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Please excuse the monster post - this was a full detail ready for the spring, done in two parts over two days!!
Part 1
Finally got a dry (well dryish, see later!!) day to work on the car! As the weather has now turned again until Sunday according to the forecast, this detail is in two parts (possibly more!) so I'll post up the first part just now!
First off, here's a couple of before pics of the outsiude of the car. In general the paintwork seems to be in reasonably good condition after the winter, the odd scratch here and these a pathces of light swirling but nothing major.
The interior on the other had has that "lived-in" feel to it! :lol: In real need of a decent clean, here's some before pictures...
The door bins really do appear to be bins at the moment!
Anyways, to the detail... First up was a wash out of the wheels arches and the wheels cleaned. The arches were cleaned using Autoglym Engine and Machine Cleaner (applied with a paintbursh to agitate the dirt away) and rinsed with fresh water. The wheels were also cleaned with Autoglym Engine and Machine cleaner as I find this an effective all-round cleaner (and I haven't got round to ordering more Wheel Brightener yet, though this is in the pipeline!!). A pic of the passenger front wheel after the AG treatment:
Tyres will be detailed with Meguiars Endurace Tyre Gel at the finishing touches stage in part 2 (as its goinna be pouring with rain between then and now!)
Next up were the door jambs, and the plastic strip that runs below them. Here's a before pic of the drivers door jamb,
The paintwork was washed with Meguiars #62 Car Shampoo, and the plastic trim was cleaned with Autoglym Engine and Machine Cleaner (are we seeing a pattern here? I really like the flexibility of this product). The plastic will then be further detailed with Autoglym Bumper Care along with the rest of the trim in part 2. Here's a finished pic of the door jamb:
Next up was the bodywork washing stage. Now I don't have a hose pipe at home, living in a flat, so I need to use a watering can. To pre-wet the bodywork, I use the watering can with the rose on to give a nice spary of water to wet the paintwork...
Then to the washing stage. I use my favourite shampoo, Meguiars #62 Bodywork Shampoo and Conditioner (two-bucket method but with no grit-guard at present, its on my "buy-list")... Diluted 128:1 with the soft water we have up here in Bonnie Dundee, #62 gives you a monsterous amount of very soft suds. And it smells of aniseed! Great shampoo!
The car was washed from the top down. The upper (cleaner) areas of paintwork were washed using the Meguiars Lambswool washmitt:
While the lower, dirtier panels (including the boot lid which is a muck-magnet on AstraG hatches) was washed with the Meguiars Microfibre Ultimate mitt as the latter mitt is easier to clean dirt out of at the end (just throw it in the washing machine). Also I like to keep separate mitts for "cleaner" areas of the car, but I'm just pernickety!
The car was then rinsed with the watering car, firstly with the orse on and then with the rose off (to get a flow of water to sheet off the paintwork, essentially making the car self-drying). The remaining water area were pat-dried with a Meguiars Water Magnet. Then, in good old tradition for the British weather (despite the forecast being dry for the whole day), the rain came down on the freshly washed and dried car!!
Still, it seemed only to be a passing shower, and with blue skies as far as the eye could see to the west, I went out to re-start the detail. As the car had been rained on, it was QD'd with Meguiars Quick Detailer and then ready for claying. To avoid the risk of dust scratching during the claying, I always QD the panel and wipe clean before claying (yes, even after QDing the entire vehicle but like I said, I'm pernickety, which is why it takes me an age to do the car!! :lol: ). Then, using Meguiars Quick Clay and Meguiars Quick Detailer as the lubricant, the car was clayed panel by panel.
Despite the paintwork feeling a little rough before claying, and then feeling smooth afterwards (the clay obviously doing its job) the clay finished each area very clean, but I continued to knead it regularly anyway as a matter of course. Only the lower panel (Below the styling line on both doors) made the clay a little brown...
Once clayed, I preceeded to polish the car. Initially, I went with Pinnacle Swirl Remover on a Wolfgang Light Cutting pad (orange), but while this dealt with the light areas of swirls (I started on the bonnet) it didn't touch the odd more severe scratch as I wanted. As a polish, I would say Pinnacle Swirl Remover is light abbrassive, lighter than Meguiars #80 and I reckon the twins (including Advanced Finishing Polish) will be best implemented as a light defect removal detail later in the summer. The Pinnacle did finish to a very wet and glossy shine though, more impressive even than #80 (sorry, no pics as I started to lift my pace owing to the threat of showers!) so in this respect it certainly performed well, but perhaps the more sever marks require Advanced Swirl Remover. I was delighted with the glossy finish and will most certianly be implementing these polishes into a summer detail where ultimate looks are key, but for the the time being I was looking for a bit more defect removal - what better time to test the Menzerna products that I've bought!! I started with Final Polish 2 on the Proper Auto Care Orange Power Pad (LakeCountry foam) applied by PC...
This dealt with the blemishes to my satisfaction so no need to step up to Intensive Polish (which is being saved for my dad's badly swirled car washed Astra, more on that next week if the weather is nice! ... and my friend's Audi A4 which is also in a bit of a swirly state). I appled the FP2 staright to the paintwork and with the machine off, spread the polish over a small area. Then I started with hte machine on speed 2 with a sinlge pass to further spread the polish, then up to speed 4 for a single pass and then onto speed 5 for several passes until the polish started to dust slightly. Here's a couple of pics after the FP2:
Afraid I find it very hard to photograph swirls outside on silver, sorry, but the pics do show the paint looking swirl free in the sunlight - trust me, there were swirls there before hand! I got good shots of the swirls on my dad's red Astra though!
Next up was the glazing stage, but a look to the west was worrying - would you trust these clouds not to rain on your parade?! (I like the reflections in the roof after FP2)
Thankfully, its did actually stay dry and the clouds passed over and blue skies returned. So it was onto the Finishing Touch Glaze. It wasn't sure whether to go for this or not, as the finish from FP2 was really excellent IMHO. But, nothing ventured and all... So I applied the FTG in the same way as FP2 using a Meguiars Soft Buff Finishing Pad (lovely soft foam!!), my first trial of a Meguiars pad (actually my first go of a pad not manufactured in some way by LakeCountry I believe!!
). So, apply glaze straight to paint,
The product seemed oily, but not as oily as Meguiars #7 and also lighter in colour. If you look at the product under light you can see the oils in little bubbles suspended in the liquid (like the fatty oils in home-made soup, mmm hungry now!!) The residue left after buffing was very easy to remove, far easier than #7 and with similarly impressive results.
This was immediately followed with an application of Full Molecular Jacket, by hand using the microfibre applicator pad and removal towel supplied with the FMJ. The FMJ wiped on very easily indeed in a thin layer using circular motions with little or no pressure on the pad. I left the haze to dry (while glazing the next panel), and then removed the haze with the microfbire towel. The haze removed off so easily, easier even than the Pinnacle waxes, I was very impressed and it left the paint extremely slick!
Below are the completed pics of the car after the FP2, FTG, FMJ:
Bonnet
Bonnet with my dad's reflection (he was the "gaffer" and stood and supervised my efforts!! Also helped here and there with the QDing of panel pre-polishing....)
A pic of the whole car (appologies for the fading light here)
The front of the car, again with fading light (taken at 730pm)
Another full car shot...
Roof shot taken with a long-exposure time owing to fading light, so appologies for the noise...
One of my favourite pics, the Irmsher stamp on the underside of the rear spoiler shown reflected in the rear wing...
And finally, my favourite pic of the day, the "three-muskateers"!! Products used to get the shine, and I'm pretty happy with the result, Menzerna has impressed me...
Part 1
Finally got a dry (well dryish, see later!!) day to work on the car! As the weather has now turned again until Sunday according to the forecast, this detail is in two parts (possibly more!) so I'll post up the first part just now!
First off, here's a couple of before pics of the outsiude of the car. In general the paintwork seems to be in reasonably good condition after the winter, the odd scratch here and these a pathces of light swirling but nothing major.
The interior on the other had has that "lived-in" feel to it! :lol: In real need of a decent clean, here's some before pictures...
The door bins really do appear to be bins at the moment!
Anyways, to the detail... First up was a wash out of the wheels arches and the wheels cleaned. The arches were cleaned using Autoglym Engine and Machine Cleaner (applied with a paintbursh to agitate the dirt away) and rinsed with fresh water. The wheels were also cleaned with Autoglym Engine and Machine cleaner as I find this an effective all-round cleaner (and I haven't got round to ordering more Wheel Brightener yet, though this is in the pipeline!!). A pic of the passenger front wheel after the AG treatment:
Tyres will be detailed with Meguiars Endurace Tyre Gel at the finishing touches stage in part 2 (as its goinna be pouring with rain between then and now!)
Next up were the door jambs, and the plastic strip that runs below them. Here's a before pic of the drivers door jamb,
The paintwork was washed with Meguiars #62 Car Shampoo, and the plastic trim was cleaned with Autoglym Engine and Machine Cleaner (are we seeing a pattern here? I really like the flexibility of this product). The plastic will then be further detailed with Autoglym Bumper Care along with the rest of the trim in part 2. Here's a finished pic of the door jamb:
Next up was the bodywork washing stage. Now I don't have a hose pipe at home, living in a flat, so I need to use a watering can. To pre-wet the bodywork, I use the watering can with the rose on to give a nice spary of water to wet the paintwork...
Then to the washing stage. I use my favourite shampoo, Meguiars #62 Bodywork Shampoo and Conditioner (two-bucket method but with no grit-guard at present, its on my "buy-list")... Diluted 128:1 with the soft water we have up here in Bonnie Dundee, #62 gives you a monsterous amount of very soft suds. And it smells of aniseed! Great shampoo!
The car was washed from the top down. The upper (cleaner) areas of paintwork were washed using the Meguiars Lambswool washmitt:
While the lower, dirtier panels (including the boot lid which is a muck-magnet on AstraG hatches) was washed with the Meguiars Microfibre Ultimate mitt as the latter mitt is easier to clean dirt out of at the end (just throw it in the washing machine). Also I like to keep separate mitts for "cleaner" areas of the car, but I'm just pernickety!
