Today I did some detailing...

TomMc · 17-07-2013 1:19am

I'll take your word for it the car is metallic black. I cannot see any flakes in those pictures but it isn't sunny so maybe they are hiding!

Yes, the Jeffs Werkstat range are very good, even though the acrylic only versions (without carnauba) are actually based on a German manufactured product called Carlack. Same product more or less (minor difference). The reason they are very good compared to other stuff in the shops (much easier to apply with less dusting, chalking, staining), is because the Germans formulate many of their best products based on nano technology and without using petroleum distillates or been solvent heavy.

I could recommend tons of different products, but the list would be too long. So what I would say is that if you like acrylic products like Jeffs for their ease of use, finished look and durability then stick with them.

Use Prime on all metallic colours first, then apply an acrylic sealant like 2-3 layers of Jett/trigger (over time) and maintain with Glos. Acrylic sealants can make the flakes pop on metallics. This is good for white, silver, grey, blue and other brightly coloured metallics. For metallic black or navy (very dark metallics), use prime first, but then apply a carnauba wax on top instead.

For solid (non-metallic) blacks, bright reds, speed yellows, start with a carnauba cleaner wax and top with a carnauba paste wax. So you have both depth and warmth and not a plastic looking finish.

That's keeping things fairly simple and straightforward. There are many other products (all sorts of nano, glass and hybrid coatings) which are even better, but they are too specialist to go into here.

Toyotafanboi · 17-07-2013 3:28pm

thanks again for the sound advice

it'l surely make my life easier in future!

here is a better picture showing the metallic flake, just to show i'm not a total fool :pac:

Vegeta · 17-07-2013 10:54pm

Like that pic a lot. Top left of the shot looks like the paint has a texture. Reminds me of water on piece of stone as opposed to car paint. Lovely stuff.

challengemaster · 18-07-2013 1:40am

Bloody exhausted. Just finished about an hour ago working on a car... which hasn't had a proper wash in its lifetime. Unfortunately I was too busy through the whole thing to take any pics, and being honest I didn't even want to take before pics.... However, the paint to touch was in the range of 120-240 grit sandpaper.

First off - I'd really like to say a big thanks to Dave at Detailing Shed. I contacted him on very short notice looking for some products, and he came through.... and also persuaded me to buy more stuff :pac:. So I've now added OAC Tar cleanse, OAC perfection and Microfibre Madness Dry Me Crazy to my collection.

Started out yesterday with a rinse with OAC Citrus pre-clean at around 25:1 dilution... car was still very heavily soiled after. Washed 2BM, and started claying... Did the bonnet and boot, and realised how much tar was on the side panels before destroying the clay. Was 12pm at that stage so finished up for yesterday.

Started out again today, with the OAC tar cleanse.... After quite some time removing enough tar to sell to the Co.Co, and quick 2BM it was back to claying again. All side panels done, went through a full clay bar (two halves) due to the amount of contamination. I'm happy enough that most of the contamination and tar is off the car, as I'm not bothering D/A ing so it doesn't need to be perfect, but it's "bad enough" that I know it needs more claying before a D/A should go near it.

Another final 2BM and rinse, and time to test out the Microfibre Madness..... Dave wasn't lying when he told me it was plush enough to sleep on, and I was well tempted at that stage! But I carried on, and I'm delighted I did because I now believe that drying towel is the most valuable detailing product I have ever bought. Drying the car took under 5 minutes, in the dark with a work lamp so I could only half see what I was doing. I've no doubt it's worth every penny, and more. Even after drying the car, it felt like it could dry another 2 cars before being anywhere near fully saturated. It actually was so undersaturated I couldn't wring it out after. If anyone is considering a drying towel, look no further.

Now.... where was I.... Ah yes. Followed up with a coat of SRP. First time in ages using it, but if any car needs it.... now would be the time... After buffing that, on went the HD wax. I went for HD wax over EGP purely because of the time of day. At 11:30pm, you don't really have the 30-60 minutes to leave EGP to dry before buffing. This was all too clear when I was buffing off the HD wax under 15 minutes later, and the dew was all over the panels I'd just buffed.

It's just about done, I want to give it one coat of OAC Perfection tomorrow and put on some Megs Endurance tyre gel. Then there'll be pics.

MetzgerMeister · 18-07-2013 9:47am

Do you know that if you used Iron Cleanse you'd have a lot less claying to do, especially on the sides of the car? :P

challengemaster · 18-07-2013 10:22am

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Do you know that if you used Iron Cleanse you'd have a lot less claying to do, especially on the sides of the car? :P

Did you know that I actually wanted some but Detailing shed were out of stock on such short notice as they had a few orders for it over the website downtime! In fairness to Dave, it was extremely short notice and he did offer to order some in for me straight away - problem was I'd already started the car

Can't do much better than that!

MetzgerMeister · 18-07-2013 10:45am

challengemaster wrote: »

Did you know that I actually wanted some but Detailing shed were out of stock on such short notice as they had a few orders for it over the website downtime! In fairness to Dave, it was extremely short notice and he did offer to order some in for me straight away - problem was I'd already started the car

Can't do much better than that!

Ah crap, that's a pity! I have 2 full bottles here

challengemaster · 18-07-2013 11:30am

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Ah crap, that's a pity! I have 2 full bottles here

So you're the reason they're out of stock! *******

I'd have popped down and grabbed some if you were giving it away

Black_Knight · 19-07-2013 1:09am

Day 1:
Rinsed the car down so I could begin de-bugging the car. Actually had some old turtle wax bug and tar remover and it worked pretty damn well.
Rinsed off any excess so the sun wouldnt stain it in and moved onto the wheels.
Soapy water and a wheel brush first, and then washed em properly with a mitt. Iron-X'd them then as there was quite a bit of fallout on them. Scrubbed the tyres and rinsed and applied some old alloy wheel cleaner/brake dust repellent stuff ive had this long while. Just need to burn through all these old half assed cheap products.
Changed my tune then and cleaned the interior plastics/trim with son of a gun. Seems decent.
Next I did all the door shoots and nooks and crannies with some soapy water and a brush, in prep for its first wash in a long long time.
The bonnet was so dirty it nearly felt like sandpaper.

Didnt bother drying the car as ill be detarring and claying it tomorrow, so its kinda clean with loads of water marks at the moment.

Bugs
Wheels
Interior trim
Interior Carpet
1st wash
Detar
Clay
2nd Wash
Polish (bonnet is a swirly mess somehow)
Wax

Curran · 19-07-2013 1:07pm

Good start Black Knight!

Tough work in that heat

But it'll be worth it!
Make sure to stick up a few pictures when you've finished it!

Black_Knight · 19-07-2013 1:47pm

Curran wrote: »

Good start Black Knight!

Tough work in that heat But it'll be worth it!
Make sure to stick up a few pictures when you've finished it!

The only before pic I have is of the bugs on the front:

And after:

Very happy with the de-buggin, but as you can see, all the horrible watermarks are spoiling it. After its detar and clay today ill give it a proper wash and dry.

wersal gummage · 19-07-2013 5:01pm

I've a few questions if anyone would be kind enough to shed some light...

Gave the car a reasonably good cleaning today but I think it probably looks worse than it did before.

Gave it a good wash, then removed tar and then clayed (with rinses in between). The clay wasn't actually clay at all, it was just a sponge with a hard side, chemical guys clay kit. Anyway, it was too late at this stage to quit so I used that.

So my first question, the car is black but it seems to have a lot of red specks in the paint which I hadn't noticed before. A lot of red came away as I clayed the car... Is that normal? I used a lot of lube and never felt the block sticking.

Then rinsed and dried car. Then polished and then carnauba waxed it. Did other finishing detailing as well including the d technic stuff on the glass.

Car looks great etc but all the stone chips all over the front bumper and bonnet, which were not really visible before, are standing out so much now that it is all I can see.

How do I address this? Is it possible by hand? Do I need to clay the area again before correcting this?

Thanks!

Curran · 19-07-2013 5:28pm

The clay you have is Chemical Guys Clay Block...I've used it anf not really a fan. Its good for first time clayers as its easy to hold and hard to drop. Not great for getting in the nook and crannies.

