Morning all,

I'm waiting for my first ever brand new car, which after many years of driving is quite an event.

After looking at some of the results you guys get, I want to rise above my normal, hose, bucket and sponge (though in recent years I have at least used a mitt). 

I won't be taking up the dealers offer of Lifeshine (££££s), so what do I need to do/use to give it the best start?

The new one will be an Octavia estate in Quartz Grey

 

If I did buy a brand new car I would be take it to a pro detailer and get them to do a new car prep, if I didn’t know what I do about detailing cars. 

 

As I do have a decent bit of experience in this area, in short, I would wash and  clay the car (2 bucket method) and give it a full machine polish. Once done, I would look at some kind of ceramic sealant, which some offer up to two years protection. This will help keep the washing of the car much, much easier as nothing will stick to the paintwork. Less touching during the washing process will extend the amazing looking of a well polished car. 

 

That said, a ceramic coat is not an easy product to properly apply, so the alternative is a good wax. Once done, regular maintenance washes will be quick and easy, if you keep on top of it. 

 

I would also also remove the wheels and use something like Carbon Collective Platinum Wheels, which will prevent brake dust, tar etc from sticking to the wheels so that a weekly jet wash will keep them looking perfect. 

 

Others have their own opinion and will hopefully chip in, but this is what I would personally do. 

 

 

 

 

As Jars said, depending on how confident/competent you are you might want to get a local detailer to give it a "new car clean/treatment" first.

 

Two bucket method is the way to go..... 1 bucket with clean water, the other with car shampoo.  After you've washed a panel, clean the wash mitt (not a sponge, they very bad for paintwork) in the clean water then load with shampoo again, that way the less of the dirt your taking off the car ends up in the clean soapy water.

 

When rinsing, spray off all the shampoo using the hose attachment/jetwash but once you've done this, use a open hose on the final rinse, this will help the water to sheet off rather than collect in droplets on the surface making drying easier.

 

Dry with a large, plush microfibre towel but blot the water up rather than wiping.  If you do have to wipe, try to move the cloth in the direction the wind would move across the panel rather than in circular motion as this is more likely to cause swirl marks.

 

Ceramic coatings are very good but you usually have to keep the car dry for 24 hours after application and the prep work before hand has to be spot on.

 

I've just bought/applied Fusso Soft Coat99 which is a hybrid wax/sealant and is claimed to last up to 12 months.  Only £24 for a big tin and an absolute doddle to apply.

 

I tend to get my supplies from www.cleanyourcar.co.uk, Tim the guy that runs is very helpful if you have any questions about products and I'm more than happy to help answer any questions you have (well as best as I can anyway )

Edited 11 July, 20187 yr by Russ77

thanks for the advice guys 

As mentioned above but if you dont plan to keep the car for long or if youre on a lease with no itention to buy the car out later then i wouldnt go for a ceramic coating, if thats the case then get yourself a tin of fusso coat or a different wax as mentioned above and you should be good to go

 

I had a new car protection detail done as soon as I got mine.  Wouldn't let the dealers even wash it.  Using GTechniq products, including Wheel Armour.  Very glad I did and get it all topped up once a year.

 

Gaz

I'm a complete amateur also and considered the professional detailer / ceramic coat route. In the end I decided to try to keep it looking good myself. The results certainly aren't as good as a pro would achieve, but I really enjoy doing it. I also have quartz grey and I agree with the guys above. I use two coats of soft 99 fusso dark (should only need doing twice a year) and poorboys black hole glaze, topped off with Megs Ultimate wax. Then a good wash routine weekly / fortnightly - plenty of good advice on here if you do a search. But be warned - it becomes addictive!

22 minutes ago, BriskodaJeff said:

I'm a complete amateur also and considered the professional detailer / ceramic coat route. In the end I decided to try to keep it looking good myself. The results certainly aren't as good as a pro would achieve, but I really enjoy doing it. I also have quartz grey and I agree with the guys above. I use two coats of soft 99 fusso dark (should only need doing twice a year) and poorboys black hole glaze, topped off with Megs Ultimate wax. Then a good wash routine weekly / fortnightly - plenty of good advice on here if you do a search. But be warned - it becomes addictive!

 

cheers Jeff, I'm worried about the addiction side, my wife may want the Mini doing (practice??) then there's the motorbikes.....

Hey cake monster, I highly recommend the ceramic coatings for protection. It makes life so much easier when it comes to maintenance. There’s loads of videos that can tell you how to apply. Im a detailer and use gtechniq crystal serum light and exo myself. They are easy enough to apply although very time consuming. The prep is probably the hardest part.  

