[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by ThinkBig

Just wanted to let fellow bhpians know that my car will complete 2 years after a total scrap down paint job next month. I am open to discussion with other fellow bhpians on the knowledge of keeping their cars in better than showroom condition.

Great work at keeping a car in top notch condition, which speaks about your passion.

Can you list which all products do you use for various car detailing process? I use Blackfire Wet Diamond paint sealant which gives a very good gloss and long lasting protection. Earlier used Collinite 915 which generated way too much dust while buffing, and since then have started using paint sealant which does the same job with very less fuss.

With regards to Jopasu duster vis a vis California duster, both of them are same and coated with paraffin wax which does the job keeping dust at bay. Since California duster is imported and rising $ has resulted in such an inflated price. Try using Jopasu duster and you wouldn't be disappointed. I'm open to a positive discussion

[ThinkBig]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Great work

Can you list which all products do you use for various car detailing process? I use Blackfire Wet Diamond paint sealant which gives a very good gloss and long lasting protection.

El lobo, it would be a very lengthy writeup of products I have tried and which I have liked. If you need any tips please feel free in asking. I can save you time from testing. As regards to Blackfire Wet Diamond I had picked up the set of 3 products by them in my last trip to the USA. That is the sealant, the detailing spray and their carnauba wax. Good products, but not to my liking (dust attraction).

As regards to Jopasu duster I am sure that it is very good as many have used it. Maybe when my California duster gets spoilt (2 years since I bought it), I will switch over.

[AvonA7]

Originally Posted by ThinkBig

HighOctone, the car was repainted (scrap down painted) on November 1st, 2010. The first photo was taken yesterday i.e. 4.10.2012.
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As I prefer sealants I can use an alkaline dish washing soap without affecting the gloss. The frequency would depend on my highway driving. If outstation trips are more then I prefer doing an alkaline wash to remove the sticky diesel fumes on the vehicle.
[/b]

First, congratulations on maintaining the car beautifully.

Do you mean Vim/Prill by dish washing soap ? Was of the impression that dish washing soap and car washing shampoo are totally different and serves different purposes. Please share the name the of sealant that can withhold dish washing soap abuse. I use Meguiar's NXT sealant.

[ThinkBig]

Originally Posted by AvonA7

First, congratulations on maintaining the car beautifully.

Do you mean Vim/Prill by dish washing soap ? Was of the impression that dish washing soap and car washing shampoo are totally different and serves different purposes. Please share the name the of sealant that can withhold dish washing soap abuse. I use Meguiar's NXT sealant.

AvonA7, I have tried Pril but not Vim. It does not affect the sealant I use. Dish washing soap is too strong for waxes. Even a car wash like Super-X normally available at petrol stations strips wax. Though they say it is a universal car wash but I saw it being tried at a Shell petrol pump and the beading vanished after the Super-X wash.

The sealant I use is not available in the open market (in India). It is a professional sealant based on inorganic siloxane. The best test to check any product is to do the heat test. Put the product in a spoon (spatula is what we used in our laboratory in our college days). Heat it lightly till the liquid medium evaporates. Don't overheat it. Check the residue. If it is powdery, you can be sure it will be washed off in time. I have not tried the Megs NXT. But I used to test any product not for the claims but for this residue. The inorganic siloxane forms hard crystals.
I am attaching a photo of 3 products for which I took the residual test. Only one of them formed this hard membrane.

I would just like to add that though the sealant is important, 90% of the end result is the preparatory work. If you can make your car swirl and hologram free (especially important in dark colours), then the sealant will protect this hard work and if the sealant has a candy look it will enhance it by another 10%. Remember sealants or waxes are not very thick. Just .2-.5 micron thick. So if you get a product which is layerable then you could enhance the protection.

I hope this reply was not too technical.

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by ThinkBig

If you need any tips please feel free in asking. I can save you time from testing.

What product do you recommend for the following application. I have listed the product adjacent to it which I currently use.

Car Wash : Amway Car Wash
Clay Bar : Meguiars
Clay bar lubricant : Meguiars Quik Detailer
Rubbing compound : Meguiars Ultimate Compound followed by SwirlX
Polish : BlackFire Gloss Enhancing Polish
Sealant : BlackFire Wet Diamond

Quick detailer : Optimum No Rinse in 1:16 ratio(ONR:Water)

Yeah, I asked almost all the products which I use.

Originally Posted by ThinkBig

I am attaching a photo of 3 products for which I took the residual test. Only one of them formed this hard membrane.
Attachment 997630

Can you list which are the 3 products that you have tested for residue in the three spatulas? The one with the hard membrane which one is that.

[sriramr9]

Hi All,

As my Title line mentions, i want to keep the subject short, i recently opted for exterior package which includes exterior washing, engine bay cleaning, interior vacuuming and surface polish from a reputed person (company /shop rather) and was charged Rs. 1500/_

During delivery time itself i witnessed deep multiple scratches in the C pillar (right side) (damage was numerous small dings and all damaged areas were exposed till the bone i mean steel) which was unknown to me earlier , upon questioning, the responsibility was not at all taken and was blamed that Bikers would have done it outside somewhere, though i was 200% sure that no biker stays close to my parking either in office nor at home. i was very disappointed.

Secondly, after a couple of days of taking delivery i saw tiny/minute black soot kind of dust particles that have got lodged in the entire front bumper area/ Entire front windshield/ Both rear view mirror shells. i was shocked to witness it . the whole surface of the car in the affected areas appear dull and rough to feel and the soot/dust/grim whatever would not budge from a soap wash , brutal clawing with finger nails dis lodges one or two of it.

I suspected that the cleaning was not done in a complete manner and polish or a cleaning agent was applied and left as it is before delivery which caused such as shabby look to appear due to driving in the dusty mount road/Chennai.

Upon inquiring the service guys from whom i got the cleaning done, rejected my ideas and say that some one some where might be doing a paint spray job and that would have come in the air and has settled down evenly across all areas. Even a child or a teenager can make out from the explanation given by him how fake it was and how irresponsibly he was answering for not taking the blame. I was even more shocked when he bargained to rectify the whole problem for a additional cost of 2500 Rupees.

I have decided not to go to him for my lifetime here after. But i cannot leave the problem as it is. I shall post pics of my affected Punto shortly, i am terribly disappointed, i expect support from you guys at this juncture. Thanks in advance.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by sriramr9

Hi All,

As my Title line mentions, i want to keep the subject short, i recently opted for exterior package which includes exterior washing, engine bay cleaning, interior vacuuming and surface polish from a reputed person (company /shop rather) and was charged Rs. 1500/_

During delivery time itself i witnessed deep multiple scratches in the C pillar (right side) (damage was numerous small dings and all damaged areas were exposed till the bone i mean steel) which was unknown to me earlier , upon questioning, the responsibility was not at all taken and was blamed that Bikers would have done it outside somewhere, though i was 200% sure that no biker stays close to my parking either in office nor at home. i was very disappointed.

Secondly, after a couple of days of taking delivery i saw tiny/minute black soot kind of dust particles that have got lodged in the entire front bumper area/ Entire front windshield/ Both rear view mirror shells. i was shocked to witness it . the whole surface of the car in the affected areas appear dull and rough to feel and the soot/dust/grim whatever would not budge from a soap wash , brutal clawing with finger nails dis lodges one or two of it.

I suspected that the cleaning was not done in a complete manner and polish or a cleaning agent was applied and left as it is before delivery which caused such as shabby look to appear due to driving in the dusty mount road/Chennai.

Upon inquiring the service guys from whom i got the cleaning done, rejected my ideas and say that some one some where might be doing a paint spray job and that would have come in the air and has settled down evenly across all areas. Even a child or a teenager can make out from the explanation given by him how fake it was and how irresponsibly he was answering for not taking the blame. I was even more shocked when he bargained to rectify the whole problem for a additional cost of 2500 Rupees.

I have decided not to go to him for my lifetime here after. But i cannot leave the problem as it is. I shall post pics of my affected Punto shortly, i am terribly disappointed, i expect support from you guys at this juncture. Thanks in advance.

Post the complete details of the moron who detailed your car.Name ,Address,Phone number. So that other BHPians/guests will not go to him and he will lose his business atleast a bit for his callous attitude.

Now,coming to your problem.Please post the pics along with the description of each part/problem.Then we can suggest something.

[Mortis]

It could be tar spots. Try using WD 40 spray on it to see if they dissolve. If they do then clean as much of them as you can with it. Follow with a was h with car shampoo and then claying. Thsi should take care of most of it if it is tar spots. They claying will help if it is paint overspray

[sriramr9]

Originally Posted by Mortis

It could be tar spots. Try using WD 40 spray on it to see if they dissolve. If they do then clean as much of them as you can with it. Follow with a was h with car shampoo and then claying. Thsi should take care of most of it if it is tar spots. They claying will help if it is paint overspray

Thanks Mortis, after reading your post, i inspected my car now & see they are all black spots and look like tar spots but extremely tiny to identify from a distance, but how is that it got lodged uniformly across the entire bumper/ windshield and RVM shells, the metal areas of the car's front are clean and gleaming without a single spot, seems very mysterious. I still count the professional car cleaning company to be the culprit ?

