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General => Detailing => Topic started by: FOREST GREEN on 12 March 2011, 19:23
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So I finally got round to cleaning the MK4 today, she passed the MOT on Thursday with no advisory's and Dan @ the Shack is having her on Monday to do the service
So. I thought I'd share with you how I clean the car, please bare in mind that I am in NO WAY a pro at this, nor do I pretend to be, but over the past 3yrs, I pretty much taught myself how to get a decent long lasting shine out of the poorest paintwork.
Those of you on here who do know what your're talking about, any advice on where I may be going wrong would be greatly appreciated
So, 1st up was washing the old girl with MEGS soft wash and a MIT (2 bucket method)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0251.jpg)
Once that was done, and while the car was still wet, I gave her a good claying all over
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0252.jpg)
Then rinsed off and dried with a Micro Fibre Towel. Then started to tape off all the 'Black' bits
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0242.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0244.jpg)
Once this was done, it was time to get the machine out and some cutting compound. I use a mixture of 2 compounds, seems to get a really good result, I put the 3M directly onto the body work, and then put some Menzerna onto a Blue Sponge.
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0243.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0245.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0246.jpg)
That is worked all over the body work on every panel, I do you a spray bottle to 'mist' water on every now and again so it doesn't get to hot
Ok, after each panel, I use a Micro Fibre cloth to buff off the excess, which does give a reasonable shine, but you can see that the paintwork has a definite 'clean feel' to it.
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0250.jpg)
Next up is the Polish, again, I use 2 types, but not at the same time!! 1st up is the 3M which is put onto a Pink Sponge and worked all over the car (about 2 sq ft at a time) and then buffed off again
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0253.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0247.jpg)
Then I go over everything with MEGS mirror glaze 7 using a Black Sponge , using the same principal as before and getting some really good results.
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0256.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0257.jpg)
Next up is the WAX, here I use 4 different types............All these are applied with a sponge applicator, 1st up is a bit unusual, but I think its great stuff, MEGS 8 mould release for yachts...
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0260.jpg)
This is applied to the whole car, and again, buffed up by hand. Then I apply MEGS Tech Wax NXT 2.0 to the side panels and rear of the car, then DODO JUICE Blue Velvet to the roof and DODO JUICE Purple Haze to the bonnet, then the whole car is buffed using a WHITE Sponge
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0258.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0259.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0261.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0269.jpg)
OK, so next it was time to clean the wheels and tyres, for this, I used a combination of MEGS Tyre Gel and Turtle Wax wet n black this seems to give a long lasting shine to the tyres.
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0265.jpg)
Then I cleaned the alloys, firstly with BILBERRY JUICE (love the smell of this stuff)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0262.jpg)
hen with MEGS Metal Polish
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0263.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0264.jpg)
Next up was the Black bits n bobs, for this I use MEGS trim detailer
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0267.jpg)
And the results...........
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0270.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0271.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0272.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0273.jpg)
A quick hoover and clean inside
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0274.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0276.jpg)
AND MY BITS FOR THE SERVICE
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/honda4wd/SAM_0275.jpg)
I haven't cleaned the engine bay due to the service on Monday, and I seem to have 'lost' my MEGS window cleaner!! :embarassed:
As for the plans for the car, the front and rear 'VW' badges are going to be sprayed MAT BLACK.
The GTI badge & Golf badge on the boot are to be replaced with a single badge in MAT black saying MK1V.
The GTI Grill badge is going. The Wing Mirrors are to become MAT black, and possibly a bonnet bra
What do you think????
As I said before, all criticism welcome
Toby
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still dont understand why you use 4 different waxs ??
that interior stuff is sh!te..
but the car looks sweet once cleaned :smiley: :smiley:
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good effort Toby,
looks like you've been getting alot of sling off from your rotory, keep your speeds down when your spreading the polish, and the polish needs to go on the pad not the whole roof lol. plus use less polish and that will keep the amount of dust your getting to a minimum
looks good though mate.
for me bonnet bra's are ugly and scratch your paint/clearcoat, bra's are for ladys not cars.
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Not a bad result mate, seems like your making a bit more work for yourself with 4 different waxes though and please tell me your not using metal polish on your wheels?? :shocked:
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still dont understand why you use 4 different waxs ??
that interior stuff is sh!te..
but the car looks sweet once cleaned :smiley: :smiley:
I use the 4 waxes because basically, I have them, if I'm honest, I love the DODO gear sooo much, but its rather expensive for me, so I like to keep it for the bonnet/roof.
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good effort Toby,
looks like you've been getting alot of sling off from your rotory, keep your speeds down when your spreading the polish, and the polish needs to go on the pad not the whole roof lol. plus use less polish and that will keep the amount of dust your getting to a minimum
looks good though mate.
for me bonnet bra's are ugly and scratch your paint/clearcoat, bra's are for ladys not cars.
Thanks for the advice mate, yes, I get covered in the stuff, will give it a go next time on a lower speed, thanks
Toby
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if you are applying the dodo waxes thin enough you should see atleast 5/6 layers out of one panel pot.
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please tell me your not using metal polish on your wheels??
Yes, Its Megs Alloy Wheel polish, never used it before, and to be fair, its brought them nice n shiney, although the pics dont do it justice!!
Why, is there something I don't know with regard to wheel polish??
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please tell me your not using metal polish on your wheels??
Yes, Its Megs Alloy Wheel polish, never used it before, and to be fair, its brought them nice n shiney, although the pics dont do it justice!!
Why, is there something I don't know with regard to wheel polish??
Correct me if i'm wrong mate, but it's metal polish not alloy wheel polish, it's for bare metals like chrome tailpipes etc not painted/laquered surfaces, i think you'd be better with one of your other compounds on a pad.
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Ah, I see what you mean................ :shocked:
Still, it gives a bloody good shine though, I don't suppose it will matter too much, as I'm hoping to get some BBS rims eventually, and then paint these black and keep them for winter wheels :wink:
Thanks for the input mate :wink:
Toby
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:grin: :grin: :grin: <<-- metal polish on alloys
just get some collinite 845 or similar for the wheels mate
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as PH said... first thing I thought was "WHOA THERE PARTNER>>> EASY ON THE POLISH" :laugh:
much less polish, on the pad, and work in 12x12 sets
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Looks good. I would get rid of those horrible wheel weights & have them re-balanced on the inside with tape weights.
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Possibly clean the alloys at the same time as washing the rest of the car? Wouldn't like to get Billberry all over your newly polished/waxed paint.