How do you clean your Elise (i.e. what bits/how detailed)

[S Works]

You're all mental

I do clean it as well as I can (and I love it when shiny - see last Monday's thread!) but if it's sunny or dry and the choice is clean it or drive it, the latter ALWAYS wins.

I find the best time to do so is very early Saturday or Sunday morning when the sun's not out and you can have some 'me' time with the car. Good way to get rid of a hangover too!

I use a more simple system, CBA to get the wheels off - WAY to much hassle if you ask me and I can't really see the benefit of doing so.

* Rinse all bodywork & windows with warm water and a big soft sponge
* If there are large bits of crap on it (usual from our feathered friends) I hold and soak these off to avoid scratches
* Then get a clean bucket of warm water with Autoglym wash or similar and go over the entire car again.
* Then chamois the car dry
* I then clean the wheels using a soapy solution and their own separate sponge & wheel brush
* Once every 2 or 3 times (so roughly every other month) I do a full Meguiars clay-bar, plus 3-step + a final coat of Meguiars Gold Class wax on the bodywork. I also give the mats and interior a hoover and clean.
* Every other week I top up with Meguiars Gold Class wax.
* For buffage I use a Meguiars applicator pad and buffing cloth - gives a superb finish.
* At each clean I also clean the windows with Autoglym glass cleaner.
* At each clean I then black the tyre edges with a bit of gloss spray to make them look nice and new

Usually keeps it clean enough - if I'm in a rush a wash with warm water and no detergent keeps the wax on and a Chamois drys to the squeak. Meg's Gold Class is superb!

[ehasler]

cuzza said:

Now where's that idiot (IMO) who spent £450 on having his car polished?

That's my other half you're talking about, and his car is actually her car.

If you've seen the quality of the work, then you wouldn't be calling her an idiot. In fact, if you knew her, you wouldn't be calling her an idiot full stop - or if you did, it would probably be the last thing you did

To be honest, it's worth paying that to not drive the car straight out the dealer covered in swirl marks and light scratches. Even Janitor who spent cleaning his car admited that he still has these in the paintwork and that was after 2 days of effort and a fair few £ worth of cleaning product.

Personally, it's much more cost effective for me to pay someone £450 to do at someone than spend 2 whole days doing it myself, but fair play to the people like Janitor and Tony who enjoy doing it themselves - I just don't have the spare time or patience.

[tomtom]

The rain does mine and I'm ashamed .

[TIPPER]

I've always found that cars came back from servicing looking a bit different to when they went in ....

Actually I've gone and bought some Meguars kit to look after my Elise -never really looked after cars properly but thought that would be criminal to do that to an Elise. Reading these posts with great interest

Just a note on new car wax treatments. I bought a new X-type estate last March and the dealer convinced me it was worth spending £350/400 IIRC on a polymer or wax type treatment. I have to say that she looked stunning on delivery and only ever needed a quick going over with the karcher to make her look 'as new' again. When I traded her in she'd done 18k miles in 8 months and still looked brand new and not one stone chip!(my cars have never 'aged' well) I'll have to find out what it is Jag use -- I'd have it done on any new car in the future.

[tomtom]

I have been tempted to Permaguard mine. A couple of the FCars guys have had their cars done and they look fantastic. For ~£150 it seems like good value.

[gooby]

S Works said:

You're all mental I do clean it as well as I can (and I love it when shiny - see last Monday's thread!) but if it's sunny or dry and the choice is clean it or drive it, the latter ALWAYS wins. !

I clean and polish for 2 reasons;
1) I love the car when it is polished
2) There is nearly 30k Miles on her already so If I am polishing I am not racking up the miles!

[MJK 24]

I'm a bit anal when it comes to cleaning my car too so you're not alone!

I wash and polish it twice a month in the winter. In the summer I can get really sad. I can be found to wash and polish it and polish the glass twice a week!!! In addition, I do the tailpipes with metal polish. I also do the same to the Scirocco too. Red cars look good in the sun - that's my excuse!

In my defence, oddly, I enjoy polishing cars. It's a sort of therapy.

>> Edited by MJK 24 on Saturday 1st April 01:17

[gooby]

MJK 24 said:

In my defence, oddly, I enjoy polishing cars. It's a sort of therapy.

I agree.

I clean my car so much the neighbours have started making comments about "washing it away" and "are yoy trying to make it grow?"

[GTRene]

[mac1967]

lol...Jesus, I have to agree. I also thought there was only me that spent so long cleaning and polishing...lol. The trouble is, I spend so long cleaning the car that before I know it the weekend has gone and I haven't really driven it much...lol.