12 hours ago, Brownbear said:

Hey cake monster, I highly recommend the ceramic coatings for protection. It makes life so much easier when it comes to maintenance. There’s loads of videos that can tell you how to apply. Im a detailer and use gtechniq crystal serum light and exo myself. They are easy enough to apply although very time consuming. The prep is probably the hardest part.  

 

cheers Brownbear, I feel a YouTube search coming on.

 

Is it wise to do these coatings on a 'box fresh' car or wait a while?

I would say waiting will only increase the risk of marring and contaminating the paintwork. If you do it sooner rather than later it would be ideal. There will be less swirl marks and blemishes to correct prior to coating. CSL and EXO are user friendly but read the instructions carefully, buy a big bag of new cloths and have at it  if you need any pointers give us a shout.

50 minutes ago, Brownbear said:

I would say waiting will only increase the risk of marring and contaminating the paintwork. If you do it sooner rather than later it would be ideal. There will be less swirl marks and blemishes to correct prior to coating. CSL and EXO are user friendly but read the instructions carefully, buy a big bag of new cloths and have at it  if you need any pointers give us a shout.

 

Cheers mate, do they need to be applied in doors (in a garage)?  even if our garage didn't look like a cycle & motorbike shop, I don't think an Octavia would fit (designed for a 50's Moggy Minor)

I know what you mean I could fit an old golf in my old garage but I couldn’t open the doors .

 

You can do it outside if weather and dust isn’t a problem. I use a sided gazebo sometimes for applying Gtechniq. It’s all to do with what you’re comfortable with. Maybe try it on a single panel before you go all out.

Oh yeah it needs to be kept dry for 24 hours afterwards 

If the paintwork is brand new then there is no need to polish it (polishing being different to waxing). There should be no scratches or blemishes - polishing is intended for "renewing" the appearance of paintwork, but you don't need to... because it is new! There's no need to use a clay bar, either, because your paintwork should have no macro-contaminants (or contaminants of any kind).

 

Others have suggested a ceramic coating, but, in my humble opinion, this is pretty extreme, needs to be done skillfully (prep work must be immaculate), and is very time-consuming and awkward (e.g. 24-hour drying time).

 

Modern painting materials/reagents/processes produce paintwork of amazingly high quality.

 

In your case, if you're looking for a fairly risk-free, not terribly time-consuming, but very effective first-clean:

 

1. Wash

2. Dry

3. Apply a paint sealant (e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meguiars-21-Synthetic-Sealant-473ml/dp/B002J854UC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1533219896&sr=8-10&keywords=car+paint+sealant - there are plenty others to choose from)

 

The sealant will provide long-term protection - you'll only need to reapply a few times per year, as opposed to waxing which (despite numerous protestations from wax fans) needs to be done roughly every 4-6 weeks.

 

Waxing does add more shine, but, again, your paintwork will be brand new and shiny anyway, so the sealant will simply keep it looking that way.

 

Good luck!

17 minutes ago, Chilli1 said:

 

as opposed to waxing which (despite numerous protestations from wax fans) needs to be done roughly every 4-6 weeks.

 

 

Not protesting, presenting fact.... Colinite 915 lasts way more than 4-6 weeks.  On well prep'd paintwork it lasts at least 3 months if not longer

31 minutes ago, Chilli1 said:

If the paintwork is brand new then there is no need to polish it (polishing being different to waxing). There should be no scratches or blemishes - polishing is intended for "renewing" the appearance of paintwork, but you don't need to... because it is new! There's no need to use a clay bar, either, because your paintwork should have no macro-contaminants (or contaminants of any kind).

 

Sorry  Chilli1 but I really do disagree with that part.

In an ideal world this could be true, but in reality almost every new car will sit out in the open for a duration until it is prepped and ready to be sold. This could be from a few weeks to a few years between the factory and the forecourt.

While these cars are stood it is definitely possible that they can receive minor and sometimes major afflictions.  A mixture of human error (minor scratches) from poor wash etiquette, contamination (bird droppings, iron fallout, etc.), stonechips from gravel parking areas can cause any number of problems with a new car. 

So to say that a brand new car will not be contaminated and will not need polishing is not necessarily true. It can be but in most instances it is not.

 

Sorry for the blurb but it’s just my two cents. I’ve worked in the trade doing many different jobs, one of which was a machine polisher for an import centre.

 

 

Edited 2 August, 20187 yr by Brownbear

I can see where you're all coming from @Brownbear  @Russ77 & @Chilli1  (I think) and there's plenty of food for thought.

 

one thing is for certain though, if my first ever new car (of my own) is delivered with marks & s*** paint, the dealer will be the unwilling recipient in an a*** kicking competion

 

29 minutes ago, Russ77 said:

Not protesting, presenting fact.... Colinite 915 lasts way more than 4-6 weeks.  On well prep'd paintwork it lasts at least 3 months if not longer

 

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm a wax fan, too - they do produce a lovely shine!

