[HighOctane]

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

Karcher India lists the water filter as accesory. It should be available in some corner of the country lol.

There is karcher office in 9th cross BTS Road, Wilson Garden. You can enquire about product accessories there. PM me if you need more details.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Yes and even avoid the window rubber beading too. If by mistake it gets applied, remove it asap with a wet micro fiber/cloth.

Thanks for responding. Do you guys mask the non-metallic portions before applying a polish?

No. Polish is not abrasive, it just has fillers and hides swirls.

I thought otherwise; polish, to take of the thinnest layer of paint would have to contain some abrasives. And here is one post that I came across searching the forum for Sonax Car Polish, which made me more apprehensive as a first time user of a polish.

[mb_jg]

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

Can it clean the mud and muck from the wheel wells easily or a brush is needed? Id also like to have the foam gun type attachment. Will that be available for 2.110?

Also I was checking Karcher India page today and they seemed to have removed the 2.110 from the catalog. It was there till yesterday 2 am last i checked. Is it being phased out or something?

How much power do these pressure washers need? And also how many buckets of water for washing a hatchback/sedan?

Thanks for answering my queries.

It cleans the wheel wells very easily. I still use a brush to get that completely clean look, otherwise the muck leaves a very fine layer of dirt which can be cleaned only with a brush or sponge. The water pressure is strongest at maybe 10 inches from the outlet tip, after that the pressure is not too strong. Once you figure out that you can vary your pressure wash on the paint from the wash on the wheels, underbody & wheel wells. I personally did not feel the need for any other attachment.

I plug the washer into an extension cord & it hasn't given any problems (240v).

The pressure washer probably uses an equivalent of 2 buckets of water (or less). When you attach the water pipe to the washer pull on the trigger before switching it ON. The stream of water is as thin as a string, so it's very less water used.

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by thoma

Thanks for responding. Do you guys mask the non-metallic portions before applying a polish?

Earlier used too, but masking tapes available in India leave glue on removal, which is even more tougher to remove. Extra work. Try being cautious and wipe off any polish which gets applied on rubber or black plastic with wet MF.

Originally Posted by thoma

I thought otherwise; polish, to take of the thinnest layer of paint would have to contain some abrasives. And here is one post that I came across searching the forum for Sonax Car Polish, which made me more apprehensive as a first time user of a polish.

It certainly wont be that abrasive to take out clear coat. I have used Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish which just adds gloss to the surface and removes earlier applied polish, paint sealant & wax. Off the three suggested by you Sonax is the best. Try using it on a smaller surface area and see the results and you did surely feel safe to use it. Since the car is 4 yr old, a bit of abrasive wouldn't hurt to remove the swirls. Polish wouldn't remove all the swirls, just slight amount of it. I'm having apprehension how much or even slightest. Rubbing compound do the work of removing swirls and Meguiars Ultimate Compound too isn't that abrasive to damage paint but it surely removes swirls.

[Parthasarathig]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Earlier used too, but masking tapes available in India leave glue on removal, which is even more tougher to remove. Extra work. Try being cautious and wipe off any polish which gets applied on rubber or black plastic with wet MF.

Well guys, you can get the masking tapes in bulk from the US at very low cost except for the shipping. Since its just polishing and not a high precision stuff like painting, you all can go for factory surplus tapes like this.

Originally Posted by HighOctane

There is karcher office in 9th cross BTS Road, Wilson Garden. You can enquire about product accessories there. PM me if you need more details.

Thanks. I shall visit them sometime next week if possible and will pm you sir beforehand

Originally Posted by mb_jg

I have the Karcher 2.110 & it is more than enough to wash the car. I don't see the need for the various attachments. The V-shape stream is just what I need for my car wash.

Seems like the 2.110 is looking more vfm to me now. Are there any authorised service centres of Karcher? In case of any problem whom do we go to ?

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

K2.110 would suffice, K3 is not needed. The only thing being, it comes with a dirt blaster which is more than enough for cleaning the wheel wells and very tough dirt, but I wouldn't use it on the paint surface. You dd need a spray lance. Mine 2.180 came wit both spray lance & dirt blaster. Spray lance is used for cleaning the car and dirt blaster for wheel wells.

I can combine 2.110 with this accesory combo from Snapdeal. It has the water filter in it. The 2.110 seems to have an integrated mesh water filter. Is this the one you are talking about?

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

The dirt blaster can easily clean any dirt, much even after you have some some off-roading, that's the power of Karcher K2 series.

Thats good enough for me. Now Im hunting for the right dealer with the right price.

Yes, its available. I have the Foam Nozzle 0.3 lt and works like a charm and makes terrific amount of foam/snow.

I love the snow effect It would be more with a foam gun, but that requires compressor and what not.

Depends how much are you willing to shower the car with. 2-3 buckets for washing, shampoo. For cleaning wheel wells, depends how much the dirt is.

dwelling in an apartment mate, so I need to be conservative with the water.

Easily, a bit of phone calls & email and you did find it. I had checked last time on Macpowertools, where foam nozzle 0.3 lt it was listed for Rs. 999. Now it has been removed. At least you know a rough price.

yes I've seen this site too. Is this machpowertools reliable online store?

