Jamesemt

OK - I'm hopefully changing job locations in the new year which will enable me to have the car garaged at work.

Due to the nature of my job, I get anything up to a full 12 hour shift to do nothing, so I want to give the car a good clean and polish.

My normal cleaning routine consists of:

power wash (just water)
shampoo (wash wax) with sponge
blast off with power wash

if I can be bothered I wax it with a spray on wax and then go around with a duster.

What else should I be doing wax/polish wise - I've read about various different stages to waxing but haven't got a clue what they are all about.

corradoboy

Get a waxless shampoo. Clean as you normally do, then blade the flat surfaces dry, and use a terry towel (or chamois) to dry off the rest. Apply one panel at a time Meguiars ScratchX (£9 ? ) with a soft, slightly damp cloth and buff off with a dry terry towel. Then apply Meguiars Gold Class Carnuba Wax (£11 ? ) over the whole car, buff with dry terry. Either repeat, or finish with a quality solid carnuba wax, such as Simoniz Original (£5) (yellow tin). This will take time, and you will ache for a day or two after, but the results, and their longevity are well worth it. Finally, you might want to detail the black/chrome bits with either some Back2Black and Solvol Autosol, and maybe a bit of tyre dressing (avoid shiny/wet look).

Don't forget to clean in the door/boot shuts and particularly along the bottoms of the doors, where a layer of protective wax will be most beneficial even though it won't be seen.

Stand back, and admire

The hardest bit is finding the Simoniz as not many places stock it 'cos it's too much hard work for most.

I'll go away now, whilst all the rich doods come and tell you about the Swissol/Zymol stuff at £150+

Jamesemt

Do you know anywere online that sells the stuff you mentioned cheap?

What are the 3 step Meguiars polishes like?

Does it make any difference that the car is just a year old and is kept outside?

automodellistagt

wash the car with either the diamond brite stuff or just the shampoo, blade and shamey, remove all tar and bugs ive missed, apply polish and extra shine and buff, wash wheels with wheel cleaner, move car forward an inch to clean those bits of the caliper blocked by the wheel otherwise they look like a damn tiger or something.

Stand back and admire for two minutes before car is dirty again

richs2891

3 step Meguairs is good, like what has being said above it takes time, but the effort is worth it.
The first stage will remove all the crap from the paintwork that has accumulated due to being exposed to the elements - supprising how much on a year old car. The aim is to get a glass smooth paint finish and then put the polish and waxes on !

Would be tempted to put something over the top of the last stage in meguairs (never heard of the Simoniz orginal (will have to look or that myself)), such as PS21 carnuba wax (from http://www.seriousperformance.co.uk/ and then possible turtle wax gloss guard

Meguairs extreme wheel gell (or what ever its called) is good and smell nice as well

Richard

PS I like the meguairs range - not tried the Swissol/Zymol - a bit pricey IMHO

ADV Detailers

No car looks clean in my opinion unless you have shiny black tyres and spotless alloys. I would buy 5ltr wheel acid and 5ltr Vinyl polish from sovereign Valet supplies (cheap). I paint on the wheel acid using a 1" paint brush. Nothing shifts the muck on your wheels and sidewalls better. Hose it off within a minute of applying it and then dry off your sidewalls and again with a 1" paintbrush paint the vinyl poish onto your sidewalls. This will give you spotless alloys and beautifull brand new looking tyres for a few days. The product will last you ages, and it only takes me about 10mins to do my wheels (All 4)

corradoboy

http://www.meguiars.co.uk/

http://www.carsorted.net/products.as...d=22&section=6

r4_rick

Have to agree Meguairs is great stuff, after you've washed it use their "quick clay" to rub over the body and it will remove all the tree sap/bugs/tar marks, leaving the paintwork as smooth as glass - this makes putting the polish on loads easier.

Rick

chris's scooby

Swissol is very good.

Are you in the fire service by chance? My dad was and he always washed his car at work!

Brun

What do ya do? Sounds great

SirFozzalot

I use this myself.......Fantastic stuff!

Its quite expensive but with the amount of wax and stuff you get, they reckon it is at least 2 years supply if done regularly. So £5.00 a month to keep the car looking in top condition isn't bad in my book.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Understatement of the year award goes too....

mr mash

dont use a power washer to start with !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SirFozzalot

Fulham71

The initial out lay for Swissol is a reasonable sun of money
BUT when you work out how long it lasts it is great value for money ! plus its non abrasive too

corradoboy

I can get around 12 applications from one 150g tin of Simoniz Original. It also is non-abbrasive, and contains no silicates. Pure Carnuba suspended in a petroleum distilate which evaporates after application leaving a durable and very shiny protective layer. One good treatment last over 6 months (current job on my car was done in late august, and is still gleaming and reticulating water). I have a mate who attends the same monthly meet who uses Swissol, and you would be hard pressed to tell any difference in finish. So, 2 applications a year divided by 12 per tin equals £1 per annum. Now that's VALUE Still a bitch to apply though

Fulham71

Swissol is very easy to apply & buff off too
not muscles needed & no residue

MR CTR

Here's a tip for ya, go to your local Honda or Ford dealer and ask for a Superguard kit. That in basic form consists of the special sponge that contains an amount of the wax and also the Scotch guard type anti-stain stuff for your interior. It shouldn't cost more than £30 and is great stuff. Failing that, try the Lacroe basic kit. Again polish and spray.This contains a bottle of wax (enough for two thick coats and scotch guard type spray. I've got my stuff from work and my Type R gleams like new.

Phone a few parts departments and give it a try.

Jamesemt

Paramedic

Dr Nick

Here is my car cleaning regime

1 Buy car
2 Never clean it until you sell it
3 Just before you sell it wash it and polish it thoroughly - because you never washed it before the paintwork comes up like new with no swirl mark scratches and looks absolutely fantastic.

In the 12 hours where you have nothing to do maybe you could take up smoking or making prank phone calls and so forth.

4X4BOB

Have not washed my Honda since I bought it.
It gets a full valet on every service and always looks good in between.

Just remembered that I got that paint & fabric treatment done for free before picking it up new, and re-done the following week 'cos I was a moaning barsteward about a tiny piece of trim (that the replaced) so maybe thats helping keep it clean?

Total outlay of cleaning / products £0.00


Bob