Detailing Chat & Questions Thread

[Yellow Dave]

I had a policeman comment yesterday that the rear number plate wouldn't be recognised on the ANPR and to do something about it. It typically gets washed every 2 weeks and granted isn't normally quite this bad but you can easily see the film that coats my car that kills most water behaviour pretty well

This is all from a 19 mile commute along main A roads and between 15 - 30 miles of driving around both commercial and residential building sites. But I do not drive onto sites but park on the main road

 

[Yellow Dave]

I had a policeman comment yesterday that the rear number plate wouldn't be recognised on the ANPR and to do something about it. It typically gets washed every 2 weeks and granted isn't normally quite this bad but you can easily see the film that coats my car that kills most water behaviour pretty well

This is all from a 19 mile commute along main A roads and between 15 - 30 miles of driving around both commercial and residential building sites. But I do not drive onto sites but park on the main road

 

[Matt e]

Fairy liquid imo is one of the best. MF and little soft bristle brsuh.

Thanks I'll give it a go

 

[cafcross]

Finally gave my car a clean for the first time in about 2 months due to the weather.

Who the hell invented carpeted arch liners?!

What a pain in the arse to clean!

 

[gex23]

Spotted this paint defect when cleaned the Zed - On the rear 3/4 panel. It's not a tar spot - thoughts?

Had similar on my old R26s rear bumper and tailgate which needed respraying....

(It's the light coloured defect to the left of centre)

 

[Knuckles]

That looks like a stone chip or lacquer peel to me. Do you have any better pictures?

 

[gex23]

I was afraid you'd say that. Doesn't look like a typical stone chip.

I'll try and get some.

 

[Lawro]

A few shots for you guys of what I have been working on for the last couple of days. Just over 16 hours in total.

2 stage correction using Scholl compounds, finished in a few costs of AF Illusion as per customers requirements.


BMW M5 Detail by Lawro1988, on Flickr


BMW M5 Detail by Lawro1988, on Flickr


BMW M5 Detail by Lawro1988, on Flickr


BMW M5 Detail by Lawro1988, on Flickr


BMW M5 Detail by Lawro1988, on Flickr


BMW M5 Detail by Lawro1988, on Flickr

 

[aucky]

Looks lovely Lawro!

 

[Gally]

Stunning work mate. I've got a Carbon Black one to do soon.

 

[Lawro]

Stunning work mate. I've got a Carbon Black one to do soon. 😧

Thanks mate, I was told this was Carbon when it was originally booked but it's definitely Saphire Black.

The paint is hard as nails!

 

[Adam93]

@Lawro are you a detailer by trade ?

 

[Lawro]

@Lawro are you a detailer by trade ?

No mate, I only do it part time at the moment.. I work a full time job so time is limited unfortunately.

 

[aucky]

Aucky, you absolute f**king weapon!

I left my 5 month old £230 nilfisk out in the cold and it's now fucked. Zero signs of life. Fucked.

FFFFFFFF....

 

[Knuckles]

Aucky, you absolute f**king weapon!

I left my 5 month old £230 nilfisk out in the cold and it's now fucked. Zero signs of life. Fucked.

FFFFFFFF....

Oh noes!

Warrenty?

Tell them it was in the garage

 

[aucky]

Oh noes!

Warrenty?

Tell them it was in the garage

Don't think I still have the receipt, or box.

 

[Knuckles]

Don't think I still have the receipt, or box.

Damn.

List it on eBay as "five months old, used once"

 

[497adam]

Anyone know how you redeem autofinesse reward points?

 

[Knuckles]

Anyone know how you redeem autofinesse reward points?

Isn't there a box at checkout for points, codes or vouchers?

 

[-Jamie-]

Aucky, you absolute f**king weapon!

I left my 5 month old £230 nilfisk out in the cold and it's now fucked. Zero signs of life. Fucked.

FFFFFFFF....

Who did you get it from? You should still have a year warranty with it.

I got mine from an online retailer, Had it for about 9 months and the pump shat itself due to being kept outside when we had the freezing weather last year, Company replaced it with no quibbles

 

[aucky]

Screwfix. 30days with retailer, 2yrs with nifisk. (Unless there are signs of frost damage, hydraulic rupture etc)

I've ordered a Karcher K4 to keep me going. I'm desperate to clean the car this week, it hasn't been done since mid November iirc!!

 

[Knuckles]

Screwfix. 30days with retailer, 2yrs with nifisk. (Unless there are signs of frost damage, hydraulic rupture etc)

I've ordered a Karcher K4 to keep me going. I'm desperate to clean the car this week, it hasn't been done since mid November iirc!!

You should've said, you could've stole mine to keep you going!

 

[aucky]

You should've said, you could've stole mine to keep you going!

Thanks anyway

 

[Lawro]

Screwfix. 30days with retailer, 2yrs with nifisk. (Unless there are signs of frost damage, hydraulic rupture etc)

I've ordered a Karcher K4 to keep me going. I'm desperate to clean the car this week, it hasn't been done since mid November iirc!!

I ordered a K4 compact for mobile jobs just before Christmas and I'm actually really impressed with it!

The quick release fittings are a great feature too for quick storage. The only downside of the compact is that it has to be lead down rather than upright.

