Car 'detailing'

[pmanson]

Gaz. said:

The 944 & BMW have paint as smooth as glass so they come up really well (I don't have pictures of the BMW) but the Golf has clearly been used in a car wash all its life so needs a full on machine polish which is something I don't fancy doing myself so I've just done a basic wax for winter and will get someone to polish it in the spring.

I've got all the kit here mate - between the two of us we should get it done in a day if you want to come over sometime in the Spring?

[pmanson]

I find it really relaxing and it's nice to do something phyiscal at the weekends after sitting at a desk all week.

Latest challenge for me was the new car. Started like this:



And after two days hard graft it ended up like this:



Lots of swirls etc:


And all removed:


Few more pics here

[pmanson]

Gaz. said:

pmanson said:

Gaz. said:

The 944 & BMW have paint as smooth as glass so they come up really well (I don't have pictures of the BMW) but the Golf has clearly been used in a car wash all its life so needs a full on machine polish which is something I don't fancy doing myself so I've just done a basic wax for winter and will get someone to polish it in the spring.

I've got all the kit here mate - between the two of us we should get it done in a day if you want to come over sometime in the Spring?

That sounds ace mate thanks! <I'll bring some of this too (obviously I'll be on the soft stuff to drive back)

No worries mate - would be good to catch up. What colour is the Golf?

[OnTheOverrun]

Jonny671 said:

But to him, thats something that he has a hobby in.. Keeping his car clean, and having a blemish in the paint isn't acceptable to him, though it maybe to you or the other people who bought the car.

If having a blemish you can't see with the naked eye is unacceptable, I respectfully suggest buying a Vauxhall is not a good idea. In fact buying anything less than a RR Phantom is not a good idea. I know it's his hobby, but you've got to add a tinge of realism if you buy a bog standard production box and expect it to be entirely flawless. . . . . .

[pmanson]

If you think spending more than an hour cleaning your own car is nuts you won't like this one! I did this one as a favour for a mate and it took 6 hours! Saying that he was well chuffed:

Before (Cleaned with a brillo pad?):


After (Polished by hand):


Nice to do something like this as you can really see the results of your labour!

[pmanson]

Gaz. said:

Indeed mate. It's solid black so quite unforgiving.

Yep but the results will be worth it! Can't beat a freshly cleaned and polished black car

[Westy Pre-Lit]

I never really understood detailing before and thought it was all about cleaning.....How wrong was I.

Wanna see detailing that will blow you away...fill ya boots

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...

Edited by Westy Pre-Lit on Thursday 19th November 21:38

[lescombes]

I tend to use Megs kit......personal choice - Clay bar, polish and carnuba wax.....plus all the other bits... tyre dressing, plastic polish and the fantastic scratchx

[pmanson]

lescombes said:

I tend to use Megs kit......personal choice - Clay bar, polish and carnuba wax.....plus all the other bits... tyre dressing, plastic polish and the fantastic scratchx

I really like Megs Last Touch which you dilute somewhere between 1:1 and 1:10 and can use it as clay lube etc. I use it after polishing to remove any residue and then again after applying wax.

You can also use it as a quick detailer.

Megs #16 wax is also very good value and very effective (applied to the impreza in the above pic)

[pmanson]

Gaz. said:

pmanson said:

Gaz. said:

Indeed mate. It's solid black so quite unforgiving.

Yep but the results will be worth it! Can't beat a freshly cleaned and polished black car

Just looked at the 318iS thread- there's nothing as heavy as that but it's fine marks all over the car!

I'm glad my own fern green 318iS has been cherished by an avid car cleaner, the paint is amazing.

I've brought a few new toys since I did the 3 series - snow foam and a DA Polisher. Should get rid of all the swirls/light scratches without any issues.

[bazking69]

While I get immense satisfaction having cleaned the cars to the point that they look great again, I can't be bothered to waste a whole day of my precious weekend 'detailing' a car that will be filthy again within a couple of days.

You only have to look on some of the detailing forums to see some of the geekery that goes on. People remove, wash and polish their arch liners FFS!

[Jonny671]

bazking69 said:

While I get immense satisfaction having cleaned the cars to the point that they look great again, I can't be bothered to waste a whole day of my precious weekend 'detailing' a car that will be filthy again within a couple of days.

You only have to look on some of the detailing forums to see some of the geekery that goes on. People remove, wash and polish their arch liners FFS!

Ah, but you know.. Personally, that your car is very clean.. Thats the good bit

[AndyMI16]

Locked in a cage and spat at? Charming.

I'd suggest that you spend some time with some of the "geeks" and you'd come away surprised but frankly I suspect you'd be unwelcome to put it mildly - and not all of us are keyboard superheroes who find car polish sexually attractive. I've made some bloody good friends through what is, I accept, a slightly strange pastime - but that's all it is; no different to playing golf or collecting stamps (both of which don't appeal to me but I don't feel the urge to be so unpleasant to those who do enjoy them).

Barryboys website? Full of smug self important burks who think its funny to spend hours sneering at anything which doesn't fit their own idea of "right". I could go further and imply that members of said site might have other computer related interests which are a lot unhealthier than putting some wax on your car but what's the point? And why do I care whether said morons like my car or not? Each to their own.

I like driving and I like cleaning my car, end of. Did Marc go too far? Perhaps but that's his choice and fair play to him.

[exitwound]

Merlot said:

I used to - I have all the kit, random orbital etc.

However, this time of year 6 hours of hard work can be undone in about 5 miles of driving so I tend not to bother! That and the fact that I now drive a boring car that I couldn't care if it was clean or dirty. I think I've done about 1,000 miles since its last quick sponge !

Doesnt have to be like that... This is my daily-driver vette after a bit of work prior to Goodwood in July. Its still shiny and washes easily today.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[SarGara]

Every 6 months or so i just pay a mate £80 to snowfoam, clay, polish and wax my car. I wash it myself with the 2 bucket method between this. I just dont have the patience or time to do it myself and i find this a nice trade off but i deffinately respect anyone who does.

Just like everything though, too much of something is bad for you and i think detailing can be taken that way.

[agxster]

I've always enjoyed cleaning/polishing/waxing my car, I find it very satisfying. Not to mention I have some sort of addiction to car care products, must have spent hundreds over the last few years.

I don't always have the time and I don't have a garage, so my car is never 100% swirl free. But I make a best effort attempt with my PC (Porter Cable random orbital polisher) twice a year (autumn and spring), usually takes about 2-3 hours total and at least I know my car is protected. In between I try and wash it myself, although I recently made the mistake of taking it to a scratch & wash for a clean car "quick fix" .

[HellDiver]

I used to do the whole detailing thing, but lost interest. I've washed the Lancer once since I got it, and the dealer hosed it down when they serviced it. I'll clean the windows, mirrors and lights, but that's the height of it.

[genericguy]

Been reading the Nurburgring VXR hread in slight disbelief, way beyond OCD
Nice that he detailed the car he was ading in before he gt rid of it though.
His Dyson detailing thread is actually funnier than the BB pisstake so at least he knows he's mad.