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blr123
13th March 2007, 09:12 PM
Hi guys,

I've been looking around and as I notice people saying "I polished the car"......it's good hearing of people looking after their cars ;)

With regard to POLISHING your cars you should only POLISH your cars twice a year or at least that's what I and most detailers do, my car gets a pre winter detail and a post winter detail and these are the ONLY times my car gets polished.

The reason for this is that most car polish (pure polish being the exception) is abrasive and is used for defect removal over use can cause swirls and cobweb scratches.

Also polish by itself does not offer much long term protection 2 or 3 weeks at best.

What you should do after polishing is apply a sealant and or a wax, I like to apply both sealant & wax from there on it's just an application of your Last Step Product (LSP) from time to time.

The routine for a full detail is as follows: -
WHEELS, TYRES & ARCHES
Wash wheels tyres & arches a good product for this is Megs All Pupose Cleaner (APC) dilute 4 (water) to 1 it can also be used on inetrior fabric, leather, plastic everything really.

Rinse

Apply a dessing to the arches, Autoglym Vinyl & Rubber Care, Megs All Season Dressing are good just spray and walk.

BODYWORK
Rinse and if you have any apply a foam solution.

If foam has been used then rinse.

Wash car using 2 buckets - 1 with the wash solution the other as a rinse bucket (keeps dirt & grime of the car).

Rinse.

Dry using a drying towel.

Apply your choice of polish, when applying any product to the paintwork, glass etc it is VERY important that you apply it THINLY, over application can and will cause streaking.

With very LITTLE prssure buff up.

Apply a sealant I have seen Megs #21 mentioned this is one of the very best sealants available in my opinion, again apply thinly.

Then apply a wax, Megs #16, #26, Collinite 476s, 845 & 915 are very good products and long lasting, and as ever thin is the key.

Then apply a glass cleaner I like either Megs Glass Cleaner Concentrate or AG Glass Polish.

Apply a dressing to all rubber & vinyl i.e Poorboys Natural Look or Megs #40 or AG Bumper Care.

Apply a wheel wax to alloys.

And finally dress tyres i.e. Megs Endurance Tyre Gel.

The above is a full detail done twice per year after that as I say it's an application of you choice of LSP sealant or wax.

One final suggestion I would make is to use a Spray Wax by way of a top up, these can be appled very quickly (10mins or so) and will leave a very nice finish.

Hope this is of interest to some of you ;)

Bryan

vintageb3
14th March 2007, 02:04 AM
Good post Bryan..

Have to disagree on one point...

Never ever EVER use 2 buckets or even 1 bucket to wash your car..use a lambswool mitt!:clown:

Meguiers #21 is amazing..and I love #26 Hi Tech Wax...only takes 20 minutes to go around the car too!

mark

The Dogfather
14th March 2007, 02:16 AM
Looks like Wul's out of a job ;)

Brian or Wul (aka Buffy Mc Buffmiester), my smart is looking a bit worse for wear to be honest it was pretty shoddy when I got it, what should I be using to get the really bad scratches out of the top coat megs scratch X just doesn't seem powerful enough. Any advice welcome.....

blr123
14th March 2007, 02:56 AM
Sorry am I stepping on toes here?......I didn't realise you already had someone who would offer advice etc........is Wul about?

Bryan

The Dogfather
14th March 2007, 03:16 AM
Bryan, just joking mate. Wul's the local expert on detailing but I'm sure he'll welcome another expert on the subject :D

blr123
14th March 2007, 04:13 AM
quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon

Looks like Wul's out of a job ;)

Brian or Wul (aka Buffy Mc Buffmiester), my smart is looking a bit worse for wear to be honest it was pretty shoddy when I got it, what should I be using to get the really bad scratches out of the top coat megs scratch X just doesn't seem powerful enough. Any advice welcome.....


You had me sweating there for a minute :D

In that case about your scratches.......the rule of thumb is "if you can feel it with your finger nail" then we can't polish it out, if you can't then a machine polish will do the trick......although it does sound like your car would def benefit from a full defect removal detail.

