Washing twice?

[Mark R]

I wash my MINI as you'd expect but somehow the lower sides don't always get completely clean, often the area close to the wheel ends up looking like I need to wash it a second time.

Any suggestions as to why those parts of the car aren't cleaning while the rest is without any problems?

Also any suggestions on what to use for cleaning the chrome sections or is just washing it and drying it off fine?

Thanks

[Smurf]

It probably needs a good polish - tar spots and crap off the road make this area really rough and the dirt will stick. A good polish will return the paint to being smooooooooth again!

(And sorry for posting in your Forum, Wul..... :D)

[ianking]

Hi Mark

If you are talking about the lower sills and plastic wheelarces then i would recomend autoglym bumper gel conditioner. It costs abou £5 and comes out as a green gel. Leaves the outside plastic lovely. Like smurf said the paint will just need regular polishing. Mabe every couple of months or so. If there are alot of tar use tar remover first but always remember to polish or wax after, as the tar remover can dull the paint. I would recomend auto glym super resin polish. About £7 and very easy to use and gives a nice result on the darker coloured cars.
If you need any help give me a shout and you can pop round when i am doing mine.

[Crombers]

Wul's employed a couple of apprentices I see :p;)

[ianking]

Mark for your cromed bits on the bumpers and grill etc i would just use car wax or polish such as the autoglym. Remember they are not real chrome like the old minis, new minis are just lacquered plastic chrome effect.

not trying to take over from Wul or anything just bored at work.

[euan]

I tried the Autoglym polish, but Megs NXT wax is SO much easier to use I binned the Autoglym stuff.

[Burple]

quote:Originally posted by euan

I tried the Autoglym polish, but Megs NXT wax is SO much easier to use I binned the Autoglym stuff.


...and it smells like sweeties! ;);):D:D:D

Used both Autoglym and Meguiars, and I think Meguiars is coming out on top! THe shampoo seems to be a lot better (more 'soapy') than the Autoglym stuff.
Megs Trim Detailer is excellent for plastic trim, easy to put on, and it lasts ages :cool::D

[Crombers]

Wul is doing well that's another 2 new apprentices = 4 :p;)

[macblob]

There is also better stuff out there than meguiar's :)
Klasse, Poorboy's, Optimum to name a few :)

[Mark R]

Thanks for the tips. I suppose I just need to get round to waxing it. I've got the Meguiar's NXT wax but it's been too cold for me to be bothered with it at the time.

Car's going in to get some problems done next Tuesday so I'm sure once I'm getting it back they'll at least clean it for me which should do me for a while.

How long does it take to do the waxing?

[euan]

Depends how picky you are ;) I could do the whole car in less than an hour.

[feefabelle]

quote:Originally posted by ianking
If you need any help give me a shout and you can pop round when i am doing mine.


Fancy coming to help me hehehe.... hate using tar remover it feels so funny thru the cloth on ur fingers when ur using it, gives me the heebee geebees YUK!!:dead:

[The Dogfather]

quote:Originally posted by Mark R
How long does it take to do the waxing?


I've got the megs NXT wax that comes in a spray, I managed to do the MX5 in less than 30 mins....

[Wul]

<recordbreakerstheme>Delegation, delegation, delegation......that's what you need</recordbreakersthem>:p:D Well done helpers :)

Mark - what are you using to wash the car with? a sponge or mit - one bucket or two? if you clean from the top down with one bucket then by the time you get to the lower parts of the car you'll be using dirty water. Also if you wash the whole car then rinse the soap will have started to dry on the car making it look dirty again. Use a mitt with the two bucket method and wash rinse in sections ie roof and windows; bonnet and front; side 1; side 2 and finally the boot and bumper.

[Mark R]

quote:Mark - what are you using to wash the car with? a sponge or mit - one bucket or two? if you clean from the top down with one bucket then by the time you get to the lower parts of the car you'll be using dirty water. Also if you wash the whole car then rinse the soap will have started to dry on the car making it look dirty again. Use a mitt with the two bucket method and wash rinse in sections ie roof and windows; bonnet and front; side 1; side 2 and finally the boot and bumper.


I'm using wash mit with two buckets. One to rinse and one for the soap stuff which is Meguiar's, NXT I think, purple gel type stuff anyway. I'm also washing from top down, one section then rinse and so on until it's done. Not quite the order you said so don't know if that's important. I do roof, windows, start at the side then work my way round the car, normally end on the front.

I had thought about maybe rinsing the mit more often during sections. Will see how it goes next time following the side, side, front and back method you mention.

[Wul]

Mark - the order isn't critical.

I use these (http://www.sheepskinshop.co.uk/accessories.htm) wash mitts - excellent quality and 2 for £11 is a bonus - but best of all you dip it in the wash mix, wash the worst of the dirt off with one side, burl it round and go back over with the clean other side then dip it in the rinse bucket :)

[Burple]

quote:Originally posted by Wul

<recordbreakerstheme>Delegation, delegation, delegation......that's what you need</recordbreakersthem>:p:D Well done helpers :)




lol :D:D:D:D

It's good to see a modern take on a classic! ;););)