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How often?

Claying, polishing, waxing... share your secrets in here.
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Meady
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Joined: Mon May 01, 2017 5:54 pm

How often?

Post by Meady » Sun May 07, 2017 10:00 pm

Hi Guys

I've been reading through a lot of posts with interests and enjoyed learning about everyone's detailing routines.

One thing that wasn't clear is how often you do this? - Is it every clean? Or do you do it a few times a year and just do a basic clean in between?

Cheers
Current - 2003 E85 3.0
Gone - 2010 E89 35is
Gone - 2005 E85 2.2

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buzyg
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Location: Cornwall

How often?

Post by buzyg » Sun May 07, 2017 11:22 pm

Not sure I even know what detailing is. The basic cleaning routine I have on my MR, a weekend sunny day car.

Each time I drive it. Wash the break dust off the wheels. Rinse the skirts and front and rear with my hose to get Flies & dust off.

So today beautiful dry day just a rinse.

Only if it's got dirty do I wash it.

Any bird crap is cleaned off the minute I spot it. Wipes in the boot.

Each time I wash the car I clean the interior good hoover, then clean with Johnson baby wipes. That includes every where, behind the seats doors dash, binnacles, seats, wind deflector, boot etc. I also wd40 the roof mech, and boot hinges. Maybe twice a year I wax all the panels. Plus I may wax just the bonnet in between, if I have washed the wax off cleaning it.

Engine bay again I use the baby wipes done about twice a year too.

Like I say I don't regard that as detailing, but it keeps my Zed clean. :D
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Buckz
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Location: West sussex

How often?

Post by Buckz » Mon May 08, 2017 12:19 am

Usual wash -;

Snow foam or pre wash
Wheels
Pressure washer with water
Two bucket wash
Dry
Tyre dressing
Black plastic dressing
Sometimes quick detailer if I feel like it.

Once every 3-6 months or when I feel like trying new wax -;

Same as above but after two bucket -;

Wax remover
Polish
Wax on top after drying no quick detailer.

Every 6 months or so I also go over the bodywork with a clay bar after two bucket and before full waxing stage.
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markeg
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Location: Lincolnshire Wolds

How often?

Post by markeg » Mon May 08, 2017 1:03 pm

Every weekend (except when the temperature is below 5 degrees, or I'm not at home):

- Hoover roof
- Rinse body, roof and wheels (low pressure on the roof, medium - high pressure on the body and wheels)
- Cover body & wheels (not roof) with traffic film remover (through snow foam attachment) and leave for 5 - 10 minutes
- Rinse
- Snow foam body and wheels only, and leave for 5 - 10 minutes. No wheel cleaner as wheels treated with gTechniq G5 so only needs the snow foam to remove the brake dust
- Rinse
- Wash body and (with Meguair's Gold Class), 2 buckets (with dirt filter) and wookie wash mitt, plus wheel woolies.
- Rinse
- Detailer (mix of Meguiar's Detail spray and GTechniq c2v3)
- Dry (old leaf blower) & microfibre cloths

Every six months the car gets the full works with clay, polish (DA with Meguair's/Menerva polishes and Hex pads), seal and wax for the body and wheels, and the roof gets a gentle scrub, re-dye and water repellant (gTechniq I1) applied.
previous: Alpina Roadster S, #108: gone
current: MB C-class
"veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I stuck around..."

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Meady
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How often?

Post by Meady » Mon May 08, 2017 7:11 pm

Thanks for the responses guys,

As someone whose never cleaned his own car it's all quite daunting :cry:

It also seems to be quite pricy adding up all the bits i'm going to need to keep it looking clean!

My first questions is the Snow Foam, seems this is a really important step but i don't own a pressure washer, is this needed? Or can you connect to a standard hose?

i'm thinking to possible get the Zed professionally detailed (20 steps included below) to get it looking great, swirls and paintwork looking good a protected then invest in the bits i need to regularly wash over six months.

I use the car daily so i know it won't always be as clean as your weekend only ones though :rofl:

20 Point Vehicle Enhancement Detail;
Car Detailing Prices from £120

(Areas covered are: Eastbourne, Hastings, Brighton and Sussex)

Prewash with snow foam.
Wash Wheel arches, Door and Boot shuts using All Purpose Cleaner.
Clean Wheels with safe products to remove brake dust and grime.
Rinse off with a pressure washer.
Hand wash bodywork using a shampoo, lambswool mitt and the two bucket wash method.
Rinse off with a pressure washer.
Remove all bug, tar, iron fillings and grease deposits from bodywork using specialist cleaners.
Remove exterior paint contaminates using specialised clay bar.
Quick hand wash and rinse off with a pressure washer.
Dry off bodywork by hand using microfibre drying towel.
Door and boot rubbers treated.
Hand polish using an ultra fine polish to enhance the gloss level, and prepare the surface for wax.
Hand Application from a choice of Carnauba Wax or Sealant.
Alloy wheels sealed to discourage build up of brake dust.
Clean and dress all exterior plastics.
Exterior and interior glass polished.
Dress tyres and mudflaps.
Remove and discard all interior rubbish, empty ashtrays where applicable.
Vacuum all carpets including luggage area and removable mats.
Clean dashboard.
Current - 2003 E85 3.0
Gone - 2010 E89 35is
Gone - 2005 E85 2.2

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markeg
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Location: Lincolnshire Wolds

How often?

Post by markeg » Mon May 08, 2017 8:08 pm

Ideally, use a pressure washer and snow foam lance. However, if you dont have a pressure washer or want to look at a cheaper option, then look at the Demon Shine series as they do a hose version of snow foam (link). The idea of the snow foam is to loosen the dirt on the paint work - if you then rinse the car before the washing part, most of the grit will be removed, so will reduce the fine scratches leading to swirls.

You should then use the two-bucket method for the wash so you don't introduce any more grit. And don't do the wheels at the same time, but use another bucket and do the wheels before or after the car paintwork.
previous: Alpina Roadster S, #108: gone
current: MB C-class
"veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I stuck around..."

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