Unable to follow what claying means, please explain ?

[NOTORIOUS]

@sriramr9 : Clay, like polishes, comes in levels of aggressiveness - if you are a beginner with clay, do start with a mild clay such as Meguiars Quik Clay, Meguiars Professional Mirror Glaze Clay (mild, the blue bar) or Sonus Green Clay. These mild clays should be enough to remove bonded contaminants from most cars, only step up to a more aggressive clay if absolutely needed.

Clay can be used on paintwork, glass, and wheels. Always use separate clay on each - ie dont first clay your wheels then use the same clay to clay your paint, as all the brake dust embedded in the clay from the wheels will scratch the paint.

Read More @ http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...ead.php?t=4829

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcZRj509Ir8

[Mortis]

A clay bar for cars is like special version of modeling clay. It is used along with a lubricant like a quick detailer to remove contaminants that have bonded to the paint surface.

Please not that for paint overspray claying only works if the paint is fresh. I think the cutoff is about a week

[riturajsharma19]

Results of my DIY detailing session -

[ThinkBig]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

What product do you recommend for the following application. I have listed the product adjacent to it which I currently use.

Car Wash : Amway Car Wash
Clay Bar : Meguiars
Clay bar lubricant : Meguiars Quik Detailer
Rubbing compound : Meguiars Ultimate Compound followed by SwirlX
Polish : BlackFire Gloss Enhancing Polish
Sealant : BlackFire Wet Diamond

Quick detailer : Optimum No Rinse in 1:16 ratio(ONR:Water)

Yeah, I asked almost all the products which I use.


Can you list which are the 3 products that you have tested for residue in the three spatulas? The one with the hard membrane which one is that.

El lobo, Seeing the products you have used I cannot find anything missing. You use products suited to ones needs. Amway Car wash is a basic shampoo, but as you are using Black Fire products you would have to see how well they clean the surface without affecting the finish you have taken pains over. Check the beading before and the beading after using the shampoo. There should be no deterioration. Just to highlight this I am adding 2 photos on my car when it was dirty. You will notice the beading despite being dirty is excellent. This is just by pouring a few drops on it. Also noticeable is this water trickles and picks up the dirt.



I cannot comment on the polishes as they are from a reputed company. The art of polishing is the machines you use to get the mirror finish. Just as an example you get orbital machines with 13 mm, 8 mm and 3 mm orbits. Direct driven and only spin free. Hence the condition of the vehicle, will warrant different approaches. Needless to say the pads too are important. For basic polishing you can do the work by hand, but for the ultimate finish as the clear coat is to be handled with care, the only solution is by machine. Solid paint cars, do not have this issue.

As regards to your query on the crystals, the nearest (petri dish-not spatula) are the crystals. I am attaching another pic i took with my phone camera of the crystals. Hope this will give you some idea. The quality of pic is not too great.

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by ThinkBig

El lobo, Seeing the products you have used I cannot find anything missing. You use products suited to ones needs. Amway Car wash is a basic shampoo, but as you are using Black Fire products you would have to see how well they clean the surface without affecting the finish you have taken pains over.

Which shampoo would you recommend me over Amway? Since my stock of Amway is nearly finished can change over to one recommended by you

Originally Posted by ThinkBig

As regards to your query on the crystals, the nearest (petri dish-not spatula) are the crystals. I am attaching another pic i took with my phone camera of the crystals. Hope this will give you some idea. The quality of pic is not too great.

Of the 3 products that you showed in the petri dish, which product brand is it which formed the hardest membrane? If you were to recommend a paint sealant which one it be?

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

Results of my DIY detailing session -

Great. Can you elaborate about the process and the products you used to achieve this finish.

[riturajsharma19]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Great. Can you elaborate about the process and the products you used to achieve this finish.

Products that I used -
1. Amway Car Wash
2. Mothers' California Gold clay bar kit
3. Meguiars Swirl X
4. Meguiars Ultimate Compound (only in certain areas of the roof to remove stubborn water spots)
5. Colinite 845 Insulator Wax