*** Car Wash / Valet / Detailing Thread ***

Even better than a gif, it was a TikTok. Ha. LHS 50:50

Autobrite Curtis prewash maybe 8:1 ratio in a pressure sprayer I just did the other night whilst waiting for someone to finish abusing their Seat Ibiza with a brush.
 
iMacMart said:
Morning All

What are the go to for washing the car my noodle mitt needs to be retired :p
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I would recommend one of these from Halfords by Turtle Wax for £8 - Really high quality for the money.



I have bought a drying towel from TW and it arrived in The Rag Company packaging, this Mitt is identical but cheaper than their offering, again I believe produced by The Rag Company for TW as I’ve had hands on their offering and it’s identical.



Only downside is how they have packaged it, multiple clear tags which need to be carefully removed from within the Microfibre.
 
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Jonnycoupe said:
Even better than a gif, it was a TikTok. Ha. LHS 50:50

Autobrite Curtis prewash maybe 8:1 ratio in a pressure sprayer I just did the other night whilst waiting for someone to finish abusing their Seat Ibiza with a brush.
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Haha.

Good to know, I rate AB Citrus, currently have a 5L Container in my weekend warrior storage.

I was in Subway at my local BP on Friday watching people do the same, to some nice cars too.

It was good to see a few using Pre Wash, Wheel Cleaners and only using the foam brush above the car allowing foam to drip out producing sketchy layer of foam before they went in for a contact wash.
 
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Any recommendations for a machine polisher for home use, not Pro Detailing trade use, something decent enough to use on a couple of cars to revitalise the paintwork?
Last time I looked at these years ago the common one was Porter Cable imported from the USA, I assume there are others available nowadays that do not need to be imported?

Thx
 
Mekrel said:
My car hadn't been cleaned since September. A combination of it being T-boned in November, breaking down mid December, moving house and being in Canada over Christmas means I haven't had time or physically had access to the car.

New house with a driveway, and access to outdoor power and water meant I could put my new OR11 pressure washer to use. A bit of a PITA having to calculate PIR again due to having a new machine and swapping the orifices in the foam cannons to handle the higer through put.

Did the following
Cleaned the wheels with a Brakeaway pre-wash, and GT Iron Oxide and their wheel shampoo
BH touchless followed by a rinse
CarPro descale, followed by a contact wash with Mystic Bubble shampoo
Rinse & dried
Sprayed over with Labocosmetica Sidero
Rinse & dried

The off side no longer has any protection after the driver's door was replaced, and the back doors and rear quarter was re-painted following the T-bone. I'll get a detailer to polish the car and re-coat the whole thing, there's a scratch that has appeared on the driver's door that has appeared after being recovered in December.



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nice car !

im sticking my head out and say the dealership has done that to your door and needs to be fixed for free
 
Was cleaning the inside of my windscreen yesterday and had a cloth sat on the passenger seat as I was sat in the driver seat. Reached over to pick up the cloth and somehow (goodness knows how) I dragged my thumbnail across the thigh bolster and scratched the damn thing :(

I've tried AG Leather Care Balm on it and it helped reduce it noticeably, but I can still see it and its bloody annoying me!! Is this the sort of thing that can be repaired by a pro? I appreciate its not hugely noticeable but the Fiona Red Extended Merino interior hasn't got a mark on it anywhere, until yesterday.......aaaarrgghh!!! :mad:

pdInZjM.jpg
 
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Draeger said:
Was cleaning the inside of my windscreen yesterday and had a cloth sat on the passenger seat as I was sat in the driver seat. Reached over to pick up the cloth and somehow (goodness knows how) I dragged my thumbnail across the thigh bolster and scratched the damn thing :(

I've tried AG Leather Care Balm on it and it helped reduce it noticeably, but I can still see it and its bloody annoying me!! Is this the sort of thing that can be repaired by a pro? I appreciate its not hugely noticeable but the Fiona Red Extended Merino interior hasn't got a mark on it anywhere, until yesterday.......aaaarrgghh!!! :mad:

pdInZjM.jpg
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I'd try steam if you have access to a steam cleaner (with microfibre attachment), that can slightly tighten the leather and might reduce it further, but I'd wait before considering a repair, your bolsters will get buggered up in no time being a BMW.. then get it all done at once..
 
Gilbert89 said:
Did you use Aqua Coat?

I’ve done exactly the same, spent a couple of hours on the exterior only to now realise it’s forecast rain.

Oh well, it was filthy and overdue :D
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Yeah used on both cars. Helps a lot in this weather.

Foam, Rinse, Bucket, Rinse, Aqua, Rinse then towel dry :)

Gave it a good wax back in October which is holding up and have ceramic to do when whether starts to get good so I can mop and polish.
 