Correct. Car detailing products like Formula 1 sell due to low cost compared to paint sealant which cost somewhere around Rs. 1500+ for decent ones. How many people are willing to wash their car with 7K pressure washer, leave 15K K3. I'm the only one in my bldg who employs it once in 3-4 months, else it does good job of cleaning terraces.

Formula1 is the lowest of the lowest priced product and seriously the lack of knowledge in detailing is what is affecting the industry in India. I pass through some uptown areas in Bangalore daily, and I see people's BMWs and Audis and Mercs being washed by the car cleaning guy with the 10rs cloth and dirty bucket without GRIT Guard or even a Jopasu. They wash it everyday wasting so much precious water. A jopasu, MF and ONR spray does wonders on a day to day basis. I was also one of such ignorant people till I came across this thread. The fact that water is not required everyday, is what got me hooked on to the techniques described here.

Thanks for appreciation, that's one reason I continue to post more about it. A detailed car gets way more attention than a shabby looking car.

Thanks to you I also got to know how that feels and have started loving my car even more. If we can inspire others to follow, then this thread has served it purpose IMHO. Save precious water.

Might be sometime down the line, i may purchase it but till then elbow grease. Wax on wax off.

Im open to try it out sometime and maybe buy it once I get the hang of it plus with replenished Vit M

Thanks for all your suggestions mate.

Edit:- just came across this. Could be an alternative to the really expensive foam gun.

[el lobo 6061]

Update : For all those bhpians who have been looking to purchase Karcher Foam Nozzle 0.3 lt, its available at Macpowertools for Rs 999 with cash on delivery (COD) so you all don't need to worry about reliability. Don't know how long it be in stock. Get it ASAP Karcher owners.

Link.

Here is a video of Karcher Foam Nozzle 0.6 lt in use, but 0.3 lt does the same job too.

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

Note: I'm not associated with any of the above entity and just passing on the information for fellow bhpians.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

Well guys, you can get the masking tapes in bulk from the US at very low cost except for the shipping. Since its just polishing and not a high precision stuff like painting, you all can go for factory surplus tapes like this.

I actually got one 3M masking tape for free from 3M Car Care when I bought some Meguiars stuff. It serves the purpose but use it very rare.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

I can combine 2.110 with this accesory combo from Snapdeal. It has the water filter in it. The 2.110 seems to have an integrated mesh water filter. Is this the one you are talking about?

That accessory seems redundant to me, serving no purpose. The water filter in the accessory is not the one I have and don't know where would that be fitted. The one I'm recommending is this. K2 does come with integrated mesh water filter but given the water condition in India, it would be advisable to have an external one, shown in the above link.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

I love the snow effect It would be more with a foam gun, but that requires compressor and what not.

The Karcher Foam Nozzle 0.3 lt easily makes great amount of foam/snow, no need of any compressor.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

yes I've seen this site too. Is this machpowertools reliable online store?

Since they do cash on delivery(COD), I have no concern as my money is not blocked. So yeah, they are reliable.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

Thanks to you I also got to know how that feels and have started loving my car even more. If we can inspire others to follow, then this thread has served it purpose IMHO. Save precious water.

That should be the motto of this thread. If we all as bhpians could do this bit from our side and inspire others too, then this thread has very well served its purpose.

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

Edit:- just came across this. Could be an alternative to the really expensive foam gun.

You don't need all this. Karcher 0.3 lt Foam Nozzle is more than enough.

[Honda Monk]

Hey fellas
I am somewhat novice to the car detailing thing and all. I had got my car painted an year back and then cleaned almost daily by the cleaner. I now noticed that it need a detailing job.
I need to know things to

1. Restoring the paint surface (by removing swirls, light surface scratches i.e of bag rubbed marks etc.)
2. Removing glass scratches

There are lots of reviews on products and I got confused on this. As a crux may I know what all are good products for the same?
DO I need ONR or Meguairs swirlsX or ultimate compound or some other better product?

(For regular maintenance after detailing I have got collinite 845 for surface maintenance thing, but that I will need at the end and a jopasu duster for general dust cleaning.)
Critical thing is the restoring and detailing of paint surface.
Experienced fellas pls guide on this.
Thanks!

[shashank.nk]

Here's a small review of two products I got to use today. I'd placed an order from AG for various detailing items when a friend agreed to carry it down for me. I was able to collect it last weekend and got a chance to try them out today.


Meguiars Ultimate Compound

What did I expect from the product ?

(Disclaimer:Slightly optimistic with this)

1. Should be able to get rid of all swirls
2. Should also make the light to moderate scratches disappear
3. Deep scratches should 'appear' less ugly

Mode of application
By hand

Ease of application
Needs a lot of elbow grease,so certainly not easy by hand. Just to give you an idea, I worked for 3-4 mins on a 1x1 section to get the desired results. You can just imagine how much time and energy you'll need to work on the entire car, of course this also depends a lot on the paint condition.


