*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

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3 hours to polish! :eek:

Burned_Alive said:
Good stuff :)

Make sure you shake the bottle and probably apply more to the cloth. Remember its designed to partially soak into the leather to keep it supple.
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:) Yeah I was very generous with how much I used with the balm, probably too generous :p
 
I'm not saying you're wrong, just shocked, and now feel like I'm doing a half assed job.

I did a full clean, clay, polish, wax on my XF in a little over 3 hours on Sunday. Fair enough I only clayed the bonnet and rear of the car, and the wax I used is the Merguiars Liquid Wax so isn't as difficult to apply, but still...

I spent half as long just cleaning and treating the leather the next day :p
 
paradigm said:
Similar sized car, I'd say that a decent wash (including pre-wash) would take me about 1hr to 1hr30 depending on how dirty it was.

Claying again depends on just how many contaminants are left (first I'd give it a going over with something like Iron-X, or at a bare minimum Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover). But say another 1hr minimum (if you are going to do a once over with Tar Remover or similar, add another 30 to 45 mins).

Polishing will take the brunt of the time, depending on how you are doing it, a minimum of 2 hours I'd say, if not closer to 3 if you are giving ever panel a going over by hand. If you have a Rotary or DA then although you should be able to get the polishing done in a quicker timeframe, the prep work such as masking et al will eat back into the time you save. Obviously you should get better results with a machine.

Waxing should only take 45 mins to an 1hr15, with 30-45 mins to apply, 15 mins to cure, and about 15 mins to buff.

Add in another 30 mins to an hour to do other faffing around bits, like tyre dressing/plastics, and wheel sealing etc.
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It's looking like a weekend job then :p
 
Steedie said:
I'm not saying you're wrong, just shocked, and now feel like I'm doing a half assed job.

I did a full clean, clay, polish, wax on my XF in a little over 3 hours on Sunday. Fair enough I only clayed the bonnet and rear of the car, and the wax I used is the Merguiars Liquid Wax so isn't as difficult to apply, but still...

I spent half as long just cleaning and treating the leather the next day :p
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Everything I've estimated is based on the car being in quite a state. It takes me far less time at the moment, but then the car has only been used for 6 days since new.

Without seeing the state of the car, or knowing how much attention the paint needs, it's hard to be 100% accurate with timescales!

Saint said:
It's looking like a weekend job then :p
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Take tomorrow off ;)
 
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Stuff arrived.

Bilt Hamber medium clay
Spray bottle
Collinite 476s
Foam wax applicators
Large drying towel
Buffing cloth

Few questions, with the huge drying towel, you just sort of lay it onto the panels right? It has these weird pockets sewn into it which look like they should be for hands?

With the wax, is it best to keep it thin? How many swirls round the tin with the foam applicator? And how long to leave it for before buffing off?

Cheers!
 
Pat the panel with the drying towl, wring out when wet. Haven't used one with hand pockets but generally try and move it around as little as possible.

With the Collinite; get the applicator wet before use. Give it a couple of swirls around the tin then apply to a single panel. Leave it for a minute but no longer then buff off. Collinite is a proper pain to get off if you leave it too long. You're better off applying two or three thin layers than one thick layer that takes an hour to buff.
 
Irish_Tom said:
Pat the panel with the drying towl, wring out when wet. Haven't used one with hand pockets but generally try and move it around as little as possible.

With the Collinite; get the applicator wet before use. Give it a couple of swirls around the tin then apply to a single panel. Leave it for a minute but no longer then buff off. Collinite is a proper pain to get off if you leave it too long. You're better off applying two or three thin layers than one thick layer that takes an hour to buff.
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Excellent, cheers :)

I have a polishing machine, but is it better to buff off the wax by hand?

So this is my plan of action for when the weather perks up.

Wash>Clay>Wash>Dry>Add polish>Buff off>Wax>Buff off

Does this seem about right?
 
Ewaf said:
Using the Autoglym Super Resin Polish, seems to the job?
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Just be aware that SRP has practically zero "cut" to it at all, and is more of a filler than a polish.

If you actually have anything that needs properly cutting out (deeper scratches, basically anything worse than some light swirl marks), then you might want something a bit more abrasive.
 
Irish_Tom said:
Pat the panel with the drying towl, wring out when wet. Haven't used one with hand pockets but generally try and move it around as little as possible.

With the Collinite; get the applicator wet before use. Give it a couple of swirls around the tin then apply to a single panel. Leave it for a minute but no longer then buff off. Collinite is a proper pain to get off if you leave it too long. You're better off applying two or three thin layers than one thick layer that takes an hour to buff.
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I've always found with all of my MF towels (all from CYC) that just laying the towel over the panel doesn't do a lot... but laying it flat and pulling on two corners towards you picks up a LOT of liquid.
 
Cleaned the car on Sat after months of it being filthy, took my sweet time and it lasted all of 4 days before a bird decided to hit it with what can only be described as chemical warfare. One of those horrible yellow acidic poos. bloody thing. I have not been hit for 6 months while it has been filthy. sods law!
 
paradigm said:
Just be aware that SRP has practically zero "cut" to it at all, and is more of a filler than a polish.

If you actually have anything that needs properly cutting out (deeper scratches, basically anything worse than some light swirl marks), then you might want something a bit more abrasive.
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Hmm I see. Any suggestions for such a product?

Cheers
 
Personally I'm working my way through bottles of Sonus SFX-1, SFX-2 and SFX-3 (1 being the most abrasive, 3 being pretty similar to Autoglym Super Resin).

If you need to pick something up from the high-street though, Halfords have a range of Farecla G3 in different levels of abrasion.
 
rhysduck said:
I've always found with all of my MF towels (all from CYC) that just laying the towel over the panel doesn't do a lot... but laying it flat and pulling on two corners towards you picks up a LOT of liquid.
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Might give that a try next time. :) I just try to drag as little crap across the panel as possible.


Ewaf said:
Hmm I see. Any suggestions for such a product?

Cheers
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There's nothing wrong with SRP, you should just be aware that it's more of a filler than a cutting compound.

You could even use a cutting compound followed by SRP if you we're that way inclined. One to remove the worst of the swirls/scratches and the SRP to fill in any light marks that remain.

I've stopped bothering to hand polish to be honest, I tend just to use a rotary and Menzena compounds. However, Menzerna 203s can be used by hand as well as with a machine.
 
gtechniq P1 polish supposed to be good by hand and machine


after polish i would IPA wipe down before wax/sealant

Carpro Eraser is good as is good old IPA
 
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