Team-BHP - A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide
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^Depends on paint condition! It can take care of light swirls(on relatively softer clearcoats)

For heavy swirls, a compound or a intensive polishing with a machine will get rid of all of them(again depending on paint condition)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThinkBig (Post 2456129)
Bhpians,
Just got back from my banned period. I hand detailed my sons car in the USA (Chicago) with products taken from India (though imported from all over the world). It was not possible to take machines from India or buy them there as they would be of no use bringing them back, due to their 110 volts rating. The photograph shows the results I achieved (from my phone camera). The results were really put to the test as we both drove 1125 miles (over 2000 kms), Chicago to Niagara and back. The car remained clean with only bugs over the hood, windshield, grill and bumper. All we did was put it through a brush car wash (no swirls reported) and it was as pristine as ever. The wash took just 2 minutes. His report is he only has to wash his car once in 2 weeks, which is really great. Being a Black Accord model 2011 I think that is really great. By the way it just took 6 hrs of elbow grease to get it in this shape.

Just got the photograph of the Black Accord I did on my trip to the USA in June, 2011. I am really pleased :thumbs up.
You will notice that the car done has hardly any snow compared to others in the parking lot. It had snowed and then rained. The rain just washed off the snow on the car done with the process I did. My son is really happy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThinkBig (Post 2597651)
Just got the photograph of the Black Accord I did on my trip to the USA in June, 2011. I am really pleased

Job well done -Good exercise too. Good Photo too. :thumbs up
One difference is that most cars in the US do not have the kind of adherent MUCK we have on our roads - starting with the tar spots (we normally have streaks and blobs) and the wide variety of mud we have on our cars in normal conditions. We need about 4-6 man hours just to prepare for detailing.

Hi, I have a month new XUV in silver with body treatment done from dealer. Still what should I do to keeep it shiny?.. any wax polish, cleaning solution you guys recommend? I have kept a guy who cleans it everyday with a soft cloth making it damp first and then dry cloth.
What more can I do on weekends?

Quote:

Originally Posted by torquecurve

Both

Okay, no Pril. I think I am going to clay the car and see if that helps. Probably will put a little vinegar in my clay lube.

Then polish and wax! Wish me luck.

Try the following.

_ take coconut oil and apply with you're hands.
_ if the spots are really bad let it soak for a minute or two.
_ use the oil and slowly rub over the spots. Chances off oil cleaning the spots is veey high.
_ oil can be used for even those rainy day slime and mud that stock hard in the surface.


Use a car shampoo and clean the oil off

Clay will not help as it will glide over the spots

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pankaj_Ahlawat (Post 2598096)
I have kept a guy who cleans it everyday with a soft cloth making it damp first and then dry cloth.
What more can I do on weekends?

What do you call a soft cloth? You mean to say a cotton cloth? If that is the case, DONT ever use it. I have suffered a lot due to these cloths. It will give you swirl marks all over which are costly to repair (if done by a detailer). Use good quality Microfiber cloths.
Also you may have to teach some basics to that guy as they normally clean it as if it were some household chore. Initially it will look clean, but down the year, you will see the minute damages caused by careless cleaning.
Best of luck >>

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg (Post 2595154)
the tuscan wine color is very difficult to maintain. swirly enjoy their glory
on my car. my heart sinks to see so many swirls.

but this is the best color to view from distance.

can i follow the below steps as i dont have clay.

1. Wash with eagle 1 nano wash and wax.
2. Use Mag swirl remover/ formula1 swirl remover with rotary buffer + wool pad

3. Apply Black hole glaze
4. Apply collinite 3 layers

Please guide

Million thanks

IMHO, the process above is perfect except why use a wash and wax when you are going to use a polish afterwards? Use a normal car shampoo for washing and save the wash and wax for washes in between your detailing sessions. If you don't have any car shampoo which only washes, then continue with the wash and wax, but I doubt that, since most enthusiasts have more products lying around than they can use :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KkVaidya (Post 2598253)
What do you call a soft cloth? You mean to say a cotton cloth? If that is the case, DONT ever use it. I have suffered a lot due to these cloths. It will give you swirl marks all over which are costly to repair (if done by a detailer). Use good quality Microfiber cloths.

