keeping you skoda looking tip top!

[JohnSTV6]

I'm just surprised you get away with no marring or do you just accept a bit in favour of no bonded contaminants?

I've honestly never really noticed any, always use plenty of lube lol

[Nick P]

always use plenty of lube

Wise words

[Wardy]

For me, an annual detail consists of the following steps and products:

1. Foam - Stjärnagloss Kokosnöt pH Neutral at the moment
   
2. 2BM Wash - Bilt Hamber Autowash or Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II at the moment
   
3. Bilt Hamber clay - uses water instead of QD for lubricant
   
4. Menzerna Intensive via Porter Cable
   
5. Menzerna Final Polish II via Porter Cable DA
   
6. Jeffs Prime Strong sealant
   
7. Black Hole glaze
   
8. Collinite 476S wax
   
9. Blackfire Midnight Sun or Victoria Concourse wax
   

Steps 8 & 9 usually the next day, after the paint's recovered! And at least one hour between buffing off 476S and applying a final wax coat.

Weekly wash - step 1, dwell, rinse, then step 2 with a wash mitt. Rinse and dry down

Edited 21 August, 2012 by Wardy

[Grizzle]

Wardy you do know that step 7 will remove step 6? also applying blackfire or victoria over 476s is pointless.

I would use the blackfire or vic during the summer then 476s on its own during winter i would reccomend two coats of 476s.

[Wardy]

Sorry, slip of the fingers. I use Jeffs before Black Hole. Will edit.

I haven't found the application of Blackfire or Victoria over 476S pointless at all. What I've found is that as a less durable wax breaks down, there is still the layer of harder, more durable wax underneath.

[shane_saintsfc]

Here is how mine is kept Tip Top.. I had a record 7 people cleaning it!

[Stuart_J]

Here is how mine is kept Tip Top.. I had a record 7 people cleaning it!

Cant see the picture

was it in the Albanian quarter of Winnall per chance. Do a good job IMO

Edited 23 August, 2012 by Stuart_J

[neil_f]

Usually polish it first with Autoglym Super Resin to remove any marks/grime and then Meguiars Ultimate Wax. The rain beads of it amazingly and lasts a lot longer than the Autoglym on its own though highlights the design fault when you open the tailgate and all the water runs in! Use Autoglym wheel seal on the alloys and Meguiars NXT car wash. Gets washed at least once a week.

[meta55b]

I use autoglym for the works motors and my own car, then finish it off with the extra gloss protection. you can stand and watch the car dry when the rains stopped, as the water just falls of. mind you i did spend 10hrs on a 59 plate focus rs my boss bought the last owner didn't know how to wash or polish a car.

[shane_saintsfc]

Cant see the picture

was it in the Albanian quarter of Winnall per chance. Do a good job IMO

It was indeed! I'm a regular now haha.

[james_19742000]

I just use Gtechnq these days, and the two best products from them are C2 as a sealent for the paint and the wheels, and then watered down as a QD every few washes, and also use it watered down on windows etc as it keeps them clean and water beading off, I have in the past used proper dedicated wheel sealants, glass sealents and whilst I am not saying they are no good, I am saying that by the time you have bought all the different products it can get very expensive so now I just generally use C2 for my needs for sealing stuff, then the T1 tyre black for the tyres as the stuff leaves a lovely silk finish as opposed to matt or gloss and it keeps the tyres looking good for weeks, then I use the Gwash as my shampoo, it just does the job and it looks great afterwards.

However, saying all that, I am getting a yearning for a 'wax' and that rubbing the wax onto a car feeling, so when the wifes car has had its paint tidied up in a couple of months time I think I will crack out the Harly Wax and use that on hers as its a great wax!

Then also in spring and autumn I will give the car a good decontamination and polish, usually use AS Tardis, IronX, and also clay with Demon Shine as lube, and polish wise I am using Gtech P1 at the moment, using the hand pad they supply and it works well, finishes down nice, the car is new and has never been touched by a dealer or any polish place so any swirls etc are basically not there, so no need to worry about correction.

Thats what I use and it works for me!

[bulls20042002]

Can someone please explain this "CLAY" stuff,

what and how do you use it?

[Wardy]

For a good explanation and best practice, see http://www.polishedb...ting-paint.html - and the 'RECOMMENDED METHODS AND PRODUCTS FOR REMOVING CONTAMINANTS' section.

