*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

[Howard]

There's a lot less than there would be if I hadn't! Perhaps EGP isn't quite as ... slippery as wax?

 

[DM]

There's a lot less than there would be if I hadn't! Perhaps EGP isn't quite as ... slippery as wax?

Give it the Collinite, the water is still falling off mine from 2 weeks ago

 

[Howard]

I nearly bought some Collinite wax among other things from cleanyourcar.co.uk, but then I realised it's a waste of money and I'm better off using things I've already got, namely SRP and EGP

 

[Overlag]

how many coats of EGP? Maybe another 1 or 2?

 

[Howard]

Maybe I'll give it 2 or 3 coats next time!

 

[peterattheboro]

Ooo shiny Mondeo!

Have another...

My son decided to help!

And finally a reflection shot:

Day 1: Started at about 4pm so couldn't do it all in a day
Snowfoam (Valet Pro pH Neutral)
Wash (2BM, Dodo Juice Born to be Mild Shampoo)
Rinse
Towel Dry
Tar removal with some cheap but very strong CarCare product but worked a treat!
Clay with a yellow poly clay and a drop of Meguiars Quik Detailer Mist & Wipe mixed with water as lubricant. (Worked a treat!)

Day 2: 9:00am

A quick rinse down and dry to get rid of any crap that may have latched onto the car overnight.
Now for the fun bit. MACHINE POLISH!!
Went straight for the lambs wool light cutting pad with a dab of Meguiars dual action cleaner/polish and went over the entire car. Naturally with a car that is 6 years old it's got plenty of stone chips so didn't spend too much time on the front bumper as it needs replacing anyway. I cracked it ages ago for those that don't know.
Didn't have a feather duster to hand so I rinsed the car off again to get rid of the dust and then dried it.
Then I used some Meguiars Mirror Glaze #16 Wax. Just a single coat for now.

So just need a new bumper and a wheel refurb and the car will be absolutely mint!

Have to say, I don't like doing write ups so don't expect too many. Would rather just post the pictures

 

[DM]

Good work there i wish i wasnt so lazy

 

[Howard]

Copycat


Also, I forgot to add. I don't think this thread has enough gleaming engine bay shots.

 

[peterattheboro]

Haven't done my engine bay yet

Also my interior needs doing BADLY!

 

[Howard]

My interior stays clean as it's just me most of the time. Gets dusty though

I keep setting the alarm off when I open my bonnet It's because you have to open it from the outside and not use a lever inside the car.. I wonder how long before I get used to unlocking it first

 

[Oxide™]

Referring to Howard's shots of water beading on his mondeo - I thought the whole point of sealing the paint was for water to sheet off and not bead like that which wax induces?

So with waxing, you have the situation of always having to dry your car after driving in the rain because the water beads - dust then settles on the water beads - the water beads then dry depositng dust spots all over the paint

Whereas a sealant causes water to sheet off and doesn't cause the above situation to occur or have I completely misread how wax and sealant works

 

[DM]

I think wax or a sealant need either a constant flow or air pressure to make it sheet off.

Once the water stops flowing or raining and you are parked whats left is going to bead surely?

Of course im probably wrong but that was my theory.

 

[snowdog]

Copycat


Also, I forgot to add. I don't think this thread has enough gleaming engine bay shots.

http://www.hcanning.com/st220/cleaning/engine.jpg[img][/QUOTE]

That looks like hell to work on :eek:, are it all the plastic caps or is everything so tightly packed that just seeing it puts you off doing any work on it ?

 

[Howard]

Referring to Howard's shots of water beading on his mondeo - I thought the whole point of sealing the paint was for water to sheet off and not bead like that which wax induces?

So with waxing, you have the situation of always having to dry your car after driving in the rain because the water beads - dust then settles on the water beads - the water beads then dry depositng dust spots all over the paint

Whereas a sealant causes water to sheet off and doesn't cause the above situation to occur or have I completely misread how wax and sealant works

Good as they are, I don't think either wax or sealant can defy the laws of mavity!

That looks like hell to work on , are it all the plastic caps or is everything so tightly packed that just seeing it puts you off doing any work on it ?

Welcome to modern cars tbh once the plastic's off there isn't much more room, that's the way it is

 

[-Ad-]

No wonder those STs are soo damn slow, they have crammed in a load of solid plastic for the lulz

 

[BennyC]

Firstly I'd like to thank Maccy for giving me a hand for a good 8 hours yesterday! Took the pair of us that long to rinse, de-tar, wash, dry, clay, polish, seal (EGP) and wax. Then got the front wheels off as they needed some wonder wheels on them. So rinsed, degreased, wonder wheels, dry, polish, seal(EGP), poorboys, megs tyre gel.

Had to do the rears this afternoon and also got another coat of wax on this morning.

Unfortunatley not a lot I can do about stone chips Have a few spots of wax to clean off but I'm spent at the moment.

Am loving driving around in a shiny black mirror though!

Here they are:

 

[peterattheboro]

A gorgeous M3 with far too many scratches!

Front end just had a respray not long ago and it was too soft to work on. This I wasn't told so i'm doing it again in a few months when the paint is ready.

And my ugly mug.

 

[loltim]

Where's the masking tape pete?

 

[DM]

Good to see you getting stuck in there

 

[peterattheboro]

Where's the masking tape pete?

Around the plastics

I was using Dodo Juice Lime Prime on a finishing pad rather than a cutting compound as i've said, the paint was too soft to work on.

I actually was using masking tape as we didn't have any detailing tape. Just had to take the stickiness out of it so it didn't put crap all over the car