Good pure cotton may well be softer than microfibre.

Quote:

Originally Posted by basky (Post 2598086)
Job well done -Good exercise too. Good Photo too. :thumbs up
One difference is that most cars in the US do not have the kind of adherent MUCK we have on our roads - starting with the tar spots (we normally have streaks and blobs) and the wide variety of mud we have on our cars in normal conditions. We need about 4-6 man hours just to prepare for detailing.

Basky, after I treated the vehicle on June, 9th we drove more than 2000 kms. The vehicle normally gets a lot of bugs while driving at high speed in the US. If the muck is not there these are still difficult to remove. A simple wash just cleaned it away. The snow not sticking is going to lessen the salt (usually sprayed on the roads) from spoiling the finish. The self cleaning property is most important. Whether mud, bugs or snow.

As regards to India, parallel tests are being conducted. So far they are encouraging but each city has different conditions. I can wash a car in 15-20 mins. With no pressure hose. Maybe for detailing it would take double the time but once properly treated it is a simple job maintaining the finish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThinkBig (Post 2598487)
Maybe for detailing it would take double the time but once properly treated it is a simple job maintaining the finish.

Very true. Once detailed, it is a very simple job maintaining the finish. I detail quite a few cars a month and mentioned the difficulty regarding the initial cleaning prior to the first detailing. Sorry that my previous post was ambiguous.
A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide-swift-7.jpg
This is just a typical example.
A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide-swift-2.jpg:D

Friends I'm in a dilemma for a paint sealant. need your help.

Optimum OptiSeal is just not available and don't know when. I came across this paint sealant BlackFire Wet Diamond. Had been reading on AutoGeek about it too and when compared to Wolfgang Deep Gloss Finish 3.0, it is better.
So does that mean BF Wet Diamond is better than OptiSeal?

Few more queries.
  1. After applying paint sealant for how much time does it needs to be cured?
  2. Should paint sealant be topped up with carnauba wax like Collinite 915 or not? Mixed views about it.

I have a pearl black Vento and planning a detailing session in third week of Dec.

Detailing Black cars is fun as the final result is stunning when compared to the 'Before' photos.
Maintaining it at that level is just washing it with a car shampoo and hosing it down and a Quick detail.

A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide-swift11.jpg

A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide-swift12.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by KkVaidya (Post 2598253)
What do you call a soft cloth? You mean to say a cotton cloth? If that is the case, DONT ever use it. I have suffered a lot due to these cloths. It will give you swirl marks all over which are costly to repair (if done by a detailer). Use good quality Microfiber cloths.
Also you may have to teach some basics to that guy as they normally clean it as if it were some household chore. Initially it will look clean, but down the year, you will see the minute damages caused by careless cleaning.
Best of luck >>

pls throw more light and probably a pic of cloth you use
also what kind of damage and how can it be prevented

Uploading photos with MTS MBlaze is like a roulette game despite reducing the file size drastically. More often than not I have to try half a dozen times to get each photo uploaded. Mostly it gets stuck and timed out. I am resorting to piecemeal uploads.:Frustrati

A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide-swift-9.jpg
With the final coat of wax prior to it being wiped off. I usually leave it overnight.

A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide-swift10.jpg
The result as seen from the rear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pankaj_Ahlawat (Post 2599505)
pls throw more light and probably a pic of cloth you use
also what kind of damage and how can it be prevented

See attached picture of Yellow Microfiber cloth.
Damage caused due to improper cloth would be swirl marks on the paint. You can see that at a specific angle. Also the glasses will have the marks. It is characterized by those starbursts seen on the glass during night driving.

Quote:

Originally Posted by basky (Post 2599592)
Uploading photos with MTS MBlaze is like a roulette game despite reducing the file size drastically.

Great work Basky:thumbs up
In your interior picture, I see some patches on the matts! Seems like wear - could be as it is the driver side and that matt is the most abused.


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