CupraSimmo
Guest
Top work guys! Ordered my meguirs clay bar kit! Cheers will show some before and after pics once completed!
CupraSimmo
Guest
Yea no problems..Its best to give your car a good going over ever now and again. It could take all day..But its worth it.
Firstly, shampoo the car. Allow to dry. I use a micro fibre drying cloth..as it speeds up the process and makes sure you dont get water marks.
Then, out with ur claybar...the instructions tell you to brake a 1/4 off. But i recomend using a half. Just to get more surface area and better pressure. Then you spray a small area with the supplied detailer...and then rub it with the clay. DO NOT ALLOW THE DETAILER TO DRY..so u need a cloth or towel to wipe away the excess. I recomend doing half of panel a time. It can take a while..but its worth it. Take ur time and your paint work will be like new afterwards.
After the calybar is done...plish and Wax the car. Id recomend meguires Gold class polish..and after thats done..Meguires detailer spray and a cloth. Instead of spraying the detailer on the car..apply it to the cloth.
Im staff of a cruise website called www.SouthWalesCuise.com - Aswell as regular meets and the like..we do charity work for a local childrens hopsital. Very friendly bunch. Il copy some information now on cleaning your car written by julz who works for meguires..she knows her stuff.
Firstly, shampoo the car. Allow to dry. I use a micro fibre drying cloth..as it speeds up the process and makes sure you dont get water marks.
Then, out with ur claybar...the instructions tell you to brake a 1/4 off. But i recomend using a half. Just to get more surface area and better pressure. Then you spray a small area with the supplied detailer...and then rub it with the clay. DO NOT ALLOW THE DETAILER TO DRY..so u need a cloth or towel to wipe away the excess. I recomend doing half of panel a time. It can take a while..but its worth it. Take ur time and your paint work will be like new afterwards.
After the calybar is done...plish and Wax the car. Id recomend meguires Gold class polish..and after thats done..Meguires detailer spray and a cloth. Instead of spraying the detailer on the car..apply it to the cloth.
Im staff of a cruise website called www.SouthWalesCuise.com - Aswell as regular meets and the like..we do charity work for a local childrens hopsital. Very friendly bunch. Il copy some information now on cleaning your car written by julz who works for meguires..she knows her stuff.
Last edited:
Tried to copy the HOW TO guide here..but theres to many pictures ect.
Its worth signing up to the site for just that.
Link Here http://www.southwalescruise.com/swc/index.php?showtopic=1957
Very helpful guide on cleaning and detailing.
Its worth signing up to the site for just that.
Link Here http://www.southwalescruise.com/swc/index.php?showtopic=1957
Very helpful guide on cleaning and detailing.
paul26982
Guest
I have knocked together a quick guide that might be worth a read to some people if your serious about looking after your car.
Before you can make the right choices in product selection, it is critical that you understand the 5 basic steps for appearance car care.
They are:
1) Washing: Removing the loose contaminants from the surface of your car;
2) Cleaning/Prepping: Removing bonded contaminants, stains, blemishes, scratches, chemical etching and oxidation;
3) Polishing/Glazing: An optional step for dark-coloured cars;
4) Waxing: Waxing is part of the larger category of protection, which coats the paint finish with a residual layer of waxes, polymers, silicones and resins that prevents most environmental contaminants from coming into direct contact with your paint finish for a period of time; and,
5) Maintenance: The regular use of a mist and wipe product for removing fresh contaminants.
The task of selecting which products will work the easiest and produce the best results on your specific car is greatly simplified by evaluating your paint finish. Believe it or not, the evaluation is simple and foolproof. After you wash and dry your car, rub the face of your clean hand across the top surfaces of your car. Your sense of touch will tell you what your eyes cannot see.
If your paint finish is as smooth as glass, your car wax will apply and wipe off like a dream, leaving clear reflections and long lasting protection. This makes the car waxing experience both fun and rewarding.
When you use your sense of touch to evaluate the paint finish on your car, you will usually feel bonded contaminants that your eyes cannot see. Don't be surprised if what you feel is more reminiscent of sandpaper than glass. The roughness that you feel is environmental contaminants that have bonded to your paint finish and are now trying to etch into your paint finish. No amount of car waxing will remove these contaminants.
