Ultimate Detailing Machine

[Durzel]

I agree with penski, DreXeL, etc.

I just use some shampoo (feel like a bit of a ponce even using that) and occasionally Zymol (the regular cyan bottle from Halfords) and my car looks as good polished as it needs to be. I can't rationalise spending hundreds of pounds and spending hours dicking about with treatments when the net result is the same - the car looks like ***** after about 2-3 days in UK weather & dirt from roads.

It's like a lot of things in life though - if enough people say the same thing then new converts will believe it as gospel anyway. Someone once said "the average person is more likely to believe a big lie than a small one because they themselves are prone to tell a small white lie but not a big lie"....

 

[panthro]

Seems fairly obvious to me.

He doesn't see the point in blowing £250 on a detail or detailing equipment when just washing and waxing yourself properly does almost the same thing.

Where the hell did 'detailing' spring up from anyway, it was unheard of a year ago, now everyone seems to want to pay some guy £250 to polish swirls out of their cars.

Detailing has been about for years, its just started becoming more widespread in the past few years. The term "detail" has been used over in the USA for ages.

 

[Matt82]

People are stupid.

Names sell.

Companies cash in.

that sums it up so well lol

 

[paradigm]

Seems fairly obvious to me.

He doesn't see the point in blowing £250 on a detail or detailing equipment when just washing and waxing yourself properly does almost the same thing.

Wrong.

He disagrees with calling it "detailing". Detailing (in automotive history) is paintwork like pinstripes, and intricate detail that goes beyond a plain or two-tone paintjob.

I agree to an extent, this deep cleaning, polishing and waxing routine should be called just that, a thorough cleaning, or perhaps a professional/enthusiast valet.

 

[eidolon]

But that's the point, you can only see the difference between a 'detailed' car and one that has merely had a good wash'n'polish whilst standing about 3cms away under some artificial light. 99% of the time the two look no different.

Fraid i disagree with this one Ben, the difference, especially on dark colours is massive. When I picked up the CTR it was only 18 month old and came direct from the dealer and it looked awful, marring, holograms and swirl marks everywhere. In practically every light it looked smudged and had no shine so I gave it a quick once over with the Porter Cable and it looked like a mirror afterwards, no swirls or anything, just a nice deep, reflective shine.

On silver or white cars it's probably not worth spending much time "detailing" the car as the results aren't that noticable however on darker colours I'd definitely say there's a huge difference.

 

[Durzel]

Wrong.

He disagrees with calling it "detailing". Detailing (in automotive history) is paintwork like pinstripes, and intricate detail that goes beyond a plain or two-tone paintjob.

I agree to an extent, this deep cleaning, polishing and waxing routine should be called just that, a thorough cleaning, or perhaps a professional/enthusiast valet.

Really? I thought he was objecting to the whole culture of detailing - i.e. like it's revolutionary or something. I've probably driven past cars that have been "detailed" and not even noticed beyond "that cars been polished recently".

 

[penski]

In that case I'd make sure you're wearing your specs next time you look at a detailed car up close

Looking at it up close, my specs are detrimental

*n

 

[Durzel]

When I picked up the CTR it was only 18 month old and came direct from the dealer and it looked awful, marring, holograms and swirl marks everywhere.

I'm of the opinion that people who believe earnestly in "The Power Of Detailing RARRRGH!" will see what they wan't to see in their paintwork, much like anyone who believes in something that is controversial - e.g. horoscopes, astrology, etc.

I've never looked at my CTR and seen "marring" or "holograms", in fact I don't even know what the Christ those things are. Do detailing fanatics just make up words to describe this stuff? We are still talking about paint aren't we... paint on metal panels, etc? Maybe it's the detailers who need their eyes tested if they're seeing holograms and optical illusions in their paintwork.

 

[Matt82]

i knew a guy that was into detailing his clio. he clayed it so much that he basically ruined his lacquer and the car now looks naff. the best it looked was after we polished it with my plain simple autoglym ultra deep shine.

he still sprays his tyres everyday because they get mucky everytime it gets taken out etc

 

[[TW]Fox]

Ignoring the fact that it is etymologically retarded, the notion of spending several hundred quid on a glorified spit, wax and polish is ludicrous.

