UK - deep cleaning metallic Golf paint?

[jdthompson]

It`s been a while since I`ve done any more than wash my car (02 Anthractie Metallic Golf) and now the good weather is here I want to give it a good clean and polish.



The paint is in very good shape, a few really light spider web swirls but that is all.



So far as products, I already have Gold Class Car Wash, #7 Polish and #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax, Zaino Z1 and Zaino Z2.



I`m figuring give the car a good wash and then do some sort of clean before using (probably) the Zaino as it seems to last the longest.



Question is what would people suggest I use to clean the paint?



Being in the UK things a little more limited (less so than last time I looked though). I`m thinking should I use a Clay, or a Cleaning compound and if so what would people suggest?



I`ll be working by hand, I want good results but I`m not looking for perfection. I don`t want to be doing this every weekend, I`m hoping to hit the car once and then hopefully have to "top up" with washing and a detailler spray?



cheers,

Paul

[butchdave]

I don`t think that its a choice between clay and cleaner - they do different jobs. Personally I will clay and then use a paint cleanser, which has the added benefit of removing any clay residue.



I tend to use VM, which with the clay I bought from Alex at Serious Performance, but if you are going the Zaino route, you won`t want the oils in VM.

[Lowejackson]

All the products you have are really last phase products. You will need a polish to remove the swirls. As for a chemical cleaner, it sounds like Carlack could be a good base before using the Zaino.



If the swirls are very minor I would start with something like Autoglym SRP or Sonus SFX-2

[jdthompson]

Thanks both. I have some Autoglym SRP and I also dug out a bottle of Wax Wizard "Cleanse" which is pretty much a Zymol HD-Cleanse type product.



I`m sure things have changed a bit but on the other hand cleaning a car can`t have evolved that much :)



I may treat it to a clay bar and see how it goes from there.



cheers,

Paul

[butchdave]

Good, but I would always recommend a clay bar. If you haven`t used one before then you might wonder why you haven`t afterwards! :)

[jdthompson]

They`re THAT noticable?

[imported_vindaloo]

:up YES

[Lowejackson]

Claying :xyxthumbs



SRP and Wax Wizard sounds like different products and therefore will do things differently.

[GunCulture]

I`d say the best thing to do with your Wax Wizard product is to throw it out.

Lord only knows what that bottle actually contains.

[imported_vindaloo]

Originally posted by GunCulture

I`d say the best thing to do with your Wax Wizard product is to throw it out.

Lord only knows what that bottle actually contains.





Probably something from Clover Chemicals for £1.99 a litre

[Richt]

Or rebottled Meguiars stuff marked up lots.



*** Disclaimer I cant prove this but one product I purchased was Meguiars Hand Polish or #7, in Wax Wizard bottles ***



Yes I was bitten too : (

[182_blue]

buy a pc

[GunCulture]

Blue, are you sure you ain`t on commision!



I was lucky with the WW thing, I was on the verge of buying a shed load of stuff just when the rumblings started to happen on the forums.

I took some stick for conselling caution to someone buying MC2 once too, and we know how that one panned out!

[Richt]

Is he ( the Wax Wizard! ) still selling stuff?

[Lowejackson]

Originally posted by 182_blue

buy a pc



It would be money well spent