How to detail: a beginner's guide.

timmus

timmus

A2OC Donor
Another day, another question...

I'd like to improve the bodywork of my A2, but other than cleaning my car with a bucket of soapy water and a hose, I'm a complete novice. So, I'd like some advice about how to approach this, the order in which jobs should be done, the "dos and don'ts", etc.

I have borrowed a machine polisher from a friend, and some dry compound. I've also got a bottle of AutoGlym polish, which is less viscous but probably does the same thing. I've also got a large can of Collinte 476S. I don't have a clay bar, yet.

If I understand correctly, I need to do the following:

1. wash the car
2. clay bar
3. polish
4. wax

What's the two bucket method of washing a car? Are there any stages I've missed out? How do I apply the Collinite wax? This has to be the most open-ended thread I've ever posted. Talk to me, guys!

Tom
 
I'll tell you what I do.

Rinse the car with a hose.
Wash the car with one bucket of car shampoo.
Rinse the car.

Whilst the car is still wet, commence claying. Turn the clay frequently.
Apply AutoGlym super resin polish and buff off with a microfibre cloth.
Apply AutoGlym Perfectionist Gloss, leave for an hour and buff off with another microfibre cloth.
Apply a wax of your choice and buff off with another microfibre cloth.
Crack open several beers.
 
Thanks Dan.

The Collinite I've got seems like a very firm wax. Do I need to let this sit in hot water for a bit to soften it up, or can it be applied as is? How do I apply wax? I seem to remember reading that doing it with your bare hands is the best way as you don't waste wax in the cloth and you can get your fingers into the joins, etc.

How many beers do I need to open?

Tom
 
two buckets, please. Use a mitt with either dreadlocks or a lambswool or similar and rinse in one bucket, take fresh soapy water from the other.

1. Do the wheels with Tesco Daisy (or similar) diluted at 1part daisy, three parts water. Spray on. Agitate with brush and leave.
2. Same for all the shuts (that's the bits inside the doors and petrol tank you don't normally see).
3. Rinse from the top.
4. Wash using two buckets, one clean without shampoo, the other with. Take soapy water, work from the top down, and rinse the mitt / agitate in the rinse bucket. You'll see how the dirt accumlates there and stays there. You're no longer transporting dirt on your sponge to the paintwork again.
5. Rinse from the top, making sure the shuts are also clean.
6. Use your clay (bilt hamber has some excellent stuff) from the top, but ONLY when you're going to wax.
Claying: small piece, flat on the paint, (broad-bean size), keep it on the paint, no harder. All over the paintwork. Wet again if necessary. Megs and others require lube, I prefer BH as it just needs water and this is a lot cheaper :)
7. When you're done with that, add your bumper restorer to all rubbers and black bits, polishing if necessary.
8. If I have time, I would re-wash at this point to get all the dirt and residues off.
9. Starting one panel at a time, I've used Autoglym EGP on all panels. While it's drying / curing (20-30 mins), grab a cuppa and then vacuum / wipe over interior surfaces; feed leather as necessary.
10. Polish off the EGP, all of it.
11. Add Colly 476 and then polish that off to taste. Do NOT try to use Colly in temperatures less than 10-15C; it is too hard and it's a pain in the rear to polish out. You will have smears. Wait till it's warmer.

Polishing cloths are always soft microfibers here; applicators for wax are pocketed Vileda MFs and for EGP simple soft fabric tissues. A simple, cheap rotary polisher helps on final finish. If you want to get scratches out, you'll need to put in a bit more work; I used some Menzerna 85.02 last time in November for getting some strange fingerprints out and the paintwork really was as smooth as... the finish is still good now, though I just washed it two days ago for the first time since then.

- Bret
 
Hi Bret,

Thanks for the thorough info.

My car is covered in tiny little scratches that diffract and scatter light. There are one or two which are deeper and probably need a professional. So, I've got a machine polisher and will attempt to deal with the fine scratches myself. I'm guessing I need to do this immediately after I've clayed the car...?

Cheers,

Tom
 
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be really, really careful.

Get yourself something that is a medium-fine polish - or a set like this one - http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/menzerna-250ml-polish-sample-kit.php?manufacturers_id=49 - and a soft pad and work through it. You'll see what works and what doesn't. Tape up all of the plastic bits!

