Detailing Chat & Questions Thread

[Philip.]

When I did my old black Civic I found the paint wasn't TOO bad.
Hex pad and a couple of megs compounds worked well.

 

[Gally]

Lime Prime was more than enough for me, I don't think i've ever use a compound or medium polish on Honda or Subaru paint.

Technique and pad.

 

[sburrell93]

When I did my old black Civic I found the paint wasn't TOO bad.
Hex pad and a couple of megs compounds worked well.

Was that an old EP civic or the FN shape?

A mate had an EP2 and his paint wasn't that soft. Mine on an FN3 though is so soft I marked it with a drying towel last night! Lol

Lime Prime was more than enough for me, I don't think i've ever use a compound or medium polish on Honda or Subaru paint.

Technique and pad.

Cheers Kev I'll give that a go. Going to need to brush up on my technique I think. Don't think I'm really getting the levels of correction I should with certain pad and polish combos. Not touched the civic yet mind, so will need to see how that goes.

 

[Philip.]

Was that an old EP civic or the FN shape?

A mate had an EP2 and his paint wasn't that soft. Mine on an FN3 though is so soft I marked it with a drying towel last night! Lol

LOL, shiiiiit
Ep3 Civic mate...good luck!

 

[Yellow Dave]

Factory paint, jap cars a generally very soft in comparison to normal Renault paint. Renault sport models are harder again, I guess down to being painted in a different factory

 

[Scrooge]

Renault paint is f**king hard. Yet still very easy to leave trails on with the incorrect technique.

 

[Gally]

I hate Renault paint. I have more success with all of the German brand rather than that Renault stuff. It's like granite!

 

[Gally]

Little teaser for later. I was reunited with another old friend last night. Almost wet myself whilst using it.

 

[Scrooge]

Mercedes paint has been my favourite to date.

 

[Knuckles]

Dat gloss

 

[Knuckles]

Does anyone have any tips before I give the new daily (honda civic) a quick machine polishing? 'Tis VERY swirly. I know the paint is soft so don't want to go at it too much. Especially without a paint depth gauge.

Thinking about trying a white hex pad with something like tripple or lime prime at first and see how much it actually does. Car is black though so I want to do my best to avoid marring or leaving buffer trails.

Pics of swirly bus? Did you get the black type S?

Read up on the zenith technique, draw a black mark on the backing pad and alter your pressure so the pad is spinning at around the same rpm/opm on every speed setting to get the best cut and finish. That works best in my experience.

 

[sburrell93]

Pics of swirly bus? Did you get the black type S?

Read up on the zenith technique, draw a black mark on the backing pad and alter your pressure so the pad is spinning at around the same rpm/opm on every speed setting to get the best cut and finish. That works best in my experience.

Will have a read up on that. Never thought of marking the backing plate to keep track of the speed before either!

But yeah, I did indeed! Looks good from a distance

But then this happens up close

Lots of swirls to deal with. Other scratchy looking bits too, but very very little that I can feel, so confident it will come up well with a bit of time spent on it.

 

[Knuckles]

That looks nice, and it'll be so rewarding to correct!

I'm not sure whether the marking a line thing is recommended or correct or what but I get great results with its help.

 

[sburrell93]

That looks nice, and it'll be so rewarding to correct!

I'm not sure whether the marking a line thing is recommended or correct or what but I get great results with its help.

Cheers! Yeah, hoping for a nice deep glossy finish when it's done. No idea how I'm going to keep it in it's polished condition though! Won't want to touch wash it lol, as I said above, I actually could see myself leaving marks as I was drying it with a drying towel last night (I know I know, should be dabbing and not wiping it anyway :tongueout

 

[Knuckles]

Cheers! Yeah, hoping for a nice deep glossy finish when it's done. No idea how I'm going to keep it in it's polished condition though! Won't want to touch wash it lol, as I said above, I actually could see myself leaving marks as I was drying it with a drying towel last night (I know I know, should be dabbing and not wiping it anyway :tongueout

Contactless washes and patting dry ftw

Or just don't wash it lol

 

[Bear Head]

Contactless washes and patting dry ftw

Or just don't wash it lol

My clio just won't owt dry for some reason is that usual pmsl?

