Niyx

As a starter in bun tins. The easy (or as Dad says, ‘bone idle’) way is 1,1,1. 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of milk, 1 large egg. Plenty of air in, leave to rest with a tea towel over and when you’re ready to cook, get your bun tins lined with fat of choice, and make sure it is smoking hot before pouring in the batter. Serve with lashings of gravy.

The Mrs reluctantly did the windows...!

Second week of cleaning. Week one saw the glass sealant (G Techniq) and the ceramic coating (Sonax CC86). Both applied well and the coating left a silky-smooth "wet" finish. Not endured any rain yet, but after washing this week, the coating means that dirt and water effectively slide straight off the paintwork. Week two was touch-free wash with CYC Snow Foam and a splash of Chemical Guys Wash and Gloss, followed by a proper hand-wash to prep for the finishing. A generous application of both Poorboy's Black Hole glaze, and Poorboys EX-P Sealant to finish, finished with a silky finish of Poorboys Black Wax. The wheels were sealed in the first week with two applications of Poorboys Wheel Sealant, and a third application went on this week to all accessible areas.

Depends on your mapping preference - Waze uses its own maps (well, OSM and some editing) and data from Waze users - so changes to roads, layouts and 50mph limits on the A1 are quickly added. Google has of course, Google Maps (which take forever to be updated...!), but the data is pulled from all Android phones (if user ticked the “spy on me” box) and users of Google Maps, so more accurate traffic information. Google Maps also benefits from the wealth of knowledge around local businesses and amenities that Waze misses.

Any source of heat is good, just keep it low as you're only melting adhesive - hairdryer on a low setting is perfect. I would advise against a trim tool to leverage as they're a bit unforgiving against your paintwork - string, floss or fishing line is perfect to work through the sticky stuff once it is warm. You'll be left with the adhesive marks, so something like Goo Gone will clear it up. Give it a polish once the emblem is off before applying the new one.

Heatgun (read: hairdryer) on low heat to soften the adhesive, wait until it’s tacky and moves around with little pressure, then fishing wire, or dental floss behind the badge to cut through the adhesive. goo-gone or similar on the remnants and clean the area before applying the new badges.

Mine spent all of about 4 days at Emden, and another 4 in Sheerness.

@ChristianHoper Carwow recons the facelift will be unveiled at Frankfurt Motorshow in September. https://www.carwow.co.uk/skoda/superb/news/3919/skoda-superb-facelift-price-specs-release-date

Are they alright? Dad jokes aside, I’m excited to actually have boot space once Olga arrives on Saturday, I’ll just need to find an excuse to ferry around chairs to elderly relatives to make good use of it.

Thanks @Vrsboi - there’s on just around the corner (as as around the corner as you get for North Yorkshire, so I’ll give them a bell in more social hours! They offer their own detailing services for long storage so hopefully, fingered crossed, they’ll be fine with me for a day.

I used the Brisky sponsor GapInsurance.co.uk, 10% off code is BRISKODA10. https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/309-gap-insurance/ Paid £215 (code included) for the Superb for the replacement tier over 3 years, and supported the forum, a win-win.

I'm about to pick up my new Superb and am looking to do some of the more tedious detailing & protection bits myself (such as the ceramic/carriage etc). Currently I live on a new build estate that is dusty in the open air - of course, not the ideal environment to be letting stuff settle on uncured treatment - the Fabia lives by virtue of it being tiny and panel>panel takes minutes (and it was 'treated' on arrival). The Superb is black too, so I want to get this first bit right otherwise I'm going to have an everlasting nightmare making it look good again. What options do I have in the north of England if I want to do this myself, without someone else doing the work for me? A marquee? I've tried googling "warehouse space" and "workshop space" both of which would probably be a bit miffed if I show up with 3 buckets and a pressure washer... Advice greatly appreciated!

Beautiful colour and great spec, congrats on the purchase! Pressing question... how long are you having to wait for it to show up?

The one regret I have for the Superb is not getting a heated windscreen, and one option I’d thoroughly recommend.