The red stuff that lifted might be over spray...did you ever paint you brake callipers or some paint near the car??

wersal gummage · 19-07-2013 5:51pm

No, no red paint on or near car. There is clearly a red flake throughout the entire car's paint work though.... You can only see it up very close and you have to really look hard.

Yeah I've never clayed a car before but wasn't too fond of that clay block thing at all.

Ps, can the used applicators be thrown in the wash with the microfiber towels?

wersal gummage · 19-07-2013 5:54pm

And it's not diesel!

Curran · 19-07-2013 6:22pm

wersal gummage wrote: »

And it's not diesel!

Nice motor!

Sapphire Black? Same as my E39 and it has a flake in it that has bits of red and silver.

Though red shouldn't come off with the clay. ..the top coat id lacquer and is totally clear.

Re: Applicators; yes they can, but try scrape off or squeeze out as much product as possible. And obviously wash microfibres and applicators separate to regular washing or your missus will hit the roof!!

MetzgerMeister · 19-07-2013 6:41pm

Also wash microfibres and applicators together and separately to clothes otherwise you'll have bits of lint in them and they will leave lint and dust all over your car when you buff wax off.

wersal gummage · 19-07-2013 6:48pm

Thanks lads, I'm actually house trained but you can never be sure I suppose! I'll give them a good rinse and then stick them in the wash on their own.

I used g technic nano composite polish and then dodo juice blue velvet wax. Have noticed some comments here in recent days about sticking with similar manufacturers for both so not sure if what I used was the best.

MetzgerMeister · 19-07-2013 7:04pm

Did aunt Sally or the crowman house train ya?! :pac:

The Gtechniq polish is mainly for doing paint corrections, not sure how well it deepens the gloss level. If you want a very good sealant and wax combo, Jetseal 109 and Collinite 476s are my personal favourite combo. Better off to use Collinite 845, I haven't used it myself but it's much easier on and off than the 476.

A good 1 manufacturer combo is AutoGlym Super Resin Polish and Extra Gloss Protection. Again, I haven't used these but there's a lot of people recommending them here.

wersal gummage · 19-07-2013 7:30pm

Thanks again.

I'd certainly try a new polish next time but I think I have enough wax to last a lifetime! I barely used any wax and I wasn't scrimping with the stuff.

I will have to look at getting the stone chips out.

myshirt · 19-07-2013 8:19pm

Is that car not Carbon Black no?

Curran · 19-07-2013 8:36pm

myshirt wrote: »

Is that car not Carbon Black no?

Carbon Black doesnt have too much if any flake!!
It does look like CB in the photo, but as it doesn't have flake I guess Sapphire!

wersal gummage · 19-07-2013 10:40pm

How do I ascertain the colour?

MetzgerMeister · 19-07-2013 10:42pm

wersal gummage wrote: »

How do I ascertain the colour?

There should be a sticker on the driver's door edge or on the frame behind it, also check the suspension towers in the engine bay. Here is a list of the E60 paint codes:

Orient Blue..........317
Olivine................349
Titanium Silver....354
Oxford Green II...430
Black Sapphire....475
Chiaretto Red......894
Mystic Blue.........A07
Silver Grey\........A08
Amethyst Grey....A09
Titan Grey II.......A36
Alpine White III...300
Black II...............668

Ded_Zebra · 19-07-2013 11:04pm

Well I got my stuff from Dave today and had a few mins to have a go of some of my lovely new stuff

No one told me snow foam was so much fun I could have done that all day

Very impressed with its cleaning capabilities too.

I have to take back my skepticism about Iron cleanse, It is very very good (fooking stinks though), Still wish I really knew how it worked but it definitely works.

AOC Perfection seams to be super too, smells class as well, I don't know how I resisted the temptation to drink it:o.

Black_Knight · 19-07-2013 11:13pm

Bonnet and Roof polished with a medium compound. Fingers crossed I can find some shadows tomorrow to do the boot, doors and arches.

