Amatuer detail advice

[AndyT77]

I am planning on giving our MINI a detail session tomorrow and am faced with a couple of conundrums:

1. Live in a flat so no hose pipe
2. No machine polisher

Bearing in mind it was last washed a few days ago, my plan is:

Pressure wash at petrol station (no brush used!)
Drive home (2min)
Clay entire car
Back to petrol station for pressure wash
Drive home, dry using some proper drying towels laid on panel at a time
Polish using microfiber cloths and Meguiers Stage 2 polish (from 3 stage bottle set, I don't see the point of the paint cleaner if I've clayed it)
Was using Meguiers stage 3 carnuba wax
Polish windows using Autoglym stuff
Dress tyres and black skirting using some stuff I've had for years (used it last week for the first time in years and it did a good job)


Any hint/tips/recommendations?

Edit to add: is Brasso ok to use on the exhaust? I'm not sure if it is chrome plated? The exhaust is standard (MINI Cooper S 07 reg)

Edited by AndyT77 on Friday 12th July 22:47

[FRMATT]

I think you'll do more harm than good driving back and forth to the petrol station. Car needs to be super clean to clay else you will just be rubbing in the dirt.

If you definitely have no other option e.g. a friend's drive perhaps. I'd take all your stuff to the petrol station, there's usually a spot you can use without causing an obstruction. I've never done a full detail but I used to regularly take a bucket, wash mitt, shampoo, drying towels to my local jet wash and do it myself. There's almost always a tap somewhere there for you to fill a bucket. The main downside being the lack of warm water, oh and people look at you funny... but who cares!