Can anyone recommend a process (and products) for me to use on my girlfriends Yaris which hasn't been properly washed in its life? I don't want to go over the top as it has dints and scrapes (she likes to run in to things), just get all the tiny black dots off the body work and give it a bit of a tidy up! (I'll probably do the same to mine as well, as I will confess I generally just use cheap shampoo/wax combo... really need to learn on my old car before I swap it out to something I plan to pay a little more attention to).

 

I don't have a pressure washer so snow foaming is out by the way...

Read here mate: http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/car-care-advice.html

Where in West Yorks are you?

I may be able to help you out

Wow I think I could quickly spend more than her cars worth on that site (when I say first wash its not because its new.. 55 plate with 36k miles and its a mess!). I think a decent mit + shampoo + clay + wax(?) will have to suffice... really not worth a polish, I'd be there for weeks and end up with no body work left.

 

I'm in Halifax.

I can polish it for you If you cant tackle that.... It will need it

wd40 for the black dots!

Autosmart Tardis works better

Thanks for the offer Chris but I'm afraid its too much of a lost cause for me to spend money getting work done on it for appearances sake (Keeping it running is another matter... she needs to get to work and earn her keep!).

Dan, I am literally just around the corner and willing to help if I can. I'm rarely found wanting for detailing kit.

Can you pop up a pic to see what we are working with?

Who mentioned money Dan? LOL

Sorry Chris, natural assumption these days! Ok what beer is it? :P

 

Lemme get it all washed and clayed and we'll arrange something... how are you set for spring? 

 

Sparkly: More after advice for products and what I need to do, its a crazy world to the outsider! (PS. love the colour... hoping I'll be able to find a Octy vRS TSI DSG in green next year, but seems rare on the Octy and my engine/box requirements don't make it easy... 3 on AT at the moment, none with petrol+DSG)

 

I'll get some pics the next time I see it in the light and dry... maybe the weekend!

Whatever I can help with mate, I can probably spot you some products to try out too.

My go to place for detailing on a budget is ASDA at the minute, you could kit yourself out really well for not that much at all, laying brand snobbery aside you'd find your car for most people would be hard to tell apart from one that had the most expensive products applied as long as your prep and techniques are good.

That's not to say the good gear isn't good, just that you can get fab results for not that much money.

Best three purchases you could make would be a set of two buckets, a bundle of Asda Microfibre Cloths and one of their big orange microfibre drying towels, total cost would be about £4-5. If you have all of the above, you sir are already £4-5 better off

Sorry Chris, natural assumption these days! Ok what beer is it? :p

 

Lemme get it all washed and clayed and we'll arrange something... how are you set for spring? 

 

Sparkly: More after advice for products and what I need to do, its a crazy world to the outsider! (PS. love the colour... hoping I'll be able to find a Octy vRS TSI DSG in green next year, but seems rare on the Octy and my engine/box requirements don't make it easy... 3 on AT at the moment, none with petrol+DSG)

 

I'll get some pics the next time I see it in the light and dry... maybe the weekend!

Spring booked!

Spring booked!

Can I come too

Briskie Yorkshire Meet at yours Chris?

Sounds like a plan!!

Well I finally got some pics... dry but under artificial light (5mins ago!)...

 

 

I will order some Autosmart Tardis and some clay (any recommendations?) this week and try to find a day where my hands won't drop off to see if I can work some magic on at least one panel :P Unfortunately the car won't be around much as the GF is doing lots of family/friend stuff and leaving me to my own devices If I'm really bored I may start on my car. After a clay would I be ok just doing a shampoo/wax combo and leaving it?

 

I'm hoping the scratch in the 2nd pic will polish out, what do you think? Actually looks worse under the LED lights.

If you can get your finger nail into it, it wont polish out

It will need painting

Like already said asda for buckets and microfibres. When I first started cleaning my car properly I got the meguries clay kit, I think it's circa £25 not to bad for a beginner either. After the clay stage and tar remove I'd wash the car again, then maybe just get SRP to polish after just to give it a little shine. The new SRP is a pretty good polish too.

Edited 18 November, 201312 yr by Guest

Well I finally got some pics... dry but under artificial light (5mins ago!)...

 

 

I will order some Autosmart Tardis and some clay (any recommendations?) this week and try to find a day where my hands won't drop off to see if I can work some magic on at least one panel  :p Unfortunately the car won't be around much as the GF is doing lots of family/friend stuff and leaving me to my own devices If I'm really bored I may start on my car. After a clay would I be ok just doing a shampoo/wax combo and leaving it?

 

I'm hoping the scratch in the 2nd pic will polish out, what do you think? Actually looks worse under the LED lights.

 

You'll need to wash it first before you start using clay on it and use plenty of lubricant.

That scratch looks wet sandable to me  However, only going on the photo and not being able to see it in the flesh.  I have wet sanded similar looking scratches before successfully.  Admittedly had to sand so much that if the same scratches came back, there wasn't enough paint left to sand any more.....

That scratch looks wet sandable to me  However, only going on the photo and not being able to see it in the flesh.  I have wet sanded similar looking scratches before successfully.  Admittedly had to sand so much that if the same scratches came back, there wasn't enough paint left to sand any more.....

Which is why the fingernail rule tends to work.....and a paint thickness gauge 

Hehe yes I'd wash it first! The roof shot isn't actually that dirty, there really are that many little black spots that won't wash off.

 

Clay and de-spotter ordered today. Will return when I've got round to doing it

 

The scratch looks a lot worse in the pictures, its not deep at all and I only noticed it because I was looking (I think her uncle did a bit of work on it as it was done outside their house by the kids next door).

Well I did finally get around do doing a good wash in December. Autosmart tardis got rid of the black spots nicely. Didn't get the clay in the end, need to pick some up from my boss who said he's never doing his again it was too boring the first time around :P Was going to get it when I went with my ladders to swap out his garage tube (his garage is a 1900s build with nice tall ceilings, very jealous), but the Cordy is in Gloucester on loan at the moment so I can't move my ladders.

 

The girlfriend is very pleased anyway, not only with the fact she can see out (!!!) but the fact its now shiny! She no longer wants to change it... if only it were that easy with everything else :P

 

She got me a Karcher for Christmas (though its on its way back to Amazon to be swapped for one without a broken hose), so recommendations for a snow foaming substance? Also, glass, Rain X or is there something better?

Get: Autobrite Magifoam or

Gtechnik G5 for the glass

Fancy doing mine too chris? I'm in queensbury lol :-)

Bring it round anytime