Its that time again, how to detail your car?

[MikeMike]

lets get some information going.

lets get a list of supplies/product reccomendation
wheel cleaner: ????
tire cleaner:????
wheel shine: Armor all wet gel (i think thats it)
paint cleaner: kerosene works, and takes off tar and everything, you guys say dish soap, but my father says kerosene works better.
wax: meguirs? what else?
clay bar: ????
armor all the insides, wax everything.
scratch remover??


lets get a full list.

MIKE

 

[StevenYoo]

you def need one of these babies

 

[dmurray14]

Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
lets get some information going.

lets get a list of supplies/product reccomendation
wheel cleaner: car wash
tire cleaner:just scrub with brillo pad
wheel shine: Armor all wet gel (i think thats it)
paint cleaner: NOT kerosene, use dish soap if you want to strip wax, cheap car wax otherwise.
wax: meguiars works fine, i use zaino but thats a show car wax
clay bar: once again, whatever's on sale really...
armor all the insides, wax everything.
scratch remover:3m swirl mark remover


lets get a full list.

MIKE

 

[Thegonagle]

What does a clay bar do? Why is it important? I don't get it.

I wash, dry, buff with a very fine polish, and finally buff with wax, and I'm always pleased with my results, as I ought to be after 3-4 hours of work.

 

[HappyPuppy]

When it gets to a point where I can't see out of the windows I squirt it off with a hose. Does that count as detailing?

 

[MikeMike]

y not kerosene dmurray?

MIKE

 

[thraxes]

Drawing shapes and funny faces in the dirt would then also count as detailing

 

[dmurray14]

Kerosene is NOT a good idea because you run the risk of completely effing up your clear coat. I have seen people try and do it and get a purple haze all over their car that couldn't be removed. Definitely just use dish soap if you want to get the wax and residue off.

Thegonagle:

A clay bar is used to remove built up contaminants on the clear coat. You spray a lubricator (haha, everyone laugh now) on the paint, then drag the clay over it, and it removes the crappy stuff thats stuck to the paint. Good thing to do before you start to put more wax on the car, but you don't need to do it all the time.

-Dan

 

[jteef]

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158378

^^ awesome link

 

[dmurray14]

hey....a fellow bimmerforums person...do you have a bmw?

 

[mugs]

To clean wheels, I just a brush that's designed to go between the spokes. That gets 99% of the dirt off, no need for any cleaning products. If there's anything that won't come off, I use Westley's Bleche-Wite.

For soap, I use Meguire's Gold Class. $10 a gallon at Target and that stuff is amazing.
For wax I use Meguire's Gold Class paste, I've never tried the liquid but I'm going to when I run out of the paste. I've also heard Collonite is really good too, but it's hard to find.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: dmurray14
A clay bar is used to remove built up contaminants on the clear coat. You spray a lubricator (haha, everyone laugh now) on the paint, then drag the clay over it, and it removes the crappy stuff thats stuck to the paint. Good thing to do before you start to put more wax on the car, but you don't need to do it all the time.

-Dan

Yeah, I'm spraying a lubricator right now!

Just kidding!

So, the "crappy stuff" sticks to the clay bar then? What is this "crappy stuff?" Is each clay bar a one use product? Do you do this after washing, and then do you need to wash the lube off before you polish and wax?

It's something I'd like to do as long as I'll see a difference, but it sounds like extra work. My car is dark green if it matters. It's dark enough that it looks dirty quickly (not as bad as black though), but pretty damn sharp when clean and shiny.

 

[AgentZap]

You can use a clay bar a few times. Don't ever drop it or its done. Mother's makes a good kit with bar and lube.

If you run your hand over your paint and you feel little tiny bumps here and there or if you see overspray and other misc stuff that polish won't get out then clay bar is for you.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: dmurray14
A clay bar is used to remove built up contaminants on the clear coat. You spray a lubricator (haha, everyone laugh now) on the paint, then drag the clay over it, and it removes the crappy stuff thats stuck to the paint. Good thing to do before you start to put more wax on the car, but you don't need to do it all the time.

-Dan

Yeah, I'm spraying a lubricator right now!

Just kidding!

So, the "crappy stuff" sticks to the clay bar then? What is this "crappy stuff?" Is each clay bar a one use product? Do you do this after washing, and then do you need to wash the lube off before you polish and wax?

It's something I'd like to do as long as I'll see a difference, but it sounds like extra work. My car is dark green if it matters. It's dark enough that it looks dirty quickly (not as bad as black though), but pretty damn sharp when clean and shiny.

A clay [overspray] bar removes the embedded particulate on the clearcoat (or, unfortunately, on the basecoat). Use it before washing.

 

[Mutilator]

Just save yourself a lot of time and bad ideas and go to Autopia.

Now for my personal recommendations:
Wheel cleaner - Eimann Fabrik Hi Intensity cleaner
Tire cleaner - Same as above
Wheel shine - 303 Aerospace Protectant
Paint Cleaner - (I assume you mean wash?) Any car wash soap (I like P21S), don't use Dawn unless you're ready to wax immediately afterwards
Wax - Klasse All in One with a coat of P21S paste wax on top.
Claybar - I've used Zaino and Mothers clay bars
303 Aerospace Protectant for interior dash and plastics... I refuse to use Armor All as do many other detailers
Scratch remover depends on the scratch/swirls... I usually use 3M Swirl Mark Remover

All of the things I've listed can either be bought at the Autopia store or Properautocare.com

 

[dmurray14]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: dmurray14
A clay bar is used to remove built up contaminants on the clear coat. You spray a lubricator (haha, everyone laugh now) on the paint, then drag the clay over it, and it removes the crappy stuff thats stuck to the paint. Good thing to do before you start to put more wax on the car, but you don't need to do it all the time.

-Dan

Yeah, I'm spraying a lubricator right now!

Just kidding!

So, the "crappy stuff" sticks to the clay bar then? What is this "crappy stuff?" Is each clay bar a one use product? Do you do this after washing, and then do you need to wash the lube off before you polish and wax?

It's something I'd like to do as long as I'll see a difference, but it sounds like extra work. My car is dark green if it matters. It's dark enough that it looks dirty quickly (not as bad as black though), but pretty damn sharp when clean and shiny.

The "crappy stuff" is basically any contaminants that are stuck to the paint...whatever they may be. In all honestly, I coudn't tell you exactly what the stuff is, but as someone said above - when you run your hand over the body and feel the little bumps, it is that build up that is removes.

To be honest with you, I wouldn't reccommend the clay bar unless you really feel the need to do it. I rarely use one, and the few times I do use it, it really doesn't seem to make much of a visual difference except to smooth things out.

-Dan