Thorough clean/ amatuer detailing
Discussion
I have been thinking about giving the car a 'proper clean' what with summer and Le-mans coming up.
I have researched into products to do this searching on Pistonheads but wanted to put it to others with TVRs who have tried products and tested:
From what I can make out I need to:
Prewash with a Traffic Film Remover
Rinse and dry with a micro fibre cloth
Clay the car
2 bucket wash?
Dry
Polish
Wax
Seems to be the order.
Looking into various products I was thinking of buying the following:
Traffic film remover
Dodo Juice clay and lube kit
Some kind of polish... will auto gleam super resin do?
finish of with Dodo juice light soft wax
Would peoples opinions be that these would be the best products for a Crystal Blue Topaz TVR?
(any help appreciated as I normally take it to the latvians and spend a fiver)
Get your self over to this forum, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&a... lots of advice
Greeny said:
Get your self over to this forum, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&a... lots of advice
Crikey - you're not kidding!This was a little gem hidden away, which I've not seen before. Will be going onto the faves though!
to start with skip halfords. if your going to look after your car yourself then get onto 'clean your car' or 'I4 Detailing' or something like that and start with a few basic products. They all deliver within about 2 days or so and sometimes for free.
I guess your working by hand...
to start if your going to use a pre wash i wouldn't bother drying after. Just spray it on and leave it to soak. Ideally working in hard to reach areas with a selection of small detailing brushes. Snow foam is always a winner mixed with a little shampoo.
Then rinse off.
wash the car before you clay!!! otherwise you will pick up all sorts of mess in the clay bar and probably make more scratches.
Then rinse with water and if its not sunny out i wouldn't bother drying it.
Then clay the whole car, starting at the top and working your way down as this is where it gets dirtiest.
Then re wash the car to get rid of any lube left and throughly drying with a drying towel, not a microfiber
Polish wise there are so many option but SRP will do the trick if working by hand.
I would then use a pre wax cleaner like dodo juice prime lime to prepare for wax and is also slightly abrasive so will take out small marks.
If you want wax then i would use Dodo Juice Light Fantastic or buy a panel pot of Dodo Juice Super Natural which will allow you to do the car about 4 times and is the best wax i have used.
hope this helps a bit. Where about are you?
Chris
I guess your working by hand...
to start if your going to use a pre wash i wouldn't bother drying after. Just spray it on and leave it to soak. Ideally working in hard to reach areas with a selection of small detailing brushes. Snow foam is always a winner mixed with a little shampoo.
Then rinse off.
wash the car before you clay!!! otherwise you will pick up all sorts of mess in the clay bar and probably make more scratches.
Then rinse with water and if its not sunny out i wouldn't bother drying it.
Then clay the whole car, starting at the top and working your way down as this is where it gets dirtiest.
Then re wash the car to get rid of any lube left and throughly drying with a drying towel, not a microfiber
Polish wise there are so many option but SRP will do the trick if working by hand.
I would then use a pre wax cleaner like dodo juice prime lime to prepare for wax and is also slightly abrasive so will take out small marks.
If you want wax then i would use Dodo Juice Light Fantastic or buy a panel pot of Dodo Juice Super Natural which will allow you to do the car about 4 times and is the best wax i have used.
hope this helps a bit. Where about are you?
Chris
Edited by edgeydt50 on Saturday 10th April 09:45
to start with skip halfords. if your going to look after your car yourself then get onto 'clean your car' or 'I4 Detailing' or something like that and start with a few basic products. They all deliver within about 2 days or so and sometimes for free.
I guess your working by hand...
to start if your going to use a pre wash i wouldn't bother drying after. Just spray it on and leave it to soak. Ideally working in hard to reach areas with a selection of small detailing brushes. Snow foam is always a winner mixed with a little shampoo.
Then rinse off.
wash the car before you clay!!! otherwise you will pick up all sorts of mess in the clay bar and probably make more scratches.
Then rinse with water and if its not sunny out i wouldn't bother drying it.
Then clay the whole car, starting at the top and working your way down as this is where it gets dirtiest.
Then re wash the car to get rid of any lube left and throughly drying with a drying towel, not a microfiber
Polish wise there are so many option but SRP will do the trick if working by hand.