The car was then rinsed with the watering car, firstly with the orse on and then with the rose off (to get a flow of water to sheet off the paintwork, essentially making the car self-drying). The remaining water area were pat-dried with a Meguiars Water Magnet. Then, in good old tradition for the British weather (despite the forecast being dry for the whole day), the rain came down on the freshly washed and dried car!!
Still, it seemed only to be a passing shower, and with blue skies as far as the eye could see to the west, I went out to re-start the detail. As the car had been rained on, it was QD'd with Meguiars Quick Detailer and then ready for claying. To avoid the risk of dust scratching during the claying, I always QD the panel and wipe clean before claying (yes, even after QDing the entire vehicle but like I said, I'm pernickety, which is why it takes me an age to do the car!! :lol: ). Then, using Meguiars Quick Clay and Meguiars Quick Detailer as the lubricant, the car was clayed panel by panel.
Despite the paintwork feeling a little rough before claying, and then feeling smooth afterwards (the clay obviously doing its job) the clay finished each area very clean, but I continued to knead it regularly anyway as a matter of course. Only the lower panel (Below the styling line on both doors) made the clay a little brown...
Once clayed, I preceeded to polish the car. Initially, I went with Pinnacle Swirl Remover on a Wolfgang Light Cutting pad (orange), but while this dealt with the light areas of swirls (I started on the bonnet) it didn't touch the odd more severe scratch as I wanted. As a polish, I would say Pinnacle Swirl Remover is light abbrassive, lighter than Meguiars #80 and I reckon the twins (including Advanced Finishing Polish) will be best implemented as a light defect removal detail later in the summer. The Pinnacle did finish to a very wet and glossy shine though, more impressive even than #80 (sorry, no pics as I started to lift my pace owing to the threat of showers!) so in this respect it certainly performed well, but perhaps the more sever marks require Advanced Swirl Remover. I was delighted with the glossy finish and will most certianly be implementing these polishes into a summer detail where ultimate looks are key, but for the the time being I was looking for a bit more defect removal - what better time to test the Menzerna products that I've bought!! I started with Final Polish 2 on the Proper Auto Care Orange Power Pad (LakeCountry foam) applied by PC...
This dealt with the blemishes to my satisfaction so no need to step up to Intensive Polish (which is being saved for my dad's badly swirled car washed Astra, more on that next week if the weather is nice! ... and my friend's Audi A4 which is also in a bit of a swirly state). I appled the FP2 staright to the paintwork and with the machine off, spread the polish over a small area. Then I started with hte machine on speed 2 with a sinlge pass to further spread the polish, then up to speed 4 for a single pass and then onto speed 5 for several passes until the polish started to dust slightly. Here's a couple of pics after the FP2:
Afraid I find it very hard to photograph swirls outside on silver, sorry, but the pics do show the paint looking swirl free in the sunlight - trust me, there were swirls there before hand! I got good shots of the swirls on my dad's red Astra though!
Next up was the glazing stage, but a look to the west was worrying - would you trust these clouds not to rain on your parade?! (I like the reflections in the roof after FP2)
Thankfully, its did actually stay dry and the clouds passed over and blue skies returned. So it was onto the Finishing Touch Glaze. It wasn't sure whether to go for this or not, as the finish from FP2 was really excellent IMHO. But, nothing ventured and all... So I applied the FTG in the same way as FP2 using a Meguiars Soft Buff Finishing Pad (lovely soft foam!!), my first trial of a Meguiars pad (actually my first go of a pad not manufactured in some way by LakeCountry I believe!!
). So, apply glaze straight to paint,The product seemed oily, but not as oily as Meguiars #7 and also lighter in colour. If you look at the product under light you can see the oils in little bubbles suspended in the liquid (like the fatty oils in home-made soup, mmm hungry now!!) The residue left after buffing was very easy to remove, far easier than #7 and with similarly impressive results.
This was immediately followed with an application of Full Molecular Jacket, by hand using the microfibre applicator pad and removal towel supplied with the FMJ. The FMJ wiped on very easily indeed in a thin layer using circular motions with little or no pressure on the pad. I left the haze to dry (while glazing the next panel), and then removed the haze with the microfbire towel. The haze removed off so easily, easier even than the Pinnacle waxes, I was very impressed and it left the paint extremely slick!
Below are the completed pics of the car after the FP2, FTG, FMJ:
Bonnet
Bonnet with my dad's reflection (he was the "gaffer" and stood and supervised my efforts!! Also helped here and there with the QDing of panel pre-polishing....)
A pic of the whole car (appologies for the fading light here)
The front of the car, again with fading light (taken at 730pm)
Another full car shot...
Roof shot taken with a long-exposure time owing to fading light, so appologies for the noise...
One of my favourite pics, the Irmsher stamp on the underside of the rear spoiler shown reflected in the rear wing...
And finally, my favourite pic of the day, the "three-muskateers"!! Products used to get the shine, and I'm pretty happy with the result, Menzerna has impressed me...
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