Applying car wax on top of bonded contaminants is a laborious and worthless task. Even easy-to-use car waxes are difficult to apply and wipe off over bonded contaminants that have roughed up your paint finish. Furthermore, the mass accumulation of bonded contaminants prevents any possibility of mirror-like reflections. The paint is left lacklustre. Even worse, bonded contaminants repel the adhesion of car wax, allowing the penetration of moisture and contaminants, even if you have spent four hours applying four coats of car wax.
There is yet another disastrous consequence of not removing bonded contaminants. All of the contaminants, like dust and grime collect faster in high heat conditions and are far more difficult to remove from cars with rough paint finishes. Conversely, the adhered grit and grime is far easier to wash off paint finishes that are as slick as glass and well waxed.
This is important information for everyone who lives in areas of extreme temperatures and truly cares about the appearance of their car. While it may seem too good to be true, this advice can save you time and effort, dramatically improve the appearance of your car and genuinely protect your car's appearance.
Assuming that your car is covered with bonded contaminants, let's go through the steps that will provide optimum appearance and protection for your car this winter.
Washing
Unfortunately, more than half of all the people who wash their own car use dishwashing detergents. While wonderful for dishes(so the missus has told me), dishwashing detergents strip off all of your protection and then pull the vital oils out of the paint just like too much detergent does to your hands. This dries your paint out and accelerates the oxidation process. When you wash your car, only use water or use a car wash shampoo and conditioner, like Meguiars' Nxt Generation Car wash, that will enhance the appearance of your paint finish while flushing off loose contaminants.
When washing RINSE the car FIRST, then i like to use the 2 bucket method (one bucket of regular car wash solution, one clean water. simply rinse your wash mitt in the clean water, before reloading it with the wash solution, repeat this throughout the wash) starting at the top and working down of course, then re-rinse and dry with a Meguiars waffle drying towel.
Evaluation
After you wash and dry your car, use the face of your hand to feel the top surfaces of your car. If your paint finish is rough to your touch, you are feeling bonded contaminants that must be removed before polishing and waxing is of any value. If your paint finish is as smooth as glass, it will amaze you how easy it is to apply a coat of polish and/or wax. .
Cleaning/Prepping
Most of the time, paint finishes need to be prepped for polishing and waxing. For removing below surface paint problems like oxidation, stains, blemishes and scratches, it important to only use a non-abrasive clear coat safe paint cleaner like Meguiars' Deep Crystal Stage one, followed by Scratch X. While amazingly effective, there is a limit to the results that can be obtained by using hand applied paint cleaner. If you have serious paint problems, professional products, colour sanding, and a high speed rotary buffer can produce dramatic results in the hands of a well trained detailing technician. (PM Me!)
To apply these products, i work half a panel at a time applying with a Megs sponge applicator pad, and remove straight away with a plush Microfibre cloth before the product has dryed.
Removing above surface bonded contaminants and restoring a glassy smooth surface to your paint finish is easily accomplished by using Meguiars' Quick Clay Detailing System. Similar in appearance to Silly Putty, this non-abrasive ball of clay instantly removes bonded contaminants as you rub it across the surface of your car using a mist & wipe product, like Meguiars' Quick Detailer, as a lubricant.
To use this simply work half-one panel at a time again mist with QD and simply let the clay glide across your paint, repeat until the finish is as smooth as glass and wipe off any residue with a CLEAN Microfibre (do not reuse it from the previous step)
Polishing/Glazing
A pure polish or Glaze does not provide cleaning ability or protection. This is an optional step for car guys with dark-coloured (especially black) cars. If you want an absolutely flawless show car finish, if you polish your car at least once a month and wish to avoid wax build-up, or if you have re-painted your car within the past 90 days and cannot use car wax, a pure polish, like Meguiars' Deep Crystal Polish, is the perfect product for you.
To apply this simply use a clean Megs applicator pad, working one panel at a time again, and remove before dry with a clean MF.
Waxing
You will be amazed at how much easier it is to apply and wipe off car wax on a glassy smooth paint finish. If you want to optimise both appearance and durability, it makes sense to only use premium car wax products like Meguiars' NXT Generation Tech Wax. Regardless of which wax you use, applying as much as three coats of wax provides residual protection and each coat becomes increasingly easier to apply and wipe off.
I'm sure you all know by now, apply with a Megs applicator pad to the entire car. (DONT USE **** LOADS, a blob the size of a pound coin will do a panel app the same size as a Fiesta bonnet) Then wait for it to skin, or dry to a haze, and remove with a clean MF.