I would then use a pre wax cleaner like dodo juice prime lime to prepare for wax and is also slightly abrasive so will take out small marks.
If you want wax then i would use Dodo Juice Light Fantastic or buy a panel pot of Dodo Juice Super Natural which will allow you to do the car about 4 times and is the best wax i have used.
hope this helps a bit. Where about are you?
Chris
I guess your working by hand...
to start if your going to use a pre wash i wouldn't bother drying after. Just spray it on and leave it to soak. Ideally working in hard to reach areas with a selection of small detailing brushes. Snow foam is always a winner mixed with a little shampoo.
Then rinse off.
wash the car before you clay!!! otherwise you will pick up all sorts of mess in the clay bar and probably make more scratches.
Then rinse with water and if its not sunny out i wouldn't bother drying it.
Then clay the whole car, starting at the top and working your way down as this is where it gets dirtiest.
Then re wash the car to get rid of any lube left and throughly drying with a drying towel, not a microfiber
Polish wise there are so many option but SRP will do the trick if working by hand.
I would then use a pre wax cleaner like dodo juice prime lime to prepare for wax and is also slightly abrasive so will take out small marks.
If you want wax then i would use Dodo Juice Light Fantastic or buy a panel pot of Dodo Juice Super Natural which will allow you to do the car about 4 times and is the best wax i have used.
hope this helps a bit. Where about are you?
Chris
Edited by edgeydt50 on Sunday 11th April 17:40
edgeydt50 said:
to start with skip halfords. if your going to look after your car yourself then get onto 'clean your car' or 'I4 Detailing' or something like that and start with a few basic products. They all deliver within about 2 days or so and sometimes for free.
I guess your working by hand...
to start if your going to use a pre wash i wouldn't bother drying after. Just spray it on and leave it to soak. Ideally working in hard to reach areas with a selection of small detailing brushes. Snow foam is always a winner mixed with a little shampoo.
Then rinse off.
wash the car before you clay!!! otherwise you will pick up all sorts of mess in the clay bar and probably make more scratches.
Then rinse with water and if its not sunny out i wouldn't bother drying it.
Then clay the whole car, starting at the top and working your way down as this is where it gets dirtiest.
Then re wash the car to get rid of any lube left and throughly drying with a drying towel, not a microfiber
Polish wise there are so many option but SRP will do the trick if working by hand.
I would then use a pre wax cleaner like dodo juice prime lime to prepare for wax and is also slightly abrasive so will take out small marks.
If you want wax then i would use Dodo Juice Light Fantastic or buy a panel pot of Dodo Juice Super Natural which will allow you to do the car about 4 times and is the best wax i have used.
hope this helps a bit. Where about are you?
Chris
Agree with this, I use Dodo Juice products and have to say they are excellent. If you are cleaning your car in the nice weather we have this weekend, be very careful with the clay bar. Use plenty of QD to keep it cool and avoid it dragging.I guess your working by hand...
to start if your going to use a pre wash i wouldn't bother drying after. Just spray it on and leave it to soak. Ideally working in hard to reach areas with a selection of small detailing brushes. Snow foam is always a winner mixed with a little shampoo.
Then rinse off.
wash the car before you clay!!! otherwise you will pick up all sorts of mess in the clay bar and probably make more scratches.
Then rinse with water and if its not sunny out i wouldn't bother drying it.
Then clay the whole car, starting at the top and working your way down as this is where it gets dirtiest.
Then re wash the car to get rid of any lube left and throughly drying with a drying towel, not a microfiber
Polish wise there are so many option but SRP will do the trick if working by hand.
I would then use a pre wax cleaner like dodo juice prime lime to prepare for wax and is also slightly abrasive so will take out small marks.
If you want wax then i would use Dodo Juice Light Fantastic or buy a panel pot of Dodo Juice Super Natural which will allow you to do the car about 4 times and is the best wax i have used.
hope this helps a bit. Where about are you?
Chris
Edited by edgeydt50 on Saturday 10th April 09:45
Dan
I buy most of my stuff from www.cleanyourcar.co.uk (they also have a helpful forum).
I like the Sonus Green or Bilt Hamber Auto Clay and I use Megs Last Touch as a lube.