Hi Scotty, For the finance perspective; check the prices that online brokers (carwow, drivethedeal etc) can offer before heading back to your dealer. “Impulse” incentives that are advertised at dealers are by far and large not the cheapest you can get. if you are willing to make a deal, find the cheapest price elsewhere, and be ready to shake on the day if you hit a price you are happy with. As for PCP - the APR at the moment isn’t too tempting, so you are right to be asking! The finance discounts are provided by VW Finance, and are entirely yours to keep, if you cancel within 14 days of the contract starting, you will not pay any interest, and you get the £2500. This is a very well documented suggestion on here.

So you’ve made a cracking start so far then! Professionals are just that, they do it for a living, and once you’ve skimmed 100 bathrooms, you start to be pretty OK at skimming bathrooms, and the same applies here, time and patience and a willing to try. For a starter machine, look to get a DAS (Dual-Action), as the risk of damage is lower as the mechanism doesn’t keep the pad in the same place, which is what a regular Rotary would do (think of an 8 vs 0). You can definitely pick one up cheap from eBay or if you’re willing to drop ~£99 I would recommend the one I have in a heartbeat (DAS6). The risk free approach is to grab a bonnet from a breakers and practice your polishing technique - I had a field car that was past it’s prime to practice on before moving onto the Fabia (the black roof highlights imperfections well!)... You can also use machine polishers with 0 cut products and pads to get the shine without the cut, just to get a feel of the machine and pressure you should be using, plus, you get to pick up some gear early on. One thing that I still have apprehension about is cutting compound, and whilst the advice is always use the least abrasive method to achieve your goal and move “up” if you don’t achieve the desired result, it’s still a bit of a heart in mouth moment when you’re wiping off the residue. Practice makes perfect - and there is a wealth of collective knowledge out there (YouTube, Detailing World, Reddit etc) to help you feel more confident. Given the choice of ££ on a course vs buying ££ kit for home and doing it myself, I’d learn much quicker with the latter, YouTube and a scrap panel!

On a scale of “washing with a sponge”/10, what are your car washing skills like at the moment? If I can get owt for nowt I’d go down that path first - YouTube has been invaluable as to technique, and I started with no detailing knowledge whatsoever. What are your main desires to come from this - what would you like to do immediately after the course? Chemicals Guys, AMMO, Autoglym all have good ‘detailling’ Videos (of course, they’re all selling something). As with many hobbies, technique will always win... With detailing, it’s very easy to be all the gear, no idea, when you’ve got 5 buckets, dirt traps, 50 microfibres.... I made a few detailed (heh) responses here if you’re wanting get to get started yourself:

I bet you're well excited! Interesting that you're coming from almost exactly the same spec Fabia that I will soon be leaving behind, too (same engine, colour concept - Race Blue and Black were by far the best options). Maybe not the same name though...! Look forward to seeing the pics once it arrives in Summer - what options did you pick, and most importantly, what colour? Have you got a name lined up for Skoda #4?

Carfile were cheap but not the cheapest, and I'm not the biggest fan of the usual dealer from CarFile. I ended up using Drive the Deal with Simpsons Skoda in Great Yarmouth as the cheapest... a bit of a trek from York but was worth the planned trip away when the car finally shows up. Internet buying should absolutely change how you approach dealerships - for new and used, autotrader, gumtree, carwow, drivethedeal etc etc etc are all there to give you an insight into the right price, and helps you make an informed decision. It might not always work for your local dealer - neither DM Keith nor Des Winks entertained the offer Simpsons made, but I don't have much "loyalty" to a dealership that I only see once a year for servicing, then having to make my own showroom coffee :/

A nice clear morning meant the Fabia could get a solid wash before it gets sold to make room for the new Skoda... CYC Snow Foam, Hydro2 Sealant, Natty’s Paste Wax to finish

