The big clean

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As you may have seen, got a new car last week:

front3.jpg


The plan now is to get it cleaned and prepped and then protect the paintwork. I'm hoping that with a good initial prep it won't take much to keep it up.

I'm on a budget and I have no rotary/porter cable so I delved in to the garage, worked out what I could reuse and purchased a few new bits and bobs:

cleaning.jpg


The plan is as follows:

1.) Foam wash (to get the initial gunk off) then rinse
2.) Normal mitt wash (two buckets)
3.) Clay bar whilst still damp
4.) Quick detail and pat dry
5.) When dry, use a bit of SSR2 (abrasive) to correct any marks
6.) Use the polish, buff to a nice finish
7.) Apply the glaze, hoping for a really nice finish
8.) Apply the sealant to keep all the goodness in.
9.) Top it off with a nice wax. Hoping this really sets it off.
10.) Clay bar the glass and apply glass polish to the interior and exterior
11.) Apply another coat of wheel sealant (did this initially when I got the car, really makes washing the wheels easy)
12.) Apply a nice glossy finish to the tyres

Estimated time? All day, possibly in to the next. Tedious maybe, hoping it'll be nice and satisfying when finished.

That is until I roll off the drive and get the car dirty, it is black after all.

Shall update with pics tomorrow!
 
Shaz]sigh[ said:
3.) Clay bar whilst still damp

5.) When dry, use a bit of SSR2 (abrasive) to correct any marks

10.) Clay bar the glass and apply glass polish to the interior and exterior

If this actually needs doing I'd be complaining to the dealer. It's a BRAND NEW car. Why does it need marks correcting and service contaminants removing?
 
[TW]Fox said:
If this actually needs doing I'd be complaining to the dealer. It's a BRAND NEW car. Why does it need marks correcting and service contaminants removing?

There is a certain level of tolerance all dealers allow for paintwork, even with a brand new car it's deemed unreasonable to expect it to be 100% perfect.
 
Maz said:
There is a certain level of tolerance all dealers allow for paintwork, even with a brand new car it's deemed unreasonable to expect it to be 100% perfect.

And people pay thousands more than a used car for this? :confused:
 
[TW]Fox said:
And people pay thousands more than a used car for this? :confused:

Not to mention, all polish is an abrasive, the SSR2 is quite mild whereas my polish and glaze are not abrasive at all. Thus I am using the SSR2 as a polish rather than a de-swirler.
 
Sounds like a good plan.
I'm a perfectionist (like yourself it seems) and whenever I can I do whatever I can to make my paintwork look as nice as possible.
I should think the 'correcting' stage will be quite simple as there wont be much wrong with your paintwork. You'll notice an even better shine when you're done and if you keep up the waxing and sealing it'll stay that way.
If only all brand new car owners were like you!
 
digitalwolf said:
It looks great in the first picture.

Is there really any need? :p

Hi there

My car also looked great in picture and too most people. But since it was professionally detailed and had its paint correction, well nows it perfect.

Even brand new cars have marred/swirl paintwork. Gotta remember most dealers hire a cheap wash boy with bucket and sponge who washes each car in a couple of minutes and does not car about the paintwork.

So yes to the OP he will make the car perfect and will have much self satisifaction and with a good wax/seal he won't need to do this again for another 6-12 months, he can simply wash it using the correct methods which will help prevent future swirling.
 
Gibbo said:
Hi there

My car also looked great in picture and too most people. But since it was professionally detailed and had its paint correction, well nows it perfect.

Even brand new cars have marred/swirl paintwork. Gotta remember most dealers hire a cheap wash boy with bucket and sponge who washes each car in a couple of minutes and does not car about the paintwork.

So yes to the OP he will make the car perfect and will have much self satisifaction and with a good wax/seal he won't need to do this again for another 6-12 months, he can simply wash it using the correct methods which will help prevent future swirling.

So, are you going to have your car detailed every 6-12 months now? How do you keep it up in the mean time, wash and polish?
 
Polish does protect a car. Well polished cars can look shiny even months after depending on how much pollution and dirt has broken down the polish. Ideally you can just chuck a bucket of water over it and its clean :)
ie. he wont need further detailing hopefully :)
 
Burned_Alive said:
So, are you going to have your car detailed every 6-12 months now? How do you keep it up in the mean time, wash and polish?

No need to after a proper detail. Just a refresh and as gibbo has said keep up with a propper washing schedule.
 
[TW]Fox said:
If this actually needs doing I'd be complaining to the dealer. It's a BRAND NEW car. Why does it need marks correcting and service contaminants removing?

I was shocked at how bad my car was when i got it, looked great, but in reality the paint was in poor shape,but a clay bar sorted it all out, i didnt need all what shaz is doing to his, honda's have hard paint so im surprised it has defects.

I was in the dealer the other day and the amount of swirl marks on the display models were :eek: they simply do not know how to wash a car, well the old dodder they pay 3p a day doesnt care about the two bucket method etc.
 
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wohoo said:
I was shocked at how bad my car was when i got it, looked great, but in reality the paint was in poor shape,but a clay bar sorted it all out, i didnt need all what shaz is doing to his, honda's have hard paint so im surprised it has defects.

I was in the dealer the other day and the amount of swirl marks on the display models were :eek: they simply do not know how to wash a car, well the old dodder they pay 3p a day doesnt care about the two bucket method etc.

Spoken for truth, I saw the same thing recently on an M3 at my local BMW dealers.

Yes, they have a Joey doing the bucket work....... :rolleyes:
 
has anybody found any good tire dressing

the stuff they use at the dealers make them really shiney. I've looked all over and not really found anything that looks as good ?
 
MrLOL said:
has anybody found any good tire dressing

the stuff they use at the dealers make them really shiney. I've looked all over and not really found anything that looks as good ?

Autoglym Tyre Shine :)
 
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