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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: JeffPoe on 30 January 2018, 20:07
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Just a quick word of warning on new cars (and I guess its still relevant for any mk7) and that is regarding iron particles.
I picked up my brand new Golf and just out of interest I tried some Iron X on what I suspected was just a dot of tar. Short story is it turns our the ENTIRE car is covered in iron particles.
If I had to guess, maybe the cars spend some time on a train or something. These particles will just eat into the paint and no amount of washing will remove them.
Today I spent about 3hr covering the car (twice) in Iron X and obscene amounts of water to then rinse it off. In total I used a full litre of the stuff, but in the end there was very little iron left, the odd spot here and there.
So yeah...... watch out for that, as I suspect this will be the same for many cars.
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You need GTechniq fall out remover. Spray on a clean car, watch it turn all funny colours and runny then power wash off. Job done.
Then start polishing waxing and protecting.
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Yeah Iron X does the same.
Much of a much really. Personally I'd go for Iron X as its has more of a reputation and proven history.
All this sort of thing are apparently very safe on paint, rubber etc. I'm a bit paranoid though so even had a face mask on when using it, then rinsed for about 30 mins and washed it a few times.
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Lots of opportunities for airborne contaminants to become embedded in a new car’s paintwork between it leaving the factory and handover to the customer at the dealership, although the most ‘vulnerable’ panels (bonnet, roof and tailgate) are covered in protective wrapping prior to leaving the factory;
- Holding area where cars are parked after leaving the factory alongside rail tracks.
- transportation by train to holding area at docks ready for shipping to UK.
These are industrial areas, so lots of airborne metal particles in the atmosphere. Further opportunities for contamination during transportation from the UK docks to the dealership. Vehicle prep by the dealer won’t involve removal of embedded contaminants from the paintwork; protective wrappers, stickers and glue residue will be removed, and car will be washed and dried - most dealers will probably wash using a single bucket and sponge, and dry with a wash leather, so plenty of opportunities to also inflict swirls on the paintwork. most owners will be blissfully unaware and won’t notice either embedded contaminants or swirls.
Now you’ve got a fully decontaminated car, you’ve got a good clean base for polishing (if necessary) and applying a coupe of layers of protection.
Oh, and congratulations on the new car!
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It's the same for every car not just a few. Bit of an over traction of a thread really.
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It’s par for the course on new cars. It’s very well known amongst detailing enthusiasts too, there’s a dedicated detailing section on the forum with lots of info and advice on dealing with such contaminants and processes to remove. New cars sit at the docks, pick up railway fallout in transit. For those that care about that stuff, first thing to do (if detailing the new car yourself) is to fully decontaminate it with iron/fallout remover, then tar remover (for good measure) and if needed, claying. Do the sandwich bag test - put hand in plastic bag and run palm/fingertips over panels, it emphasis embedded iron and tar contaminants that can’t be removed by washing. Do the test before and after the iron remover and tar remover stages to see if any left which might need claying. If paintwork is glassy to touch after then claying might not be needed.
You don’t need a face mask on, its stinks but it won’t kill you, lol. But bin any microfibres you might use, same if you use tar remover, don’t wash them with your clothes otherwise you’ll regret it and have no friends very quickly, lol. Iron X does need rinsing well but 30 mins is overkill, you’re just wasting water. And you really don’t need to wash it loads of times. Wash the car very thoroughly first, dry it, apply Iron X a section at a time, not to whole car at once as you don’t want it drying on, let it dwell for 5 mins, gently agitate with microfibre, thoroughly rinse off, move onto next section, and so on. Shouldn’t take more than half hour to do the entire car and wheels. Then after the decontamination stages a final quick wash is all that’s needed. Then do the sandwich bag test to see if any embedded contaminants remain. Then either move onto machine polishing (if desired) and protect with favoured was/sealant.
I’d personally avoid getting Iron X and the like of Tardis on some plastics (reg plates etc) as it can and does discolour certain ones.
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I have just picked up my third Mk7/7.5 this month and none of them have had anything like the amount of contamination you describe. The cars bonnet roof and tailgate are completely covered when they leave the factory on a train to Emden so shouldn’t really have anything on them in those areas. I have only had a small amount on the sides of the car to deal with :undecided:
You must have been unlucky :cry: