Washing Your Car!

DorsetDude said:
Has any of you got a dual action polisher? If so, can you use it outside ok? Are they safe/easy? Did you practice on an old panel first or go straight in? Ta.
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Having used a DA and a rotary, it's very hard to strike through with a DA. I used mine straight on the car but just used Lime Prime initially. Now have a set of hexlogic pads, menzerna polishes (sample sized bottles are enough), pad cleanser and polish cleanser. Watch a few videos. Remember to tape up the car to avoid trapping dirt particles from crevices. Do each panel in sections eg divide the bonnet into quadrants and concentrate on just one section at a time. Work the polish thoroughly. Make shre the pad doesn't overheat.
 
DorsetDude said:
Has any of you got a dual action polisher? If so, can you use it outside ok? Are they safe/easy? Did you practice on an old panel first or go straight in? Ta.
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I would pick a cloudy cool day with little wind. Look for junkman2000 on YouTube for some great videos. Getting the right combination of pad and polish is very important depending on how hard your paint is. Get some low tac tape to protect rubbers and plastic trim. I also tape up edges as a precaution but it would be very hard to strike through with a da compared to a rotory unless you hit something like a smart repair. It is simple to do and very rewarding.
 
foggy4ever said:
I would pick a cloudy cool day with little wind. Look for junkman2000 on YouTube for some great videos. Getting the right combination of pad and polish is very important depending on how hard your paint is. Get some low tac tape to protect rubbers and plastic trim. I also tape up edges as a precaution but it would be very hard to strike through with a da compared to a rotory unless you hit something like a smart repair. It is simple to do and very rewarding.
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Me too, but the Junk fella says always to use polisher inside......

......mind you , that took three videos until he said that!

Oh he also said he never uses tape!
 
omens said:
Having used a DA and a rotary, it's very hard to strike through with a DA. I used mine straight on the car but just used Lime Prime initially. Now have a set of hexlogic pads, menzerna polishes (sample sized bottles are enough), pad cleanser and polish cleanser. Watch a few videos. Remember to tape up the car to avoid trapping dirt particles from crevices. Do each panel in sections eg divide the bonnet into quadrants and concentrate on just one section at a time. Work the polish thoroughly. Make shre the pad doesn't overheat.
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How do you clean the Hexlogic pads after using them?
 
I squirt some chemical guys pad cleanser to help get rid of polish residue, then wash with warm water and fairly liquid. I stick them on top of a radiator/somewhere warm to dry.
 
foggy4ever said:
Look for junkman2000 on YouTube for some great videos
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I have, thats why I asked as he said (eventually) if you cant do it in a temperature stable garage don't bother.

Mind you at £170 nicker for a DAS and some bits unlikely I'll be rushing to get one. My mx5 is covered in scratches though, would be nice to get rid of most of em.
 
DorsetDude said:
I have, thats why I asked as he said (eventually) if you cant do it in a temperature stable garage don't bother.

Mind you at £170 nicker for a DAS and some bits unlikely I'll be rushing to get one. My mx5 is covered in scratches though, would be nice to get rid of most of em.
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A lot off people including mobile detailers buy sturdy pop up gazebos with sides for polishing outside. Like me if you have no other option it's doable, even if you only do a couple of panels at a time. It's not cheap to get into as you can spend as nearly as much on pads and compound/polish as the machine itself. My sister inlaw has an mx5 and I had a quick play on the boot lid, it's black and it came up lovely after very little work being soft Jap paint. There are some very good glazes out there which will hide the swirls but not scratches, 50cal filler glaze, KKD regloss, Poorboys Black hole and more. You could always look for a second hand machine, many buy try and quickly sell on.
 
foggy4ever said:
A lot off people including mobile detailers buy sturdy pop up gazebos with sides for polishing outside. Like me if you have no other option it's doable, even if you only do a couple of panels at a time. It's not cheap to get into as you can spend as nearly as much on pads and compound/polish as the machine itself. My sister inlaw has an mx5 and I had a quick play on the boot lid, it's black and it came up lovely after very little work being soft Jap paint. There are some very good glazes out there which will hide the swirls but not scratches, 50cal filler glaze, KKD regloss, Poorboys Black hole and more. You could always look for a second hand machine, many buy try and quickly sell on.
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Funnily enough I've got poor boys black hole in my basket on both cleanyourcar and Elitecarcare at the moment(as well as Valetpro citrus pre wash). Cant be bothered with the DPD delivery and having to be at home though so havent clicked to buy yet.

I never understand the "soft paint" comments, there is a protective clear coat over the paint and it is this which the DA polisher is removing scratches from.
 
I think it's a generic term rather than saying paint or topcoat, to be clearer the clearcoat on japs is very soft compared to German. The same combination I use would do sweet fa to a BMW for removing swirls but would be OK for the final polish.
 
I never understand the "soft paint" comments, there is a protective clear coat over the paint and it is this which the DA polisher is removing scratches from.
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"Paint" is being used as a collective term for the paint & clear coat and different manufacturers use different formulas to "paint" their cars.

Japanese cars tend to have fairly soft clear coats, VAG paintwork (clear coat) is extremely hard and from my experience, Ford, Vauxhall, Pugs fit somewhere in the middle.
 
Do Vauxhall still do single-stage red paint or have they started using clearcoat on their red cars now?
 