Ill pop up some pics in the morning. Only finished an hour ago and twas getting dark

challengemaster · 20-07-2013 12:39am

wersal gummage wrote: »

No, no red paint on or near car. There is clearly a red flake throughout the entire car's paint work though.... You can only see it up very close and you have to really look hard.

That's just the fleck in the paint

It's actually amazing the first time you see it after a proper detail, because usually the car is never clean enough to notice - it just looks dull and black.

No idea about the paint coming off while claying though.... are you sure?

wersal gummage wrote: »

Car looks great etc but all the stone chips all over the front bumper and bonnet, which were not really visible before, are standing out so much now that it is all I can see.

How do I address this? Is it possible by hand? Do I need to clay the area again before correcting this?

Thanks!

Unfortunately thats the one downside of detailing. The cleaner the car is, the more obvious the imperfections (like stone chips) are. Dirt tends to cover them up and mask them rather well. The downside then is the car is filthy :P

The way to fix it, is buy something like Dr.Colorchips, and yes the car should be clayed before attempting to fill the chips

challengemaster · 20-07-2013 12:49am

challengemaster wrote: »

It's just about done, I want to give it one coat of OAC Perfection tomorrow and put on some Megs Endurance tyre gel. Then there'll be pics.

Ok... so actual life got in the way, only got around to this today. As there was a bit going on between its wax and today, a fair amount of dust had landed on the car and stuck, so just lashing on perfection wasn't a good idea. Back out with the hose and bucket...

Tyres were sorted first, quick brush down and endurance gel applied.

Gave it a quick 1BM :pac: I checked before hand to see how much dust was actually on the car, it didn't require 2BM

Out with my new favorite drying towel again.... another stupidly awesome job. It's actually a joy to dry the car now

Then came OAC Perfection, and as has been said again and again.... it smells delicious! Gave every part of the car a going over with it, and as seems to be the case with OAC products.... there's no fuss and no stress, it just works.

Anyway, I think I'll let the pictures do the talking from here...

Yiz will have to wait for natural sunlight pics...

However, quite a number of people have already asked if we got a new car.... :cool:

Chimaera · 20-07-2013 12:52pm

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

I have to take back my skepticism about Iron cleanse, It is very very good (fooking stinks though), Still wish I really knew how it worked but it definitely works.

From what I've been able to figure out from people's description of it working and some research of iron chemistry it looks like they work in a similar fashion to the bodywork rust removers.

In the environment, iron is going to oxidise pretty quickly no matter what it's stuck to, and small particles are going to do this so much faster.

These products have some sort of phosphoric acid or acidic phosphate compounds which react with iron(III) oxide and convert it to one of the iron phosphates.

Iron(III) oxide is the stable form of iron oxide and is very tenacious at sticking to things, paintwork and concrete in particular. The other iron oxide (iron(II) oxide) is quite porous and unstable and doesn't last that long.

Iron phosphate compounds tend to be flaky or water soluble and are easily removed from whatever they're attached to.

This is also why coke works as a rust remover: it contains phosphoric acid in low concentrations.

Renegade Mechanic · 20-07-2013 3:57pm

I typically wash and hoover the car every fortnight as it does get dirty and I do take some pride in a clean car. However its last wash was over two months ago and I finally have time to myself soo...

The target.

My loadout:D

Will upload the results when Im finished as Ill be doing a little more beside the cleaning job.

Paddy@CIRL · 20-07-2013 5:31pm

First weekend off in a while, so yesterday evening set about a spruce up.

Started with wheels using Bilt Hamber Auto Wheels. No agitation required, just power washed the dust and dirt away. Awesome product.
Bodywork next with CleanCar's own brand Snow Foam left to dwell for five to seven minutes. Rinsed down and car taken for a quick spin to blow the water off.
With the car dry, went over the paintwork with Meguair's Ultimate Quik Wax and tided up any streaking with Kleers Microfibre Mist Spray. Dressed tyres & sealed wheels with Kleers relevant products.
Fitted OEM centre caps to the 3SDM wheels as one of the centre caps had a chip in it.

The results...