Last weekend I took the wheels off and washed and polished those both sides, cleaned the suspension arm, brakes, springs shokers wheel liners, inside bodywork and the trays just so when I put the wheels back on and you look through the wheel spokes you can see all the clean suspension etc...now I think that may be fringing on "sad".

I do however enjoy spending time over the car and I think it's theraputic. It's the only time I really switch off from work etc.

I think too that my neighbours must think i'm nuts some weekends.

Good replies gents!

Regards,

Mac

[kevin ritson]

Just cleaned mine today and used a free sample of Meguiars Tech Wax - massively impressed. Previously I used Auto Glym's new wax designed for dark colours and water-based paint. The finish on that was fantastic but you could only do a small area at a time or it would go hard and leave lots of white dust. The Tech Wax, though is fantastic! Can be applied in direct sunlight (ideal for me, no garage, South-facing drive) and easy to use with an even better finish. I tend to wax once a month and just wash most weekends, so this is great for me:

[tonyhetherington]

That's one hell of a deep shine there Kevin! I've just bought some of the new Autoglym deep shine stuff...unsure whether I'm going to use that tomorrow or not, I'll have a look and see.

Well, everyone, you're all in similar company it seems!!

Today I have...

cleaned car, dried with chamois
removed wheels
cleaned wheels front and back
polished wheels front and back
cleaned wheel arches/suspension etc.
polished/blackened wheel arches/suspension etc.
cleaned calipers
polished calipers
replaced wheels, blackened tyres
removed ENTIRE interior
removed all 4 rear lights

and so now currently in my utility room I have the rear lights, my whole interior (inlcluding most carpets) ready to have a good old clean with while watching saturday night tele

Tomorrow for the bodywork (car's currently in the garage), but unsure what I'm going to do with it (I have SO MANY polishes and waxes in my garage it's untrue. I might try the new autoglym one, but I think I'll start of with halfords colour polish - I have so many scratches it might disguise a few of them

Oh, and the weather's been fantastic for me; woke up this morning with it CHUCKING it down. 1/2hour later perfect car washing weather. A-men!!

[MJK 24]

tonyhetherington said:

That's one hell of a deep shine there Kevin! I've just bought some of the new Autoglym deep shine stuff...unsure whether I'm going to use that tomorrow or not, I'll have a look and see. Well, everyone, you're all in similar company it seems!! Today I have... cleaned car, dried with chamois removed wheels cleaned wheels front and back polished wheels front and back cleaned wheel arches/suspension etc. polished/blackened wheel arches/suspension etc. cleaned calipers polished calipers replaced wheels, blackened tyres removed ENTIRE interior removed all 4 rear lights and so now currently in my utility room I have the rear lights, my whole interior (inlcluding most carpets) ready to have a good old clean with while watching saturday night tele Tomorrow for the bodywork (car's currently in the garage), but unsure what I'm going to do with it (I have SO MANY polishes and waxes in my garage it's untrue. I might try the new autoglym one, but I think I'll start of with halfords colour polish - I have so many scratches it might disguise a few of them Oh, and the weather's been fantastic for me; woke up this morning with it CHUCKING it down. 1/2hour later perfect car washing weather. A-men!!

I genuinely think you've got OCD with regard to striping the car to clean it!

[tonyhetherington]

It's a scarey thing to imagine, but there are people FAR worse than me out there...!!

eg....(as lovely as it is...)

(pic removed)

Edited by TonyHetherington on Monday 12th March 14:35

[nwtony]

Gave mine the full monty yesterday, used Meguir's 3 stage system and almost killed myself doing it, I work in a lab and physical effort isn't one of the job requirements. It's never looked better mind you.

I'm still going to resist having the wheels off to clean, although I might treat myself to a fresh bucket of water next time instead of the remnants from the rest of the wash and give them a really good scrub.

It's almost a shame to drive it it's so shiny and clean! I'm gonna tho!

Is it just me or does everyone else care a whole lot more about the outside than the inside, I can just about be bothered to hoover up the bigger bits that accumalate on the carpet?

[S works]

Tony, you have serious issues sir. Get a grip

Kev, that looks awesome mate - see you at Brands on Saturday

[Janitor]

TonyHetherington said:

that detailing world...OMG! I've found a new home!

You know it makes sense!

just1 said:

I just spent the last 2 days doing the full 3 stage proccess

You know it makes sense!

Nath-Exige said:

I wax it every two weeks whether it is used or not!

You know it makes sense!

S Works said:

You're all mental

Cuckoo... whizz... pop... cuckoo!

S Works said:

I love it when shiny - see last Monday's thread!

