Cleaning Products

[AlVal]

While waiting to be booked in for a new starter motor, since I can't drive it, thought I might as well clean it! Had some meguiars stuff lying about, so after a wash, chamois, scratch x, paint cleaner, polish, and carnauba wax (only a few hours, not to extreme detail!), was quite pleased with how the 11 year old paint came up. few imperfections here and there, nicks chips etc over the years, but all the same, still pleased with the meguiars results.

Lots more detailing hours to spend on this car!

so what products do you folks favour? autoglym?zymol?mer?meguiars?something else?

[DonnyMac]

good job Al; shame someone's blow-torched your rims though

[southendpier]

Ashamed to say, a squirt of shampoo and some water, sometimes warm, not very often, Car is currently covered in bird shyt.

I'll get round to cleaning it properly one day.

Does anyone ever take theirs through a carwash?

never have and can't imagine it'd like to too much.

[markh1]

NEVER take a car you car about to a car wash they scratch the paint terribly!

I use meg's cleaning and polishing products and Dodo juice wax.

[Gazzab]

Car wash will press the release button for the boot and then rip it off !

[Daveyee]

I use the Meg's polish & wax, works a treat. Something I picked up from the vx220 forums was the clay they do. You spray a sort of lubricant on the bodywork and then rub it over with the clay bar and it gets rid of mank like tree sap and bird crap (supposedly reduces swirling too, but i'm not sure). Yet to try it on the cerb, but worked well on the vx...

Dave

[Spawn]

I use Meguiars stuff. usually pretty good.
I gave it a quick polish yesterday and quite pleased with the results.

The plan now is to:
Clay Bar
Meguiars step one paint cleaner type thing
Meguiars step two polish which I will be purchasing an electric orbital buffer for which are supposed to give a really deep finish
Meguiars step 3 Wax

I will then be trying to get my tail pipes nice and shiny (need to buy something for this) along with doing under the bonnet, polishing bits and peices. Will get the intake pipes nice and black (may need to respray parts)

Hopefully will then look good for the summer which would appear to be arriving.

Has anybody used this automatic polishers? A mate does his MR2 and I have to say the results look brilliant.

Also interested to hear what steps others go through as I quite like keeping mine clean (when in the mood).


Rob

[Daveyee]

I borowed a car polisher from my boss a while back, but it was a halfords special (the cigarette lighter) and was pretty much useless...although I'd imagine the proper ones are worthwhile (so long as you don't get carried away and take the paint off!).

I use that stuff in a tube for my exhaust, autosol is it??

Dave

[Spawn]

Daveyee said:

I use that stuff in a tube for my exhaust, autosol is it??

Dave

Im going to nip into town at somepoint and get some more kit and the polisher. The For the exhaust and other shiny bits do you use fine wire wool?

[AlVal]

Spawn said:

I use Meguiars stuff. usually pretty good.
I gave it a quick polish yesterday and quite pleased with the results.

The plan now is to:
Clay Bar
Meguiars step one paint cleaner type thing
Meguiars step two polish which I will be purchasing an electric orbital buffer for which are supposed to give a really deep finish
Meguiars step 3 Wax

I will then be trying to get my tail pipes nice and shiny (need to buy something for this) along with doing under the bonnet, polishing bits and peices. Will get the intake pipes nice and black (may need to respray parts)

Hopefully will then look good for the summer which would appear to be arriving.

Has anybody used this automatic polishers? A mate does his MR2 and I have to say the results look brilliant.

Also interested to hear what steps others go through as I quite like keeping mine clean (when in the mood).


Rob

agreed on your process. since my clay bar is now too wrecked / dirty to use any more, to get rid of the tar spots/tiny black spots of whatever, i actually used a stanley blade carefully, flat against the body, which worked well with a careful/gentle/patient hand!
I still wouldnt advocate the method too much, and will be getting another clay bar!

[Spawn]

I've used my Clay once an my old MR2. Doesn't look great (the clay) but will try and get another going over out of it.

If you put a plastic bag over your hand (I used a clear sandwich bag) and then rub the surface of your car you will feel all the imperfections, lump, bumps etc on the paint. After you have Clayed it do the same again, it should feel like glass, much smoother and therefore give a much better reflection/look.
I know that sounds odd but just in case anyone didn't know give it a try!