MetzgerMeister · 20-07-2013 5:32pm

Do not let the suncream get on the paint, you have been warned!

allinthehead · 20-07-2013 7:15pm

washed car with AG bodywork shampoo and waxed with AG HD wax.
hoovered and cleaned inside. tyres dressed with megs endurance gel.

8F320A4B-B37A-4F47-AEEC-92AA9D84EB56-197-000000119EA6E8D9.jpg

A1B211E5-8DAA-447F-A7EE-23C8C50A3826-197-000000115D96BAB8.jpg

6274443C-84E0-4240-9D2D-45888E63AE09-197-00000011AEF22DCC.jpg

C000AF42-A8C9-42AC-90E0-5C3DE102ECD4-197-00000011C1591253.jpg

544124EA-8387-43EA-AA08-5786105AC59A-197-00000011C95A5E8E.jpg

252AF380-57CE-4C97-B65E-84EDF73BEE14-197-0000001169432026.jpg

93DBBFA2-990C-4370-8227-268AECF95386-197-0000001178A52C7F.jpg

1CBDAAEA-E578-448F-9467-5FA56B1E12F9-197-0000001171AAA707.jpg

ECFADD38-CBCA-40CC-96E4-33DE065D7AB9-197-000000118A446DD1.jpg

6E1C3CC8-0A73-45A1-9B59-E347A619A69C-197-0000001199335955.jpg

cleaned the leather a couple of days ago with gliptone. really is great stuff. they look like they just came from the factory.

before

B2A0A6E3-0BD5-4618-AB91-C53497330FC8-4336-00000290273A8226.jpg

TestTransmission · 20-07-2013 7:16pm

Quick wash today, finding it hard to keep her clean in this dry/dusty weather.Having way too much fun on the roads.

20130720_183047_zpsb05105b0.jpg?t=1374343778

Renegade Mechanic · 20-07-2013 7:19pm

Time for a well earned break.. Car washed, de-tarred, t cutted with t cut red, ive just gone over the battle scars with a B76 touch up paint. Will be waxing the car and polishing the windows next. Ive done up a set of Silverstone alloy wheels for later and removed the headlamps(Thatll be a surprise:) ) Seats are coming out for access to the crumbs and coins.
MetzgerMeister, what does the sun cream do to paint? Ive not got any on it, and am glad someone spotted it:D but just wondering does it do the same thing as make up?

MetzgerMeister · 20-07-2013 7:29pm

I don't know if it will come out if you rub it immediately but if it's let dry in, it's a nightmare to get out. I tried several different things on a customer's car - clay, iron cleanse, tar remover, IPA and nothing would shift it. I had no D/A or rotary polisher at the time but I think you can only remove it with them.

MetzgerMeister · 20-07-2013 7:37pm

allinthehead - looks excellent!! Are you missing a mesh grille under the front numberplate by any chance?

allinthehead · 20-07-2013 7:53pm

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

allinthehead - looks excellent!! Are you missing a mesh grille under the front numberplate by any chance?

just the pic. i see what you mean tho

Renegade Mechanic · 20-07-2013 8:09pm

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I don't know if it will come out if you rub it immediately but if it's let dry in, it's a nightmare to get out. I tried several different things on a customer's car - clay, iron cleanse, tar remover, IPA and nothing would shift it. I had no D/A or rotary polisher at the time but I think you can only remove it with them.

Thanks MetzgerMeister, Ill keep that in mind in future.

challengemaster · 20-07-2013 8:42pm

Final pics, as promised

As you can see, fecking weather already causing dust to settle on the car!

MetzgerMeister · 20-07-2013 9:24pm

It's obvious it was never washed before, not a swirl mark in sight :pac:

Great work though and proof that you don't have to be such a lazy git all the time!!! :P

166man · 20-07-2013 10:47pm

Got plenty done today on the car, no pics yet as I'm in the phone, will upload hopefully tomorrow.

Car was covered in complete crap from the last two days of over 400 miles, mainly a thick cloud of dust. Out with the power washer anyway and gave it a good once over with some PH neutral shampoo, since the car was waxed recently I was already off to a good start.

