitarate there that I'll give it a go with. There's no protection currently on the front of the car as it was recently painted. Silver lining and all that.

I will tell you one thing.
Never in my lifetime would I attack an E60 with a Das 6 Pro.. !!
Talk about a never ending story. I still have to do the sideskirts and to be honest I am not overly happy with the bumpers, But I guess some marks just won't come out.

Definailey buying a Rotary and PTG after this.

Yeah, BMW paint is rock hard and the E60's are HUGE!
Worked on many, and always more work than anticipated!

Curran wrote: »

Yeah, BMW paint is rock hard and the E60's are HUGE!
Worked on many, and always more work than anticipated! :P

Indeed.
I started at the boot door and thought, " This is going well"
Bloody hell, even the doors are huge,, Ha..!
When I finished it today I was aching and told my son to look after it as I am not doing it again unless he buys me a rotary and a PTG.

That should have been the payment for the work you've done today! :P
Even when you get the larger panels done, you think you've the brunt of the work behind ya, but have ye fook! :P

Curran wrote: »

That should have been the payment for the work you've done today! :P
Even when you get the larger panels done, you think you've the brunt of the work behind ya, but have ye fook! :P

I know
The E46 was a breeze compared to it..

Spike Witwicky

On the subject of rock hard German paint, Got me Menzerna and gave it a go.

Compared to CG V36 this is a lot more aggressive. One application of FG400 and a few passes with the DA and result! Havent appied the SF4000 finishing polish yet but the FG400 is great at swirl removal on Merc Obsidian Black paint

Apologies for crappy camera phone pics

V36 wouldnt be CG's most aggressive polish; there's V34 and V32 in their range that would be a step up.

Nice results there! Big improvement in the depth, clarity and gloss, Id say, and nobody is going to see those faint swirls that remain once you apply a wax!

V38 is an excellent finishing polish and would be a hell of a lot less chalky/dusty than the Menzerna.

Does anyone here know what kinda money a car valeter makes?

I've an interview tomorrow for a full time job as a valeter, but a full time job will severely eat into my self employment ventures, so I'm trying to work out if it's actually worth my while taking it on (of course I might not actually be offered the job, anyway, but assuming I am, I'm not sure if i'd be better off where I am, or taking it on).

Also, does anyone know if a valet job for a dealer is a handy number where you can stroll around at your own pace, or do they give you unrealistic nonsense targets (do X amount of cars in Y amount of time)?

I presume the only cleaning that's done is on their own cars. The particular dealer I'm going to doesn't seem to offer it as an actual service, so.. not sure if that makes things significantly easier.

Believe it or not, a Valet will probably make more money than a detailer - line them up and knock them down!

But dont be fooled; its not exaclty easy work - its physical! But if you can get a decent client base, then you'd get by working as one!
The struggle is often where to drawn the line; you want to do a good job so customers return, but charge a reasonable price to cover your product cost and time. People often forget product cost and assume money is for time working on the car only. Standard of work has to be reasonable, but for me perosnally, Id never be happy doing a half arsed job and doing a job that would pay 20 mins work, would run into 30 or more and then there's no money in it!

Hmm.. that sounds eerily familiar, Curran...

:P

Well I presume that it's a per-hour wage job. But I'm thinking (wrongly, perhaps?) that it's no more than a minimum wage job and 'quick' is the order of the day.

I was over in a different dealer the other day getting my own car looked at and I seen their valeter doing a car. He had a pressure washer with some kind of foaming brush attachment. I'd say the paintwork was being torn to sh*te. Didn't see any drying going on either. Just on to the next car (though I could be wrong, on that, he may well have dried it and I just didn't see it).

So I don't think care for paintwork is a high priority to a dealer's valetor..?

If it will eat you up inside knowing the damage a valet* can do to a car; then its not the job for you!

Cant imagine it pays well at all, at a per hour rate, ideal for a summer temporary job, not for a living - stick to what you are good at!

* - most valets!

Curran wrote: »

stick to what you are good at!

Back on the dole I go...

Ah no, I don't think it'd bother me ruining a cars paintwork with a brush. Might be an eye opener to see just how little people care about a product they're about to drop thousands of Euro on. :eek:

But sure most people don't know any better. That said, a friend of mine bought a 2007 Focus there not too long ago. It was black. He bought it off a dealer locally.

To say the finish was first class would be an understatement. Someone really went to town on detailing it (whether it was the previous owner or the dealer, I don't know). But it was done to exceptional standards. I was literally shocked. Almost froze up when I seen it. Couldn't believe what a good job had been done on it.

So if this job was doing the same level of work as was done on that car, it'd be worth doing for a couple of weeks even just to learn the methods they use (different dealership though).

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

V38 is an excellent finishing polish and would be a hell of a lot less chalky/dusty than the Menzerna.

I was actually after forgetting how dusty Menz was until I used some on the E60 this week.
Mother of god.!!