Auto Detailing

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: everman
What's the best stuff for keeping tires looking good? (I've heard that some of those products actually cause damage?)

this
followed up by this

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman

Originally posted by: rbrandon
silicon "protectants" are the absolute WORST thing to use on leather. they do nothing but dry out the leather and cause it to crack. Meguiars leather treatment stuff is stuff I use, two step, one bottle is cleaner, the other conditioner.

What about Pinnacle -brand leather cleaners and conditioners? I heard that's the best stuff.

pinnacle makes nice products...but meguairs I be;lieve are still better

you also might want to try duponts teflon line of protectants they are fairly new...

 

[mchammer]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: mchammer

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: mchammer
Have an old Taurus, the paint is in ok shape, but quite dirty. I want to clean it up, but I want to be gentle becuase it does not have much clear coat left on it. I'm not concerned about swirl marks at this point.

put your hand in a zipbloc or sandwich bag and run your hand over the cars hood...does it feel like a chalk board?

I'd be surprised if it didn't... Lets go with yes for now.

okay you want to clay your car first... easiest best consumer kit I have use, I was happy with it Text

follow the instructions they are pretty good...

Then what comes after that?

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: mchammer

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: mchammer

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: mchammer
Have an old Taurus, the paint is in ok shape, but quite dirty. I want to clean it up, but I want to be gentle becuase it does not have much clear coat left on it. I'm not concerned about swirl marks at this point.

put your hand in a zipbloc or sandwich bag and run your hand over the cars hood...does it feel like a chalk board?

I'd be surprised if it didn't... Lets go with yes for now.

okay you want to clay your car first... easiest best consumer kit I have use, I was happy with it Text

follow the instructions they are pretty good...

Then what comes after that?

cleaner wax (turtle wax is fine)rubbing compound and then some wax

Ill let you know which ones and some tips for the bird corrosion...but i got to go m8...ill PM you..

 

[MasterAndCommander]

Micro fiber drying cloths are your friend ....Much better and cheaper than a chamois.

 

[bleeb]

YOu should make an "OFFICIAL DETAILING CAR THREAD"

 

[rbrandon]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: rbrandon

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: mugs

where do you take it? how much do they charge? what do they do? Where do you live?

That there is the key. A lot of the guys who just do it on the side, you have no idea what they're actually doing or if they use quality products. Yeah it might look good when you get it back, but it won't last like a good job.

Question - what's best for cleaning leather? My wife has tan leather seats and she a black stain where her belt rubs against her seats. I've tried several different leather care products (including Autoglym, which I think autopia recommended), nothing works.

ouch...ive seen that before

well yes that is definately a good product and it it was just dirty it would have removed it...

So the leather's finish is probably rubbed down..unless you want to get into leather dyes (which are not that hard to match)...there is really ntohing you can do...I would get some silicon leather protectant for the rest of the seats so it can be prevented...just continue use of what you have regulariry.....

silicon "protectants" are the absolute WORST thing to use on leather. they do nothing but dry out the leather and cause it to crack. Meguiars leather treatment stuff is stuff I use, two step, one bottle is cleaner, the other conditioner.

and what do you think is in that? all auto body and dealership professional leather treatments have silocon also...you sir have just been using crappy products...

Directly from the Meguiars bottle "Contains no silicates" and right from the front of the bottle "Contains Aloe Vera and Natural Leather Oils".



http://www.meguiars.com/estore/product_...loe-Cleaner&sku=G11016&sectionID=12201



http://www.meguiars.com/estore/product_...Conditioner&sku=G11116&sectionID=12201

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: MasterAndCommander
Micro fiber drying cloths are your friend ....Much better and cheaper than a chamois.

:thumbsup:

definately (just not the cheap wal-mart kind) perfect for drying, wax revmoving, polishing, and as a finishing rag or general one

 

[dartworth]

http://autopia.org/forum/index.php

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: rbrandon

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: rbrandon

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: mugs

where do you take it? how much do they charge? what do they do? Where do you live?

That there is the key. A lot of the guys who just do it on the side, you have no idea what they're actually doing or if they use quality products. Yeah it might look good when you get it back, but it won't last like a good job.

Question - what's best for cleaning leather? My wife has tan leather seats and she a black stain where her belt rubs against her seats. I've tried several different leather care products (including Autoglym, which I think autopia recommended), nothing works.

ouch...ive seen that before

well yes that is definately a good product and it it was just dirty it would have removed it...

So the leather's finish is probably rubbed down..unless you want to get into leather dyes (which are not that hard to match)...there is really ntohing you can do...I would get some silicon leather protectant for the rest of the seats so it can be prevented...just continue use of what you have regulariry.....

silicon "protectants" are the absolute WORST thing to use on leather. they do nothing but dry out the leather and cause it to crack. Meguiars leather treatment stuff is stuff I use, two step, one bottle is cleaner, the other conditioner.

and what do you think is in that? all auto body and dealership professional leather treatments have silocon also...you sir have just been using crappy products...

Directly from the Meguiars bottle "Contains no silicates" and right from the front of the bottle "Contains Aloe Vera and Natural Leather Oils".

because it would eb 60 dollars if it contained silicon (very hard to not make it crappy so it dries it out etc)...the industrial ones I have used where always very different from consumer products...even on consistancy...

but you can get a small gallon of pro stuff online...

