Team-BHP - A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry (Post 2093478)

Wow! Thats an insanely well detailed Accord you have there buddy. Perhaps the best black I've seen in my life. Well done!

I agree!! Its like the best looking black car I've ever seen!!!

You're insane man! Perfection personified and I'm sure you are not satisfied with it. :Shockked:

Cheers

Lol!! how did you know!! I was just thinking that something is still missing!!lol:

maybe I'll try a few sealants and see which one amplifies the shine or something!

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhipuru16 (Post 2093521)

What is this?
Is it reparable?

I agree with NOTORIOUS . The pic you posted looks like a case of clearcoat failure!(Basically after years of abuse, lack of maintainance and exposure to UV rays, the clearcoat begins to crack and chips away on its own! That is CC failure)

Try working any mild abrasive polish on that area with a white cloth and see what color the cloth picks up. If it the cloth turns the same color as the base coat of the paint, then we have clear coat failure. If it doesn't get stained and instead shines up the area then clearcoat is still there!

The only way to fix this is a panel repaint and refinishing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkh (Post 2093652)

Its tougher to have a swirl free car than to get it swirl removed. That said, you cannot rely on an untrained washer and think about having no swirls. All you can do is this- get a swirl removal, and then hand him a Car duster and a few micros.
He does nothign special to put swirls, all he does is his job with crappy cloth probably:). Even then, swirls will come, though delayed a lot if he uses micro ONLY to wipe when wet and duster when dry and also a wash mitt to wash.
No coating in the world can resist swirls, only that putting sealant and wax can hide them( by hand i meant)

Absolutely correct!!

I'll never ever ever let any other person touch my car's paint!!! I feel that any person not having in depth knowledge of the car's paint should not touch it with any cloth!! lol

btw you should get a DA man! The freedom to make your car swirl free whenever you want is just awesome!

+ attention to detail comes automatically as its our car we are working on and we want it to look great no matter what!

Bosch dealers usually carry these tools GEX125-1AE, GEX150AC, GEX270AE.

You can check with a few of them - Power Tool Dealers Bosch in Bangalore - Justdial

or you can get a flex if you go to US next time! :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by sohail99 (Post 2093775)

Lol!! how did you know!! I was just thinking that something is still missing!!lol:

maybe I'll try a few sealants and see which one amplifies the shine or something!

I agree with NOTORIOUS . The pic you posted looks like a case of clearcoat failure!(Basically after years of abuse, lack of maintainance and exposure to UV rays, the clearcoat begins to crack and chips away on its own! That is CC failure)

Try working any mild abrasive polish on that area with a white cloth and see what color the cloth picks up. If it the cloth turns the same color as the base coat of the paint, then we have clear coat failure. If it doesn't get stained and instead shines up the area then clearcoat is still there!

The only way to fix this is a panel repaint and refinishing.

So, what should be the course of action as of today. Should I use a polish and try to bring back the life in the paint?
Or would this be counter-productive?
Please suggest a mildly abrasive polish that's easily available.

Basically I suggested a polish/rubbing compound to actually confirm whether the clearcoat has really failed or not!

If not, then you can polish it back to high gloss again with any polish!

If the base color comes off, on using a polish or rubbing compound, then you cant do anything to restore gloss back. (as the 'gloss' in 2-stage paint system comes from the clear coat only!)
(it will look dull no matter what compound or polish you use!)

In that case you'd have to get the panel professionally repainted and refinished.

(or a real cheap way is buying a can of clear paint(available in spray cans) sanding the affected area and masking the surrounding area, then spraying it on there.

let it dry and after a day or two wetsand it to level it with the surrounding paint and compound and polish it back to high gloss!)

Sohail - Great results, you are the inspiration for us to keep trying to achieve detailing perfection, (which is impossible lol: but I must say, the journey is quite enjoyable !! )

Is clear paint available in cans ? Please do let us know the makes available & the prices !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by akshay1234 (Post 2092783)

Thats a nice list. The Advans are great tyres eh? I have the same.

