We took a short break in Italy last november to visit a couple of Aircraft Museums,one of them was the Caproni museum at Trento,after visiting the museum and a spot o lunch we took a stroll around the far side of the airfield to watch a couple of glider launches (aerotow) and we saw this great reflection of a parked Cessna aircraft in the plate glass Control Tower window 

 

What you've got to remember is that the wash process is where most of the paint work damage is done from spiders legs, micro marring, holograms, etc... 

The trick is to physically touch the paintwork the least. Use snow foams or citrus pre-washes to help soften and emulsify the dirt, lifting it away from the surface meaning that when you follow it up with a two bucket wash (after pressure rinsing the snow foam or citrus pre-wash off) the least amount of effort is needed to shift the remaining dirt. 

Claying of any kind will marr the paint work, be it a clay block, towel, mitt, pad, etc... it the general nature of the beast in that your rubbing something even with a lot of lubricant, need the clay to bite to remove the contamination. 

Claying is always best followed with a polish, for other occasions tar removers and fallout removers are the best course of action as often they require little to no physical contact from any implements. 

Holograms are more noticeable of dark coloured as well as black cars, so any polishing needs to be followed up with a fine finishing polish to remove any holograms. 

With car washing it's like treating a patient, start with the least invasive and gentlest method, you can always get more invasive should you need to. 

With microfibres and towels, only wash them in a non-bio wash at 40 Degrees C or a microfibre towel wash (which can be had for about £16 for 500ml, which may sound a lot but only needs about 25ml per wash), anything higher or that contains any enzymes of conditioners will damages the pile of the cloth and will become flat and some cases mildly abrasive.  

6 hours ago, valvedoctor46 said:

I've heard good things about the orange boa m/f's.I'll have to buy a few. I'm sure ill get there, its just soul destroying seeing the holograms when the sun has got his hat on.

 

I do wish i knew what a `hologram` is!

37 minutes ago, mandp said:

 

I do wish i knew what a `hologram` is!

Think of a hologram as wax hazing, but in the clear one. In most light it's not noticeable but then at some point it'll become apparent and stand out a mile, yet move and it disappears. Which is why when inspecting the paint after polishing you move your head around a lot up and down, side to side, to try and catch as many angles of the light hitting the car as you can. 

2 hours ago, Svend said:

Think of a hologram as wax hazing, but in the clear one. In most light it's not noticeable but then at some point it'll become apparent and stand out a mile, yet move and it disappears. Which is why when inspecting the paint after polishing you move your head around a lot up and down, side to side, to try and catch as many angles of the light hitting the car as you can. 

Didn't realise it was that complicated. Thank you for the explanation.

Regards

Mike.

11 minutes ago, mandp said:

Didn't realise it was that complicated. Thank you for the explanation.

Regards

Mike.

No worries. Dark colours and blacks are so more particular than others. 

Silver is the only colour for an easy life, others have there own particular needs. 

On 15/05/2018 at 13:32, valvedoctor46 said:

I've heard good things about the orange boa m/f's.I'll have to buy a few. I'm sure ill get there, its just soul destroying seeing the holograms when the sun has got his hat on.

 

I find these MF's perfect for buffing of wax or polish residue (You can get them in blue, grey & orange)  

http://www.in2detailing.co.uk/products/towels-cloths-and-wash-mitts/cloths/16-x-16-super-plush-470gsm-orange-microfibre-edgeless-korean-car-detailing-cloth.html

I also use these & there just as good (fantastic quality, inside & outside)

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/microfibre-cloths/multi-purpose-polishing-cloths/eurow-microfibre-work-towels-pkg/36/prod_1492.html

Also got 2 of these but I ain't used them (can also get them in yellow)

https://shop.autofinesse.co.uk/microfiber/ultra-plush-microfiber-towel

 

EDIT:

A cracking deal on 10 x mixed colours MF cloths (works out to £2.00 each) They have great reviews.

https://www.ezcarcare.co.uk/collections/microfibre-glass-cloths

Edited 16 May, 20188 yr by BATVANVRS

You should take a look here https://www.ragmasteruk.co.uk/all-products/

 

Didn't take this one for this thread - I was trying to photograph my dash-cam to show to a mate (it's in there somewhere). But I quite like the outcome. Looks a bit like the Skoda Mad Max would drive.

A bit of both, reflection and beading

Does the reflection of a polished exhaust pipe count?

Good view of the Fabia Greenline runabout here. Note it has NOT been detailed. My Superb was just treated to a full paintwork detail with some minor correction and major sealing.

I've given the Ignis a going over this weekend and again, it's come up a treat.

 

 

Edited 10 June, 20187 yr by skinnyman

Finished my Annual Exterior Deep Clean last month.  Car is approaching 8 years old and 100,000 miles.  Mostly Autoglym and Bilt Hamber products with the occasional Angelwax thrown into the mix.

And now for the other side!

@Fin69 can I ask what paint cleanser you used? Stunning result,  just like skinnyman above yours.

I'll just list every product I used in case anyone wants to use it.

 

Bilt Hamber (BH)  Autoglym (AG)

 

BH Auto Foam

BH Wheel Cleaner

BH Auto Wash - TBM with Grit Guards and Meguiars Deep Pile Microfibre Wash Mitt

AG Bumper Care on bumpers, window surrounds, and plastic trim - left to dry and then buffed.

BH Auto Foam

BH Auto Wash - TBM with Grit Guards and lambswool wash mitt

AG Autogloss Rinse using a 2 litre hand pump - works more effectively than using via a snow foam lance.

Angelwax Big Mahoosive Blue Microfibre towel - slightly dampened

BH Korrosol fallout remover applied using a pump spray

BH Normal Clay Bar

BH Cleanser Polish - didn't realise until it was too late that I had ran out of BH Cleanser Fluid which is what I normally use.

BH Double Speed Wax x two coats - 30 minutes between coats

AG Extra Gloss Protection

AG Glass Polish

Tyre Gel applied via Meguiars Tyre Dressing Application Pad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few vintage ones from me, as I don't think you can beat Black Magic for reflections! Bit scary that this was nearly 10yrs ago though

 

And this shot was done mid-detail, only upto glaze stage

 

So I've never really bought the 'black is really difficult to keep clean' excuse. It's all in the prep and detail

Fabia clean from a couple of weeks ago 

Roof was so clean and reflective my Google assistant asked me if photo was upside down 

Edited 15 June, 20187 yr by malcster

Washed with megs gold class shampoo and dried off with a spritz of la ligntning lemon detail spray

Got one from my Mondeo when I did it before I swapped it for my Yeti, was just a standard SRP and EGP. 

 

Haven't really had time to work on my Yeti since I've got her, but I'm sure it had never had a proper clean as it was a muted grey. Clayed it and got some fleck back though! 

 

CG Mirror Finish does what it says on the tin.

Edited 19 June, 20187 yr by Kenny R

Finally got around to doing my Yeti! 

 

SRP lurking in the distance... 

After wetsanding with 1500 and 2500 grit, then meguiars 105 and 205 with DA machine. And M21(sealant) for the end by hand.  This is the boot right next to the license plate. Have a look at the bottom right hand corner, you ll see part of the stop light. 

@theo_k that looks fantastic, thought someone had just taken a photo of you for a minute...........fancy coming and doing my 'fleet'?