You know it makes sense!

ehasler said:

Personally, it's much more cost effective for me to pay someone £450 to do it than spend 2 whole days doing it myself, but fair play to the people like Janitor and Tony who enjoy doing it themselves - I just don't have the spare time or patience.

Fair do's!

tomtom said:

The rain does mine and I'm ashamed .

Be ashamed... be very ashamed

TIPPER said:

Actually I've gone and bought some Meguars kit to look after my Elise -never really looked after cars properly but thought that would be criminal to do that to an Elise. Reading these posts with great interest

You know it makes sense!

gooby said:

I clean and polish for 2 reasons; 1) I love the car when it is polished 2) There is nearly 30k Miles on her already so If I am polishing I am not racking up the miles!

Simple, Gooby always makes sense!

MJK 24 said:

I'm a bit anal when it comes to cleaning my car too so you're not alone! I wash and polish it twice a month in the winter. In the summer I can get really sad. I can be found to wash and polish it and polish the glass twice a week!!! In addition, I do the tailpipes with metal polish. I also do the same to the Scirocco too. Red cars look good in the sun - that's my excuse! In my defence, oddly, I enjoy polishing cars. It's a sort of therapy.

All that makes sense!

mac1967 said:

Last weekend I took the wheels off and washed and polished those both sides, cleaned the suspension arm, brakes, springs shokers wheel liners, inside bodywork and the trays just so when I put the wheels back on and you look through the wheel spokes you can see all the clean suspension etc...now I think that may be fringing on "sad". I think too that my neighbours must think i'm nuts some weekends.

Not sad, just makes sense!

kevin ritson said:

Just cleaned mine today and used a free sample of Meguiars Tech Wax - massively impressed. Previously I used Auto Glym's new wax designed for dark colours and water-based paint. The finish on that was fantastic but you could only do a small area at a time or it would go hard and leave lots of white dust. The Tech Wax, though is fantastic! Can be applied in direct sunlight (ideal for me, no garage, South-facing drive) and easy to use with an even better finish. I tend to wax once a month and just wash most weekends, so this is great for me

You know it makes sense!

tonyhetherington said:

Well, everyone, you're all in similar company it seems!! Today I have... cleaned car, dried with chamois removed wheels cleaned wheels front and back polished wheels front and back cleaned wheel arches/suspension etc. polished/blackened wheel arches/suspension etc. cleaned calipers polished calipers replaced wheels, blackened tyres removed ENTIRE interior removed all 4 rear lights and so now currently in my utility room I have the rear lights, my whole interior (inlcluding most carpets) ready to have a good old clean with while watching saturday night tele Tomorrow for the bodywork (car's currently in the garage), but unsure what I'm going to do with it (I have SO MANY polishes and waxes in my garage it's untrue. I might try the new autoglym one, but I think I'll start of with halfords colour polish - I have so many scratches it might disguise a few of them

Top bloody fella!

nwtony said:

Gave mine the full monty yesterday, used Meguir's 3 stage system and almost killed myself doing it

You know it makes sense!



There... I think that's my position on the matter suitably expressed!

[bher]

I just want to let you know that I waxed my car this week end because:
1. I want to remain member of the group,
2. I still want to get answer to my question on the forum
3. I was feeling as a bad owner washing my car only after every trip
4. The car seems not needing it

[gooby]

Janitor said:

Loads of stuff.....

? So we all make sence then!!!?

[cuzza]

ehasler said:

cuzza said: Now where's that idiot (IMO) who spent £450 on having his car polished? That's my other half you're talking about, and his car is actually her car. If you've seen the quality of the work, then you wouldn't be calling her an idiot. In fact, if you knew her, you wouldn't be calling her an idiot full stop - or if you did, it would probably be the last thing you did To be honest, it's worth paying that to not drive the car straight out the dealer covered in swirl marks and light scratches. Even Janitor who spent cleaning his car admited that he still has these in the paintwork and that was after 2 days of effort and a fair few £ worth of cleaning product. Personally, it's much more cost effective for me to pay someone £450 to do at someone than spend 2 whole days doing it myself, but fair play to the people like Janitor and Tony who enjoy doing it themselves - I just don't have the spare time or patience.

I'll remember to avoid any ladies by the name of Hasler for a while

No disrespect intended but in my opinion that IS an idiotic (for want of a better word) amount of money to spend on having your car polished. To bring that into context £450 is what I've just paid to renew my insurance for the year or three track days or a set of tyres.

If having a £450 wax done or spending all weekend detailing it makes people happy then fill yer boots - still seems a bit bonkers to me