Ahem, where to start?

[RallyeMike]

Afternoon,

Okay, admittedly the Rallye good do with a bloody good clean to bring it back to life.

So, for an absolute numpty, where do I start?

I've got a blank canvas here, a clear mind so fill me up fellas!

Thanks
Mike.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

How much do you want to spend lol!?!

For not too much $$ but good results, I would recommend AG car shampoo, AG super resin polish, and then a good wax. I use AG HD Wax, but others on here will recommend other things

 

[RallyeMike]

How much do you want to spend lol!?!

For not too much $$ but good results, I would recommend AG car shampoo, AG super resin polish, and then a good wax. I use AG HD Wax, but others on here will recommend other things

I take it in the detailing world it's the same as most things, you get what you pay for?

I don't want this to get way out of hand, just enough to make it shiny for the summer.

It'll only get dirty again!

AutoGlym you say....

Thanks
Mike.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Well not so much 'you get what you pay for', more of you can get carried away in buying too many products!!

Autoglym do make some very good products that will get good results for beginners. I think halfords are still doing a 3 for 2

 

[Peperami]

Halfords have a 3 for 2 on car detailing at the moment.

Id go for a good shampoo, some tyre black stuff (megs stuff is good), some ag super resin polish, and then after that some ag extra gloss protection.

A lambs wool type wash mitt, water magnet (like a posh chamois towel thingy) to dry it, some little foam pads to put the polish and wax on, and some microfibre cloths to buff it off, and car should be shiny

Two buckets, (one with clean water, to rinse the dirty wash mitt in evertime you take it off the car) and a garden hose.

You'll get told of all types of fancy waxes and putty's and clays, but the above can all be bought at halfords and serves me well.

Pm me if you want an idiots guide to using it all mate.

Dan

 

[RallyeMike]

Well not so much 'you get what you pay for', more of you can get carried away in buying too many products!!

Autoglym do make some very good products that will get good results for beginners. I think halfords are still doing a 3 for 2

Sweet.

Might pop down there in a min, see if I can get a space next to a slammed Fiesta rollin' on plastic spinners.

Thanks
Mike.

 

[*Clare*]

I have always used Autoglym Super Resin Polish followed with the Extra Gloss Protection. Always gives good results for reasonable ££...

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Yeh the three main things for a good shine:

Polish
Sealant
Wax

Done

 

[RallyeMike]

Halfords have a 3 for 2 on car detailing at the moment.

Id go for a good shampoo, some tyre black stuff (megs stuff is good), some ag super resin polish, and then after that some ag extra gloss protection.

A lambs wool type wash mitt, water magnet (like a posh chamois towel thingy) to dry it, some little foam pads to put the polish and wax on, and some microfibre cloths to buff it off, and car should be shiny

Two buckets, (one with clean water, to rinse the dirty wash mitt in evertime you take it off the car) and a garden hose.

You'll get told of all types of fancy waxes and putty's and clays, but the above can all be bought at halfords and serves me well.

Pm me if you want an idiots guide to using it all mate.

Dan

Thanks Dan.

I'd start typing that idiots guide...

Thanks
Mike.

 

[RallyeMike]

H'okay.

Popped down to the local Halfords and was confronted with some lovely chav chariots but still, all fun and games.

3 for 2 is a pretty good deal I thought so stocked up on AutoGlym as suggested.

Got a wash mitt which is quite funky.

Couple of rags, one which cost me a £10'er just to dry the damn thing.

£38.62 later....

Come home and go to hook the hose up to the tap and we have problem numero uno. Doesn't work. Great.

So I head off down to the garage to see if I can jet wash the dirt off and then come back and shampoo and polish yadda yadda yadda.

Turn up, hose is broke.

Fantastic.

So came home and last resort was to do it the old fashioned way, throw numerous buckets of water over it!

Seemed to work good enough.

Car is all ship-shape and shiny now apart from the wheels which I will do tomorrow.

Thanks for the reccomendations on products fellas.

I'm horrified at the amount of stone chips on the bonnet though.

Re-spray on the cards, lots of scratches to be buffed out too I reckon.

Was good fun though! :approve:

Thanks
Mike.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Good to hear!

It's all downhill form here m8! Try not to keep spending, I failed!

 

[AK]

Thanks Dan.

I'd start typing that idiots guide...

Thanks
Mike.

+1 and Pm me it LOL.

 

[RallyeMike]

Good to hear!

It's all downhill form here m8! Try not to keep spending, I failed!

Yeah, great way to spend a day off ey?

 

[RallyeMike]

I really should've listened to you guys.

What kind of a freak is outside Halfords at 9.30am getting MORE car wash stuff. Sheez.

It's addictive! :S

I need to get my life back, spent all morning cleaning again.

I'm keeping AutoGlym out of administration at the moment it seems!

