Car Detailing (1 Viewer)

[SlipStream]

Anybody else into this expensive, somewhat sad yet rewarding hobby?

I've spent hundreds on it now - just today bought a clay bar and lambswool wash mitt. I've got dozens of products in my stash - microfibre chamois, waxes, polishes, an electric buffer, quick detailer, exterior products, microfibre/terry cloths...

It's expensive but I like spending hours on my car, giving it a mirror finish. I'm doing my mum's car for her on Monday - a Pajero with shitty oxidised paint dying for a detail. It's gonna chew up a pooload of wax... I'm looking forward to it; picks will be posted! Then you'll understand why it's so rewarding. Turning a surface like fogged up glass into like a perfectly flawless mirror reflection: t'is fun!

Discuss! I know a few detailers, and am the resident car care expert at my work, and generally have knowledge-through-interest so I can answer any questions any people have.

 

[7th Sign]

sounds nice man...tell me some steps and some products your using and what kind of prices they cost you....

 

[redruM]

scrubbing it in the rain probably isnt good enough for you folk

 

[DaddyK]

lol. rain.

 

[SlipStream]

sounds nice man...tell me some steps and some products your using and what kind of prices they cost you....

I haven't started using pro-grade products like Klasse, P21S, Zaino, Menzerna, etc due to the fact I don't get paid enough to do so.

For the moment I only use Meguiars and when I can't get them I use Mothers - mediocre products in the grand scheme of things but for the amateur they are great value for money and because they're sold at my work, I get 25% off them all! And they work for me, so I'll keep using em.

For a complete detail, in a nutshell it goes something like this: rinse to remove residual dirt, wash with detergent to remove any old wax, wash with car wash to remove detergent, rinse again, chamois, wheels/tyres/bumpers, clay, polish, wax, windows.

I use a lambswool wash mit and two buckets (one with suds and one with clean water for rinsing) with Mother's California Gold Car Wash, a nice big microfibre chamois, Clay Magic clay bar, a Meguiar's polish (can't remember what one) and microfibre cloths, Meguiar's wax (I have a few) with a variable speed random orb. buff... yeh and a few other little things, but they're the main ones I use.

You into the odd scrubbage-of-car, 7th Sign?

 

[hipsta_jess]

scrubbing it in the rain probably isnt good enough for you folk

haha, I parked my car outside this morning, in the hope the rain would wash it for me

 

[7th Sign]

You into the odd scrubbage-of-car, 7th Sign?

I clean the car like once a week like vacume it totally and give it a wash and a shammey I dont have the time atm to apply wax and things liek that to it but in the buture I will....Its good to see people taking care of their cars.....I hate it when I see good cars in shit condition, like dirty as

 

[SlipStream]

I clean the car like once a week like vacume it totally and give it a wash and a shammey I dont have the time atm to apply wax and things liek that to it but in the buture I will....Its good to see people taking care of their cars.....I hate it when I see good cars in shit condition, like dirty as

Yeh I know the feeling - haven't had any time to wash the car any more than a squirt at the self-serve wash with work and the exams and study inbetween, but now that the exams are over I have nothing to do but the odd day at work and jack all! My mum's Pajero gets the detail tomorrow.. doing the hose part early in the morning so the neighbours don't ring the water cop people. I'm one of those that believes you use less water washing with the hose than you do buckets...

 

[yenta]

I've never gone that far cleaning my car...most I've done is wash, rinse and chamois it, then vacuum inside. I want to wax my car, it's dull as, but there's some stains on the paint that I can't get rid of...does the paint have to be absolutely stain free before u can wax it?

 

[yenta]

I'm one of those that believes you use less water washing with the hose than you do buckets...

Yeah me too...I can't believe there were people stupid enough to decide that a hose uses more water than a bucket...I always use a hose stuff em

 

[hobbsy4]

My steps:

-drive into a carwash with the windows open
-let it dry

 

[SlipStream]

I've never gone that far cleaning my car...most I've done is wash, rinse and chamois it, then vacuum inside. I want to wax my car, it's dull as, but there's some stains on the paint that I can't get rid of...does the paint have to be absolutely stain free before u can wax it?

Depends on what kind of "stains" they are. If they are what I think they are, they're probably impossible to remove. Think of it as a carpet stain - can't get rid of it unless you get new carpet, or in this case respray the offending panel. The most you can do is seal the paint with some wax to stop the blemish getting worse.

Depending on if your car is clear coat or conventional multi-layer paint, it'd be best to use some paint cleaner (a clear coat safe polish) to prep the surface (i.e. remove old wax, remove oxidisation and restore paint colour) then seal and protect the paint with some paste wax. I'm generalising - there's heaps to proper car care that I'm skimming over...

 

[loquasagacious]

Eg If its multi-layer you could get away with a cut and polish wax.

 

[SlipStream]

Eg If its multi-layer you could get away with a cut and polish wax.

Yeh, but it'd be safer in the meantime to use a clearcoat safe deep cleaner, just in case her car is clearcoat and she turns her paint into a giant dull patch. A simple test: grab a small amount of cutting compound, put it on the end of a cloth and rub it onto a very small and inconspicuous area of the paint. If the car's colour comes off onto the cloth, your car has multi-layer paint and you can have a dig at it with a polish/cut then wax/glaze. If nothing appears on the cloth, you have a clearcoat and definitely avoid the cutting compound!

This is what I call a big blac- err, purple shiny car!

 

[DaddyK]

i piss on cars. DONT LAUGH IT COULD BE YOURS.

 

[yenta]

Depends on what kind of "stains" they are. If they are what I think they are, they're probably impossible to remove. Think of it as a carpet stain - can't get rid of it unless you get new carpet, or in this case respray the offending panel. The most you can do is seal the paint with some wax to stop the blemish getting worse.

Depending on if your car is clear coat or conventional multi-layer paint, it'd be best to use some paint cleaner (a clear coat safe polish) to prep the surface (i.e. remove old wax, remove oxidisation and restore paint colour) then seal and protect the paint with some paste wax. I'm generalising - there's heaps to proper car care that I'm skimming over...

Wow...that sounds really complicated and I have no idea what you're talking about maybe I'll just get a professional detailer to do it..

Oh and another thing, there's a large scratch on one of the rear wheel arches where I scraped the car against something. It scraped the paint right off down to the metal and now there appears to be some rust. Will it be f**ked if I don't get it fixed asap, and can the rust be removed?

 

[loquasagacious]

I don't believe in paying someone to do something you could do yourself. My advice is save the money and enjoy the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

As far as the scratch you should fix this ASAP. Is the metal buckled at all? If not then you're in luck. Scrap the rust away with a file of some description (avoiding damaging the surrounding paintwork) and apply some touch-up paint (available from local auto stores and dealerships).

If it's dented then sand back the area to the metal fill the dents with putty sand the putty smooth and flush spray over it.

NOTES: If the paint is matt the everything will be easy, if it's metallic then you will need special touch up paint from a dealer and whilst it will stand out pretty badly it still looks better than rust and stops the rust spreading.

 

[SlipStream]

yenta: I make it sound hard, don't worry...

And yeh, I'd try and get to the rust before it becomes cancerous and spreads across the surface.

 

[loquasagacious]

Ok Slip I need some advice on products from probably the most qualified supercheap employee....

What are the best products around for administering some much needed TLC for conventional multi-layer paint?

My guess being that I need something firstly to clean off the acumulated grime and wat-not and then a cut and polish wax. Am I on the money?

 

[SlipStream]

How much are you willing to spend?