 

[Lawro]

Just spotted this on Instagram, yet another S2000 subjected to a clay mitt..

image by Lawro1988, on Flickr

 

[Knuckles]

Jesus!

Pros and cons of having soft as s**t paint I suppose.

 

[Al_G]

Just spotted this on Instagram, yet another S2000 subjected to a clay mitt..

image by Lawro1988, on Flickr

f**k thats bad!

Not enough lube or too coarse clay?

The OEM paint on my s2000 is rock hard...the bits I've had resprayed are soft as butter (not great for chips).

 

[Al_G]

My dash is vinyl. Theres a small area that looks to be slightly faded, not noticeable unless you have OCD...

Is there anything that I can use to bring back the colour. I've tried APC then 303 to no avail. I was thinking of something along the lines of gtechniq C4?

I know there are trim specialists that can recolour vinyl, leather...Would this be a risky business?

 

[V6Dan]

How could you do that with a clay mitt?! Surely if you was a novice you'd have a little go then check? Not scrub over the whole car before realising you've made it 100times worse.

 

[Welsh.Dan]

Just spotted this on Instagram, yet another S2000 subjected to a clay mitt..

image by Lawro1988, on Flickr

Never mind that. Has hankook instead of Bridgestone! Lol.

Proper nasty, must have cleaned the car with the clay mitt thinking it was a New style wash mitt [emoji14]

Same colour paintwork as mine. Mine is a little hazed and I'll be putting the da to it when weather's warmer. [emoji5]

 

[The Russian.]

Did he wrap a brick around the clay mitt?

 

[Yellow Dave]

It's very easy to inflict that damage with a clay mitt. Have done it on hard VW paint after several hits with tar and iron removers. And I only use a fine clay mitt, snow foamed the car then using a clay lube on each panel as well

 

[Welsh.Dan]

It's very easy to inflict that damage with a clay mitt. Have done it on hard VW paint after several hits with tar and iron removers. And I only use a fine clay mitt, snow foamed the car then using a clay lube on each panel as well

Eek[emoji33]
Scared of correcting my Honda paint now.....

 

[Lawro]

As Dave said, you would be surprised!

The person who posted the photo above originally is actually a professional detailer, so goes to show how easily marring can occur with these clay mitts, especially on soft paint.

 

[Bluebeard]

I once corrected a black civic type r, it was mullered and took me two days.
A month later he went to a wedding and got it washed by the ruskis and it looked just like that S2000 above!

 

[Welsh.Dan]

As Dave said, you would be surprised!

The person who posted the photo above originally is actually a professional detailer, so goes to show how easily marring can occur with these clay mitts, especially on soft paint.

I was planning on using a mitt too. Hmmm.

I once corrected a black civic type r, it was mullered and took me two days.
A month later he went to a wedding and got it washed by the ruskis and it looked just like that S2000 above!

God that must have been depressing!


Do all of you keen/pro detailers laugh or cry inside when you see lovely new bmws audis etc being washed at the hands of these foreigners?

 

[Knuckles]

How could you do that with a clay mitt?! Surely if you was a novice you'd have a little go then check? Not scrub over the whole car before realising you've made it 100times worse.

Lol no!

"Wiping this across my paint will make it shiny as f**k, then I'll polish it to prevent uv damage"


Laymans terms: non detailing geeks believe what they're told, and think every new product (to them) is 100% fool proof... That's even if they get their products right in the first place.

 

[Yellow Dave]

I was planning on using a mitt too. Hmmm.

God that must have been depressing!


Do all of you keen/pro detailers laugh or cry inside when you see lovely new bmws audis etc being washed at the hands of these foreigners?

It is a shame to see a lovely car not cared for as best as it could be, but if they're happy with a clean car then so be it. Some don't see swirls and marring as damage to the paint. It's their choice.

I spent some time correcting my golf this summer, a few panels at a time to fit in around the family. Only to undo my hard work by using poor MF's. Or the wife letting a friends dog jump up at the side of it. Or my neighbours kids brushing down one side of it as they play. Life got in the way and it's on it's way to looking just as swirly. Then I'll spend a day polishing it again next summer despite the mrs complaints.

A general person wouldn't worry themselves about this and carry on being happy it's just clean.

 

[Bluebeard]

I was planning on using a mitt too. Hmmm.

God that must have been depressing!


Do all of you keen/pro detailers laugh or cry inside when you see lovely new bmws audis etc being washed at the hands of these foreigners?

Enthusiasts cars yeah. My mate has a brand spanking new Modded caddy van. and it's mint. Not a stone chip or kerbed 20 inch Bentley wheel in sight, all matching expensive rubber...
But every week without fail it gets washed at the local £5 car wash and the paint is so so bad. But he just doesn't care. It's clean and that's all he worries about.
I'd offer to do it for him FOC as he's a good mate but I know in 7 days time after a week working in it, he'll get a £5 car wash done on it and my time will be utterly wasted.

 

[Lawro]

I don't even think it's down to people not caring, the majority are just blind to it.

Some look at a car, others look at the paint.. Unfortunately, I'm the latter and for me, there is nothing more disappointing than a beautiful car with poor paint. Saying that, we can't all be the same.