My process:
Clean wheels with Bilberry wheel cleaner
Snow foam entire car and then use a paint brush to get in any difficult areas
Rinse car
Wash with the two bucket method with a lambswool mit (I use CG Citrus Wash & Gloss)
Clay car (using products above)
Rewash car
Dry car using drying towel and Megs Last Touch
Polish (Sonus products are good as is Lime Prime Lite - this stage will depend on what you want to achieve in terms of paint correction)
Rewash car to get rid of any residue and dry again
Wax car (Megs #16 for me)
Final wipe down with last touch
Tyres using Megs Tyre Shine
Trim - AG Trim Dressing
I like the Sonus Green or Bilt Hamber Auto Clay and I use Megs Last Touch as a lube.
My process:
Clean wheels with Bilberry wheel cleaner
Snow foam entire car and then use a paint brush to get in any difficult areas
Rinse car
Wash with the two bucket method with a lambswool mit (I use CG Citrus Wash & Gloss)
Clay car (using products above)
Rewash car
Dry car using drying towel and Megs Last Touch
Polish (Sonus products are good as is Lime Prime Lite - this stage will depend on what you want to achieve in terms of paint correction)
Rewash car to get rid of any residue and dry again
Wax car (Megs #16 for me)
Final wipe down with last touch
Tyres using Megs Tyre Shine
Trim - AG Trim Dressing
This is an absolutely massive area where everyone has their own way!!
For me, i didnt have mych success with a clay bar, used Bilt and Hamber, but couldnt get the hang of it and managed to finely scratch the car in places.
So, the other day i used...
Soap down with two buckets, one for soap and water one for rinse, with microfibre mitt.
dry with microfibre towels
Meguairs swirl remover & scratch x,
then coated with Auto Glym Super resin polish (some decent fillers in it apparently)
Coated with collinite wax (last for months and really makes washing easier next time, did the wheels too which means wipe down is adequate next time)
Top Layer of Dodo Juice Tropical Red Mist, lovely product that just makes the car glow.
all applied with mircofibre.
Car looks amazing at the moment!
For me, i didnt have mych success with a clay bar, used Bilt and Hamber, but couldnt get the hang of it and managed to finely scratch the car in places.
So, the other day i used...
Soap down with two buckets, one for soap and water one for rinse, with microfibre mitt.
dry with microfibre towels
Meguairs swirl remover & scratch x,
then coated with Auto Glym Super resin polish (some decent fillers in it apparently)
Coated with collinite wax (last for months and really makes washing easier next time, did the wheels too which means wipe down is adequate next time)
Top Layer of Dodo Juice Tropical Red Mist, lovely product that just makes the car glow.
all applied with mircofibre.
Car looks amazing at the moment!
Edited by Robertjp on Monday 12th April 12:28
Cheers chaps some really god info there and a great link to the detailing part of PH which will be usefull.
I havnt bought any products yet but will do this week, hopefully will be able to do the big clean this weekend or the following weekend coming weather permitting of course.
Its funny as for the last few years I have been happy to take it down to the Latvians up the road ands spend a fiver weekly and super resin polish it 2 - 3 times annually.... but I have a sneaking suspicion that following trying these products, a bit of elbow grease and looking at the results I will probably never let anyone else clean it again
Chris I'm based in Epsom, Surrey.
I havnt bought any products yet but will do this week, hopefully will be able to do the big clean this weekend or the following weekend coming weather permitting of course.
Its funny as for the last few years I have been happy to take it down to the Latvians up the road ands spend a fiver weekly and super resin polish it 2 - 3 times annually.... but I have a sneaking suspicion that following trying these products, a bit of elbow grease and looking at the results I will probably never let anyone else clean it again
Chris I'm based in Epsom, Surrey.
Did my Griff yesterday
clay
Autoglym SRP followed by acrylic sealer
Then old fashioned simonize wax (the traditional yellow tin one)- not the easiest to apply, and I am sure there are plenty of better modern options, but I have used it for years and it still gives a great shine and protection.
clay
Autoglym SRP followed by acrylic sealer
Then old fashioned simonize wax (the traditional yellow tin one)- not the easiest to apply, and I am sure there are plenty of better modern options, but I have used it for years and it still gives a great shine and protection.
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