Results
Did it get rid of the swirls-Yes, to a large extent they seem to have "disappeared"
Did it get rid of light to moderate scratches- Yes and No. The small scratches aren't so easily noticeable now, but the moderate one's are not very difficult to spot.
I haven't yet tested it on deep scratches as the section I worked on today had no such scratches. Will update once the next detailing session is complete
I'm satisfied and quite happy with the results by hand.

Recommendation
Definitely yes.This product by far appears to be the best bet for those like me who have to work by hand as they still don't have a DA in their kitty. It sure does need a lot of elbow grease, but it helps get rid of the oxidation and also swirls to an extent. Once you buff off with a MF cloth, the paint surface appears much better, with a 'deeper' shine and surely preps the surface for later application of polish and sealant.
If you don't mind the elbow grease, go ahead and buy this. If you have a DA, you can expect the results to be better.

Meguiars Water Magnet Drying Towel

What did I expect from the product ?
Dry the car with a single cloth and with less effort compared to a regular MF cloth.

Results and Recommendation

It did last till about the last few panels and did a good job at drying the car, but I was expecting more. It started streaking by the time I got to the last panel and all attempts to wring it dry went in vain as it still was streaking, finally had to pick another cloth and finish the job.

So all in all, i'm not so very happy with this so my recommendation as of now is a 'No'. If I notice any change in how it works in the subsequent detailing sessions, I'll surely update and change my rating if required.

Sorry no pics for today as I started detailing only at 2 and was in a hurry to finish one section atleast. The remaining parts have a lot more swirls and scratches thanks to some careless cleaning, so will try and capture the 'before' and 'after'.

Hope this helps!

[aargee]

Have one question for you - el lobo 6061

You've seen how the one step tire cleaner works right? (Eg Son of Gun) Is there any such one step car shampoo, that helps to clean the dirt + degrease the entire car/motorcycle surface?

Any suggestion on the brand is appreciated. Thanks

[arup.misra]

Originally Posted by Honda Monk

As a crux may I know what all are good products for the same? DO I need ONR or Meguairs swirlsX or ultimate compound or some other better product? Experienced fellas pls guide on this. Thanks!

Honda Monk, first ascertain how bad (read - scratches or swirls) the surface is. If surface scratches are light and swirls too, a good rubbing compound would take care of it. I have used Megs Ultimate compound and is good. It will certainly not remove the swirls completely but reduce them considerably.

Ideally start with a good wash (ONR or a car shampoo is upto you). Follow this up with claying. Once this is done you can use Megs Ultimate Compund. Top this up with Collinite 845.

Regular maintaince steps

Dusting with Jopasu

ONR mixed 1:16 with water. Spray on the car and wipe it down

Use a quick detailer to maintain the shine (e.g. Megs Quik Detailer costs INR 300)

Waxing can be repeated once in 3-4 months.

[archat68]

@ el lobo 6061
Do you know if I can buy the foaming lance for Bosch pressure washers separately? How much they cost?

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by aargee

You've seen how the one step tire cleaner works right? (Eg Son of Gun) Is there any such one step car shampoo, that helps to clean the dirt + degrease the entire car/motorcycle surface?

I only have gotten chance to use two shampoo for the car.
1. Amway Car Shampoo
2. Meguiars Hyperwash.

Of the two, found Megs to give better lubricity and nice slick finish. Cannot comment about degreasing abilities as never had to remove grease, but certainly Megs have been good.

Try using ONR in QD form 1:16 which may certainly help in removal of grease. These days I have stopped shampooing the car, since Jopasu & ONR QD is more than enough to keep the car gleaming new. Its now almost 1.5 month since I last shampooed the car.

Originally Posted by archat68

Do you know if I can buy the foaming lance for Bosch pressure washers separately? How much they cost?

Tried searching on the web for it and some of retailers on ebay ship it from UK but its damn expensive at more than 3K. I did advise you to ask the Bosch helpline or the retailer who sold it you, if they could arrange an extra for you.

Incidentally, most of the Bosch Aquatak come with foam nozzle in the pack, didn't you get one during purchase?

[archat68]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Incidentally, most of the Bosch Aquatak come with foam nozzle in the pack, didn't you get one during purchase?

Haven't purchased yet. Just doing pre-purchase research . But the detergent dispenser that comes with most machine free of cost can't produce the foaming effect of a foaming lance.

[Pedaltothefloor]

Guys,

My car is 8 months old and I have never waxed it, other than a Eagle One spray wax that I use. I doubt it protects anything. I wash with ONR or Duragloss Rinseless wash.

I got the 3M Paint Protection done as soon as I got the delivery and it served me well but it may be wearing off now.

I want to buy a good wax but I am having difficulty in choosing from amongst Collinite 845, Meguiar's waxes and all the Duragloss waxes offered by BB Impex.

Where should I start and do I really need to clay prior to waxing?

[aargee]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

I only have gotten chance to use...month since I last shampooed the car.

ONR QD is not of much use when it comes to washing the whole motorcycle (I seldom wash car as it's used hardly)

I think I'll opt for Meguiar's Hyperwash & I hope it will be better than Sonax Car shampoo. What say?