 

[Scrooge]

Cheers! Yeah, hoping for a nice deep glossy finish when it's done. No idea how I'm going to keep it in it's polished condition though! Won't want to touch wash it lol, as I said above, I actually could see myself leaving marks as I was drying it with a drying towel last night (I know I know, should be dabbing and not wiping it anyway :tongueout

Future washes should be done the normal way pre cleansing etc and when it comes to the actual wash shove a layer of snow foam on the car to help with lube. Then finish with hydr02, dry off with the hose the best you can then drive around the block.

 

[Bear Head]

Future washes should be done the normal way pre cleansing etc and when it comes to the actual wash shove a layer of snow foam on the car to help with lube. Then finish with hydr02, dry off with the hose the best you can then drive around the block.

Does driving it round the block ever leave any watermarks etc? So if you snowfoam then rinse then snowfoam then wash with 2bm then rinse then go for a drive it'll all dry without water spots etc?

 

[sburrell93]

I've been needing an excuse to try something like hydr02 tbf so will give it a go on this. I should probably invest in a better washmitt and drying towels too. Is the carpro mitt still a favourite?

 

[Scrooge]

Does driving it round the block ever leave any watermarks etc? So if you snowfoam then rinse then snowfoam then wash with 2bm then rinse then go for a drive it'll all dry without water spots etc?

Yes it usually beads right off. The only thing I usually do is reload all of the windows after.

Yep I still love my carpro wash mitt

 

[Bear Head]

Yes it usually beads right off. The only thing I usually do is reload all of the windows after.

Yep I still love my carpro wash mitt

Ah, might not be great for me then I don't usually use reload I just wax it, would that be okay still do you think?

 

[Scrooge]

You've confused me.

My advice above was so Sean could keep tha car looking fresh with the least amount of contact to the paint.

If you're waxing you're making contact with paint, if not using the correct applicator with the correct technique you can be causing damage especially the softer paints.

 

[Knuckles]

After you've washed it, rinse it and while it's still wet, Mist it with a qd (I'm loving auto finesse glisten atm...although it's not marketed as a qd), pressure rinse, then final rinse with an open ended hose to dry

@Bear Head

Won't let me quote for some reason

 

[Bear Head]

You've confused me.

My advice above was so Sean could keep tha car looking fresh with the least amount of contact to the paint.

If you're waxing you're making contact with paint, if not using the correct applicator with the correct technique you can be causing damage especially the softer paints.

Sorry mate it was early I really hadn't engaged brain. I am pretty clued up haha just a lapse in concentration haha!

I shall carry on my method really. I usually just spritz the towel with bouncers QD and gently dry the surface. Takes some drying with Renault having hard paint so thought be easier to just take it for a spin, just always worried about water marks.

If I just wax the car and didn't wish to use reload then would the reload stop the car drying with the watermarks was what I meant haha.

 

[Bear Head]

After you've washed it, rinse it and while it's still wet, Mist it with a qd (I'm loving auto finesse glisten atm...although it's not marketed as a qd), pressure rinse, then final rinse with an open ended hose to dry

@Bear Head

Won't let me quote for some reason

Ah I've got you, I use Done and Dusted it really is a great product to be honest. So I should wash the car then QD then pressure wash and then open ended hose to dry then take it for a spin to get it all out of the sills etc?

 

[Coby.]

Moving out in a few days and it's got a garage that should be big enough for a car and some space around it
Finally I can spend some real time with my DA, Just need to buy some stand lights and an extension lead.
Any recommendations on lights??

 

[Knuckles]

Ah I've got you, I use Done and Dusted it really is a great product to be honest. So I should wash the car then QD then pressure wash and then open ended hose to dry then take it for a spin to get it all out of the sills etc?

I never bother with driving it to dry it but it wouldn't hurt.

You could pay dry some areas that need it.

 

[KyleB]

Right guys I need some help with waxing as I'm not getting much durability (about 3 months with AG HD Wax and 4 months with Fusso99).

My current method is half turn in the pot of wax and apply to panel in swirl motions, half a turn being enough for each panel of the car. I leave the panel to cure for about 2 minutes then buff off.

Where am I going wrong? Should I be using more product? Should I be allowing it to cure for longer? I've tried doing the whole car and then buffing off but the wax feels like it needs chipped off then.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

 

[Addicted]

2 minutes is not long at all, I'd do 2 panels, then alternate between applying and buffing. Multiple layers should also help.

To better explain what I mean:

Apply panel 1, Apply panel 2, buff panel 1, apply panel 3, buff panel 2, apply panel 4 etc etc. Their actual instructions iirc say to apply to whole car before buffing, but depending how slow you apply it it will be a right pain to get off!