I have managed to remove minor scratches with a cheap €10 rotary with which you can't break anything (I took a huge chunk of paint out of the bumper of the 307!) using time. With a C-Class, the rotary is fine, but you'll need a lot of time and effort to get them all out, along with some knowledge. Have you been through detailing world, yet?

clay
wash / rinse
dry
machine with rotary
maybe wash / rinse again
apply glaze (EGP)
polish out
apply wax / protection
polish

- Bret
 
Hi again,

I've not been through detailing world; you guys on here are always my first port of call.

I've currently got 3 polishing products in-hand:
* Farecla Total - One Step Dry Use Liquid Compound (http://www.farecla.com/?screenID=123#/123)
* AutoGlym Super Resin Polish
* AutoGlym Paint Renovator ("A deep-cleaning screm for removing scratches, severe haze and oxidation")

I've got a machine polisher with a single, soft pad. Do you think I've got what I need to do a reasonable job?

Cheers,

Tom
 
Paint renovator isn't up to much IMO and the farecla stuff sounds to be quite abrasive. OTOH, if you try one part and see what happens, you can get a decent idea of the results you can expect... both will need a significant time investment to make a real dent in scratches. Remember, though, that you're taking the top off of the paint, so you should be aiming to do the minimum necessary.

SRP is also full of fillers. If you want the quick and dirty version, put a couple of coats of that on and polish and it should look pretty good afterwards.

- Bret
 
Farecla is actually pro stuff that's now sold through Halfords.
G3 and G10 are ideal depending on how much 'work' you need to do.
Always use water as a lubricant so it doesn't burn and go too deep

Read detailing world before you start!!!!

J
 
I've always found AutoGlym products to be superb so I'm sure their paint renovator stuff will be ok - I guess if it doesn't seem to achieve much then at least it hasn't wrecked your paint? That's my worry with some of the more "intensive" sauces you can try...

Back to your question on wax - apply with your hands is quite a nice way to do it - if not a little bit fetishy, rubbing oily wax into your car's flanks...
 
Thanks guys. I feel a little better informed now, and with that I'll be able to read further. I've got use of a friend's garage at weekends, so I'll spent a weekend on the car at some point soon. Being able to park the car indoors is nice. I'll post a pic or two once I've had a go.

Cheers,

Tom
 
Hi everyone & in particular Timmus...
I've only been a very short time, but I have been in the AMOC for many years and I am a regular Concours entrant and winner, (Elite Class Winner 2 years running with my Vanquish S). Detailing to a high standard is a serious and complex subject, and although I've read a lot of well meaning advice on here its mainly been about paintwork prep rather than proper detailing. I would find something that works for you and stick to it, but go to a scrap yard and pay a fiver for an old bonnet and practice,practice, practice before go anywhere near your car with a machine polisher and cutting compound. The best wax I have ever used is Zymol Royale Glaze, it's bloody fantastic but difficult to use properly.
If you want some more lengthy advice PM me and we can talk over the phone or via e-mail maybe...
Steve
 
I'd second RCV i've been polishing for over 15 years and a machine polisher in a novice hands can be very expensive. Its also down to what sort of job you want doing on your car nice and shiny or MINT lol, as for claying you can clay at the same time as you shampoo and you use the shampoo as your lubricant its much faster and does the same job without the extra expence of so called special sprays waste of money

Phil
 
best polish for vag cars

timmus said:
Hi again,

I've not been through detailing world; you guys on here are always my first port of call.

I've currently got 3 polishing products in-hand:
* Farecla Total - One Step Dry Use Liquid Compound (http://www.farecla.com/?screenID=123#/123)
* AutoGlym Super Resin Polish
* AutoGlym Paint Renovator ("A deep-cleaning screm for removing scratches, severe haze and oxidation")

I've got a machine polisher with a single, soft pad. Do you think I've got what I need to do a reasonable job?

Cheers,

Tom
Click to expand...

menzerna final finish is the best finishing polish for our cars guys !!!
 
Wow.

This is a whole new world for a one-bucket and Turtle Wax sort of person (me).

Your motor looks stunning, Riverlad.
 
Looking at getting some Bilt Hamber clay to tidy up my car. What do most people have? Soft or regular? Soft is for more regular detailing but how regular is regular?
 
I use 3M fine cut and i only full clay the car twice a year once before winter and then once in the spring after all the salts gone off the roads, then i use it just to get flys and tar off the rest of the time.

Phil
 
yellowskunkcabbage said:
Looking at getting some Bilt Hamber clay to tidy up my car. What do most people have? Soft or regular? Soft is for more regular detailing but how regular is regular?
Click to expand...
I'm looking at getting regular, but there also seems to be a 'medium' variant - bit confused ....
 
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