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Actually what has happened is that our car was a victim of vandalism, some time an year back somebody vandalised the bonnet and since then i haven't detailed it because it breaks my stupid heart everytime i see it:Frustrati, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

I had thought of claiming insurance and getting it repainted but i am not aware of good paint shop that would do a good job of matching that Magma Grey color and i'm afraid that in a few months that would start sticking out.

Now since i've gotten a little time, i inspected the scratch and it seems deep but doesn't catch the nail so i'm thinking the least i can do is smooth it so it blends in with the rest of the bonnet and watched chrisfix's video where he used 3000 grit and 5000 grit sandpaper so i was thinking of trying my hands on it.

I am thinking of trying a rubbing compound first and then decide whether i should go for sanding method or not.

Also as a car detailer do you have any suggestions or recommendations of any reliable places that you could recommend for claiming insurance and repainting the bonnet, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you for your time and expertise.

I have a 2 year old car which is parked in garage. Over 12k km the paint has mild swirls.
To remove these I used Turtle Wax Polishing Compound Light to Medium Cleaner 298 Gms https://amzn.eu/d/8zFPv5g
However, I found this too light to remove the swirls. OTOH, I think a compound would be a bit too aggressive.
Any suggestion from the gurus here?

You don’t need to use those grits, sanding is only done when levelling texture (also called orange peel) or removing scratches which a compound isn’t strong enough for - 1200 grit and below.

Most heavy cut compounds can easily remove defects similar to a 1500 sandpaper and above. Just use something like Menzerna 400 and follow through with a finishing polish like Menzerna 3000/3500 and you’ll be done. Pad choice also has a huge impact on amount of correction achieved, stiffer pads will correct more than softer pads with the exact same compound.

I’d suggest taking it to a detailer as I’m assuming you don’t have a polisher lying around. By hand it takes very long and you get subpar results. Tell him he’s got a free hand till about 8-10 microns are removed from whatever he started with, no more beyond that (if he doesn’t have a DFT gauge, find one that does). If scratches are still visible you can then take a call on the repaint.

I’ve only claimed insurance at the different Honda dealers across Mumbai and Gurgaon and every time the paint quality was terrible to say the least. Do check third party body shops with a paint booth, many are listed on insurance companies’ list of approved workshops.

In Gurgaon, I’ve seen good paintwork from Indogerman Motors in Sector 62, not perfect but much better than authorised service centres. He’s got many painters, make sure you ask for Alam specifically.

I don’t know which car so I’ll assume moderate clearcoat hardness. Menzerna 2500 would be the ideal abrasive here, paired to a medium cut foam pad. Might I add, for mild swirls even a fine cut polish like Menzerna 3000 will get you excellent results paired to a soft pad (except on Volvos, their paint is harder than rocks).

If still not getting results, either your polishing methods aren’t correct (in which case no abrasive will get results) or pad choice is incorrect. You can apply these by hand and a microfibre towel but it’ll take some time and a lot of elbow grease. Also, use a bright flashlight to correctly check the paint condition, natural or diffused light is very often misleading.

I am planning to get PPF done on my car. I need experts advice on the following:

1. Given that my car will be parked in the open and I will hold on to the car for 10+ years, which type of PPF film should I go for?
2. Is it advisable to go for ceramic coating on top of PPF or is it an overkill?
3. Care to be taken immediately after the installation.
4. Maintenance tips for immediate/short term and long term, like how often to get the installation inspected and get it corrected.
5. Do I have to follow any different washing steps than those mentioned in the posts couple of pages/ posts back?

Hello there! Just a couple of questions,

1) What is the best way to clean your microfiber cloths/towels without affecting its softness/plushness.

I usually wash them with a mild body soap like Medimix and air dry them indoors. However, I did notice that the cloths appeared to have become rougher and less plush than what they originally were. Is there something that I can do better?

2) I recently hopped onto the Collinite 845 bandwagon. Applied my first coat last week, and I must say, the gloss it brings out is more than what I expected! Coming to the question, my bottle came with just a cap, and no regulator/dispenser. I'm afraid I might accidentally spill out too much wax while using it. Any leads to purchase a good dispenser cap that fits this bottle? I'm sure there might be something like this out there (saw a few YouTubers use these), but just can't seem to find one online.

