[Fin535dA]

Hello my fellow E60 forum dudes and dudettes!

I'm about to wash, clay, polish and wax/seal my parents' cars, a Carbon Black '05 535d and a Jet Black '07 116i.

There are some questions I would appreciate you answer.

I was wondering if my process order is correct:

1. Wash the car with Fairy detergent (equivalent to your Dawn) to strip away old wax and loose dirt etc.

2. Clay the car using Zaino Z18 clay bar with Zaino Z7 as lubricant.

3. First question: What should I do after claying/applying the lubricant. Should I wash the car again? If so, with what? Or should I just begin polishing straight away on the still lubricated surface?

4. Polishing with Autoglym's Super Resin Polish. There are some areas, especially in the older carbon black 535d, that look like they've been sandblasted. The front bumper for instance. Could the 'glym Super Resin Polish do the job? Should I do the whole car with it or just the areas that look the worst? In addition, the cars are full of swirl marks. Any hope of getting rid of them by just applying the SRP by hand?

5. After polishing with SRP, another polishing with glym Ultra Deep Shine. It's polishing and coaring. Am I just destroying my previous work with SRP?

6. Finally, for sealant, a layer or two of Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection.

5. Chrome exhaust tips. What's the trick here? They're partially covered in some very hard-to-get-off dirt. How can I get it off? And then when do I get it off, what product to use to polish them, and with what, a microfibre cloth?

6. Wheels. They're horrible on the inside. Is there some magic to get all the brake dust and grit away from there with "little" work? (Little as in I don't have to remove the wheel in order to reach all the areas.)


Please bear in mind that, you see, I'm not THAT devoted to car detailing as to buy products I've hardly ever heard of and which cost a fortune, let alone use a machine to apply the wax. I'd probably just destroy the clear coat layer. What's more, some of the products you use on the other side of the Atlantic ocean are not available here in Finland.

I am, however, amazed at all the pictures you detailing gods have put up here. Just amazing, they take my breathe away.

I would really appreciate all your input!

With best regards, Niko

Ps. If I'm happy with the results I'll definitely post some pictures.

[skylolow]

Doing paint correction by hand is just about impossible for a whole car. Even if you went and bought a PC there is alot more to it then just applying the polish. There is a learning curve and you need to practice before doing a car.

I think you should really consider having a pro do the job and then just maintain the car properly after that.

Other choice would be using a glaze with heavy fillers in it. Won't correct it but make it look a hell of alot better and it can be applied by hand quite easily.

[Fin535dA]

Thought so.

I think I'll give it a try using my methods I described earlier and if it looks like shite I'll suggest my folks take them to proper car detailers.

I'd still appreciate if someone could tell me what to after I've clayed the car, before applying the polish. Wash it again with a car shampoo?

[Anzafin]

Hi Niko!
Nice to see another Finnish member interested on car detailing and/or maintaining the looks of the car .

I'm no expert, but here are my thoughts about your process:

1) I wouldn't use Fairy. Buy a strong solvent spray instead. For example Korrek Lensitil BR, it strips the wax effectively.
2) I guess Z7 is ok. I would use some cheaper car shampoo.
3) Wash again with car shampoo and rinse well.
4) SRP and UDS might hide the lightest swirls a bit, but they're not abrasive enough to take them out. Even if you had the machine.
5) + 6) If you want to use EGP, you should put it on SRP, since the EGP doesn't bond very well on anything else. They're meant to be used together. If you're planning putting the UDS under the SRP, it would not work, because the SRP will take the UDS off.
7) Use some solvent, like turpentine or acetone. Then you can polish them with some chrome polisher paste with a microfiber cloth.
8) Some wheel cleaner and lots of work I guess .

To get rid of the swirls I would too recommend a professional detailer, and to KEEP THEM AWAY in the future you should learn the right washing and drying techniques and stay out of machine washes (except the brushless ones). Good luck with the effort!

[Fin535dA]

Hey Anza!

Thanks for your input. I've read your topics on car detailing and modding, looking good! You really know your stuff!

Alright, Korrek it is for the first step then. As to the polishing, it's just an attempt to get rid of the swirls and the horrible "sandblast" streaks and scratches in the front. If I'm unhappy with the result I'll recommend my folks to take them to a proper detailing. But I'll do as you said, SRP first, EGP second. Is there any point in putting SRP first, UDS second and then EGP, or should I just leave UDS out of the equation?

Once again, thanks for answering my cry for help

[Anzafin]

Fin535dA, on May 24 2009, 03:46 PM, said:

Hey Anza!

Thanks for your input. I've read your topics on car detailing and modding, looking good! You really know your stuff!

Alright, Korrek it is for the first step then. As to the polishing, it's just an attempt to get rid of the swirls and the horrible "sandblast" streaks and scratches in the front. If I'm unhappy with the result I'll recommend my folks to take them to a proper detailing. But I'll do as you said, SRP first, EGP second. Is there any point in putting SRP first, UDS second and then EGP, or should I just leave UDS out of the equation?

Once again, thanks for answering my cry for help

Like I said (or tried to ), the EGP will not bond to UDS very well, so it would be UDS only, or SRP + EGP.

A good waxing (or sealing, as the SRP isn't a "real" wax), will hide the swirls a bit, and the result might look very good, until you take the car under the street lighting when it's dark, or in the direct sunlight.

[Fin535dA]

Yup, got it.

As I earlier mentioned, the cars belong to my parents, and they're quite much the types who use automated car washes, at least in the winter. What's more, up until I strictly forbade my mother, she used to wash the cars with Fairy She said she'd used it for ages.

So you might imagine what the paint surfaces look like. I have no idea what proper professional detailer services cost. Do you?

[Anzafin]

Fin535dA, on May 24 2009, 05:09 PM, said:

Yup, got it.

As I earlier mentioned, the cars belong to my parents, and they're quite much the types who use automated car washes, at least in the winter. What's more, up until I strictly forbade my mother, she used to wash the cars with Fairy She said she'd used it for ages.

So you might imagine what the paint surfaces look like. I have no idea what proper professional detailer services cost. Do you?

My guess is they would take 200-400€ from a paint correction work. But it would be completely useless, if the car will be washed in automated car wash again.
They (car washes) advertise how the brushes are safe for paint but they surely are not. One time for a freshly detailed (paint corrected) car will 100% make swirls. A proper hand washing + drying techniques + good products are the best way to avoid swirls. On the other hand, as long as the car is a daily driver instead of a showroom machine, swirls will come back. But with correct techniques the swirls will stay away much, much, MUCH longer, and they won't be as bad as the ones made by an automated car wash. Take a look at www.autopia.org and especially their guide section here. A simple answer to a safe wash is called two bucket method with paintsafe sheepskin/lambswool mitts and good quality microfiber towels.

What comes to Fairy, it will strip absolutely everything on the paint (or the clearcoat, if we're precise). And it contains some glass brightening agents, that are not meant for a clearcoat of a car. I don't think that one time will do much harm, but repeating use.... .

- Antti -