[mkh]

Originally Posted by RiGOD

Today morning while washing my ride, noticed some stubborn bird bomb remains which I couldn't remove by regular shampooing. Atempted to strip it off using Elastrofoam and to my surprise it was ineffective too. The stain is so stubborn that even after repeatedly scratching it with my fingernail (yeah, I was desperate), showed no signs of coming off. Seriously doubting whether the clear coat has been damaged. Stopped the detailing session (was intending to apply Ultima Paint Guard Plus) and trying to find solutions to remove the stain.

Attachment 1354828

Can Meguiar's Ultimate Polish + Lake Country Orange CCS Pad do the trick for me?

Bird Bomb stains are not stains but its a chemical eating into the paint as its acidic. If it had been there for even 2-3 hours its eaten a little into the clear coat and removing is not possible unless its polished out. Ultimate Polish may hide it but an abrasive clear coat safe compound with spot correction can reduce or remove. If its deep then a lot of effort is needed to remove which maybe too much with hand polishing. Bird Bombs should be removed ASAP and not left to dwell unless your paint has a glass/ceramic coating protection that will resist for a few hours also.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Somewhat off-topic, but is Meguiar's PLASTX available anywhere here? It's recommended for renovating scratched CDs!

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Somewhat off-topic, but is Meguiar's PLASTX available anywhere here? It's recommended for renovating scratched CDs!

Ultimate Polish from Meguiar's should work just as well.

[RiGOD]

My Diamond White Ford Classic was detailed for the first time four months back and three coats of Optimum Car Wax (OCW) was applied during that session. The gloss that it provided was really deep and warm and taking into consideration the cost factor of the same, I was completely satisfied with OCW as a standalone product.

But somewhere down the line, the 'wet look bug' bit me. So it was time that I detailed my ride again, this time with an aim to get maximum wet look and reflection. I knew that I was playing against the odd that my ride was light coloured, non metallic and worst of all, it was WHITE! But still, you know what its like when you get bit by the detailing bug, you'll never settle until you get it done. So here goes.

Its summer time, but the intermittent rains along with the humongous amount of dust had rendered my beauty in a sorry state. Worst of all, the hood and roof was covered with small but numerous marks left by bird bomb etching and tree sap. Things were going to be hard for me, really very hard.



I started the the work by 6.30 AM.

Step I : Washing wheels and mudguards

Products used :

- Amway Legacy of Clean (LOC) diluted to 1:10 in a spray bottle
- One bottle cleaning brush (for alloys) and stiff bristle brush (for tires)
- El cheapo Microfiber (MF) towels for mudguards, alloys and drying
- Proklear Tire, Trim and Dashboard (TTD) Polish with applicator



In the meantime, look who came by to say hi!



Step II : Two bucket method washing

Products used :

- Amway car wash (1 capful for 5 litres of water for extra suds)
- X-Static MF mitt
- 2 x X-Static MF's for drying



All of the mud and dirt was removed effectively during this step. Tree sap, bird bomb etching and some paint/tar spots remaining.

Step III : Claying

Products used :

- Ultima Elastrofoam Paint Cleaning Sysytem
- Proklear Xtreme Waterless Wash Concentrate (WWC) as clay lube
- 2 x X-Static MF's for wiping and drying



Proklear Xtreme WWC was used as clay lube with a dilution ratio 1:100 in a spray bottle and found to be very effective. Tar and paint spots were completely lifted off and the 'plastic bag test' was done to ensure that the paint was smooth as glass now. Tree sap and bird bomb etching still remains.

After step III (look how well the OCW is holding up even after four months!)



PS : The extra gloss is due to the use of Proklear Xtreme WWC as clay lube in a richer dilution ratio.

Step IV : Polishing

Almost four hours had elapsed and I skipped my breakfast. It was getting hotter and I started sweating like anything. Drying the car was a painful affair by itself and the sweat dripping on the paint was making things worse for me. Somehow managed to dry the car fully and started polishing.

Products used :

- Meguiar's Ultimate Polish
- Lake Country Orange CCS Foam Hand Polish Applicator
- Eurow MF towel for buffing



Did the roof and hood and by that time I learned the lesson, hand polishing is a very painful affair and very less rewarding at the same time. But still I managed to get rid of all the bird bomb etchings, tree sap marks and water spots. I targeted the affected areas more and was lazy on the remaining parts. Result? The polish had dried up on few areas exposed to the sun and removing it was another hour's job. Totally drenched in sweat and extremely dehydrated, I was forced to take a break and some fluids to keep myself alive (yeah right, those who've been on the same boat will understand). Got re-hydrated and returned for the last step, one last step.

Step V : Applying Last Stage Protection (LSP)

With some swirls and almost all of etching and oxidation gone, it was time for the final kill. Hours of research, reading and reviews made me zero down to a single product, for that glossy, wet, reflective finish on my White Beauty.

Products used :

- Ultima Paint Guard Plus (UPGP)



As we all know, applying the UPGP is a walk in the park. But the fault in my stars took its toll here too, the sprayer that came along with the package was of larger size and was not fitting to the neck of the bottle. I was doomed. All these hours of hardwork would go down the drain if this step is a flop. Tried to spray the product to the sponge with the sprayer head wobbling around the neck like a mad dog and managed to do a coat on the roof and hood and the worst happened.

