what happened to using a bucket and a sponge?

[AC43]

I use a hose to start, and use a bucket and brush for most of the job.

The wheels are a bit fiddly and so I use a wheel cleaner thing (basically a microfibre on a poll) and a little kitchen sponge.

Then a hose down & microfibre dry + rapid detailer if I can be bothered.

[ddom]

Oh and Dragons Breath wheel cleaner. Best thing I ever found. Sod scrubbing wheels.

[Jonny Wishbone]

I just spent 5 hours on my car. I’m obviously mental.

Then again, it got me out on a beautiful day and I can forego my regular run/cross-training for a couple of days because it’s damned good exercise. The car looking good is a bonus

[anonymous-user]

Speed Badger said:

Cleaning a car is a pain in the arse.

If you could buy a magical product for a tenner that would keep your car clean and shiny forever with one application, would you take it?

Or would you keep washing it by hand every couple of weeks because it's your 'hobby?'

It's like saying cleaning the toilet is a hobby. It isn't, it's just a pain in the arse procedure you have to go through when your toilet begins to get grubby, that makes it clean and sparkling again.

I often wondered how ceramic coatings work. If they repel dirt so well then why does st stick to a ceramic toilet so well?

[Chubbyross]

XF-Andy said:

If you want to see a proper detailer (and he gets to work on some lovely cars) search for White Details on YouTube. He is called Jim White and even other detailers recognise how good he actually is.

His work is off the charts. I love his videos and his attention to details is astonishing.

[anonymous-user]

mac96 said:

So does that make you Carruthers?

I'd rather be Davies, I think, although Carruthers does have his wits about him.

[AC43]

Jonny Wishbone said:

I just spent 5 hours on my car. I’m obviously mental.

Then again, it got me out on a beautiful day and I can forego my regular run/cross-training for a couple of days because it’s damned good exercise. The car looking good is a bonus

My 16 year old son has a running injury at the moment and is always looking for some sort of physical outdoor activity. He's started was both cars, pretty well, too. Result.

[ddom]

CDB1983 said:

I often wondered how ceramic coatings work. If they repel dirt so well then why does st stick to a ceramic toilet so well?

Not convinced of ceramic coatings, for me, the new snake oil product.

[TopTrump]

nickfrog said:

I can imagine the huge marketing budgets involved in making me buy two £1 pound buckets rather than one and a £5 soft mitt rather than a £1 sponge that will swirl my back paint instantly.

Wow are you a bit slow?

Do you not think there are millions upon millions of polishes, resins, clay bars, waxes, rubber finishes etc.? Bell.

[Jonny Wishbone]

ddom said:

CDB1983 said:

I often wondered how ceramic coatings work. If they repel dirt so well then why does st stick to a ceramic toilet so well?

Not convinced of ceramic coatings, for me, the new snake oil product.

I’m agnostic at the moment. I got my previous car detailed and ceramic coated professionally from new at the same time I took an interest in properly looking after the car. After four years there was barely a swirl on the paint, but I have no idea if that’s because of the ceramic coating or because I used the basic techniques to prevent swirling highlighted in this thread. It seems a pretty safe bet that, like me, most people who get their cars coated are likely to be the sorts of people who look after their paint so it’s possible the reported benefits of ceramic coating are placebo.

I’ve not bothered getting my new car coated and will stick with regular washes with intermittent decon, polish and wax. I’m curious to see whether the paint is any worse off after a couple of years.

[smn159]

My E46 gets detailed at the local Albanian car wash. Not sure how many buckets they use, but there is spray foam involved.

Looks decent when they've finished as well.

[grudas]

no thanks. I'll stick with more time/care around my paintwork.

I enjoy it and it looks great compared to most cars I see.

once you learn what clear/good paintwork looks like you'll understand.

I see so many cars with insane swirl marks everywhere.. it hurts.

[Ice_blue_tvr]

jamei303 said:

Demelitia said:

For some people, cars are the second most expensive thing they’ll ever buy after a house, and so they’re understandably keen to keep them in good condition.

How many people wash the outside of their house, other than the windows?

I haven't washed my car since it was delivered new last June. The interior is immaculate though.

Not really the same? Brick work/render doesn't shine.. Nor does it rust or corrode.. However you would repaint it when needed, or treat/paint any wooden frames etc when required.

[danllama]

Trackdayer said:

The problem is with deep cleaning a car, it it's ruined the first time you turn a wheel on a wet road.

I'd rather do a "90%" wash that takes 5% of the time, and not be devastated when I go through a puddle.

Aim for excellence, not perfection.

This.

[Ice_blue_tvr]

danllama said:

Trackdayer said:

The problem is with deep cleaning a car, it it's ruined the first time you turn a wheel on a wet road.

I'd rather do a "90%" wash that takes 5% of the time, and not be devastated when I go through a puddle.

Aim for excellence, not perfection.

This.

I subscribe to this too..

It's why I don't worry so much about a few nicks and stone chips.. From a metre away you don't notice them anyway..

[Klippie]

I gave up using a sponge years ago but my bucket must be over forty years old and is still going strong...there's a split at the top and its so worn if held up to the light you can see it shining through.

[otolith]

Pommy said:

Om said:

Pommy said:

.

Do you still wipe your arse with the tracing paper stuff in the old school days? If not, why not.

You wipe?

No of course not.

I use the 2 bidet method, followed by a cleaning foam wash topped off with a waffle dry. And I mean an actual potato waffle.

Ridiculous! What's wrong with a good old fashioned tersorium?

[danllama]

Breadvan72 said:

Is there anyone here who, like me, sometimes really enjoys an utterly filthy .... car. You know: when it's the dead of winter and the car is mega grimy. Someone will wet a finger and daub "I wish my wife was this dirty" on the back. Someone else will daub "she is".

Yes, i refer to it as the winter coat.

[otolith]

Ilovejapcrap said:

Breadvan72 said:

https://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread....

Went to town on that !

To be fair, I had similar thoughts towards my friend some years back when he told me that he'd paid to have his brand new 911 detailed before he picked it up, and that the difference between his and an otherwise identical one someone else was taking delivery of was obvious.

Then I went to a Porsche launch event at Dick Lovett (think it was the 991) and was pretty shocked at how crap the paint on the brand new demo cars looked under the showroom lights.

I guess we're a bit more snotty still when it's a pov-mobile someone is being precious about.

[InitialDave]

Pommy said:

Om said:

Pommy said:

.

Do you still wipe your arse with the tracing paper stuff in the old school days? If not, why not.

You wipe?

No of course not.

I use the 2 bidet method, followed by a cleaning foam wash topped off with a waffle dry. And I mean an actual potato waffle.

That's not what they mean when they suggest serving them with nuggets.