[JohnSTV6]

Can someone please explain this "CLAY" stuff,

what and how do you use it?

Clay is exactly that, its a piece of clay.

But not just like normal garden clay, or for making models. It is designed to remove all the stuff stuck to your paintwork, and leaves it completely smooth again.

If you run your hand over your paintwork lightly and can feel slight roughness to it, then the clay will remove that.

It is amazing to see how much comes off what you think is a clean car.

It's extremely easy to use, the clay bars normally come with their own brand of lube but some use water.

You just follow the instructions of spraying the lube on and using the clay to remove the contaminates from the paintwork.

[Wardy]

Not technically clay. If you read the PB article:

"The clay used in detailing clay isn't really clay at all, but a mixture of a soft plastic resin (polybutene) and various grades of abrasive particles."

[Stuart_J]

It was indeed! I'm a regular now haha.

Me to, all 3 cars, they do a cracking job for the money

[JohnSTV6]

Not technically clay. If you read the PB article:

"The clay used in detailing clay isn't really clay at all, but a mixture of a soft plastic resin (polybutene) and various grades of abrasive particles."

Yeah, that's the stuff lol

[davey boi]

basic but still enough i feel

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/generalImg/guide.gif

[bulls20042002]

cheers guys.

[DavidGS1150]

Washed with Dodo "Born To Be Mild", 2 bucket method with a Wookie's Fist (holds a hyooge amount of water!)

Clayed

Dodo "Lime Prime" - I feel it gives the same effect as AG Super Resin Polish, but easier to apply

Poorboy's Black Hole

Dodo "Blue Velvet"

spritzed after washing & drying with Dodo "Red Mist Tropical" or diluted Valet Pro "Citrus Bling"

[Guest]

1. I start off with snowfoaming. Not sure if it is of any benefit, it just makes me smile. I leave that to dwell.

2. Give the wheels a seeing to with Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel. IMO this is the best wheel cleaner I have ever used, you can see it working as it turns purple and requires very little agitation.

3. I then rinse the Auto Wheels and snowfoam off.

4. Give it a wash with BH Autowash.

5. Rinse.

6. Clay it, with BH Auto clay.

7. Wipe off the marring with a damp microfibre cloth.

8. Use BH Cleanser Fluid

9. Finish off with BH Finis Wax.

10. AG Tyre Dressing.

11. Use AG Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner on door seals and bumper trim.

I do this every 3 or 4 months. I also use the Karcher Chassis Cleaner. Haven't used the underbody sealant since the tester bottle ran out. Just use AG Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner.

Everyweek, I do steps 1 - 3, then wash with AG BSC, and finsih off with AG Aquawax, or if short of time/poor weather use AG Autogloss Rinse.

Not saying this is the best method, but it works for me.

Only thing of note is even though the car has never been through an automatic car wash, the paint is full of swirls and hazing!! even though I use the Two Bucket Method, lambs wool mitt, microfibre cloths etc.

Fin.

[Nick P]

Only thing of note is even though the car has never been through an automatic car wash, the paint is full of swirls and hazing!! even though I use the Two Bucket Method, lambs wool mitt, microfibre cloths etc.

That's to be expected when claying regularly without polishing / glazing afterwards. It doesn't matter what clay it is, you're picking up some big particles off the paint work in that clay which is getting worked back and forth. Claying is great, but you've got to be prepared to polish afterward, hence why I only bother doing it twice a year. I just don't have the time to do the full process more than that.

Also, you're rubbing cleanser fluid over it and more regularly aquawax. Nothing wrong with that of course, but it's more stuff getting rubbed over the paintwork with no polish / glaze to fix / cover up any resulting marks - it all adds up.

[Leon-y-k]

Nick, Do you apply wax or is it polish by hand as well?

Whats the difference when using your hands, and using a mitt or a machine?

[smithy961]

After washing yesterday I noticed loads of scratches on the roof, got a decent routine so not sure where they are from? Made the biggest schoolboy error today- opened passenger door with a sharp piece of metal in my hand...... Heard a nasty noise..... Now have a lovely scratch!

[Leon-y-k]

Accidental scratching isn't fun! I had a zip on the back of my jeans, as I left I had plenty of room to get in and out, and then I came back to find I had no room to get in, and scratched my door as I had to squeeze in! GRR!