Maintenance
It is easy to keep your car looking like it was "just detailed" every day by frequently using a mist & wipe product like Meguiars' Quick Detailer. Regular maintenance removes contaminants before they have time to bond to or etch into your paint finish. This is the missing link between washing and waxing that dramatically extends the durability of your car wax.
To use this simply mist on a panel, and wipe straight off with a clean MF, This can also be used in windows etc!
Alloy Wheels
Ok often a step that is missed out on car detailing, To clean these correctly REMOVE them from your car, doing one at a times fine for all of you who only have a trolley jack. What i like to do is soak the wheel in Meguiars Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner, letting it soak in for a good 20-30 min's. (not forgetting the back of your alloys! Then agitate where necessary with a wheel brush (i actually got one off ebay that goes in a drill superb!) Then rinse well and let to dry. Any stubborn stains can be Quick Clayed out, then apply a coat of NXT wax, this will help washing off the brake dust and road **** so much easier in future.
Followed by Meguiars Endurance High Gloss Tyre Protection Gel, simply applied with an old piece of sponge (as it will wreck the applicators over time)
Plastic Trim
For this i like to use NXT Tech Protectant, simply apply in the same way as the tyre dressing! Simple! It is also very affective on Dashboards, gives a nice fragrance and a satin shine, not a cheap glossy silicone look that Most products do!
Hope this is of help to some of you. Anything you need to know please ask, and all of these products can be found at your local Halfords etc.
Cheers!
Edit - Ok bored and thought this might be usefull too
Detailed my engine other day! After seeing a few pics of memebers engines, thought you might like to know what i use
Start with a cool engine obviously
Strip air filter off (if it blocks the head like mine), take plug leads off and bung holes with rag, remove oil filler cap and bung this with rag. Soak engine with Autoglym engine and machine cleaner, or a similar product like Megs extra tough all surface cleaner. agitate well in with a paintbrush or parts cleaning brush.
Leave for a few mins then rinse off with v hot water (i used one of those pump up brake cleaner applicator botles, but only because my pressure washer was fooked lol)
(Optional step - get some chloroform and soak a rag, place over mothers airway untill she passes out, saves earache when she sees mess of driveway lol)
Replace plug leads & Run engine untill warm, as to dry off any excess water
Then I used the Meguiars all metal polish on the cam cover, But if its really caked on, its worth getting a 3m rubber pinstripe remover, and using this in a high speed drill.
Replace air filter etc
Then i used Meguiars cleaner wax on the underside of bonnet, inner wings etc, and dressed all the black plastic and hoses etc with Meguiars nxt tech protectant. And copper grease up all moving parts and brake pipes etc.
Before you can make the right choices in product selection, it is critical that you understand the 5 basic steps for appearance car care.
They are:
1) Washing: Removing the loose contaminants from the surface of your car;
2) Cleaning/Prepping: Removing bonded contaminants, stains, blemishes, scratches, chemical etching and oxidation;
3) Polishing/Glazing: An optional step for dark-coloured cars;
4) Waxing: Waxing is part of the larger category of protection, which coats the paint finish with a residual layer of waxes, polymers, silicones and resins that prevents most environmental contaminants from coming into direct contact with your paint finish for a period of time; and,
5) Maintenance: The regular use of a mist and wipe product for removing fresh contaminants.
The task of selecting which products will work the easiest and produce the best results on your specific car is greatly simplified by evaluating your paint finish. Believe it or not, the evaluation is simple and foolproof. After you wash and dry your car, rub the face of your clean hand across the top surfaces of your car. Your sense of touch will tell you what your eyes cannot see.
If your paint finish is as smooth as glass, your car wax will apply and wipe off like a dream, leaving clear reflections and long lasting protection. This makes the car waxing experience both fun and rewarding.
When you use your sense of touch to evaluate the paint finish on your car, you will usually feel bonded contaminants that your eyes cannot see. Don't be surprised if what you feel is more reminiscent of sandpaper than glass. The roughness that you feel is environmental contaminants that have bonded to your paint finish and are now trying to etch into your paint finish. No amount of car waxing will remove these contaminants.