 

[bleeb]

Supplies:

1. Good car wash soap. Turtle wax car wash seems to sud up better.
2. Soft bristle brush with long handle.
3. Tire spray (for the wet looks)
4. Microfiber clothe
5. Bucket
6. Soft, nonscratching water towel (to wipe off water)
7. Armor All (Original)
8. Q-tips
9. Glass cleaners
10. Rain-x

Everything is pretty self explanatory.

 

[geno]

I'll vouch for the Mother's clay bar kit you posted, it's the one I have and I've had no problems getting my paint to look good with it!

 

[FeuerFrei]

I use this on my tires. Are you saying this is better?

 

[ScottMac]

I've recently discovered Zymol. Wunnerful stuff.

I just bought the "Carbon" kit. The wax is ~US$50.00 for eight ounces, but it's great stuff and goes on easy, comes off easy (you don't let it dry.

You can get a bottle of the cleaner wax at Target or Pep Boys for ~$12.00 that looked better (IMHO) than McGuiars "Gold Class" full treatment.

The high-end stuff looks even better.

They have some specialty waxes that go for $450.00 - US$1500.00 (!!!).

I love 'em though. They also have car wash, leather & vinyl clearner, wax for the non-metallic painted surfaces, glass cleaner....

One of their big claims to fame is that it's an "all natural" product (their whole line). The ingrediants look more like a shampoo bottle than car care products (except for the carnuba wax, of course).

I like the leather and vinyl cleaner & polish a lot. After you're done, there's a nice luster .... not a "wet" look.

Here they are ...

I have a black VW Touareg .... now it looks like a black glass Touareg ....even when it's dusty / dirty.

FWIW

Scott

 

[Apex]

I use Zaino (Z-2 Pro + ZFX, and Z-6), but it's mainly because I'm lazy. With a black car and the hot desert sun, if I used Meguiars NXT or P21S Concours, I'd have to wax every couple weeks.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
Well after seeing the Mr. Clean auto dry thread it made me all sad and empty in my heart...because you can get better results, A LOT better in fact, but most do not realize it...





Anyway I was a professional detailer for about eight years and still do my own cars and friends etc...and I love sharing tips and talking and helping people who would otherwise use Dawn or some Wax as you dry thing....


So I am here to help...have any questions or product recomendations I would be very happy to help you and point you in the right way with that to use and how to use it...so just ask...


Any fellow detailers here?

You've been a detailer since you were 18 Son of a N00b? what do you do now?

 

[Mermaidman]

Syringered?

 

[SVT Cobra]

nope im here....just busy

 

[Mermaidman]

I bought a used car recently and the hood has some bird crap damage. I used some polishing compound followed by Scratch-X and regular wax. The corrosion is pretty bad-- Right through the clear coat. It's like a nickle sized spot of discolored cracked paint with a couple of deep pits. The paint color is dark cherry metallic, so it's quite obvious.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
Well after seeing the Mr. Clean auto dry thread it made me all sad and empty in my heart...because you can get better results, A LOT better in fact, but most do not realize it...





Anyway I was a professional detailer for about eight years and still do my own cars and friends etc...and I love sharing tips and talking and helping people who would otherwise use Dawn or some Wax as you dry thing....


So I am here to help...have any questions or product recomendations I would be very happy to help you and point you in the right way with that to use and how to use it...so just ask...


Any fellow detailers here?

I had a coworker at Walgreens that got fired for stealing. After that, he started his own detailing company and was making more than he was at Walgreens within a very short period of time.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
nope im here....just busy

Busy doing what?

 

[JasonSix78]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
Well after seeing the Mr. Clean auto dry thread it made me all sad and empty in my heart...because you can get better results, A LOT better in fact, but most do not realize it...





Anyway I was a professional detailer for about eight years and still do my own cars and friends etc...and I love sharing tips and talking and helping people who would otherwise use Dawn or some Wax as you dry thing....


So I am here to help...have any questions or product recomendations I would be very happy to help you and point you in the right way with that to use and how to use it...so just ask...


Any fellow detailers here?

See if you can help me on this one. My car has alot of build up on all the glass. It has slight overspray, some acid rain spots, it's just really hazzy. I've tried cleaning the pi$$ out of it with window cleaner and laquer thinner with a razor blade. What do you suggest?

-Jason

 

[LeonarD26]

Any good tips to remove tar on the front bumper??

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: JasonSix78

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
Well after seeing the Mr. Clean auto dry thread it made me all sad and empty in my heart...because you can get better results, A LOT better in fact, but most do not realize it...





Anyway I was a professional detailer for about eight years and still do my own cars and friends etc...and I love sharing tips and talking and helping people who would otherwise use Dawn or some Wax as you dry thing....


So I am here to help...have any questions or product recomendations I would be very happy to help you and point you in the right way with that to use and how to use it...so just ask...


Any fellow detailers here?

See if you can help me on this one. My car has alot of build up on all the glass. It has slight overspray, some acid rain spots, it's just really hazzy. I've tried cleaning the pi$$ out of it with window cleaner and laquer thinner with a razor blade. What do you suggest?

-Jason

there is a synthetic windshield wax you can try...I believe STP1 makes it...

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: LeonarD26
Any good tips to remove tar on the front bumper??

any aerosol bug and tar remover...spray on and wait 5 minutes...rub off and then wash your car