It spilled and the sealent was all over my right hand. Almost 1/3 rd of the product was lost in the incident and I was running out of hope and goodwill. Washed the hand thoroughly with soap and took a break for lunch. I was sad, but couldn't give up. Pasted the sprayer on the to bottleneck with insulation tape and ensured that there was no more leakage. Well that did the trick. Finished a coat within 10 minutes and a curing time of 45 minutes was adopted. Before the insulation tape gave up, I managed to complete three coats of my ride. I finished by 4.30 PM. As it was turning cloudy I didn't bother to click any pics, parked the car in the garage and was tired as hell. Went to the bedroom, saw the bed and that's all I remember about the day.

One week later

Bright sunny day, been a week since I detailed my ride and it did rain many a times. Was time for a rinseless wash. And time for some pics.















Well I'm not sure if the pictures have done justice to the actual look of the car but I must say that in flesh, the wet look and reflectiveness is really showing and kudos to UPGP for that. And that my friends, is a day of hardwork and toil paying off for me.

Future Plans

- The hardened polish is still stuck on some areas. Planning to remove it ASAP
- Apply two coats of OCW for added protection
- Applying 3M rubbing compound to remove localised imperfections and scratches
- Last but not the least, started saving for a rotary, backing plates and polishing pads

Epilogue : An After Sales Support worth mentioning

I had purchased the UPGP from Bringing Best IMPEX Pvt Ltd and the grievance regarding the faulty sprayer was reported to Sanjay the next day itself. Though it was the manufacturer's packaging defect and he as a seller had nothing to do with it at all, just see the way he responded on hearing about the issue.





And that's how you do business

[pdma]

Folks finally I managed to do something similar to what you guys are pros at.
Please find the picture of the bonnet here of a Tuscan wine Linea.
Kindly provide feedback so that I can improve where ever required.

[kARTIK IYER]

Guys,

I noticed tiny red ants on my seats and few on dashboard. Any quick fixes and what's best solution. Shoukd I use Hit and keep doors open?

[RiGOD]

Originally Posted by kARTIK IYER

I noticed tiny red ants on my seats and few on dashboard. Any quick fixes and what's best solution. Shoukd I use Hit and keep doors open?

Rather than looking for a quick fix, I suggest that you find the source. You should spend some time tracking their trails and see if they've set up some temporary residence in your ride. Do a thorough interior cleaning and vacuuming and make it a habit not to eat inside your car. IMO a complete interior clean up will be more than enough to get rid of them.

[shreyak_ss]

Well, my 10 months old black Octavia has developed multiple swirl marks and scratches and it has become really disheartening to see it in this condition:




I use ONR Wash and Wax for regular cleaning and wash it with Meguiar's Nxt generation car wash fortnightly to wash it. The car is driven on extremely dusty roads and needs cleaning daily. Now, I am an absolute noob to detailing. I did go through the thread but couldn't find a clear solution to this problem. Anybody who can recommend me an effective way to get rid of these scratches?

[RiGOD]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

I use ONR Wash and Wax for regular cleaning and wash it with Meguiar's Nxt generation car wash fortnightly to wash it. The car is driven on extremely dusty roads and needs cleaning daily. Now, I am an absolute noob to detailing. I did go through the thread but couldn't find a clear solution to this problem. Anybody who can recommend me an effective way to get rid of these scratches?

Couple of queries :

1. Do you dust the car regularly using a dedicated tool like Jopasu Duster or even a dusting microfiber cloth before rinseless washing with ONR?

2. Which wash mitt are you using? And, are you following the two bucket washing method religiously?

If the answer is YES to both the above queries, then there something seriously wrong with your rinseless washing method. Follow the Garry Dean method while using ONR and it will help a great deal towards minimising swirl marks.

And about the present condition, only a combination of some abrasive compound + rotary polishing machine + appropriate polishing pads will get your out of this sorry state. But you'll have to shell out atleast INR 7k for the above products. Assuming that you're not into hardcore detailing, I suggest that you visit the nearest 3M people or any reliable detailers and get it corrected. After than mainitain the same by following the above mentioned tips regularly and you can minimise the swirls to a great extent

[shreyak_ss]

Originally Posted by RiGOD

Couple of queries :



1. Do you dust the car regularly using a dedicated tool like Jopasu Duster or even a dusting microfiber cloth before rinseless washing with ONR?



2. Which wash mitt are you using? And, are you following the two bucket washing method religiously?



If the answer is YES to both the above queries, then there something seriously wrong with your rinseless washing method. Follow the Garry Dean method while using ONR and it will help a great deal towards minimising swirl marks.



