Best way to wash your car??

[mutley]

Sorry, not sure what section to post this in, but I enjoyed the day.
This was at a little car show in Limavady, Northern Ireland at the weekend.

[Paul G]

I was going to say from the bottom up!
Only one picture?

Nice one

PG

[simonprelude]

Just looked on the referring forum, lets hope I'm not offending anyone, but I think I'll leave mine dirty ;)

[reg]

Looks like a young guy enjoying cars to me, good luck to him.

[Kevin]

I would say by leaving the door closed when soap and water are in the vicinity?

[reg]

I would say by leaving the door closed when soap and water are in the vicinity?

Or.....Sponges, which now make me cringe. After converting to wash mitts I would never go back to them, unless I needed a firelighter :p

[mutley]

To be fair to them, it was more so that they could pose for photos, rather than washing the car. I'll see if I can get some more for you .

But felt I had to share.

[Papalazarou]

Or.....Sponges, which now make me cringe. After converting to wash mitts I would never go back to them, unless I needed a firelighter :p


What's wrong with a sponge?


Cheers,

James.

[Kevin]

At least the number plate looks excited.

[reg]

What's wrong with a sponge?


Cheers,

James.

Sponges tend to hold the grit and crud on the surface and this leads to swirls on your paint. A mitt has deep pile and removes the grit from the cleaning area better. Also they hold more car wash so you can clean easier. They last ok mine is now about 7 months old and still holding up. Try this lot, its where I got my last batch from.

http://www.seriousperformance.co.uk/News.html

With the mitt and using two buckets, one clean water to rinse the mitt each time and the other with car wash contamination that causes swirls is kept to a minimum. I was converted when I had the Integra paintwork stripped and cleaned.

[Silver Surfer]

Interesting......regarding the mitts!

How many times do you wash the car with mitts before you get swirls? is that the same as the cobweb effect seen in sunlight?

I always thought it would be inevitable after washing it once fortnightly for 6 months.

SS :(

[amo]

lookin good mate
but

think you should move that plate dont think it looks good there and way tooo big

thx amo

[mutley]

lookin good mate
but

think you should move that plate dont think it looks good there and way tooo big

thx amo


I know, but it's covering some damage!!!!

[reg]

Interesting......regarding the mitts!

How many times do you wash the car with mitts before you get swirls? is that the same as the cobweb effect seen in sunlight?

I always thought it would be inevitable after washing it once fortnightly for 6 months.

SS :(

What I have learnt is that everytime you wash the car you damage the paint to some degree.

A swirl;
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/306/ba3aeswirls7qc.jpg

From this place;
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4536

These forums;
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php

It is a really good idea to clay the car then seal before using some good polish. It is amazing when you have a good base how much easier it is to clean the car. A word of warning though, if you do get someone to machine polish your car make absolutely sure that they have a. a paint depth meter, b. recommedations and references and c. insurance if something goes wrong.

However all that aside with the right person the results can be amazing and take years off your car.

Am thinking of using http://www.miracledetail.co.uk which works out about £600, not cheap but will give a full years protection and get the car looking as good as is possible. Its paint correction not just a polish. Have a look at the gallery, I think http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/includes/watermarkLarge.php?type=gallery&theImageID=1891 (http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/includes/watermarkLarge.php?type=gallery&theImageID=1891) is amazing.

When I am through with the mechanical bits and pieces I am off to get some Japon wax to prepare the car for japfest:cool:

[amo]

oky doky glad its not too much

thx amo

[Senninha]

Am thinking of using http://www.miracledetail.co.uk which works out about £600, not cheap but will give a full years protection and get the car looking as good as is possible. Its paint correction not just a polish. Have a look at the gallery, I think http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/includes/watermarkLarge.php?type=gallery&theImageID=1891 (http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/includes/watermarkLarge.php?type=gallery&theImageID=1891)is amazing.
Seems TV has pushed his prices up. I spoke with Paul last year and full car was around 450. I went DIY with maguirs until I've sorted a few other things then may revisit, but not at that money.

An alternative would be here: http://www.clean-image.co.uk/articles/part-1-honda-nsx-04.htm

regards, Paul

[reg]

Cool link, is that Y1?

I also spoke with Paul seemed like a cool guy I dont know why but it seemed like reasonable value overall once you factor in the length it should last? Not that £500+ can be deemed as sensible for any car wash :)

Might call the above sometime, always good to have more contacts as with anything else.

[Senninha]

Cool link, is that Y1?

Might call the above sometime, always good to have more contacts as with anything else.
I'm hoping to see tham later this week to get a quote so I'll let you know how I get on. Paul seemed ok on the phone but seemed reluctant to travel to assess work and give frim price.

regards, Paul

[DAVEMAT]

I know I've posted about this before, but you could try Glyn O'Donnell www.elitedetailer.co.uk I had him down to give mine a top up last time I was home, that was 150 quid, but the initial detailing with the clay work etc was 250, although that depends on where abouts in the UK you are based.

[DAVEMAT]

A couple of pics just after Glyn had finished the top up (1 with my other toy, I'd done myself)

[WhyOne?]

Cool link, is that Y1?



Yes indeedee :)

I am anal about the condition of my cars and when I bought Y1 I factored in the cost of a good quality paint refurbishment. The paint wasn't in bad condition, but it was definitly swirled/cobwebbed. Willy - the expert polisher from Sweden - said Y1 had been through a mechanical car wash on more than one occasion :( Still, after 10 hours hard labour, the car looks fantastic. £250 well spent I feel.

[Papalazarou]

Was reading up about cleaning and polishing and came accross this on S2Ki. (not literally of course).
I thought Tangoman was just a mythical creature, but we saw him at JAE last year. He's definately real:p

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=471564

Cheers,


James.

[WhyOne?]

For those who might be interested, Lee (Tangoman) has now set up in business - here is a link to his website:

http://extremedetailing.co.uk/treatments/

[markdas]

I recently bought washmitts in a pack of 4 from Costco for about 16 quid I think? Also use Maguirs clay bars, have messed around with MER polish but still think AutoGlym is hard to beat as a finisher.

Not sure whats happened to the DiamondBrite Franchise, I had a Saab 9-3 convertible done in 2003 for 200 quid and I never had to polish it for the 2 1/2 years I kept the car.....

For shows I also have a sray can of Maguirs misting polish that just brightens up an already clean car for final touches etc.

[TangoMan]

Blimey, you lurk around forums for a while and wham, my name turns up :D

Any time you wash a car you damage the paint, fact of life I am afraid. What you try to do is reduce the damage caused by grit etc by some careful practices. Start by getting a wash mitt and use two buckets of water, one with car shampoo in and the other with fresh clean water. Start by washing the car from the top and always wipe in one direction. When you go for more suds rinse the mitt off in fresh water first so you are releasing any grit that is in the pile of the mitt.
Next bit is drying, invest in some quality micro fibre drying towels, the grit will sink into these rather than sit on top. Get the towels damp by drying the windows first then move onto the paintwork. Do Not Wipe, rest the towel or dab it across the paint it will soak up the water like so;

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/465441647_46a7ae0289.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/465441729_65cd55383f.jpg

It may all sound a little complicated but trust me you will pick it up quickly. Now there is plenty more tips and trick that I can explain such as contactless washing, if the Moderators are happy with it I can start an ask Tango thread and try and help you guys out with some ideas and techniques :)

All the best, Lee.