Quick detailing question

Mark A · 15 Nov 2007 at 17:26

Begbie said:
Didn't mean scrath x was bad mate, I would just prefer some G3. Never used scratch x myslef. Theres a really good guide on the megs forums on how to use it though.

Now we need pics of the car!

Its only a Ford Focus, Ive probably gone OTT

. I was going to buy a mint condition one for a fair bit more cash but decided to go for the cheaper one and get it looking as good with some polish.

Thanks, I'll check out the Megs forum, Ive been looking on Detailing world and got loads of good tips.

I'll get some before and after pics when i get round to doing it. I think i may well freeze to death if its like it was this morning over the weekend :eek:

, plus my car will probably end up as a big block of ice.

Conscript · 15 Nov 2007 at 17:46

My car really needs a wash but with the temperature at rock bottom, I can't work up the effort to get out there and do it. It will probs get a quick blast with the pressure washer to get rid of the worst of the road salt and that's about it :/

chipperhead · 15 Nov 2007 at 20:33

Best of luck with the ScratchX, I spent at least an hour just on my bonnet rubbing like crazy and it made absolutely no difference (followed all the guidelines, rubbing till clear etc).
Just bought myself a rotary polisher and some Menzerna

Mark A · 15 Nov 2007 at 21:28

chipperhead said:
Best of luck with the ScratchX, I spent at least an hour just on my bonnet rubbing like crazy and it made absolutely no difference (followed all the guidelines, rubbing till clear etc).
Just bought myself a rotary polisher and some Menzerna

I think thats what i may do in the summer, its not really that bad so should be OK for winter. I just want to get it washed, polished and waxed to keep it protected over the winter. Then when the weather gets better, I'll invest in a rotary and some decent pads/polish and get the swirls out.

I tried it on my black r/c car and it didn't even remove the swirls from that

. I'll give it a try anyway.

chipperhead · 15 Nov 2007 at 22:05

Mark A said:
I think thats what i may do in the summer, its not really that bad so should be OK for winter. I just want to get it washed, polished and waxed to keep it protected over the winter. Then when the weather gets better, I'll invest in a rotary and some decent pads/polish and get the swirls out.

I tried it on my black r/c car and it didn't even remove the swirls from that . I'll give it a try anyway.

What car have you got, jap cars have soft paints, as do Vauxhalls I believe.
VAG are rock hard so I got nowhere.

Mark A · 15 Nov 2007 at 22:51

Its a 2001 Ford Focus in black metallic.

chipperhead · 16 Nov 2007 at 08:32

Mark A said:
Its a 2001 Ford Focus in black metallic.

Just been over to detailing world and I've read that Fords tend to have quite a soft clearcoat so you might have a chance.

Begbie · 16 Nov 2007 at 13:08

Me and my mate done his black ford focus, used some auto glym paint restorer, super resin polish and some gold class wax. WOW! Looked absolutely amazing mate, you will be suprised by the results.

Get some autoglym bumper glump stuff green spunky looking stuff for the bumpers really brought his up and on the rest of the black trim.

Mark A · 16 Nov 2007 at 14:54

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll look into the bumper glump stuff if this trim wax doesn't work.

Well i cleaned the car this morning but i cant continue as there are loads of black bits stuck to the lower half of the car. I'm assuming these are blobs of tar?. I didn't want to start rubbing them in case they scratch the paint so I'll have to get some tar remover before i can continue

.

Also I'm not sure if the car has been waxed already. I got it from a used car dealer so they could have waxed it, so how would i go about removing the old wax if there is some on?.

Also Ive noticed about 5 chips in the paint :eek:

, one of them even looks to go down to metal. If i wax over the top it could rust underneath, so i haven't got a clue what to do now.

Begbie · 16 Nov 2007 at 20:48

Waxing over the top of stone chips is a good thing is it not?

Just keep cleaning on the tar spots they should come off eventually, but if you want to get everything off a clay bar works magically.

Mark A · 16 Nov 2007 at 22:30

A clay bar will remove tar spots?, i didn't think it would so didn't even try. Ive ordered some Autoglym intensive tar remover from ebay but ill try the clay tomorrow I'm my car isn't full of frost.

I used the trim wax and the trim now looks nice and black, but i doubt itll last long. When i buffed it off the cloth went black so it mustn't be very hard wearing.

The problem i see with the stone chip is that it looks like theres a small amount of rust in the chip due to it being down to the metal. If i was to just wax over it would that not trap the rust under and continue to rust?. Then again it'll stop it getting any worse then i can get it sorted in the summer.