Paintwork protection

Jorgan_2

OP, if you don't want to spend a fortune looking after your paintwork (as another member of detailing world I have never calculated what I have spent, it would scare me too much) Collinite do a range of waxes that will last for 4-6 months at a time. They cost from around £18 a tub and I have waxed 20-25 cars & still have quite a bit left. Google the name to find which on line shops sell it, don't confuse it with waxes that can be bought on the high street for similar money, but only last 4-6 weeks.

Get two wash mitts, one for the lower panels and bumpers, the other one for the rest of the car.

Be wary of going onto detailing world, two years ago I was a bucket & sponge man, now my neighbours have washed their cars before I have finished setting all my kit up.

maniac886

Jorgan wrote: »

OP, if you don't want to spend a fortune looking after your paintwork (as another member of detailing world I have never calculated what I have spent, it would scare me too much) Collinite do a range of waxes that will last for 4-6 months at a time. They cost from around £18 a tub and I have waxed 20-25 cars & still have quite a bit left. Google the name to find which on line shops sell it, don't confuse it with waxes that can be bought on the high street for similar money, but only last 4-6 weeks.

Get two wash mitts, one for the lower panels and bumpers, the other one for the rest of the car.

Be wary of going onto detailing world, two years ago I was a bucket & sponge man, now my neighbours have washed their cars before I have finished setting all my kit up.

I was exactly the same as you. I used a sponge, bucket and some cheap shampoo from Tescos. Yes it did the job but after I joined DW I bought some poorboys stuff...since then I am now hooked and have a huge collection of cleaning products.

Today I just bought an AB snow foam lance and 5Ltrs of Bilt Hamber snow foam. :eek:

Jorgan_2

You know you've got it bad when your invited to help out on a detail, by the guy you usually buy products from & he pays your travelling expenses & lets you loose with his kit. I enjoyed myself yesterday.:D

ihatecharges

I'm another member from Detailing World and have parted with some cash I can tell you.

However, not all the items are expensive.

Wash........
Use a wash mitt and not a sponge. £7
Megs shampoo. £11
Dry with a Sonus Der Wunder drying towel £18 for 2 or Megs Water Magnet £10 for 1(Do not use a leather)

Polish...........
If doing the car by hand Autoglym Super Resin Polish is good value as it has mild abrasives and fillers to enhance the paintwork prior to a wax. halfords were selling the 1 litre bottle for £10.99

Wax...........
Collinite make good waxes which will give good protection on your car for months, Elite Car Car do a kit for about £18 which includes the wax, applicator pad and microfibre cloth to buff the wax, good value in my opinion.

Remove bird muck straightaway with warm mater, allow to soak and remove WITHOUT rubbing.

I use snow foam and it works a treat! Neighbours think I am bonkers though!!



NB - I have no association with Elite car care

maniac886

ihatecharges wrote: »

I'm another member from Detailing World and have parted with some cash I can tell you.

However, not all the items are expensive.

Wash........
Use a wash mitt and not a sponge. £7
Megs shampoo. £11
Dry with a Sonus Der Wunder drying towel £18 for 2 or Megs Water Magnet £10 for 1(Do not use a leather)

Polish...........
If doing the car by hand Autoglym Super Resin Polish is good value as it has mild abrasives and fillers to enhance the paintwork prior to a wax. halfords were selling the 1 litre bottle for £10.99

Wax...........
Collinite make good waxes which will give good protection on your car for months, Elite Car Car do a kit for about £18 which includes the wax, applicator pad and microfibre cloth to buff the wax, good value in my opinion.

Remove bird muck straightaway with warm mater, allow to soak and remove WITHOUT rubbing.

I use snow foam and it works a treat! Neighbours think I am bonkers though!!



NB - I have no association with Elite car care

Cant wait to get my lance and bilt hamber foam....what foam you using at the moment?

Also does collinite give the car a 'wet' look?

Jorgan_2

I'm onto my second 5l's of AB SSF, using the AB heavy duty lance. Collinite doesn't give as wet a look as some waxes, I use it mainly for the winter months and on cars were people aren't so keen on cleaning them.
Not a bad finish

maniac886

Jorgan wrote: »

I'm onto my second 5l's of AB SSF, using the AB heavy duty lance. Collinite doesn't give as wet a look as some waxes, I use it mainly for the winter months and on cars were people aren't so keen on cleaning them.
Not a bad finish

Yeh i have ordered the AB heavy duty lance with the new karcher connector....dunno if you have got the old one but autobrite are sending out the connector for free for customers who have bought it off them in the past.

I was gonna get the SSF from em but peeps saying that Bilt Hamber stuff is the dogs b*llocks.

I am looking for a wax to make my silver car shiny..any ideas? Ta

AdrianHi

maniac886 wrote: »

I am looking for a wax to make my silver car shiny..any ideas? Ta

There are so many great products, but as any pro-detailer will tell you, it's 80% surface preparation and technique, 20% product choice.
I've seen Duragloss work very well on silver too.

It will take too long to type up again, here is a thread on another forum which gives the full cleaning, surface preparation and sealing (call it waxing if you want) process with before and after shots. Note the kind of swirl marks you can pick up in just 1 year from brand new when you don't know how to wash your car properly . Some of the damage on the paint was masked by polishes the dealer used, shows up their shoddy buffing work.
http://www.bmwland.co.uk/talker/viewtopic.php?p=330980#330980

ihatecharges

maniac886 wrote: »

Cant wait to get my lance and bilt hamber foam....what foam you using at the moment?

Also does collinite give the car a 'wet' look?

I use a gilmour with an inch of snowfoam, inch of Megs Shampoo Plus topped up with warm water. Works a treat for me.

I use a glaze, megs 7 first which helps with the wet look and apply the Collinite on top. Than after it is washed I give it a wipe down with Megs last touch detailing spray.

I understand that Collinite 476s is better for light colours and 915 is better for dark colours.

Collinite 845 is also good on white and silver apparently.

Its all down to the preparation as stated above. Collinite will give good durability where as other 'cosmetic' waxes are more expensive and need to be topped up on a regular basis, sometimes monthly!

maniac886

Cheers for the tips guys...

I think I may spend a few more bob on getting the polish/wax combination correct but I think I will cut the spending there cos at the end of the day its only a Focus(plus I am saving for an ST2/3)!

If the weather is alright this weekend I will spend a few hours on the car and get it polished and waxed. That should keep the car going for a few months and then I will only have to wash it every 2 weeks or so!