If you can feel it and there aren't too many then chips away would be a good place to start or you could wet sand them yourself but mostly people go to chips away or if bad enough a bodyshop.

Hope that helps.

Bryan

The Dogfather
14th March 2007, 04:16 AM
Thanks Bryan, I'll have a quick look at the car next weekend. Chips away might be a good call especially after the missus scratched the rear bumper :D

Wul
14th March 2007, 04:42 AM
quote:Originally posted by blr123


quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon

Looks like Wul's out of a job ;)

Brian or Wul (aka Buffy Mc Buffmiester), my smart is looking a bit worse for wear to be honest it was pretty shoddy when I got it, what should I be using to get the really bad scratches out of the top coat megs scratch X just doesn't seem powerful enough. Any advice welcome.....


You had me sweating there for a minute :D

In that case about your scratches.......the rule of thumb is "if you can feel it with your finger nail" then we can't polish it out, if you can't then a machine polish will do the trick......although it does sound like your car would def benefit from a full defect removal detail.

If you can feel it and there aren't too many then chips away would be a good place to start or you could wet sand them yourself but mostly people go to chips away or if bad enough a bodyshop.

Hope that helps.

Bryan


i'm here! ;)

Bryan - good to have you on the site lad - i've been fooling these folks into thinking i know what i'm talking about for ages now - little do they know!! LOL! Those shares in Meguiars i bought a few years back are raking it in now! ;)

Seriously though - keep the tips coming - i've only been posting what i've gleaned from the likes of autopia and meguiars forums and trial and error on my part.

:)

Wul
14th March 2007, 04:48 AM
Also added links to all your threads to the "useful link" thread which is a sticky at the top of this forum :)

Crombers - getting reading! :p

dundeered
14th March 2007, 05:10 AM
blr123 , those pictures of the peugeot would not happen to be outside mr cooks house would it??

blr123
14th March 2007, 05:14 AM
quote:Originally posted by dundeered

blr123 , those pictures of the peugeot would not happen to be outside mr cooks house would it??


They are.......I better start locking up the garge now eh :D

Bryan

dundeered
14th March 2007, 05:19 AM
i think you may have detailed my mate cheapies bmw, amazing how i could tell by a gate whos house it was..

blr123
14th March 2007, 05:21 AM
[/quote]

i'm here! ;)

Bryan - good to have you on the site lad - i've been fooling these folks into thinking i know what i'm talking about for ages now - little do they know!! LOL! Those shares in Meguiars i bought a few years back are raking it in now! ;)

Seriously though - keep the tips coming - i've only been posting what i've gleaned from the likes of autopia and meguiars forums and trial and error on my part.

:)
[/quote]

Hi Wul good to here from you ;).........and 2 heads are better than one eh.........I feel a detailing day coming on some where eh :D

Where are you based, distance isn't usually a problem I've been just North of London and Leeds a few times for detailing days.......going to Leeds again on the 31st ;)

Are you Megs supplier Wul?......if not drop me an email for a good supplier........cheap aswell :p: -

mrblr123@yahoo.co.uk

Bryan

vintageb3
14th March 2007, 05:40 AM
quote:Originally posted by blr123



Are you Megs supplier Wul?......if not drop me an email for a good supplier........cheap aswell :p: -

Bryan
[/quote]

Is this Megs contact available to us all on NMS?

I love their products!

mark

dundeered
14th March 2007, 05:41 AM
blr123, cant get onto your website, some strange spinning item showing

blr123
14th March 2007, 05:56 AM
quote:Originally posted by dundeered

blr123, cant get onto your website, some strange spinning item showing



That's it loading up, it' working OK for me and one or two others :)

Bryan

blr123
14th March 2007, 06:46 AM
quote:Originally posted by dundeered

i think you may have detailed my mate cheapies bmw, amazing how i could tell by a gate whos house it was..


Yep we did do Andrew's car....nice car too ;)

Bryan