 

But I can no longer ignore the strong rationale for sealants and have finally decided to move over. Sealants provide better protection from e.g. UV light, bird droppings, they're longer-lived, and they're easier to apply.

 

I personally have found waxes to deteriorate at around the four-week mark; still providing good protection and beading, but not nearly as good as when it first goes on, despite careful washing.

 

It's a contentious issue, I know!

33 minutes ago, Brownbear said:

 

Sorry  Chilli1 but I really do disagree with that part.

In an ideal world this could be true, but in reality almost every new car will sit out in the open for a duration until it is prepped and ready to be sold. This could be from a few weeks to a few years between the factory and the forecourt.

While these cars are stood it is definitely possible that they can receive minor and sometimes major afflictions.  A mixture of human error (minor scratches) from poor wash etiquette, contamination (bird droppings, iron fallout, etc.), stonechips from gravel parking areas can cause any number of problems with a new car. 

So to say that a brand new car will not be contaminated and will not need polishing is not necessarily true. It can be but in most instances it is not.

 

Sorry for the blurb but it’s just my two cents. I’ve worked in the trade doing many different jobs, one of which was a machine polisher for an import centre.

 

 

 

I think this depends on whether it's a factory or a stock order.

 

If the car has sat for just a few weeks, or even a few more on top of that, a thorough clean with a good shampoo should be more than enough to deal with any dirt.

 

If the paintwork arrives after marinading in bird crap for years, or is scratched in transit, then it simply shouldn't be accepted in the first place.

 

Either way, in my humble opinion, there should be absolutely no need to polish a brand new car - if it arrives in need of a polish then it should go right back to the dealer.

4 minutes ago, Cakemonster said:

I can see where you're all coming from @Brownbear  @Russ77 & @Chilli1  (I think) and there's plenty of food for thought.

 

one thing is for certain though, if my first ever new car (of my own) is delivered with marks & s*** paint, the dealer will be the unwilling recipient in an a*** kicking competion

 

 

Exactly! The paint (and car) should arrive with you in excellent condition. If not, send it back!

15 minutes ago, Cakemonster said:

 one thing is for certain though, if my first ever new car (of my own) is delivered with marks & s*** paint, the dealer will be the unwilling recipient in an a*** kicking competion

 

Don't worry mate - the chances of that happening are vanishingly small. If anything, your first observation of "problems" (if anything like my car) will be when you strip off the protection the dealer has put on it. And when I say problems, I'm talking about micro-marring that will only be visible in the strongest light, and frankly will only ever really be noticed by you or another detailing enthusiast, when viewed from 6 inches away. As an example, I posted this on the recently cleaned thread a while back. It looks immaculate thanks to Poorboys Black Hole Glaze, but in reality it needs correcting. You'd never guess unless you took a specialist light to it or studied it inch by inch. Oddly enough, I'm the only person ever to have done that!

 

 

FYI Mine has Fusso Dark followed by black hole glaze and a final top off of Megs Ultimate. It's no better and no worse combination than anyone else uses.

25 minutes ago, BriskodaJeff said:

If anything, your first observation of "problems" (if anything like my car) will be when you strip off the protection the dealer has put on it.

 

I'd forgot the dealers usually do a quick detail.

 

If that's the case then, Cakemonster, you'll need to polish it to remove the wax before using a sealant, or even if planning to use a nicer wax. There are other ways to remove existing wax (some people actually wash with Fairy Liquid - the salts strip away the wax apparently!), and there are other purpose-designed products that'll strip wax, but polishing is a good way.

 

I stand corrected!

Edited 2 August, 20187 yr by Chilli1

1 hour ago, Chilli1 said:

 

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm a wax fan, too - they do produce a lovely shine!

 

But I can no longer ignore the strong rationale for sealants and have finally decided to move over. Sealants provide better protection from e.g. UV light, bird droppings, they're longer-lived, and they're easier to apply.

 

I personally have found waxes to deteriorate at around the four-week mark; still providing good protection and beading, but not nearly as good as when it first goes on, despite careful washing.

 

It's a contentious issue, I know!

 

Absolutely, I've had a tin of colinite since 2007, done numerous other cars as well as my own but as it was running out decided to investigate new avenues, at which point I opted for the Fusso99 Dark Coat, I don't really buy into the coloured was thing but went for the extra life properties

There are many ways of removing the dealer LSP but in my view Fairy Liquid is to be avoided as it causes all sorts of problems for rubber seals etc as it dries them out, and is really unkind to the paint. I used Bilt Hamber Paint Cleanser - brilliant product in my very humble opinion and worked really well for me.