Karoq -Attention to detail?

[grandadpip]

For more years than I can remember my car cleaning exterior habits have remained unaltered.These activities have centered around a weekly bucket full of decent shampoo, a twice yearly polish again using something decent.

Now, if I believe all the hype, there are more correct and superior methods to do the job and without the potential to damage the paintwork finish (swirl marks) etc etc etc. The use of snow foams appear to be gathering pace. The idea of a process that helps remove all or part of the grime appeals. This snow effect does look the business if my neighbour's example are anything to go by. This process together with wash buckets with grid guards, micro fibre towels to dry off all make common sense in helping to preserve the paint finish on a new vehicle. Or have I just been swallowed up by all the associated hype?

[penguin17]

No.  Snow foaming and washing with two buckets (incl grit guards) is IMO a bare minimum requirement when cleaning a car.  

 

A snow foam and thorough rinse before you even go near the car with a mitt can help reduce a significant amount of debris and surface contaminants before you start exfoliating some nice holograms into the top coat, or even worse. 

 

Two buckets, why?  Well try using them once and then take a look at the colour of the water in the rinse bucket (I use semi-transparent buckets so it's more obvious).  If you weren't washing the mitt between panels then all that dirty water and debris would just be getting pushed around the car.  Scratchy scratchy.   I have 2 x 10 L plasterers buckets which I got from Amazon for a few quid, ditto the grit guards.  Much cheaper than spending £30+ on some with a detailing brand on them.  A permanent marker to append 'wash' and 'rinse'.  Job done. 

 

Look at a supermarket hand car wash.  The dirt from how many cars is shared with how many others?  You may as well not bother paying them and just key your own car every few months; you'll save money and have the same level of paint condition. 

 

Also, never rub the car unless there's some form of lubricant between the car and your microfiber or whatever you're using.  Pat the car to dry it, unless as stated, you have have some level of lubrication.  So a quick detailing spray could be used as a 'drying aid'.  Pat the car with a drying towel so the majority of water is cleared from the surface, then mist each panel with a quick detailing spray and wipe dry.  Dry and nice shine with *some* level of protection in one relatively simple step. 

 

This is just one part of my wash regime.  Others can and will do things differently but bottom line, the more debris/friction you can remove during your wash process the better the finish and less scratching will occur.  With all the will in the world you will still leave some micro-scratches etc but these will be less obvious and only visible under close scrutiny.  Then a 6 monthly full decontamination, detail, machine polish and seal should hopefully get the paint back to as good as new. 

 

 

Edited 4 September, 2018 by penguin17

[john999boy]

Briskoda does have a dedicated Detailing Section too. 

[VAGCF]

I look after my cars but have to say that the machine polishing every 6 months is a bit OTT and even using snow foam unless the car is really dirty. I agree with everything else you have said though.

 

My 4 year old TT still looks great (metallics always help) and I have never clayed it or snow foamed it. Just a two bucket wash with a lambs wool mitt and drying with microfibre towels using the dabbing method though I do wipe sometimes! Use of detail spray every few washes and a wax now and then. I like my cars looking good but I'm not OCD about it. I am OCD about where I park it though!

 

For a daily driver like my Yeti and similar I think a good wash and wax is good enough! Just my opinion though!

 

 

Edited 4 September, 2018 by VAGCF

[Agerbundsen]

I will probably be labelled as a heretic, but......

 

Automatic car wash with felt whirlymigigs and lowest possible price that includes wheel wash. The car wash uses de-mineralized water, which is filtered and re-cycled, so no calcium deposits on the paint after drying. Vacuum and clean interior, including glass every now and again. At the same time, get those few areas the automatic car wash miss.

 

Cleaning the inside of the glass is quite important on a new car, as the softeners in the plastic components in the car evaporate ("that "new car" smell") and adsorb on the inside of the glass.

[grandadpip]

Whoops! John999boy is dead right.Wrong area to post in.I should have gone to Specsavers!

[VAGCF]

Don't worry about it, most of us never stray away from one or two areas so probably wouldn't have seen your post.

[FabFabFabia]

Can I use snow foam or similar on my car that has had AutoGlym LifeShine applied before I picked it up, or do I only have to use the provided cleaners?

[Delberthot]

On 04/09/2018 at 12:16, penguin17 said:

No.  Snow foaming and washing with two buckets (incl grit guards) is IMO a bare minimum requirement when cleaning a car.  

 

A snow foam and thorough rinse before you even go near the car with a mitt can help reduce a significant amount of debris and surface contaminants before you start exfoliating some nice holograms into the top coat, or even worse. 

 

Two buckets, why?  Well try using them once and then take a look at the colour of the water in the rinse bucket (I use semi-transparent buckets so it's more obvious).  If you weren't washing the mitt between panels then all that dirty water and debris would just be getting pushed around the car.  Scratchy scratchy.   I have 2 x 10 L plasterers buckets which I got from Amazon for a few quid, ditto the grit guards.  Much cheaper than spending £30+ on some with a detailing brand on them.  A permanent marker to append 'wash' and 'rinse'.  Job done. 

 

Look at a supermarket hand car wash.  The dirt from how many cars is shared with how many others?  You may as well not bother paying them and just key your own car every few months; you'll save money and have the same level of paint condition. 

 

Also, never rub the car unless there's some form of lubricant between the car and your microfiber or whatever you're using.  Pat the car to dry it, unless as stated, you have have some level of lubrication.  So a quick detailing spray could be used as a 'drying aid'.  Pat the car with a drying towel so the majority of water is cleared from the surface, then mist each panel with a quick detailing spray and wipe dry.  Dry and nice shine with *some* level of protection in one relatively simple step. 

 

This is just one part of my wash regime.  Others can and will do things differently but bottom line, the more debris/friction you can remove during your wash process the better the finish and less scratching will occur.  With all the will in the world you will still leave some micro-scratches etc but these will be less obvious and only visible under close scrutiny.  Then a 6 monthly full decontamination, detail, machine polish and seal should hopefully get the paint back to as good as new. 

 

 

 

This is a lot of good information on getting yourself started down the often expensive road of car detailing. I'm in no way fanatical about cleaning my car but I've spent a fortune on cleaning products and cloths etc and I've not always gone with the expensive recommended options but instead preferred to go for a lower cost product that I know works just as well. 

[Goldtw74]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_4lRohBzY20wjsFGWS0Jzg.  I have this a useful channel for tips and reviews.