Gilbert89 said:
I would recommend one of these from Halfords by Turtle Wax for £8 - Really high quality for the money.



I have bought a drying towel from TW and it arrived in The Rag Company packaging, this Mitt is identical but cheaper than their offering, again I believe produced by The Rag Company for TW as I’ve had hands on their offering and it’s identical.



Only downside is how they have packaged it, multiple clear tags which need to be carefully removed from within the Microfibre.
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Popped to my local halfords grabbed the last mitt and a wash bucket with grit grill
£21 in all :)

Strange as I didn't see the AB Bucket, Lid and Guard for £13.99 online and even putting the item code in their search bar shows nothing?

Any way, happy with what I got and paid! ....
 
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iMacMart said:
Popped to my local halfords grabbed the last mitt and a wash bucket with grit grill
£21 in all :)

Strange as I didn't see the AB Bucket, Lid and Guard for £13.99 online and even putting the item code in their search bar shows nothing?

Any way, happy with what I got and paid! ....
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I really enjoy using the Mitt - I think someone got carried away with the mark down gun as after already owning one I came across 3 for £3 each.
Great quality for the money in comparison with other offerings IMO.

I love Autobrite Products but seems Halfords have ended their partnership with AB a while back now. I doubt they sold well due to pricing as it was always top money and could be had cheaper direct with Autobrite or on Amazon when crazy offers appeared.

5L of Wheel and Tyre for £16

5L Citrus Wash £18

5L Britegel £19

All from Amazon but it’s rare these days unfortunately.
 
ShiWarrior said:
nice car !

im sticking my head out and say the dealership has done that to your door and needs to be fixed for free
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Thanks. Unfortunately there's no way of me proving who did it, the radar cover is also missing and apparently arrived that way from the recovery company. They dealership are ordering me a new one FOC.

I've also noticed some weird rough patches on the near side rear, above the light and also on the rear spoiler. I dropped it off at the detailer's last night, apparently it's over spray which is concerning considering it's the opposite side to where the car was repaired. They're going to prep the whole car and recoat considering the whole off-side needs re-doing after the repair.
 
Gilbert89 said:
I really enjoy using the Mitt - I think someone got carried away with the mark down gun as after already owning one I came across 3 for £3 each.
Great quality for the money in comparison with other offerings IMO.

I love Autobrite Products but seems Halfords have ended their partnership with AB a while back now. I doubt they sold well due to pricing as it was always top money and could be had cheaper direct with Autobrite or on Amazon when crazy offers appeared.

5L of Wheel and Tyre for £16

5L Citrus Wash £18

5L Britegel £19

All from Amazon but it’s rare these days unfortunately.
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There was another AB wash bucket + grit rack might go grab that now I think about it, it was nowhere near the car detailing section either ....

Bit of a bargain based on the other wash buckets and grit racks costing over £30
 
£30 for a bucket and grit guard is a lot of money, most of those ones come with a gamma seal lid (helpful for transportation)
but just get the cheapest bucket and grit guard for well under half that

i use a builders bucket that i got at my local auto / diy place and a grit guard from same place, does the job


in other news, i now have a portable pressure washer and I've got a chance to do my mums car and mine on a driveway (so shouldn't be a problem with me using it)

im going to play with ratios in my Amazon foam cannon first, then once its about right, ill do the whole car

at the moment , im thinking

BH auto wheels on all four wheels, then snow foam the car inc wheels and whilst they have auto wheel still present on the wheels
rinse

clean out wheel arches
rinse

then i may clay, polish, protect or just clay and protect , or even just protect

then door jams

other areas . touch ups last

i doubt ill do engine bay, but i can do another day

then on mine

same as above, but clay, polish and protect

engine re done (its not too bad as i did it last year)
 
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forgot the interior ! lol


Mums car (very large car)


Outside

BH Auto wheels
Snow foam on car and over wheels with auto wheels still applied and arches

whilst dwelling, brush all 4 wheels

rinse

surfex HD on wheel arches (wheel arch brush to agitate)

rinse

Dry and protect bodywork

clean tyres + apply dressing

clean fuel filler area

Clean glass
Clay glass + protect



Inside

Hoover
Clean interior + protect (depends how bad, ill do Headliner, dashboard, canter console etc + matts)
Clean Glass


think that's about it ?
 
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foam for wheels - maybe this is usa specific , but if you can get a brush applicator for foam, like below, that would be great for both car and bike




Bint Box said:
Last time I looked at these years ago the common one was Porter Cable imported from the USA, I assume there are others available nowadays that do not need to be imported?
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that was what I did, 10yrs back ... and bought a builders 240->110V transformer ... doesn't seem PC ever released uk versions - still going strong
 
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