Detailing Tips & Tricks....

Lish · #1 29-12-2005, 09:59 AM

Hey all
I have detailed new & used cars for about 3 years and it was suggested that I should share my knowledge with you all when it comes to making your babies shineeeee. So, if you have any questions about cleaning the inside and outside of your car, I will do my best to help you out!

Del

MarzVP · #2 29-12-2005, 09:59 AM

Can you make mine look Better?

Lish · #3 29-12-2005, 10:00 AM

hahaha marz....yer with a spraycan full of paint and an airgun

MarzVP · #4 29-12-2005, 10:04 AM

Thats about what I thought. Kmart have spray guns for 99 bucks.

vlv8vic · #5 29-12-2005, 10:48 AM

lish ive got an old camry, 90 model in red. no doubt youve seen what older red camrys paint goes like.
I got it cheap cos the guy said it would need a respray, it didnt. i polished my butt off for about a week and got the thing looking like new. looked fantastic, but after a few washes and a bit of sun it eventually goes back to being slightly powdery, although not as bad and when i got it - just really dull i guess.
Is there a polish that will sorta bring it back permanently, or am i doomed to monthly rub-downs to keep her shiney? (doesnt bother me too much, just hope there is a nicer way!)

piccy is of the cammy after i gave it a home detail....

also, girlfriend has a newer magna, metallic paint, someone told me you cant polish the newer paints? or is there a special polish i can use for the clear-coated newer beasts? thanks!!!!

Lish · #6 29-12-2005, 11:11 AM

ok - the camry ....wow! looks like yo did a fab job! you could try the polish with red tinting ...can't remember the brands, might bring it up a bit - but I really think you are up for regular polishings to keep it looking good ..sorry
Your g/f's car... we have a 2000 metallic tiger mica and I use 'Turtle Wax scratch and swirl remover' (ideal for clear coats) because we had a few lil scratches near the door handles and on the front body kit. It's not your real thick type polish and it brings the car up a treat! It gets rid of those little marks, water marks and the car has a brilliant shine to it. Same as other polishes, work in small areas - use a damp cheesecloth to apply, allow to dry slightly and buff with dry cheesecloth then I go over with a buffing soft cloth to give it that extra shine! We can really tell when it's due for another going over.
DON'T use a wax polish or cut polish..you will reduce the metallic shine on the car. Polishes such are those are purely for old weathered paints such as your camry.

vlv8vic · #7 29-12-2005, 11:21 AM

awsome, girls car looks nice just feel as though it could really shine up sometimes.

and thanks for the positive feedback on the cammy, im quite proud of the effort considering how it looked when i first dragged her home!

Lish · #8 29-12-2005, 11:29 AM

not only is a nice shiny car nice to look at - but it also helps prolong the life of the paint - specially metallics. It provides a coating over the car which beads off the water and acts like a sunscreen on your car. All cars should be polished with the right polish, even brand spankers. You don't want the Magna going like the Camry's paint!

shaggerz · #9 29-12-2005, 12:01 PM

How can you repair stone chips? I don't want to see a little crater glazed over with touch up paint, but a perfect, smooth, shiny look like you'd never know there was ever a stone chip.

Or am I dreaming? :P

Also a couple of small spots on the rear bumper where the paint has bubbled (altercation with a 4wd bull bar

) and is flaking slightly.

Btw I have a silver VS

Lish · #10 29-12-2005, 12:12 PM

you would need to talk to a spraypainter for those ones lol ...no amount of detailing is going to miracously make the chips disappear! Same with the flaking - only a respray is going to stop it from flaking more... sorry - wrong sticky!
If that's not an option then you could always try waving a magic wand

minux · #11 29-12-2005, 12:29 PM

lish good thread, only thing is be clear this is detailing for everyday cars not show cars, big difference in products and how things are applied.

vlv8, you should try a few layers of zaino across the camry, it bought up my little sisters car trumps, 3 layers of show polish lasted 5 months before a redoing.

This is just my suggestion, but i dont reccomend using anything but zaino for polishes/wax and mother earth for cleaning agents, just my 2 cents

Lish · #12 29-12-2005, 12:42 PM

very good point Minux ...I've never detailed show cars, only everyday cars and new cars for delivery to customers. Oh and traded filthy cars and 4wds to go on caryard for resale (the hardest cars I've ever cleaned!) so how to get dirt out of lil tricky areas and bring the interior up spick is one area I'm VERY confident on lol (it takes about 5-6 hours to detail a used car to caryard display, longer for non-cared for cars)

shaggerz · #13 29-12-2005, 01:04 PM

Lol heres one for you then...

is there an EASIER way to get bits of grass out of carpet than sitting there picking them out one by one?

vacuuming just doesn't cut it!!!