*n

Whats wrong with wanting perfection? Whats wrong with not wanting a crap car infested with swirlmarks?

 

[[TW]Fox]

I'm of the opinion that people who believe earnestly in "The Power Of Detailing RARRRGH!" will see what they wan't to see in their paintwork, much like anyone who believes in something that is controversial - e.g. horoscopes, astrology, etc.

I've never looked at my CTR and seen "marring" or "holograms", in fact I don't even know what the Christ those things are. Do detailing fanatics just make up words to describe this stuff? We are still talking about paint aren't we... paint on metal panels, etc? Maybe it's the detailers who need their eyes tested if they're seeing holograms and optical illusions in their paintwork.

Quite frankly unless your car is of a very light colour, you are blind.

I noticed crappy swirlmarks long before I even knew anything about washing a car bar going to the carwash. Sun shines, your pride and joy looks crap.

 

[Durzel]

i knew a guy that was into detailing his clio. he clayed it so much that he basically ruined his lacquer and the car now looks naff. the best it looked was after we polished it with my plain simple autoglym ultra deep shine.

he still sprays his tyres everyday because they get mucky everytime it gets taken out etc

lol strange that tyres getting mucky, being in contact with the road and that.

I must admit I use tyre dressing from time to time simply because as my car is black it rounds it off nicely, but it's a bit of a waste of money really when you consider it just washes away as soon as you get any rain (i.e. the next day) or after enough time subjected to the elements.

 

[Durzel]

Quite frankly unless your car is of a very light colour, you are blind.

I noticed crappy swirlmarks long before I even knew anything about washing a car bar going to the carwash. Sun shines, your pride and joy looks crap.

I've seen swirlmarks, and owning a black car it's pretty easy to see obvious paint defects. That said after washing & polishing (one coat) my car it's "shiny enough"... I always chuckle when I see pictures of the process of detailing where they put polish on and they take it completely off again.... "errr ok that makes sense".

I'm probably "not getting it", but to be honest - and to echo what penski & DreXeL have already said - it seems pointless all things considered. You achieve 95% of the effect with a regular wash & polish.

 

[[TW]Fox]

penski buys 1980's Vauxhalls and DreXel was content to drive around for 6 months in a car with sideskirts painted in Dulux emulusion. I love them both but they are the last people I would ask for an opinion on quality paintwork.

 

[PardonTheWait]

I always chuckle when I see pictures of the process of detailing where they put polish on and they take it completely off again.... "errr ok that makes sense".

You're meant to take polish off. The effect of polish comes from the mild abrasives in the polish, it's not a coating to be left on.

 

[divine`]

Taken from the winner of detailingworld.co.uk's monthly competition;

The difference in clarity between the corrected driver's door and the original O/S front quarter is visible here:

Now to be honest, for all the effort he describes having gone through, i'm not seeing much difference in that door compared to the panel... :/

 

[panthro]

I've seen swirlmarks, and owning a black car it's pretty easy to see obvious paint defects. That said after washing & polishing (one coat) my car it's "shiny enough"... I always chuckle when I see pictures of the process of detailing where they put polish on and they take it completely off again.... "errr ok that makes sense".

I'm probably "not getting it", but to be honest - and to echo what penski & DreXeL have already said - it seems pointless all things considered. You achieve 95% of the effect with a regular wash & polish.

Youre definitely not getting it if you are putting 1 coat of polish on your car.

 

[DreXeL]

penski buys 1980's Vauxhalls and DreXel was content to drive around for 6 months in a car with sideskirts painted in Dulux emulusion. I love them both but they are the last people I would ask for an opinion on quality paintwork.

I've been waiting for a dulux comment, I'm surprised it's taken tis long TBH

But Durzel drives a not-anceint CTR and previously an R34 GTR, and is of the same opinion.

 

[tom_e]

i knew a guy that was into detailing his clio. he clayed it so much that he basically ruined his lacquer and the car now looks naff. the best it looked was after we polished it with my plain simple autoglym ultra deep shine.

he still sprays his tyres everyday because they get mucky everytime it gets taken out etc

Thats not detailing thats OCD

 

[ethos]

Detailing is rubbish and makes no difference;