Thanks in advance for your input :)

1) Soak with lukewarm water and a little bit of liquid dish soap for an hour then chuck it in the washing machine on a short gentle cycle at 30 - 40 degrees again with dish soap

2) The dish soap nozzles fit on the bottle. It's always a good idea to soak Collinite in warm water for a bit before mixing it up and using it. Makes it easier to handle.

NB: Never use any sort of fabric conditioner on microfibre. It destroys its properties.

I am changing my car cleaning products after 10+ years. No specific reason other than to try something different and also see if anything suits the white colour better. The car is 15 years old with reasonably good white paint, always garaged and not touched by the apartment car wash guy. I'm also chucking all my microfiber towels, pads, mitts etc and getting new ones.

Current Products:

• Jopasu duster
• Optimum no rinse wash & shine or ProKlear waterless wash for regular use (every 2-3 weeks)
• Mequiars gold class shampoo for detailed washing, once in 5-6 months
• Turlewax wheel and tire cleaner
• Michelin tyre dressing
• Klasse AIO as pre-wax cleaner
• Mequiars Ultimate polish - once in a year to remove swirls
• Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner
• Collinite 845 once in 3-4 months
• Plus assorted quick detailers, spray waxes, interior foam cleaners, dressing, APC etc

New products being considered:

• Dodo juice rinseless wash
• Wolfgang tyre and wheel cleaner
• Pinnacle black onyx tire gel
• Wolfgang paintwork polish enhancer as pre-wax
• Poorboys SSR1 swirl remover
• Auto Finesse Hide Leather Conditioner
• Will retain 845 as wax, 3M foam interior cleaner etc

Question is regarding glaze specific to white color. What ever I do, the white doesn't get to a satisfactory level compared to my dark coloured cars, and I was suggested to use a glaze. I am considering Poorboys white diamond as it is claimed to be specifically formulated for white colour. Given how a glaze works, I'm inclined to believe their claims. Any other suggestions? Also, what is the sequence when applying a swirl remover and a cleaner like Wolfgang polish enhancer?

Thanks!

Since you have issues with restoring the colour add a clay bar or alternative to your routine to pull out embedded contaminants before polishing

Thank you. I do use a mild clay once a year, before polish/swirl removal.

Hi Car care experts, I am heading for a business trip to US this weekend with considerable luggage space to utilize.

Could you please suggest some good car accessories/detailing items that are cheaper/better in the US compared to India and would also be allowed in checked luggage?

@Mods, this is my first post, kindly move this if this is not the right topic for this question.

Cheers,
PX5

It depends on what level of detailing and self maintenance you do. As such you get pretty much everything you need for detailing in India now via various importers.
If you want to get something unique then a mini extractor vaccum would be a good option. It sprays cleaning solution from a nozzle and then sucks up the dirty water. Even if your seats aren't fabric and are leather, you can still use it to clean the carpets and mats as well as the roof liner. As a bonus you can use it at home on the sofas, chairs and mattress.
Another option is a battery operated car washer from a good brand with an extra battery or two. Easier to clean cars and can even be operated by your local wash guy, making it easier for him to do a contactless wash do that the surface doesn't get married easily. Good option when paired with a nice microfiber towel and a reasonably priced waterless wash like Proklear

Option 3 is a handheld steam cleaner. For some reason they have been sold out in India for a couple of years now and the 1-2 options available are from unknown brands and that too for a lot of money.

Moving from an apartment where I had access to water to another without access had to change my car care routine.

Now I use Jopasu duster for dust and then Proklear Raw xtreme waterless car wash concentrate.

I must say I'm very happy with the results. The pics attached would give some indication of the final result.

When I purchased my car in January of last year, I was extremely excited to detail it myself. I spent a lot of time researching and ultimately decided on purchasing Collinite 845 to wax my vehicle regularly. I even applied it twice within the first six months at three-month intervals. However, it's been over a year now, and I haven't used Collinite 845 since. This weekend, I'm planning to redo the waxing process, but I have a question for the experts. Previously, I only applied the wax after washing and drying the car, without using clay. However, now that the car is 1.5 years old, I'm wondering if I should use clay before applying wax. I've heard that improper claying can cause swirls, so I don't want to do it unless it's necessary. Please advise me on whether or not I should use clay in this situation

Hey everyone.

I need a suggestion for a reliable car detailing guy/firm in Ahmedabad.

The leather needs to be deep cleaned and there are white stains in multiple crevices due to hard water which need to be dealt with.

Any leads would be appreciated.