Applying car wax on top of bonded contaminants is a laborious and worthless task. Even easy-to-use car waxes are difficult to apply and wipe off over bonded contaminants that have roughed up your paint finish. Furthermore, the mass accumulation of bonded contaminants prevents any possibility of mirror-like reflections. The paint is left lacklustre. Even worse, bonded contaminants repel the adhesion of car wax, allowing the penetration of moisture and contaminants, even if you have spent four hours applying four coats of car wax.
There is yet another disastrous consequence of not removing bonded contaminants. All of the contaminants, like dust and grime collect faster in high heat conditions and are far more difficult to remove from cars with rough paint finishes. Conversely, the adhered grit and grime is far easier to wash off paint finishes that are as slick as glass and well waxed.
This is important information for everyone who lives in areas of extreme temperatures and truly cares about the appearance of their car. While it may seem too good to be true, this advice can save you time and effort, dramatically improve the appearance of your car and genuinely protect your car's appearance.
Assuming that your car is covered with bonded contaminants, let's go through the steps that will provide optimum appearance and protection for your car this winter.
Washing
Unfortunately, more than half of all the people who wash their own car use dishwashing detergents. While wonderful for dishes(so the missus has told me), dishwashing detergents strip off all of your protection and then pull the vital oils out of the paint just like too much detergent does to your hands. This dries your paint out and accelerates the oxidation process. When you wash your car, only use water or use a car wash shampoo and conditioner, like Meguiars' Nxt Generation Car wash, that will enhance the appearance of your paint finish while flushing off loose contaminants.
When washing RINSE the car FIRST, then i like to use the 2 bucket method (one bucket of regular car wash solution, one clean water. simply rinse your wash mitt in the clean water, before reloading it with the wash solution, repeat this throughout the wash) starting at the top and working down of course, then re-rinse and dry with a Meguiars waffle drying towel.
Evaluation
After you wash and dry your car, use the face of your hand to feel the top surfaces of your car. If your paint finish is rough to your touch, you are feeling bonded contaminants that must be removed before polishing and waxing is of any value. If your paint finish is as smooth as glass, it will amaze you how easy it is to apply a coat of polish and/or wax. .
Cleaning/Prepping
Most of the time, paint finishes need to be prepped for polishing and waxing. For removing below surface paint problems like oxidation, stains, blemishes and scratches, it important to only use a non-abrasive clear coat safe paint cleaner like Meguiars' Deep Crystal Stage one, followed by Scratch X. While amazingly effective, there is a limit to the results that can be obtained by using hand applied paint cleaner. If you have serious paint problems, professional products, colour sanding, and a high speed rotary buffer can produce dramatic results in the hands of a well trained detailing technician. (PM Me!
)To apply these products, i work half a panel at a time applying with a Megs sponge applicator pad, and remove straight away with a plush Microfibre cloth before the product has dryed.
Removing above surface bonded contaminants and restoring a glassy smooth surface to your paint finish is easily accomplished by using Meguiars' Quick Clay Detailing System. Similar in appearance to Silly Putty, this non-abrasive ball of clay instantly removes bonded contaminants as you rub it across the surface of your car using a mist & wipe product, like Meguiars' Quick Detailer, as a lubricant.
To use this simply work half-one panel at a time again mist with QD and simply let the clay glide across your paint, repeat until the finish is as smooth as glass and wipe off any residue with a CLEAN Microfibre (do not reuse it from the previous step)
Polishing/Glazing
A pure polish or Glaze does not provide cleaning ability or protection. This is an optional step for car guys with dark-coloured (especially black) cars. If you want an absolutely flawless show car finish, if you polish your car at least once a month and wish to avoid wax build-up, or if you have re-painted your car within the past 90 days and cannot use car wax, a pure polish, like Meguiars' Deep Crystal Polish, is the perfect product for you.
To apply this simply use a clean Megs applicator pad, working one panel at a time again, and remove before dry with a clean MF.
Waxing
You will be amazed at how much easier it is to apply and wipe off car wax on a glassy smooth paint finish. If you want to optimise both appearance and durability, it makes sense to only use premium car wax products like Meguiars' NXT Generation Tech Wax. Regardless of which wax you use, applying as much as three coats of wax provides residual protection and each coat becomes increasingly easier to apply and wipe off.
I'm sure you all know by now, apply with a Megs applicator pad to the entire car. (DONT USE **** LOADS, a blob the size of a pound coin will do a panel app the same size as a Fiesta bonnet) Then wait for it to skin, or dry to a haze, and remove with a clean MF.