And about the present condition, only a combination of some abrasive compound + rotary polishing machine + appropriate polishing pads will get your out of this sorry state. But you'll have to shell out atleast INR 7k for the above products. Assuming that you're not into hardcore detailing, I suggest that you visit the nearest 3M people or any reliable detailers and get it corrected. After than mainitain the same by following the above mentioned tips regularly and you can minimise the swirls to a great extent

Thank You RiGOD for such a prompt response!
To answer your queries
1. I did start with Jopasu duster but there seems to be some problem with my product as it leaves streaks of dust and is not effective in wiping it off. Is it same with you too? Still, I do use a MF to dust it.

2. I ordered a cheap wash mitt from snapdeal and have been using it to wash the car fortnightly followed by Meguiar's water absorbing cloth. To be honest, I make my wash guy do the above work and I feel, I need to check how things are being carried out.

Coming to the current condition, will it be possible for a beginner like me to use the rotatory polisher and other stuff to better the condition or a detailing shop is my only option? I would like to try a hand at detailing but I don't know if it is safe!

[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

Well, my 10 months old black Octavia has developed multiple swirl marks and scratches and it has become really disheartening to see it in this condition:

Whatever you do, it is very difficult NOT to impose these swirl marks in our dusty Indian condition. And still difficult to hide in a Black car.
I changed myself and have started to accept them and not look at the car in glare

[RiGOD]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

I did start with Jopasu duster but there seems to be some problem with my product as it leaves streaks of dust and is not effective in wiping it off. Is it same with you too? Still, I do use a MF to dust it.

I did face the same situation and the Jopasu Duster was leaving streaks on the car paint. But the problem was that I used to use the Duster early in the morning and the slight amount of dew on the car surface (which was almost invisible to naked eye) was the villain. So started to do the daily cleaning just before sunset so that the above problem was taken care of. But otherwise it works just fine for me. And all you need to know about using a duster can be found in this video :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gVU4C_6wOE

To be honest, I make my wash guy do the above work and I feel, I need to check how things are being carried out.

Boy oh boy! You definitely need to oversee how he takes care of your baby. And no matter what he says (Saar, I've been doing this for years), make him follow the two bucket wash method, in a top down fashion and buy him separate cleaning tools and clothes for wheels.

Rather than using some el-cheapo mitt, switch to Meguiar's MF wash mitt.

Coming to the current condition, will it be possible for a beginner like me to use the rotatory polisher and other stuff to better the condition or a detailing shop is my only option? I would like to try a hand at detailing but I don't know if it is safe!

It's no rocket science by any means and with the proper products, tools and technique this is completely doable by anyone. I'd say time and money are the only constraints when it comes to detailing and if you have both in plenty, way to go! If you're planning to do it on your own just make it clear in your next post. The experts here will suggest the products and tools to go for and I'll also share my opinions on matters I'm aware of

At the end of the day, we car lovers are bound to take care of our rides on our own right?

[shreyak_ss]

Originally Posted by RiGOD

I did face the same situation and the Jopasu Duster was leaving streaks on the car paint. But the problem was that I used to use the Duster early in the morning and the slight amount of dew on the car surface (which was almost invisible to naked eye) was the villain. So started to do the daily cleaning just before sunset so that the above problem was taken care of. But otherwise it works just fine for me. And all you need to know about using a duster can be found in this video

Thanks for the help RiGOD. Would love to know about the art of detailing from you and all other gurus! Please suggest me a rotatory polisher suitable for my use and also the products I need along with it!

[mkh]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

Thanks for the help RiGOD. Would love to know about the art of detailing from you and all other gurus! Please suggest me a rotatory polisher suitable for my use and also the products I need along with it!

1.Having a car swirl FREE is impossible and should not be even expected since a swirl is a collection of micro scratches which the eye cannot see anything else other than a circle.
These will come as we touch the car surface, however careful we are
2. We can only prolong them coming and reduce the amount by care which is possible via
Using the duster carefully and not rubbing it over the surface
Waterless wash or similar with good plush MF and which are clean
Washing with a mitt and drying with a proper drying towel
Now coming to what can be done. As has been posted many times but lost in the ocean of many pages this thread has
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Polish/Correct the paint
4. Protect with a sealant and then 5. Maintain
If want better results should do Iron and Tar decontamination before 2.
As for a rotary- its not recommended for a new hand as its a powerful device and that can damage the paint in the excitement to remove swirls.
However that does not mean cannot be used, with a little common sense and practice it can be done. I would suggest not to venture on your own car, instead try on test panels which are not very tough to procure
With a rotary what all is needed?
1. Backing plate- most come with that but are cheap at times
2. Pad to cut- DO NOT use a wool pad, never!
3. Compound- skoda paints are hard so you will need 1500-2000 grit polish
4. Polish- if you wish to get the perfect finish or close after compound have to use a polish with the right pad again
Finally hand apply a sealant or wax as thats easiest.
Hope this helps. There are many options for the above including rotary that come from 3,500 to 35k

[kutlee]

You can get a Skil rotary from ebay. It comes with a basic foam pad. You can try Skil + foam pad ( good one). After you get experience and confidence you can start woolpad. Never stop at one place on the surface when using rotary. Keep it moving and try lightly damaged areas. Nothing polishes fast like rotary. Someone was selling a used Rupes polisher on classifieds. That is dual action and pretty safe polisher. If you are washing daily, use running water first.