Hi, I have read a few of the posts on here and realised that I have never washed a car properly, let alone detailed one.

I had a few cleaning bis about but I have been using a sponge etc.

So:

I went out today and got:

2 buckets.

A lamb's wool cleaning mitt.

2 Micro fibre polishing cloths.

Some Auto Glym power max 3 cleaning stuff.

Some turtlewax shampoo I had in the basement already.

Some Auto Glym Ultra deep shine wax stuff.

And

Some rain off.

I used the outlaw's Karcher pressure washer to clean the car first, it has a soap mixer on it so I used the power max 3 in that.

It did a pretty good job, I used it first with the normal nozzle but he has a brush head too and that did the tough bits really well.

Then I did the two bucket clean on the car with the turtlewax shampoo and dried it.

I only had access to a manky old chamois so I dried the car with industrial strength kitchen roll.

Then my wife and I waxed it with the ultra deep shine.

Took a good few hours and it was bloody hot, then it started raining as I went to take photos.

So, the guides say it is a bad idea to use sealant over a wax with carnuba wax in it.

I have the metal flake paint and I would like the massive depth in the photos of cars finished with sealant.

There is no list of ingredients on the back and none on Autoglym's website but I think it has carnuba in it from the way it leaves a white residue.

Am I right?

If so, what do I have to do now to get a deep finish like the sealant pics, given I can't apply sealant over a carnuba wax.

Can anyone recommend a product, ideally something I can just spray on, wipe off and forget.

More questions:

► Snow foam, can I use it with the soap mixer on the Karcher or do I need to get a special lance? Also can I mix it with a bit of the power max 3?

► Can you recommend a product to protect my wheels but not make them shine? I paid quite a lot for them to be matte black and I want to keep them that way.

► The Ultra Deep Shine has revealed all manner of chips, scratches and one spot of surface rust on the sill, they all show up bright white. What can I do about that? will a chip stick do?

So, I have a shopping list, I definitely need a waffle weave cloth, the Kitchen roll was a pain in the ****.

I will need to get some snow foam too (assuming it will work with the soap mixer).

What else do I need?

I don't want to go too far, I just want to keep the car looking fairly good...

*edit*

I can heartily recommend rain off, it has a clever applicator and works well. I don't have a rear wiper (I removed it) and the rain just rolled off, front screen had the odd situation of rain rolling up it as I drove along.

Edited 27 June, 200916 yr by amateurstuntman
Forgot about the rain off.

Your routine looks pretty good, but AG UDS is hard work. I would swap the shampoo for Megs NXT car wash shampoo or Megs Gold Class Shampoo. Swap the AG UDS for AG Super Resin Polish, with Megs NXT 2.0 Tech Wax as an LSP.

Also get a few waffle weave drying towles to pat the car dry.

Thank you very much, I've seen your detailing and it is great.

On the UDS, It was hard to work but not too hard and I've spent a lot on it so can I use the NXT LSP over it until it runs out?

I'll get the new shampoo, the turtlewax is pretty old so I don't mind.

Waffles of course.

If I can't use NXT over UDS I suppose I could give it to the father-in-law for his Rover P5 and get the super resin polish...

Any idea on using snow foam in the auto soap mixer in his Karcher?

Thanks again...

Edited 27 June, 200916 yr by amateurstuntman
Grammar didn't make any sense.

NXT 2.0 Tech Wax is really a sealant, so yes, it could be used over UDS, but it's not ideal, as UDS is an all in one product (polish and wax combined). SRP is a pure polish with fillers, that will fill and hide light swirls.

Using foam in the Karcher shouldn't be a problem. I wash my car often, and simply use a 10:1 dilution of Megs NXT car wash in the pressure washer bottle. Spray it on, leave it five minutes, then rinse it off with the pressure water. This is called non contact cleaning, the more dirt you can get off without touching the paint with the wash mit, the less scratches and swirls.

So with your kit the process would be

1 Foam and leave to dwell for 5 mins

2 Rinse with pressure washer

3 Wash with Megs NXT Car Wash (2 buckets, one for wash, one for mitt rinse)

4 Rinse again to remove suds

5 Dry with waffle weave towels

6 Apply UDS with foam applicator pad leave for 15 mins to cure

7 Buff off UDS

8 Apply Megs NXT 2.0 Tech Wax, leave to cure for 10 mins

9 Buff off NXT

If you decide to use SRP just use it in steps 6 and 7 above

Brilliant, time for more shopping.

Thank you very much.

I have just bust the last of last year's bonus on:

► Waffle Weave Microfibre Drying Towel

► AG Super Resin Polish

► Elite Snow Foam

► Megs Last Touch

► Megs NXT Shampoo

► Megs NXT 2.0 Tech Wax

I also got an Autoglym Perfect Palm Foam Applicator for the super resin polish and a spray gun for the last touch.

So, when I get a chance I'll wash all the current wax off the car and start again.

The last touch should make it easy to keep the thing clean given the dust bowl I work in...

Edited 28 June, 200916 yr by amateurstuntman
Showing shopping list.

The last touch should make it easy to keep the thing clean given the dust bowl I work in...

Megs Last Touch is a great product and brilliant to have in your detailing arsenal.........