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Spring/summer detailing

T

tom1

Ready to race!
Location
Bracknell
So spring is finally here, and its almost time for me to give my car a full once over ready for the summer.

What will everyone be doing/using? Here is my plan of action:

(I just detail my car for protection of paintwork and ease of washing)

step 1 will be a very long wash, getting into all the grooves, under the wheels, under the sides etc etc

Step 2 dry the car as usual

Step 3 Clay bar to get rid of all the crap stuck to the pain over winter

Step 4 Wash again to get rid of clay lube residue (oils etc)

Step 4 Polish by hand to get rid of a small collection of light scratches

Step 5 Wax

Step 6 possibly top coat sealant such as Autoglym Extra gloss protection

If I have missed out any important step, then let me know. I think this would be adequate for protection to last me the duration of our short summer, in sept I will do those steps again, but with different products.

It would be interesting if we could get a picture thread going of peoples handy work, just so that we can admire the good looks of the golf even more so in the sun :)
 
Wolly

Wolly

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
York
Wax over sealant, the sealant binds to your paint better
 
DW58

DW58

Go Kart Champion
Location
Moray, NE Scotland
tom said:
So spring is finally here, and its almost time for me to give my car a full once over ready for the summer.

What will everyone be doing/using? Here is my plan of action:

(I just detail my car for protection of paintwork and ease of washing)

step 1 will be a very long wash, getting into all the grooves, under the wheels, under the sides etc etc

Step 2 dry the car as usual

Step 3 Clay bar to get rid of all the crap stuck to the pain over winter

Step 4 Wash again to get rid of clay lube residue (oils etc)

Step 4 Polish by hand to get rid of a small collection of light scratches

Step 5 Wax

Step 6 possibly top coat sealant such as Autoglym Extra gloss protection

If I have missed out any important step, then let me know. I think this would be adequate for protection to last me the duration of our short summer, in sept I will do those steps again, but with different products.

It would be interesting if we could get a picture thread going of peoples handy work, just so that we can admire the good looks of the golf even more so in the sun :)
Click to expand...

Claying may not be necessary - after washing, put your hand into a plastic bag and run across the paintwork, if the bag doesn't drag then clay isn't needed.

I prefer to decontaminate using ferrous and tar removers than to clay unnecessarily.

Wolly said:
Wax over sealant, the sealant binds to your paint better
Click to expand...

Where did you get that idea - a good sealant doesn't need wax, nothing but "Belt and braces".
 
Wolly

Wolly

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
York
DW58

DW58

Go Kart Champion
Location
Moray, NE Scotland
Wolly said:
it's not a nesesaty to wax over sealant but if you prefer the gloss/depth of your favourite wax then why not enjoy the durability of the sealant underneath and the look of the wax on top.

https://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=18456
http://www.civinfo.com/forum/cleaning/38774-sealant-wax-goes-first.html
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/27413-how-long-add-sealant-then-wax.html
Click to expand...

Interesting - commercial sites, they get to sell you two products instead of one.

Well it's your car, but still entirely unnecessary.
 
Wolly

Wolly

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
York
You might think it's unnecessary but isn't that what detailing is all about? Going the extra mile using tiny brushes to do the inside of badges who's gonna see? No one but I still do it cos I know it's be done right,

A few none 'commercial' bits to look at

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=257720
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=316302
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=157898
http://www.detailingworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=262898
 
DW58

DW58

Go Kart Champion
Location
Moray, NE Scotland
It's your car obviously. Putting wax on top of sealant has not real purpose as both are designed to be stand alone products but if you insist ... ... ...

Even though it looks like you've already made up your mind, why not try a sealant on its own first? You don't seem to want to see the point, but I'm trying to get you to save yourself both money and effort, however I suspect you just don't want to listen. Putting wax on top of sealant isn't something you'll see the top pro detailers doing, it's a pointless exercise done mainly by obsessive amateurs.
 
H

Hello_Mr_Mo

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Midlands, UK
Can anyone recommend an alloy cleaner which will help remove some tough tar on my Dijon alloys? I've been using some standard tar remover but it's not budging. Any recommendations would be greatly received.
 

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DW58

DW58

Go Kart Champion
Location
Moray, NE Scotland
Hello_Mr_Mo said:
Can anyone recommend an alloy cleaner which will help remove some tough tar on my Dijon alloys? I've been using some standard tar remover but it's not budging. Any recommendations would be greatly received.
Click to expand...

It would be helpful if you say what the "standard tar remover" you have used is - I find the typical products from the like of Halfords aren't great.

I would recommend one of the following, all of which I have used and find equally good:
  • Autosmart Tardis
  • AutoFiness Oblitarate
  • CarPro Tar X
Are you sure the spots are tar, have you also decontaminated the alloys with a ferrous decontminant? New VWs as with many other new cars, usually have large amounts of ferrous fallout present - partly from rail delivery/storage near railway lines, and also from the brake disks.

In my opinion, the best ferrous decontaminant is CarPro Iron-X, but you could also use (in order of preference):
  • Gyeon Iron
  • AutoFiness Iron Out
  • Wolf's Deironizer
 
H

Hello_Mr_Mo

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Midlands, UK
Thanks Rob. It was a Turtle Wax freebie which has been working well until recently. I must admit I'm not familiar with cleaning alloys and haven't done too much research on it as it's only been after the recent winter that I can't get them spotless. Will give the Iron-X a go as I've seen it highly recommended elsewhere too.
 
DW58

DW58

Go Kart Champion
Location
Moray, NE Scotland
I'd also get one of the Tar removers I have listed. There are some combined tar/ferrous removers, I'd avoid them.
 
Wolly

Wolly

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
York
It's not about saving money/effort that's the difference between a detailer and a valeter. If you want to save money use a sponge and washing up liquid.
 
DW58

DW58

Go Kart Champion
Location
Moray, NE Scotland
Come on Wolly, this is getting rather silly, please don't patronise me.
 
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