Spring cleaning .. products to use HELP.

[shenab]

Guys

missed out on the group buy but would like to do a bit of work on the car this weekend polish wise. Looking for some advise on products. I have the usual Autoglym stuff for the roof etc but I think I will need something a bit more specialised.

Is Turtlewax, really really bad?

I have some (gonna kill my dog) light scratches on the paint work which I was hoping to buff out. Any thoughts?

Ollie, how did you get along with the Argos buffer? I've not heard good things about it. Might be cheaper to give my nephew a 10 spot to give it some wellie!

Also, my alloys are looking a bit spotty and would love them to sparkle. Again, I think Steve/Ivan mentioned something to me in Galway but head like a sieve and I've forgotten. Any ideas?

Preferably something I can pick up locally and not have to wait for?

Thanks o masters of all things car related!

S

[lenny_mc]

Last weekend I set about cleaning the 5 properly. I bought meguirs paint cleaner, meguirs polish and meguirs carnuba wax (3 for the price of 2 in halfords). its part of a 3 step system, and very easy to use.

I had previously tried the autoglym paint restorer, but found it to be very harsh on the mx5 paint, and the autoglym srp was not enough to get out some of the scratches.

I also bought the halfrods buffer.

Gave the car a good clean using the 2 bucket method, used the paint cleaner, then the polish, then the wax. It did make an improvement to the paintwork, but there are still some swirls there. I was working on the car for about 4 hours in total, but I think to get it right, it would need a bit more time than this, but for 4 hours work, and about 60 quid outlay I was very happy with the results.

For the hood I use Autoglym vinyl cleaner to clean the hood, then autoglym bumper care, which gives a good finish I think. Flies and dust do have a habit of sticking to the bumper care tho.

I will tackle it again, but this time i will clay the car, and allow myself about 2 days to do it properly.

For the wheels I used autoglym wheel cleaner, and a toothbrush. It didnt get all of the brake dust off, but I changed wheels anyway. I still have the daisy's and am going to refurbish them.

On the glass I used Autoglym fast glass, which gives a good streak free finish, and allows water to bead and flow from the screen easily without using wipers when driving in rain.

On the interior I used the autoglym vinyl cleaner to clean it.

Hope that helps!!

before:


after:

[shenab]

Thanks for this. I use AutoGlym on the roof and windows too .. lovely stuff. You got a really nice finish.

I was worried about using a brush on the wheels but after I introduced one of them to a curb last week I guess I'm not so concerned now! Any thoughts on getting rid of scratches on them?

One question tho' and excuse my total idiotness here .. 2 bucket method, one dirty, one clean? Or is this a technical term I'm missing

I have a power washer with deterdent and brush which I use for the first go, it removes the worst of the dirt without leaving anything on the car. The I rinse it without any detergents. Am I ruining the paintwork?

thanks
S

[lenny_mc]

two bucket method is where you have one bucket with clean water and bodywork shampoo, and another bucket with just water.

You use the second bucket for rinsing any dirt of your wash mit (long haired glove thing) so you dont scratch the paint with any dirt that may be on your wash mit.

I use a halfords wash mit, which is perfectly adequate (and only costs a fiver)

Its like this but in white.


Have a read on http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php for loads of info.

I realise that I might sound like a car cleaning nutu or something, but I actually much prefer driving it to cleaning it

[shenab]

After reading some of the posts off that site I'm scared to clean my car now! I think I'll have to work up to this level.

Thanks for all your help.

S

[lenny_mc]

LOL - yeah - some of them are a bit OTT but it gives good info on the techniques. I could never get to that level, cos im a lazy git

[shenab]

I HATE Ireland!!

ok, I'm sure I will have to start again but in case any of you guys are on line. I spent the last 2 hours, cleaning, polishing, scrubbing (alloys) and generally applying TLC to my baby and was half was through waxing .. as in I had the wax on but not off, and one of those lovely Irish summer downpours came out of no where.

Now what to I do. My car is looking all hazy, ready to be buffed but it's soaking. Do I just rub it down and start again???

Any ideas?

S

[Steve]

Turn the hose on it! It should rinse off easily enough..

[shenab]

I tenderly rubbed it with a towel instead

Not as shiny as I would have liked for the big trip but it will have to do. Sure it would have got dirty on the drive anyway!

S

[lenny_mc]

autoglym have a new wax that you can apply to the car when its wet. I havent tried it yet, but will maybe buy some soon.