Drove it to dry it and then set to work giving it and the wheels a quick clay. Did a job on the exhaust while I was at it too. After the clay, I cleansed the paint and then a coat of AG SRP. Finally a layer of Megs Carnauba wax to top it off.

In between this I set to work on the inside with a detailed Hoover of the inside, washed the carpets with water and a brush then repeated this on the interior mats. Cleaned and polished all the door sills

and then used saddle soap on the leather. Finished with AG fast glass on all the windows.

For the final touch I sealed the wheels and dressed them with Megs endurance tyre gel.

Busy day!

challengemaster · 20-07-2013 11:26pm

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

It's obvious it was never washed before, not a swirl mark in sight :pac:

Great work though and proof that you don't have to be such a lazy git all the time!!! :P

Lol. There's plenty of swirl marks, they just seem to hide from the camera

TBH at some stage it needs a D/A, but there's a spot or two with laquer peel, so I'd be dubious about doing it myself tbh.

Seems like I'm in detailing mode with the fine weather... There's a BMW meet tomorrow in AIT though, as it's on my doorstep it'd be retarded not to go... and to go with a filthy car!

It's been ~2 weeks and roughly 1500 miles since it was washed, but thankfully it was all only dusty crap and flies due to the weather. Started with the wheels, used Turtle wax ICE wheel cleaner as usual...

Once that was done, out with Citrus pre-clean 50:1 dilution, rinse, 2BM, rinse. Microfibre Madness Dry me crazy came out again, it's being broken in hard

The HD wax from 2 weeks ago is still beading fine, so then gave it a going over with OAC Perfection to finish off.

I'll get to throw on some Megs endurance gel tomorrow

CianRyan · 21-07-2013 10:56am

166man wrote: »

Got plenty done today on the car, no pics yet as I'm in the phone, will upload hopefully tomorrow.

Car was covered in complete crap from the last two days of over 400 miles, mainly a thick cloud of dust. Out with the power washer anyway and gave it a good once over with some PH neutral shampoo, since the car was waxed recently I was already off to a good start.

Drove it to dry it and then set to work giving it and the wheels a quick clay. Did a job on the exhaust while I was at it too. After the clay, I cleansed the paint and then a coat of AG SRP. Finally a layer of Megs Carnauba wax to top it off.

In between this I set to work on the inside with a detailed Hoover of the inside, washed the carpets with water and a brush then repeated this on the interior mats. Cleaned and polished all the door sills and then used saddle soap on the leather. Finished with AG fast glass on all the windows.

For the final touch I sealed the wheels and dressed them with Megs endurance tyre gel.

Busy day!

Yeah, you can bring my sealant when you come see the roadster.

The paint is lovely but I want to make it lovelier.

wersal gummage · 21-07-2013 1:17pm

Is this kind of thing even worth attempting if i've no experience?

If it isn't, does anyone have any idea what it might cost to have someone do this kind of work? My bonnet has quite a few stone chips and so does the front bumper.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=20127

Chimaera · 21-07-2013 2:49pm

It's worth a shot I think. Maybe fine an inconspicuous spot somewhere else on the car to practice on first.

Curran · 21-07-2013 3:22pm

If you've experience with a machine polisher and have patience, then it is achievable.
At minimum you'd need to have a machine polisher to use.

Renegade Mechanic · 21-07-2013 5:46pm

Finally finished! Also carried out a service and did a few other bits and bobs. One job Im proud if is that I removed these lights.

I managed to dismantle them very painstakingly and sanded, then painted the outside reflector wirhin the mirror with hi heat paint. Removed bulb holders and did same. Also fitted upgrade bulbs.
The result

Also did up and fitted a set of Silverstone alloys. Imo one of the nicest Wheels out there Just a pity theyre the softest:o.

And the rest!

Even the engine bay got some. I painted the engine mount and injectors rail cover to match the plastics. And I stuck a badge on the engine cover.

challengemaster · 21-07-2013 5:56pm

And daylight pics :P

Renegade Mechanic · 21-07-2013 6:11pm

Nice BM :cool:

Today I did some detailing...

Comments