Detailings to a higher level (UK)

[Ch!lledBudwei2e]

Evolving from my welcome thread (http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32044) I am ineed of some advice.



Im looking to up the antee on my detailing hobby and want to buy some new gear so that I can achive the best result possbile.



What would everybody recommend? Must be able to buy it in UK, or import it with relative ease.



Thanks in advance.

[Alex Creasey]

Welcome again :)....



Most peple will say have a good read and use the search function.



For the UK guys this thread will be of great help initially...

http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29410



Cheers :)

Alex.

[tropjy160]

Hi,



I guess this a me too . . .



I`ve been looking aroung the site for a couple of weeks.



Now I seem to be more confused than I was before !



I`ve got two cars to look a new one and another than is about two and a half years old.



Do I need different products for the paintwork on each of the cars.



I was going to use Meguiars Gold class on the new care and then try the 3 stage stuff out on the older car to smarten things up and then used GoldClass on both cars.



I now guess that I should be looking at other products. Again I would prefer stuff that I can get from the UK.



Serious performance seems to have the best range but what do I want\need to get hold of.



Thanks



Paul,

[butchdave]

:brit :welcome :brit Paul



What products do you want.... how long is a piece of string :D



I think most Autopians would tend towards the pro range of Megiuars rather than the consumer range, or you could try the 3M range - this can be bought at some motor factors.



If you have an older car then you really need to deal with the swirls if you want a good result and in my opinion thats more a job for the pro lines where one product does one job and does it well. You should not need such aggressive products for the newer car, but once the older car is back to spec then it should be the same products (although if they are different colours or have different uses then you may prefer different products)



If you can be more specific perhaps about specific tasks then maybe we can help - the UK retailers thread covers quite a few general areas

[Lowejackson]

Welcome to Autopia gentlemen.



It is possible to spend a lot of money on nice products but it is not necessary. Aside from the basics like shampoo and wash mitts buy the products you need for your car. If you have lots of swirls etc then you will need a fairly strong polish, if the paint is in very good condition, you will only need a mild polish. I guess the best thing to do is identify the problems you wish to fix then decide the other constraints like how much you want to spend and how much protection you want. For example, wax IMO gives the best shine but does not last very long whereas sealants like Zaino will last upto 6 months. Zaino will still give an excellent shine but I think wax looks better. It is all about what you want.



Whatever you do, buy some good quality shampoo, a couple of buckets, as many MF towels as you can and a soft wash mitt.



There are plently of nice things to buy in the UK and the list is growing quickly but if you do need to order from the States, these days it is very easy.



The real difference in shine is not from products but from technique and skill.



There is a healthly contingent of Brits here who are very helpful as is everyone else. So ask away....

[RTE60]

Welcome aboard, its amazing how addictive detailing can be. Since getting the new car a few months ago, Ive become quite fanatical about keeping it looking good.



There is so much info on this forum, just take your time reading the various threads, also good to see more Brits interested in detailing.

[Ch!lledBudwei2e]

After reading up on here and following scottwax high praise and avery good offer from seriousperformance ive opted for the following:

Vanilla Moose Wax : Carnauba Moose Wax : Quik Shine : Shampoo : and a fair amount of new hardware.



All I need now is some clay.



Also is it safe to wash my Meguiar`s SOFTBUFFâ„¢ Finishing Pad and Meguiar`s SOFTBUFFâ„¢ Polishing Pad in a washing machine?

[RTE60]

Does serious performance sell Carnauba Moose wax? I`ve not seen it on the site or order form. I thought that the moose wax is a cleaner type wax that would remove the VMW

[Ch!lledBudwei2e]

http://www.seriousperformance.co.uk/sp/products/polish_wax.php



First product on the page mate

[AndyC]

Yep, Alex does sell Clearkote products - should be on the downloadable order form



Use the VMW first as a mild polish then top with CMW. Good stuff - I used it recently on GF`s met. green Ka (swirled badly etc.) and it worked nicely - easy to use and effective at covering swirls.



Alex also sells clay with a Clearkote kit (QS plus clay bar)



Washing - personal preference here but this is my wash routine.



Terry towels - handwash, rinse then either 40 or 60 degress depending on how dirty they are. Rinse twice after wash cycle finished



MF`s - as above but usually wash at 90 (60 on less soiled towels like those used for wax/polish removal etc). Again rinse twice.



Foam pads/PC pads - handwash with ````` liquid then rinse. I use a potato masher to sqeeze all soap out of em and roll them also (like you would a tortilla wrap) - same principal as washing emulsion out of rollers/paint pads etc. Rinse twice in washing machine when all soap out.



Washmitts - MF`s as per MF above. Sheepskin - I usually rinse until water runs clear. Chenile cotton - handwash as it leaves bits all over machine and I get a kick up the a$$ from GF!



Basic rules I follow.



1. I always wash pads, terry towel, good and general purpose MF

separately to avoid lint transfer.

2. I always rinse twice after the wash cycle ends (so they get 3

rinses in total). This ensures that no soap residue remains.

3. I always air dry - never use machine.



Hope this helps - I`m sure everyone has different ideas on this but the above works well for me.

[RTE60]

Doh !!!

[Ch!lledBudwei2e]

Wicked post AndyC, very helpfull



cheers

[Alex Creasey]

Yep, good guidelines Andy.

:).

[imported_pugoman]

Hey! Those products weren`t on the website last time I looked! Looks like Alex has been a busy boy updating his site. Nice one!

[AndyC]

He has indeed and I can highly recommend the following



Collinite Marque d`Elegance - better than P21S for depth of shine & durability. Harder to wipe off but IMO a better result



Poorboys EX - Like AG SRP but a lot less residue and smells a lot better. Gives a good shine and very durable. Worked well for me over DACP with PC once most of my swirls had gone.