After a few forum members contacted me about what to use on their cars, i thought i would put the guide on here with links to the products and what they look like.
Lets begin.
The subject for today is a V8V in meteorite. This isnt a write up of a detail, but just to help with when to use the products.
WHEELS
The first thing to do is clean the wheels. For this i would use an ez-detail wheel brush (for the inside) and a sponge or swissvax wheel brush for the outside:
As you can see, they are very dirty. What i normally do is give the wheels a coat of wheel cleaner, one by one and then go and rinse off in the same order with the presure washer.
http://www.autoperfection.com/shop/EZ-Detail-Brush...As for wheel cleaner, i would go for bilberry or autosmart smart wheels if you can get it, both diluted 50/50 with water. Neat if heavy soiled:
http://www.autoperfection.com/shop/Valet-Pro-Bilbe...I would then clean the tyres and arches with bilt hamber surfex hd degreaser, but for what most people will want, a scrub with a brush or old towel when you foam the car should do.
WASHING
The best thing to do is always try and make the car as clean as you can before you lay a hand on it. The best way to do this in to use a pressure washer and a foam lance. You foam the car up, leave it to dwell for a few mins and then pressure wash the car from bottom to top. This will remove pretty much all the dirt from the car, leaving only a film over the paint.
You can get the lance and foam (i would use megs hyperwash) from here:
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/pa-foam-la...If you dont have a pressure washer, make sure you spray/rinse as much dirt off as you can with the end of the hose.
From these pics, it is clear why foaming/spraying as much loose dirt off before you touch it is highly recomended.
The best thing to wash the car with is a lambs wool mitt:
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/easirider-...I would use one for most of the bodywork and one for the sills and lower parts of the bumpers. Using the 2 bucket method of one clean wash bucket and one rinse bucket.
For door/boot shuts, a swissvax brush and radiator brush are best:
used with a degreaser or all purpose cleaner.
For the shampoo, i would use swissvax car bath, its still my fave shampoo:
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/wash-products.a...DRYING
This is an important step, as a dirty or rough towel/cloth will swirl the paint in no time at all. I use these towels:
http://www.autoperfection.com/shop/Autoperfection-...If the car is waxed, use an open hose to rinse off the car and there should be hardly anything to mop up, but these towels are super soft and safe. You'll only need one if the car has been waxed, but best to have 2 if it hasnt.
WAXING
This is where i get biased. For a very good wax, i would go for swissvax best of show:
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/wax-products.as...It might seem like alot of money, but one layer will give months of protection, and a tub will last you a few years easy.
For todays car, i used divine, which i applied by hand.
You need the pre wax cleaner fluid first though:
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/cleaning-produc... (250ml)
Applied with a cotton pad: (bottom of page) and buffed off.
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/wax-products.as...buy 2, one for the cleaner fluid and one for the wax.
CLOTHS
The best towels to use are a good quality microfibre like these ones:
http://www.autoperfection.com/shop/Autoperfection-...I would get 4-5 of them, though 1 or 2 would do to remove the wax from the car.
TYRES
If you like the matt look like me, i would go for a bottle of swissvax pneu:
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/wheel--tyre-pro...Just spray it around the tyre and job done.
WHEEL WAX
I would use swissvax autobahn:
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/wheel--tyre-pro...A little goes a long way and lasts ages. Just like the wax, its best to use the cleaner fluid on the wheels first, with a cotton pad like this:
GLASS
I would use swissvax crystal and a dodo juice glass towel (mint mirkin)
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/wash-products.a...http://www.autoperfection.com/shop/Dodo-Juice-Mint...EXHAUST/grill
I would use swissvax metal polish or meguires nxt metal polish from halfords and an old cloth: Or 00 grade wire wool is really bad. (exhaust)
http://www.swissvax.co.uk/products/metal--wood-car...I think that pretty much covers it. I tried to keep the products to as few shops as possible.
Now all this lot wont be cheap, though it might seem like a big outlay, all this lot will last you a very long time.
Here are a couple of shots after waxing. The tyres still need to be dressed, glass cleaned etc. Like i said, this wasnt a write up of a detail. Also i clayed the car too, but i didnt put this step, as not everyone would be comfortable with doing this.
If you want the best finish for your car however, it would be best to get it detailed by a professional before hand and then you just keep on top of it.
Any questions are most welcome.
Francis
.. but does justify the purchase of the pressure washer (just as well I'm divorced LOL).