DorsetDude said:
Funnily enough I've got poor boys black hole in my basket on both cleanyourcar and Elitecarcare at the moment(as well as Valetpro citrus pre wash). Cant be bothered with the DPD delivery and having to be at home though so havent clicked to buy yet.

I never understand the "soft paint" comments, there is a protective clear coat over the paint and it is this which the DA polisher is removing scratches from.
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Poorboys do various paint correction compounds from swirls (SSR1) to scuffs and scratches (SSR3). http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...0.Xpoorboys+sr.TRS0&_nkw=poorboys+sr&_sacat=0
Someone had scuffed the clearcoat on my black car, leaving a horrible wide white mark. Less than 1/2 an hr working it by hand with a foam applicator pad and it was gone. Plus like all Poorboys products, smells great.
 
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The BSD is THICK, it's almost like cream.

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I think it has a coconut smell to it .
 
Thankfully we're just coming out of the cherry tree pollen season and I can get my car to stay clean for long enough to put some wax on it!
 
Steep said:
Thankfully we're just coming out of the cherry tree pollen season and I can get my car to stay clean for long enough to put some wax on it!
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Just had to clean a load off the roof of my car. Dammed stuff had done a bloody good job of getting stuck to it too. Another coat of sealant has been applied though.
 
Well, I actually got round to giving the [very] old Escort some cleaning attention tonight. I didn't clay bar as I thought she's not used often so wouldn't be too bad [& the paintwork felt smooth anyway] but maybe I should have regardless yeah...?? I washed/dried & used Meguiars Carnauba Plus Wax & even though it didn't look much different. you could certainly feel the difference.

Also, this may well sound a very stupid question, but what do you guys do to clean/wash the microfibre cloths & applicator pads? By hand? Stick them in the washer?
 
Cloths in the washer no conditioner, 30C and some reckon only use non bio liquid, liquid rather than powder. Wash the stuff you have used with wax on its own, don`t want cloths you use for wind screen washing with cloths which have had wax on
 
LeeRatters said:
what do you guys do to clean/wash the microfibre cloths
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nog said:
Cloths in the washer no conditioner, 30C and some reckon only use non bio liquid, liquid rather than powder. Wash the stuff you have used with wax on its own, don`t want cloths you use for wind screen washing with cloths which have had wax on
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As above, liquid is best (and actually recommended on one of my cloths) - NO conditioner and a low temp wash - if you do them on a relatively frequent basis, then a quick low temp 30 min wash works well.
 
There's only non bio liquid in the house anyway ;)

What about using the clay bar? How often do you guys do that on the paintwork? I done the windows with it as they were really grimy and as stupid as it sounds the (painted /lacquered) steel wheels as they were covered in marks/overspray and felt like sandpaper to the touch - they didn't look too bad from a normal distance but much nicer now.

Thanks for the continued car care advice though :)
 
LeeRatters said:
Also, this may well sound a very stupid question, but what do you guys do to clean/wash the microfibre cloths & applicator pads? By hand? Stick them in the washer?
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I just buy them in bulk and throw them away when dirty.
 
LeeRatters said:
Also, this may well sound a very stupid question, but what do you guys do to clean/wash the microfibre cloths & applicator pads? By hand? Stick them in the washer?
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I *should* separate them but I never do. They go into a tub of water with microfibre+ wash for a soak, then go into the washing machine with a glug of vinegar and a non-bio capsule.

LeeRatters said:
What about using the clay bar? How often do you guys do that on the paintwork? I
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Minimum twice a year, after de-tarring.
 
Do you find it drags when trying to polish it ?
 
Reading detailing forums other people state the drag after polishing where say polish it with Simons gold the microfiber glides along the paint. I use to top up the polish every few weeks and clay twice a year.
 
I sincerely wish I had never bleedin read this thread!

DAS Pro Plus, pads, Meguiars this that an the next thing not to mention Poor Boys stuff, no cash left for photos.

As for the fella that buys millions of pads and throws them away, at £9.95 a pop, he's more money than sense!

A wee squirt of Fairy Liquid, half hour soak, rinse and hang out on the rope for a couple of days makes them good as new.
 
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Nothing like having Mr Stay Puff ejaculating on your car

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I use autoglym shampoo then wax with S100. Can't be arsed with any of the other stuff you can buy. The car is new and gets washed once a week. I'd detar, de-iron and use a clay mitt if I was doing an older car to get the paint work as clean as possible.
 
Alright then armchair experts - lets see if we can promote you to real experts. Stop my red wing going pink weekly. The best UV protection sealant/wax if you please.
 
I'm sure you would find an accurate answer to your question over at Detailing World forum Richard.
 
n0chex said:
Reading detailing forums other people state the drag after polishing where say polish it with Simons gold the microfiber glides along the paint. I use to top up the polish every few weeks and clay twice a year.
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Normally I just wash then put some BSD on and that'll be it.

About 3 months I would put a layer of Collinite 845.
 
Looks nice whatever you do Ray so keep up the good work ........
 
Well I've now converted my neighbour to drying towels as well as father in law [emoji3]
 
Gave the wife's car a good wax the other day - very happy with results. A very nice reflection and depth of shine [emoji3]

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n0chex said:
Looks nice whatever you do Ray so keep up the good work ........
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My neighbour washes his with a sponge, he takes pride of his car too, always looks clean from afar but I don't want to be that guy who lectures on sponges/dirt/scratches.
 
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