Best Products and Process for Parking Lot Detail?

[Ahheck01]

I have been an autopian for a while, but have been somewhat out of the game for a while since moving. Now I live on my own in an apartment, and my car sits among several in the parking lot 50ft from my front door.

I have no electricity, no running water, and no shade from the sun or the elements.

My car is a 1997 BMW 328i, and is Arctic Silver (A metallic silver with a bit of a hit of blue). After the snow is done melting and most of the sand is gone from the roads from the winter, I need to get my car back in the mode of daily touchup, but otherwise perfect. I don't currently have many if any swirls.

The only problem is that I don't have a garage and full array of equipment like I used to. I have towels, including MF's, but no products. I can do a pressure washer DIY wash at the local DIY carwash, then perhaps clay/hand polish/wax in the parking lot?

Here's a thought, but I'm completely open minded, fairly poor, and relatively ambitious....

1) Wash at the spray it yourself place, followed by a complete dry just outside.

2) Slow drive back to the apartment

3) Wheel/Tire dressing

4) Claybar, panel by panel (Clay Magic)

5) Polish-by-hand (AIO? something else?)

After that it gets hazy. Hand glaze or no glaze at all? Go to KSG or right to a carnauba? I have S100, but I want a "Woah!" reaction from people when they see my silver finish, so whatever you guys think is the best combo, I'll do.

Let me know your suggestions and critiques considering my situation.

Oh, and it's good to be back, guys!

-Evan

[BlackElantraGT]

Not having a garage to detail in really sucks (I'm in the same position), but for you that's gotta be a lot worse to not even have access to water or electricity.

You'll definitely need a rinseless wash like Optimum No Rinse to maintain and wash your car. It'll save you money on not having to go to the coin-op wash all the time and having to use their soap, which will be much harsher on your wax/sealant.

Without electricity, polishing by hand will be the worse part of all this. Personally, I wouldn't go through the hassle of putting so much work into doing it by hand, and getting sub-par results compared to what a PC or rotary can do. But that's just me because I'm lazy. I don't have any experience with this, but Meguiar's ColorX is supposedly a good product if you're doing it by hand. Klasse AIO hardly removes any swirls with a PC, so the only reason I would use it was if you were prepping the surface for KSG.

I think without a machine, the route I would take would be to use a glaze and fill as much as possible, and then top it with a carnauba.

Good luck!

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Heres your parking lot, heres your silver BMW.....
Before

After

Before

After

Before

After


A little Optimum NRWS, twice, some compounding, polishing (Which your not going to be able to do without electricity), Four Star UPP, and Duragloss All Wheel Cleaner & Protectall on the Wheels, tires......
The AIO would be great for cleaning the paint, but its not going to do anything for swirls. I still think you could get some more effective cleaning with a light grade abrasive polish like Optimum PoliSeal or something similiar. The S100, would be nice, but dont expect any serious pop until you get into some polishing rituals....
Optimum NRWS and a 2.5 Gal bucket, sheepskin, Waffle Weave drying towels, light grade polish and spray waxes are your best friends for parking lots.

[blackntan]

I was in this same situation a few years ago. It sucked.

Here was my process:

spray down at the local car wash, to remove most dirt/dust/etc. While I was there, I applied the wheel cleaner, and brought a wheel cleaning brush, so I could get the brake dust off the wheels. To me, the wheels and brake dust were one of the hardest parts to clean w/o running water... The dust just contaminates SO much...

I'd also vacuum while here.

I then dried it relatively well, and drove home.

Once back in a secluded section of the parking lot, hopefully with some shade and privacy, I hand washed it with a gallon or two of distilled water and a no rinse car wash (I use optimum now, but forget what the other stuff was called... good stuff, usually sold for RV's... someone help me out...)

I then clayed the car while it was still wet, and used a clay lube as an additional lube.

After using the clay lube, the car was still wet, so I'd work on the inside and the wheels. I'd use the leftover no rinse on the wheels, then start the glass and interior cleaning and protecting...

After that, i'd go back to the car, and get ready to wax it. Usually, considering the situation, I'd go with a one step cleaner wax. My favorite is Gliptone Pro-buff, but I've heard good things about Meguiars and 3M's cleaner waxes...

If I was really feeling crazy that day, I'd use the gliptone, then go over that with Natty Blue, NXT paste or S100...

Regardless, the compliments on my car never slowed down because of my living situation... which is all that mattered...