 

[KyleB]

2 minutes is not long at all, I'd do 2 panels, then alternate between applying and buffing. Multiple layers should also help.

To better explain what I mean:

Apply panel 1, Apply panel 2, buff panel 1, apply panel 3, buff panel 2, apply panel 4 etc etc. Their actual instructions iirc say to apply to whole car before buffing, but depending how slow you apply it it will be a right pain to get off!

So I'm using the right amount? Should I be able to see a coating on the surface or is that using too much product?

 

[sburrell93]

So I'm using the right amount? Should I be able to see a coating on the surface or is that using too much product?

In my experience, AG HD wax tends to go on quite thick so shows up a very noticeable coating on the car. Some softer waxes go on a lot thinner and are very hard to see.

So long as you're covering the car evenly the amount shouldn't matter (i think, someone may correct me on this). A thicker coating wont do any more than a thinner one as the same amount of wax is still in contact with and able to cure to the paint.

 

[Jay_A]

Finally got around to trying out my Gyeon Wetcoat and have to say I'm seriously impressed.

Seems to break up the water as soon as it hits the paintwork, then once jetwashed off leaves huge bobbles of water.

Would definitely recommend to anyone thinking of buying it.

 

[_Tom]

Bye bye shiny leather and steering wheel.

20150523_134301 by Tom White, on Flickr

I just now need to somehow either clean my mats or buy new ones.

 

[Knuckles]

Right guys I need some help with waxing as I'm not getting much durability (about 3 months with AG HD Wax and 4 months with Fusso99).

My current method is half turn in the pot of wax and apply to panel in swirl motions, half a turn being enough for each panel of the car. I leave the panel to cure for about 2 minutes then buff off.

Where am I going wrong? Should I be using more product? Should I be allowing it to cure for longer? I've tried doing the whole car and then buffing off but the wax feels like it needs chipped off then.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Are you decontaminating and cleansing the paint first or are you just washing then waxing?

 

[aucky]

Right guys I need some help with waxing as I'm not getting much durability (about 3 months with AG HD Wax and 4 months with Fusso99).

My current method is half turn in the pot of wax and apply to panel in swirl motions, half a turn being enough for each panel of the car. I leave the panel to cure for about 2 minutes then buff off.

Where am I going wrong? Should I be using more product? Should I be allowing it to cure for longer? I've tried doing the whole car and then buffing off but the wax feels like it needs chipped off then.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

How are you judging the drop in protection?
It will bead less over time but does it act like completely bare paint when clean? If it doesn't then there is some protection there

 

[KyleB]

Are you decontaminating and cleansing the paint first or are you just washing then waxing?

I've been decontaminating with a clay mitt, but I've just purchased TRIX by Car Pro and have added that stage in now.

How are you judging the drop in protection?
It will bead less over time but does it act like completely bare paint when clean? If it doesn't then there is some protection there

Yeah still some protection but not as good as some of the tight beading pictures people post here.

Gave mine a proper clean, clay, TRIX and Hydro2 today

@gally was right Hyrdo2 is unbelievable. Can't believe how easy to apply (literally is just spray on and pressure wash off) and instant the protection is. I quite like the gloss it has given the car too.

 

[Tails_]

Maybe a tad off topic, but has anyone used any detailing products for other uses?
Just got a new pair of sunglasses (+ Thinking of doing the same for my cycling glasses) and looking at sealing the glass on them, rainX/ C2v3/ G1 type of thing? Any recommendations? or just got for a specialist sunglasses wax?

 

[Knuckles]

@KyleB, decontaminate with the spray based stuff before claying. You'll get much Better results and inflict less marks on your paint.

Try a pre was cleanser to increase longevity too.

 

[Knuckles]

Maybe a tad off topic, but has anyone used any detailing products for other uses?
Just got a new pair of sunglasses (+ Thinking of doing the same for my cycling glasses) and looking at sealing the glass on them, rainX/ C2v3/ G1 type of thing? Any recommendations? or just got for a specialist sunglasses wax?

Jd did his three piece suite iirc.

I rainX my bathroom and my exterior windows every now and then. And I used some of my excess verso mix on things around the house lol.

 

[Tails_]

Jd did his three piece suite iirc.

I rainX my bathroom and my exterior windows every now and then. And I used some of my excess verso mix on things around the house lol.

Think I remember reading someone using something on their shower door and entire bathroom in a sealant hahaha.
Just worried about the impact on polarised lenses!