“Post wash” normally come under drying aids, and are spray on compounds that make the water bead up on contact and make drying easier. Wax is always last - it lasts the shortest amount of time, and typically, anything on top of wax doesn’t stick to the paint. We haven’t even touched on interior (a good vac goes a long way), or glass. As Vrsboi has said above, a good glass coating will make your life much easier (especially if you’re getting a hatch with no rear wiper!). Some of my favourites are below - but by all means these are the best of what I’ve tried yet (Poorboys make a great darker colour wax which I’ve used for years). Experimentation is key to finding products that suit you, and many of the detailing shopping sites have reviews to help you make a decision. Shampoo Valet Pro Advanced Car Wash Post Wash/Drying Aid CarPro hydro2 lite Wax Poorboys Natty’s Paste Wax Just a note - all the gear in the world won’t save poor technique (and I say that as I’ve had to correct my own mistakes on the Fabia) - have good discipline with your buckets, cloths and mitt to avoid cross contamination, and YouTube application videos to help get you properly started. Detailing is a huge world - and there’s a reason the professionals are pulling the money they do.

The wash flowchart is quite complex given the thread started on washing up liquid...! The idea is that following polish, the longest lasting protection is applied first, finishing on wax. I find Poorboys being a great brand and reviews very well, but you will pay well for the pleasure. It does last a while, however. Whatever you pick, product goes a long way, and thin application is much better than layering it on - the only bit that matters to the paint is the bit that touches it. As you’ve picked up some wax already, a spray sealant or “post wash” would be a great addition with your shampoo and fusso. You don’t have to take all steps at once and buy everything. Your detailing kit can grow organically with your skills and interest - my wish list on CYC is still a few hundred £££. Do make sure you grab some microfibres and applicators for your wax!

Great colour choice! (...providing you look past the jokes of painting it before needing to protect it...) It depends on budget - if you want the longer term protection, Ceramic detailing can take you into the hundreds, if not up to a thousand for a professional kit and someone trained to apply it. I will stress this is infinitely better than any dealership Autogloss treatment. DIY ceramic kits can be picked up for around £50-£100, but you are at the mercy of your own ability, and the British weather to help it set. Theres a recent, great picture in the Superb MK3 picture thread with Ceramic applied - it looks like a mirror. On the cheaper end, a good wash followed by a polish (a totally different thread, a new car can hopefully miss this step), glaze, sealant and then a wax will see you well, providing you follow good cleaning technique. If you’re new, you might not want to invest in a machine polisher yet - so microfibre towels and applicator pads will do you well until that point.

Hi Fantantonio - what colour car are you getting and what does your budget start at? The below is based on about £30 of kit. DetailingWorld is a great forum and starting place. Basic exterior kit starts out with proper car shampoo (fairy liquid is good at removing all your hard work polishing and waxing your car!), two buckets, a microfibre wash mitt, a wheel brush, and some microfibre cloths. Two buckets are better than one (one to rinse your mitt, one for clean shampoo/water only). Three buckets are better than two (one for wheels!). You can add a grit guard to buckets to make sure the nasty stuff stays at the bottom (again... basics first, these can come second!). AmazonBasics are good enough for a beginner but if you get into things you’ll be wanting different microfibre colours, GSM and fibre mix for different parts of the car. For now, just make sure you don’t mix dirty and clean cloths, and especially wheels/engine rags with paintwork. If you are happy to invest in colours (a good start), my system is black for engine/wheels, white for windows, green for paintwork and blue for trim... Start with a rinse, wash wheels first with your brush and rinse. If you’re using two buckets, discard all water and refill before doing paintwork. Shampoo all parts, then rinse again and dry with a microfibre to avoid standing water and wet spots. Once finished, you can then get into glazes, sealants and waxes! There are so many YouTube videos (ex. ChemicalGuys, AMMO NYC) to get you spending a load of £ and time with your paintwork and trim. I’ve recently been bitten, the Fabia has never looked better and the black Superb on order will be spoilt - as no doubt yours will be, too!

Typically, and because of the ease of autotrader/internet, people will know prices of similar cars, click on the cheapest and overlook the admin fee. Autotrader (should) "enforce" listing admin fees and costs so it's not a surprise when you show up. £3900 vs £4100 on an identical car, which ad would you realistically click first? If it is still the cheapest, local car even with the admin fee, then go and argue and accept a couple of quid off. If the car is more expensive because of the admin fee - enjoy a good haggle. Absolutely build it into the total price of the car before going for a long drive to see it - it may make similar, nearer, slightly more expensive cars more attractive.