[Ahheck01]

Originally Posted by a.k.a. Patrick

Heres your parking lot, heres your silver BMW.....

After

You can't imagine how much better your car would look with the european turn signals. Also, european ellipsoid headlights (ZKW or DEPO) in combination with those turn signals will make your car look 10 years newer, no joke. I don't have the headlights yet, but it's next on my list. Finally, a drop would look great - maybe some H&R sport springs with some Koni yellow adjustable shocks - great handling and great looks. All well worth it. Check out my car:
Quick Evening Photoshoot - Arctic 328i - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum

Also, I think I'm going to combine suggestions from the both of you.

I wouldn't mind thoughts from others as well. Click the link I put a few lines up to see what I"m working with.

-Evan

[Nimble]

Evan, I figured that must be you based on the username haha. I'm Das Auto at bf.com

Just a quic FYI, that arctic E36 posted above was his customers car, so I doubt he'll be modding it for him/her hehe.

Good luck with the parking lot detailing, I gave up when I was in college and would drive home to do the full detail days. Just washed while at school.

BTW, with no shade I'd use Poor Boy's products, they're a no brainer.

[BigLeegr]

Originally Posted by blackntan

Once back in a secluded section of the parking lot, hopefully with some shade and privacy, I hand washed it with a gallon or two of distilled water and a no rinse car wash (I use optimum now, but forget what the other stuff was called... good stuff, usually sold for RV's... someone help me out...)

Probably mean QEW from Protectall?

Evan- the DIY garage you mentioned, does it have an outlet? Some places (pay be the minute types) have outlets that you can use (since you are paying by the minute rather than whenever you put in some change.).

If not, I would probably look at a good glaze (ClearKote's Vanilla Moose would be good to use in the sun) and, as mentioned above, Poorboy's stuff, also good for use in the sun.

I'm in the same boat, except I have access to power. But if you wanted to use non-"sun friendly" products, plan on doing your work either early or fairly late, so there isn't as much heat. It's the heat that makes the job tough. Direct sun when it's -30º isn't going to bake the products like direct sun at 90º so the lack of shade aspect can be worked around.

Also, as mentioned, get some rinseless wash, and maybe some S+W.

[Ahheck01]

Originally Posted by BigLeegr

Probably mean QEW from Protectall?

Evan- the DIY garage you mentioned, does it have an outlet? Some places (pay be the minute types) have outlets that you can use (since you are paying by the minute rather than whenever you put in some change.).

If not, I would probably look at a good glaze (ClearKote's Vanilla Moose would be good to use in the sun) and, as mentioned above, Poorboy's stuff, also good for use in the sun.

I'm in the same boat, except I have access to power. But if you wanted to use non-"sun friendly" products, plan on doing your work either early or fairly late, so there isn't as much heat. It's the heat that makes the job tough. Direct sun when it's -30º isn't going to bake the products like direct sun at 90º so the lack of shade aspect can be worked around.

Also, as mentioned, get some rinseless wash, and maybe some S+W.

Thanks for the advice! I have some VM lying around, but I'm not sure what poorboy products to use? I have natty's blue wax. Should I keep it to wash, clay, vm, wax? Also, what is S + W?

-Evan

[Nimble]

Spray and Wipe Waterless Wash, Poor Boy's

[BigLeegr]

Originally Posted by Ahheck01

Thanks for the advice! I have some VM lying around, but I'm not sure what poorboy products to use? I have natty's blue wax. Should I keep it to wash, clay, vm, wax?

That would be the basics. You'd get cleaning, filling, protection and a glossy look. (ClearKote's Carnauba Moose would also give a wet look while being sun friendly.)
As to which Poorboys stuff to order, I'd say the S+W would be the only thing to add from what you've said you have to "get by." You could go all out and get the BoldNBright tire dressing, the Natural Look vinyl protectant, the Spray and Gloss QD, the Quick Wax+ for a wax booster, the Pro Polish for clearing up headlights and polishing paint, ... well, you get the idea. It depends on how far into 1 line you want to go, and what you have on hand already.

If you don't have a rinseless wash, you can get the QEW (Quick & Easy Wash) from some RV and camping places, so you might have one locally, rather than online ordering.

[OGauge4Me]

You may want to invest in a portable canopy.

[mikebai1990]

OGauge4Me, what happens with the sun isn't shining directly overhead (as shown in the pictures )?