Thanks.
Poorer Mike.

 

[Peperami]

Lol! What else did you buy mate??

 

[RallyeMike]

Lol! What else did you buy mate??

Wheel cleaner.
Polishing cloths.
Paint renovator. (Not got the balls to use that yet).

Times are tough my friend, there's a recession going on don't you know, I'm going back to the Polish guy at Tesco's who will do it for a fiver.

To be fair, there is quite a sense of achievement afterwards though which is kind of cool.

Although, I did nearly flip when I found a bit of bird shite on the windscreen this morning.

 

[Peperami]

At least it was the windscreen and not the paintwork!

To be fair your wheels are painted the same as your bodywork, so could probably have gotten away with using normal stuff on them...

 

[RallyeMike]

At least it was the windscreen and not the paintwork!

To be fair your wheels are painted the same as your bodywork, so could probably have gotten away with using normal stuff on them...

Oh great...

Wheels look a lot better now though.

So I've managed.

Wash.
Shampoo.
Polish.

What's this 'waxing' I'm hearing about then...

 

[timmmah]

I recommend a good shampoo and use the Meguiars 3 step system on the paintwork afterwards. Paint cleaner, polish and wax.

Can be found at Halfords and as Peperami mentioned, these will be included in the 3 for 2 offer.

 

[VIICarCare]

Im not even getting into this one!

 

[RallyeMike]

I recommend a good shampoo and use the Meguiars 3 step system on the paintwork afterwards. Paint cleaner, polish and wax.

Can be found at Halfords and as Peperami mentioned, these will be included in the 3 for 2 offer.

Ta Bud. :approve:

Im not even getting into this one!

Ahh, well that sucks.

 

[Paul.]

im lolling at some of the suggestions here tbh. Have you tried a search mate??? Or even had a look over on detailing world???

 

[RallyeMike]

im lolling at some of the suggestions here tbh. Have you tried a search mate??? Or even had a look over on detailing world???

Indeed.

They take it a little bit too seriously for me though tbh and would rather ask the folk on here.

There suggestions did me good, can't complain.

 

[Paul.]

Indeed.

They take it a little bit too seriously for me though tbh and would rather ask the folk on here.

There suggestions did me good, can't complain.

if you search over detailingworld theres is an answer to ANY question you might need an answer for when it comes to either cleaning a car , prepping , and then the following 4-5 stages. Its honestly a very handy site

 

[Justin]

Paul - DW can be a little 'in depth' for folk who aren't sure what they are after. People over there seem to recommend anything and everything. Better starting off with the basics.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Yeh DW was just too much for me. There is so much information (and people!) that you don't know what to think!

 

[Paul.]

yeh but theres sub forums for easy cleaning stage:S and plenty of guides for newbies?? Or even search on here?

 

[timmmah]

I think my answer is good for someone looking to make a start.

Then you can start getting more serious by looking at DW or asking us.

I guess you're right, it's just gonna get dirty again.

 

[Peperami]

Oh great...

Wheels look a lot better now though.

So I've managed.

Wash.
Shampoo.
Polish.

What's this 'waxing' I'm hearing about then...

Isnt wash the same as shampoo?

I hose car down to get it wet and remove some of the dust. Then shampoo all over with the wash mitt, panel at a time, rinsing wash mitt off in bucket of clean water each time rather than putting dirt back into soapy bucket (called the two bucket method).

Then once done hose that off. Then dry whole car with water magnet thingy. Then clean wheels.

After, polish with ag srp. This only needs to be done a few times a year really. Apply with little foam pad, cover whole body. Then remove with microfibre 10 mins later.

Then, once thats done, ag egp. This is the wax, and protects the paintwork. Apply same kinda way as ag srp, but leave it on for an hour or so before taking it off. This can be done once a month or so. The rest of the time (weekly) just give the car a normal shampoo.

That help?

 

[Peperami]

im lolling at some of the suggestions here tbh. Have you tried a search mate??? Or even had a look over on detailing world???

Why lol at the suggestions? They clean your car, DW is very complicated to get into, and not everyone wants to spend hundreds.

 

[m4rkie23]

if the car hasnt ever been clayed, then

wash
clay
polish
seal
wax

will take around a day, but leaves your paint glass smooth, and protected.

 

[VIICarCare]

if the car hasnt ever been clayed, then

wash
clay
polish
seal
wax

will take around a day, but leaves your paint glass smooth, and protected.

+1, just start off with ag products like srp at the mo. great stuff.

 

[RallyeMike]

Last one...

How can I make the exhaust nice and shiny!?

Thanks.
Mike.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Metal polish

I think halfords sell the meguiars polish.

 

[BRUN]

dont bother with the 3 stage system its gash, if your short on time and want something easy, simply use AG SRP