Ok now guys. My black Accord has LOTS of swirls, I need to do something about it. I can get it detailed from someone here who is good. But the problem is the washer in my building is a fool, and I have no clue how he produces those swirls so fast.

Is there any coating I can get, after detailing that will make the car less prone to swirls?? How to make the clear coat thicker?

Akshay - As MKH has rightly pointed out, get a surface treatment done, to repair the surface, post that the following is required. Minor swirls cannot be prevented in frequent use cars, only we can try our best to avoid them forming into major ones !

- California/Jopasu duster to remove light dust & dirt
- Microfiber wash mitt - to reduce the chances of swirls
- Micro fiber towels to use while wiping, reducing chances of swirls again
- A good car wash shampoo

Below is a good link to understand the right methods of washing, as its the most likely method of inducing swirls.
Car Wash Guide, Car Wash how to - easy steps to shampoo and dry your vehicle using paint-safe mitts and towels, plus sponges, the Grit Guard and

I found, its only a matter of training the guy who washes you car to do it properly. It took me time to guide our driver on the right way to wash the cars & now he does it as a matter of routine. I also wash the car along with him & Ive disposed all the old cloths he used to use too & replaced with a Megs wash mitt ! Since he gets compliments from other drivers on the way the cars are maintained, it keeps him motivated too :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhipuru16 (Post 2092757)

I have this fairly peculiar problem.
On my 10 year old Zen (Moonbeam Silver), I see big, brown, cloudy spots on the top portions of the car which is coarse to touch.
What could be it? Paint Oxidation?
Can this be removed with something like a polish and restored like new? Or re-paint is the only option?

:(

Definitely sounds like clear coat failure to me. As Sohail pointed out, repaint is the only solution. Was the car parked outside exposed to the elements for extended periods of time ? Please post some pics if possible !
You can try the Sonax polish, its slightly abrasive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOTORIOUS (Post 2093937)

arrey bhailog please answere my post !!please:

Notorious ji, i wash my towels with the regular Surf excel, i just ensure that its soaked for a couple of hours beforehand to loosen the dirt. Then i rub them together to dislodge stubborn dirt & normal wash cycle. I dont spin them, just wring them out & dry them in the shade.

You can try to add the normal white cooking vinegar that is available to the second wash cycle. As Sohail has mentioned, he has got good results by doing so. I have few dirty towels, i will try vinegar tomorrow & post some feedback !

PS : I have not heard of Dettol detergent, is it some new product ?

^You can try removing swirls and then polishing on a test spot.

First choose any test spot on your car(with swirls etc.), then use a rubbing compound that you have to take out deeper swirls and then polish it out with sonax polish.

If the test spot looks really nice and without swirls, you can use this method for problem areas without probs! :D

@Nirmal - Thanks a lot!! Really-really appreciate it!:D

Great that you trained the driver guy to wash and take care of the paint correctly.

I remember, one day I was just QDing and a driver guy who was watching came over and showed me that 'orange cloth' you get at traffic lights and told me that I should use the one he had! I was like :uncontrol !! lol

btw this is the clear spray paint I have! ( I think I got it for around 300INR)

you can get it at paint shops(that stock mostly car paints, masking tapes, finishing sandpapers etc.)

Abhipuru - You mentioned that you have a Zen, right ? The rates quoted by MASS here in B'lore is around Rs. 3,500 per panel inclusive of tinkering, painting & fitting. I have got my whole vehicle repainted at the MASS & was able to follow up with them to ensure the quality i wanted. As far as i am aware, MASS follows a standard rate across the dealerships, like a rate card for the painting.

Even if you calculate for all the doors, fenders, hood, bumpers etc, it should not exceed 40K. Depending on your relationship with the MASS, they may waive off certain charges like removing & refitting etc. You can also try to negotiate a package rate if your getting the whole car done at one shot !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by nirmaljusdoit (Post 2094858)

See, Pandit & Co. is not a MASS, it is supposedly the best place in Delhi for vintage car restoration with their operations in Delhi dating back to 1951. They are known to charge very high but their re-paint facility is unmatched here in Delhi (as far as I have heard).