Newbie car owner in San Diego!

gunbuster · 01-06-05, 02:34

After living for years in New York City where I never wanted to own a car, I packed up and moved to sunny (well, now rainy) San Diego. Needing a car, I treated myself to a '02 BMW 330ci in Orient Blue Metallic. The car is beautiful looking and I love the color...

But.. it doesn't take long to get dirty.

Now I'm the sort of person who, once deciding to do something, will try to do it the "right" way. So I found out about autopedia through the BMWCCA and Bimmerforums. I bought 2 boxes worth of goodies from Autopedia (the perfect shine system base kit and the Souverin kit). Picked up some extra MF towels from another place and I'm all ready to wash.

Except I have no idea where to do it.

You see, I live in a condo in downtown San Diego. I don't have a driveway where I can spend a nice Sunday detailing the car. So how do people get it done??

As I've looked at the car more and more, I've noticed that there are some light swirl marks on the trunk that are visible from certain angles in the light.

So any recommendations for what I should do? Plus, it's raining all this weekend.. ugh. I'd like to find a place where I can take all day to wash, clay, polish, glaze(?) and wax the car...

I don't have a PC either, but seems pretty hard to use that without having a proper driveway...

Dr Groove · 01-06-05, 03:29

Welcome gunbuster!

Let me be the first to welcome you to the big A! Yes, it's a great site chock full of usefull info. Welcome to the addiction!

As to where you can detail your Beemer....hmmmm, good question. You're certainly at a disadvantage not having your own working space. I'm one of the fortunates that has his own home, garage and long driveway! However, I'm thinking that a local park where you can find a corner away from any activity should allow you to detail all day, and since you're not using a PC you don't need to worry about an electrical outlet.

Hopefully someone else can come up with a good suggestion.

Good luck !

gunbuster · 01-06-05, 03:37

Hmm, a local park might work pretty well -- except I'm not sure that I could get access to water. I suppose I could go to one of those quarter-based stalls to do the initial wash and dry, then carefully drive over to a park where I can detail?

I tried one of those self-service stalls for just a quick wash since the car was looking so dreadful. But I felt awfully hurried and after I drove out of the stall, the sun came down and started drying up the water faster than I could dry it off.

Then again, I'm an absolute newbie, so I probably was taking too long to get it done. What do people think of those California water blades? Seems like they'd work alright if the car was well-cleaned?

BTW, thanks for the welcome

It's good to be part of the community.

the other pc · 01-06-05, 03:58

to (certainly to be sunny again soon) So Cal.

Try this out: make some new friends, at least one with their own driveway, and offer to come over and do their cars at the same time.

PC.

Dr Groove · 01-06-05, 05:43

Another thought gunbuster would be to make firends,like "the other pc" said, but make sure he owns a garage!

See if he would let you use his shop on Sundays. I always thought it would be really great to have access to a lift! Sure would make detailing the lower portions of the car a lot easier!

Plus, my earlier suggestion to use a park assumed you would go first to a car wash then to a park. (Sometimes you got to bite the bullet and trust your ride to a dang car wash!)

Don't worry about water stains, they'll come out when you use a paint cleaner or swirl remover.

Hopefully your situation will change and some day you'll have your own territory to pamper your beemer!

dcswd · 01-06-05, 08:16

You could really detail anywhere and if someone asks, just say your a mobile detailer

I know some peopel detail in underground parking garages. You could do that as long as no one minds.

I would suggest washing your car at a quarter place or somewhere else, drive to where you are going to detail, and use a Quick Detail spray before you start.

Hmm... You could always detail where you normally park if you wait for an overcast day, but I would assume you want peace and quiet while you work.

Other than that, make some new friends

gunbuster · 01-17-05, 03:10

Well, I tried this weekend using one of those coin-op car washes. Basically, I washed and dried the car there at the coni-op place, then drove maybe 2 blocks over to a park where I clayed the car. This might be unnecessary, but I drove back to the car wash and did a rinse/dry. I then found a spot about 100 yds away where I could detail in a empty parking lot (outdoors). I used the rest of the Perfect Shine kit there -- ScratchX, AIO and then SG. There are definitely scratches and swirl marks that will have to eventually be worked out with a PC, but heck, I'm a noob! I know the ScratchX is just filling in the stuff, but I figure in 4-5 months, I'll have a PC

Anyway, here are some of the pics:

dcswd · 01-17-05, 03:14

Looks nice!

Those reflections are really good. I'm glad you were able to find a place that you can do all of this.

A tip for the future... dont let those jeans touch the paint

Lol. Only microfiber!

JBM · 01-17-05, 03:18

Ive done this:

Bring your washmit and your own soap to a carwash. Bring a couple gallons of water to fill bucket. Pay the $1.75 to rinse the car.

Wash your car. Pay another $1.75 to rinse it. Dry with The Absorber.

No scratches

gunbuster · 01-17-05, 03:24

Hehe, yah on the jeans. I was going to tell my wife.. "no!", but it was too late. Figured she was a good enough sport for helping me do it (took like 5 hours. So I figured I better shut up

the other pc · 01-17-05, 03:45

The "homeless detail" looks great. Looks like you don't have to make any friends until you need an electrical outlet.

Obtw, ScratchX isn't just hiding the swirls it does remove minor defects. The abrasives in ScratchX are very fine but they're actually the most aggressive that Meg's puts in a "for hand use" product.

PC.

Asonyexec · 01-17-05, 03:46

welcome to So. Calif. I'm in LA, didn't the rain suck? when driving around town keep an eye open for those do it yourself car wash places. The washes around here usually have a pretty good size lot attached to them for drying and such, I dont think you need to drive off to a park to do you waxing, just find one with a lot attached. I even got to the point to where I knew which ones were casting the right shade at what time of the day LOL.

When i used to use those washes I NEVER used the brushes there. Take your wash mit and a 5 gal bucket, pour in your car wash and fill the bucket with water (even though most say no bucket washing - u paid for the water right? haha). then wash away, pop in some more quarters and rinse. Oh, i did use the brushes there to scrub down my tires. Don't use them on your paint though they are just full of dirt and other super abrasive garbage.