Maintenance
It is easy to keep your car looking like it was "just detailed" every day by frequently using a mist & wipe product like Meguiars' Quick Detailer. Regular maintenance removes contaminants before they have time to bond to or etch into your paint finish. This is the missing link between washing and waxing that dramatically extends the durability of your car wax.
To use this simply mist on a panel, and wipe straight off with a clean MF, This can also be used in windows etc!
Alloy Wheels
Ok often a step that is missed out on car detailing, To clean these correctly REMOVE them from your car, doing one at a times fine for all of you who only have a trolley jack. What i like to do is soak the wheel in Meguiars Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner, letting it soak in for a good 20-30 min's. (not forgetting the back of your alloys! Then agitate where necessary with a wheel brush (i actually got one off ebay that goes in a drill superb!) Then rinse well and let to dry. Any stubborn stains can be Quick Clayed out, then apply a coat of NXT wax, this will help washing off the brake dust and road **** so much easier in future.
Followed by Meguiars Endurance High Gloss Tyre Protection Gel, simply applied with an old piece of sponge (as it will wreck the applicators over time)
Plastic Trim
For this i like to use NXT Tech Protectant, simply apply in the same way as the tyre dressing! Simple! It is also very affective on Dashboards, gives a nice fragrance and a satin shine, not a cheap glossy silicone look that Most products do!
Hope this is of help to some of you. Anything you need to know please ask, and all of these products can be found at your local Halfords etc.
Cheers!
Edit - Ok bored and thought this might be usefull too
Detailed my engine other day! After seeing a few pics of memebers engines, thought you might like to know what i use
Start with a cool engine obviously
Strip air filter off (if it blocks the head like mine), take plug leads off and bung holes with rag, remove oil filler cap and bung this with rag. Soak engine with Autoglym engine and machine cleaner, or a similar product like Megs extra tough all surface cleaner. agitate well in with a paintbrush or parts cleaning brush.
Leave for a few mins then rinse off with v hot water (i used one of those pump up brake cleaner applicator botles, but only because my pressure washer was fooked lol)
(Optional step - get some chloroform and soak a rag, place over mothers airway untill she passes out, saves earache when she sees mess of driveway lol)
Replace plug leads & Run engine untill warm, as to dry off any excess water
Then I used the Meguiars all metal polish on the cam cover, But if its really caked on, its worth getting a 3m rubber pinstripe remover, and using this in a high speed drill.
Replace air filter etc
Then i used Meguiars cleaner wax on the underside of bonnet, inner wings etc, and dressed all the black plastic and hoses etc with Meguiars nxt tech protectant. And copper grease up all moving parts and brake pipes etc.
paul26982
Guest
oh yes its the biz!
Love the meguires range..and if you use it properly..the car paint feels like new..shines like new.
Brilliant.
Brilliant.
paul26982
Guest
autoglym has a cuttin compound in it! i found out the other day, whilst me mate was polishing his car in work, we both use meg's as i swear by it and he wud probably marry it if he cud, nehows off topic slightly there!
he advised me that only use auotglym if the paint is very rough! (has been waxed or polished in a while) but apart from that he use meg's every other day and say twice a year wud apply a coat of super resin.
u mite have found uve buff'd slightly hard in those place and flatted the lacquer with out even noticing but i wud suggest claying those parts and then using meg's tex
stu --
ps im a car valeter so i have some expensive **** thats even better
he advised me that only use auotglym if the paint is very rough! (has been waxed or polished in a while) but apart from that he use meg's every other day and say twice a year wud apply a coat of super resin.
u mite have found uve buff'd slightly hard in those place and flatted the lacquer with out even noticing but i wud suggest claying those parts and then using meg's tex
stu --
ps im a car valeter so i have some expensive **** thats even better
the best thing to do to get it mint is use g3 (mild cutting compound) and machine polisher if poss this will cut all the wax back you have on car and flatten out any scratches so it will look like its just been painted the use a 2 part polish like diamond brite or auto glym. (you apply polish leave it for half an hour and then apply hardner. leave for another half hour and that will seal your paint rock hard. then i would use auto glym or mer at least once a week and thats it.
g3 BE DAMN CAREFUL with this stuff, u can eat straight paint with this and i wudnt be inclined to use diamondbrite its shite.
Similar threads
- Deleted member 126886
- Car Care and Detailing
