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

[Mekrel]

Personally I would do the wheels first, if you do them after your snow foam rinse, the water will have dried on the panel by the time you'll get to the shampoo contact wash - which will leave hard water marks.

Honestly, any microfibre or noodle mitt will do. I really like the CarPro Dabdab, it's a great size as it's not too thick so I can get behind door handles and it has a handy wrist loop so you can't drop it. The pads I like better than mitts because you can easily flip to the other side (that's if you actually put your hand in the mitt).

Brushes, I like the Carbon Collective firm bristle detailing brushes. The bristles are firm but the tips are freyed, so they're soft on paint but the bristles give them a bit of bite. Unlike the ultra soft versions (black bristles with white tips), where rthe bristles spread far too easily.

 

[silverblack]

Anyone tried one of those Bear Force snow foam lances ? Just bought one off Ali Express for £14 as the 13 yr old AB lance has been playing up.

 

[mrk]

Carpro Perl is excellent on tyre sidewalls. Drove through light rain this morning and through country back roads and this was the result:

On top of that, much nicer to apply than any gel I have used over the years, and a dilution with distilled water means it will last ages in a spray bottle.

 

[TS7]

After many years of largely getting the car hand washed I'm now planning to restart doing it myself. Quite bemused at just how much brands get away with selling plastic buckets.

20l plastic AG Bucket: £16
AG Grit Guard: £12

I've just bought a 20l bucket and grit guard for £10 in total from Euro Parts.

Anyway! A few questions:

• What's the go to product for interior plastics and also leather? (Vehicle is a BMW - if that makes a difference).
• What do you use to clean the sat nav screen? This car has AppleCar Play so is getting about x100 more fingers than my previous car which didn't.

 

[MrRockliffe]

• What's the go to product for interior plastics and also leather? (Vehicle is a BMW - if that makes a difference).

I’ve tried a few and like Gtechniq Tri Clean with scrub pads. Good for all surfaces.


For leather - don’t use a conditioner or “feed”. Automotive leather is typically vinyl coated, and so a conditioner will sit on the surface.


Tri clean is a very mild cleaner, so if you need something more potent, Clark’s leather shoe cleaner is a fair bit stronger and very good.

• What do you use to clean the sat nav screen? This car has AppleCar Play so is getting about x100 more fingers than my previous car which didn't.

Distilled water in a small pump sprayer + microfibre.

You can save hassle and buy from Amazon as “eco mist” or buy in bulk (5L) and decant into small bottles.


Don’t use isopropyl alcohol as it can degrade the anti glare and oleophobic coating.

 

[ddoubleep]

After many years of largely getting the car hand washed I'm now planning to restart doing it myself. Quite bemused at just how much brands get away with selling plastic buckets.

20l plastic AG Bucket: £16
AG Grit Guard: £12

I've just bought a 20l bucket and grit guard for £10 in total from Euro Parts.

Anyway! A few questions:

• What's the go to product for interior plastics and also leather? (Vehicle is a BMW - if that makes a difference).
• What do you use to clean the sat nav screen? This car has AppleCar Play so is getting about x100 more fingers than my previous car which didn't.

I got the same grit guard and bucket you've just got and was the same when seeing all these expensive buckets. Trying to explain that to the OH would have been fun!
The ECP one has been fine and does the job.

 

[Mason-]

Not my work. But had the car:

- interior and exterior thoroughly cleaned
- paintwork and wheels decontaminated, clay bar as well
- stage 1 polish
- ceramic coated paint, wheels and glass
- interior leather and carpets coated

Result:




It’s Carbon Black Metallic, looks so blue under the lights!

 

[ShiWarrior]

i still have a bottle of "Mer" , how does this stack up to todays polishes ?
i used it many years ago on one of my cars that i sold 20 years ago

 

[LuckyBenski]

i still have a bottle of "Mer" , how does this stack up to todays polishes ?
i used it many years ago on one of my cars that i sold 20 years ago

Mer! Haven't used that since my first job as a guitar maker

 

[kona786]

i still have a bottle of "Mer" , how does this stack up to todays polishes ?
i used it many years ago on one of my cars that i sold 20 years ago

Lol the equivalent QVC special form back in the day.

Best place for it is in the dumpster!

 

[rodders]

Haha, I remember mer. Seemed to do a decent job.
Have some other old stuff in the garage, remember some nano tech turtlewax polish. Sure I still have this.

 

[TS7]

This is a very specific question but has anyone bought the Meiguars Tyre Shine Gel recently? Does it come with a sealed plastic cap cover?

I've just received a shipment from Amazon which has leaked in the box. I'd be happy to use it but it also doesn't have plastic seal. I've never bought Meiguars products before. I don't want to use something that's been opened and returned by someone else.

 

[GravyMonster]

Last time I bought some was maybe 2 months ago, and yes you had to unscrew the lid and pull off a plastic/foil backed film then screw the lid back on. It's always been like that as far as I can remember, and I've been buying it for years. So yeah, sounds like someone's opened that already.

 

[nam]

Getting a newish car soon , 2 years old. Considering a ceramic coat. Should I attempt this myself or leave to the experts to machine Polish first and then apply ?

 

[MrRockliffe]

Getting a newish car soon , 2 years old. Considering a ceramic coat. Should I attempt this myself or leave to the experts to machine Polish first and then apply ?

What are you trying to achieve?

If you want a spotless finish and a full paint correction - take it somewhere and have it done professionally


If you’re keen to pick up a new hobby and learn something new, definitely worth giving it a go yourself.


You won’t get the same quality of result first time around, but you’ll have done it yourself

 

[nam]

What are you trying to achieve?

If you want a spotless finish and a full paint correction - take it somewhere and have it done professionally


If you’re keen to pick up a new hobby and learn something new, definitely worth giving it a go yourself.


You won’t get the same quality of result first time around, but you’ll have done it yourself

help in the ease of washing which is once a month and added protection from tree sap and bird droppings. I plan to keep the car for 2-3 years so hopefully will be worth the cost

 

[MrRockliffe]

help in the ease of washing which is once a month and added protection from tree sap and bird droppings. I plan to keep the car for 2-3 years so hopefully will be worth the cost

I’d have it done professionally

 

[Gilbert89]

This is a very specific question but has anyone bought the Meiguars Tyre Shine Gel recently? Does it come with a sealed plastic cap cover?

I've just received a shipment from Amazon which has leaked in the box. I'd be happy to use it but it also doesn't have plastic seal. I've never bought Meiguars products before. I don't want to use something that's been opened and returned by someone else.

Happened to me last time I ordered a bottle of this from Amazon.

A little goes a long way (Roughly 10ML Leaked) but the box looked horrendous.

I ended up contacting support and attached a photograph, I believe they refunded me 50% of the cost… it was worth a little moan.

 

[Mason-]

Today was bloody annoying. Forecast for today was cloudy all week and yesterday night, as well as this morning. Saturday and Monday were forecast Rain, so today was the day.

I get out there start on the wheels and it starts raining. And the second I foam the car the sun comes out and it’s scorching….

Got it done anyway. First time using my new stuff, what is clear is my dad’s 10 year old Karcher K2 is not great and I don’t have a good nozzle for rinsing, Ava Foam Cannon is good though. Tempted to get a Kranzle.

 

[rodders]

Washed our car today, started a bit late and the sun was on the bonnet.
Ava foam canon is ok, I assume you don't mean the premium.
I upgraded and don't regret it, though if it upgraded to the Ava premium, they sound decent too.