*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

Status
Not open for further replies.
Cheers guys.

It's definitely commitment rather than under the thumb. ;) I think she would have preferred spending time with me rather than me cleaning her car. :p She's really not fussed about it, hence it getting into the state of the first picture.
 
Clarkey said:
As the guy above said, you do realise that having a DA machine isn't going to make it a quick and easy job..
Click to expand...

Aren't they talk about rotary polishers? Which as I understand are a bit harder to use for a novice.

I appreciate it will still take time and effort, but the results I understand will be a hell of a lot better, without making your arm feel like it's going to drop off.
 
I did a big pre-summer clean today, which included washing, claying, polishing, and waxing. It took 6 hours in total, and I am absolutely shattered!!

Products used were:

Meg's Hyper wash (for both snow foam and washing)
AG Surface Detailing Kit
AG Super Resin Polish
AG HD Wax
Bilberry Wheel Cleaner
AG Tyre Shine
AG Fast Glass
Autosol (for polishing the exhaust tips)
Numerous wash mitts, microfibre clothes, etc!

Anyway, here are the results:

182-7-1.jpg


182-5-1.jpg


182-2-1.jpg


182-6-1.jpg


182-1-1.jpg


182-4-1.jpg


182-3-1.jpg
 
OK I confess I haven't read all 93 pages but can someone please advise on what is the best stuff for cleaning alloys? Mine are awful looking with both tar and lots of brake dust/grime on them. It just won't budge.
 
ringo747 said:
OK I confess I haven't read all 93 pages but can someone please advise on what is the best stuff for cleaning alloys? Mine are awful looking with both tar and lots of brake dust/grime on them. It just won't budge.
Click to expand...

Bilberry wheel cleaner. Great under the engine too and for exhaust tips :)

Like above, I spent 5 hours today, then went karting for 2 hours, now a stag doo at 9pm plus the clocks go forward tonight!!! Sleep Fail:

So, snowfoam
bilberry wheels, exhaust, engine and arches
rinse
snowfoam again
Cuppa
rinse
citrus degrease shadow line trim and door shuts
citrus wash (Chemical Guys)
Snowfoam
Sonus Clay (using snow foam as lube = win!)
Rinse
Air dry
polish
Purple Haze wax x2
Aerospace 101 tyres and engine bay
Cuppa
Lunch
 
Last edited:
Had a good cleaning session today, got the wheels of and cleaned them the best I could they are getting wrecked with the winter we have had. Atleast I am going to buy some new ones soon! I used bilberry wheel cleaner and cleaned them and the arches. I then clayed and waxed the wheels and refitted. I then washed using meguairs super wash thingy and a wash mit and then dried windows with rainex glass cleaner and waxed with megiaurs nxt2 wax. Tyres are dressed with megs tyre shine.

The interior was given a quick hover and wipe down. I have other products I could have used but I really like the meg range. I have used the rotary on it before and polished it but I always seem to get swirls still. I am worried about burning through the paintwork. I think I will get a old panel to practice on!


cleaned1.jpg


cleaned2.jpg
 
Panzerbjorn said:
The Tape

[im/g]http://www.mc2gd.com/images/clean3.jpg[/img]

I optimistically masked up the whole car – I've learnt now that unless you know you're going to have time (i.e. a few days) to do the car in one go, only mask up the area your working on to save time and tape.
Click to expand...

Heh... I was using this tape the other day on my Mum's car. My brother asked her if water was leaking in :D
 
Am I mad to spend £100+ on car cleaning products? My brain says yes initially :D

Before I click the 'buy' button, is there anything from this list I don't need?
I want to give my cars paint a good seeing to as its fairly contaminated - I'm pretty sure it would benefit from claying at the very least.

Meguiars - Ultimate Quik Wax £9.96
Meguiars Scratch X v2.0 £7.04
3M 3434 Masking Tape Width: 25mm £4.67
CleanYourCar - Ultra Fine Detailing Clay x 2 £13.25
Meguiars Ultimate Quik Detailer £9.96
Meguiars - Ultimate Compound £8.29
Foam Wax Applicator x 5 £5.21
Ultimate Ultra-Plush Buffing Cloth 16" x 16" x 4 £13.17
Autoglym - Fast Glass £4.96
Autoglym - Alloy Wheel Seal £4.96

All good?
 
thepeteh said:
Am I mad to spend £100+ on car cleaning products? My brain says yes initially :D

Before I click the 'buy' button, is there anything from this list I don't need?
I want to give my cars paint a good seeing to as its fairly contaminated - I'm pretty sure it would benefit from claying at the very least.
Click to expand...

Having used AG Fast Glass and Wheel Sealant before, I would personally use what I've moved on to, which is Poorboy's Wheel Sealant, and 3M Glass Cleaner.
 
Yearly Detail - 320ci and 330ci

My mate and I decided last weekend was a good time to do the mammoth yearly detail.

We took our cars to the office as there was loads of space and no one around to annoy with the pressure washer and DAS-6.

We used the following routine:

Exterior
Bilberry wheel cleaner
Snowfoam
Pressure rinse
Snowfoam
Wash with mitts and two buckets - Carlack 68 Shampoo
Pressure rinse
Clay
Wash with mitts and two buckets - Carlack 68 Shampoo
Dried with mahoosive drying towel
Tape off trim and windows
DAS-6 with Menzerna compound pad and Z-PC fusion - is this stuff really good for cutting?
Buff
DAS-6 with Menzerna finishing pad and Menzerna Power Finish polish
Buff
FK1000P - two coats in most places - Unless you want arms like popeye, don't leave this to dry for 20 minutes like we did! The second coat was buffed off in 5mins and was loads easier
Exhaust polish
Poorboys Natural Look finish - Must have!

Interior
Microfibre and brush interior
Gliptone clean and condition seats
Vacuum
Poorboys Natural Look finish everywhere :D
Cherry California scent

Overall it took the majority of the weekend (Saturday from 12.30pm-6pm and Sunday from 8am-6pm). The beading on the car was epic the following morning and some bird crap gave me a chance to checkout how effective the sealant was. FK1000p is highly recommended as is Poorboys Natural Look which can be used on tyres and pretty much anywhere inside the car.

Befores:
330ci






320ci








Minor setback during the cutting phase:




Finished Result:






 
Just got my order today and tried the bilberry cleaner. It really is very good stuff! I had to do a few goes at it and still a lot of tar and brake dust isn't moving but I think I maybe diluted the stuff too much. Seems to be a really good job though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom