Time for clay & polish, few questions

[comdw]

My car is long overdue some attention after being neglected over the winter. On the advice of the 'what to use on dark metallic paint' thread, I've bought the Blackfire products for my pearlescent black S3 along with the Megs Quik Clay which I've used before.

I've read all the guides on polishedbliss.co.uk, but unfortunately I'm struggling with finding enough time to do everything (wash, clay, polish and then sealant) in one go. Can it be done in stages if the car is not used in between and kept in a garage? Do I need to re-wash between stages, especially claying?

Unfortunately the garage is only just big enough for the car everything has to be done out in the open. Washing in the sun is out of the question with the extremely hard water we have here, but I assume claying will be ok in the sun? What about polishing and sealant? And What if it rains in the middle of all this?

Also one question about washing - I use NXT generation car wash but don't really get any suds when using wash mitts even though its concentrated and i'm putting a fair bit in the bucket - does the lack of suds matter?

 

[WX51TXR]

Whilst not an ideal setup, you have to work with what is available, so best to take your time and split the job up if insufficient time is available for a long dauy at it, or the weather intervenes! Claying can be done in full sun, just make sure you work a small area, and mop up the lubricant as you go with a waffle weave towel, otherwise it will dry and leave streaking. Polishing and waxing can also be done in full sun, just work a small area at a time and buff off quickly after application. Golden rule for sun working - keep the work area small. You can break jobs down over several days/weeks, but I'd suggest full wet washing if the car is covered in dust between days spent detailing; the alternative is to buy yourself a nice soft wool duster, and dust it down before starting work again. I have known some guys take up to 6-8 weeks to do a full detail; literally all tasks on just one panel a week, and there is no harm in doing this. If it rains you kind of just have to stop, so try to keep an eye on the sky and avoid applying products when rain looks imminent. Your shampoo need not produce lots of suds if it is well lubricated - lubrication is the most important quality. However, note that NXT is pretty harsh and tends to strip waxes a little, so next time you need to buy more I'd suggest switching to Shampoo Plus instead. :icon_thumright:

 

[comdw]

Thanks. Actually I have a pressure washer with one of those bottle spray attachments (only a cheap make though), but I have never tried it - would a foam wash be suitable for this (eg Hyper wash)?

 

[Amchlolor]

However, note that NXT is pretty harsh and tends to strip waxes a little, so next time you need to buy more I'd suggest switching to Shampoo Plus instead. :icon_thumright:

Oh ****** hell, I've just bought another bottle of NXT....

 

[WX51TXR]

Thanks. Actually I have a pressure washer with one of those bottle spray attachments (only a cheap make though), but I have never tried it - would a foam wash be suitable for this (eg Hyper wash)?

Aye, Hyper Wash would be ideal for it, and you may be surprised at the results - even cheapies tend to work fine.

 

[WX51TXR]

Oh ****** hell, I've just bought another bottle of NXT....

Oh well, better to know the truth I guess...

 

[comdw]

Well I managed to get this all done over the weekend. I must say the Blackfire products were extremely easy to use compared to stuff I've used before - almost no effort required in buffing the stuff off.

Ultimately my appreciation of the results were marred by the number of scratches and stone chips on my paintwork. The bonnet was especially bad with a peppering effect all along the front (which admittedly was masked somewhat by the Blackfire glaze):

More disappointing is that even with claying, I was unable to remove some glue/resin stuff which has somehow landed on my car in a few places (no idea what this is). Best pic I could get is one from the roof - this is about the size of a 10p coin:

There was some of this on my rear windscreen which I've managed to scrub off using "stick stuff remover" spray from halfords. I'm a bit worried about using it on the paintwork, going to take it slow and try it on the spot thats on my rear spoiler next...

 

[redbutcher]

Looking good comdw - managed to give my car a clay today - was amazed the difference it made to the feel of the paint and amazed and how much crap the clay got off, even after a wash. Got to just save some pennies for the Werkstatt kit from PB and then it'll be nice and gleaming.

 

[comdw]

I first clayed my car a couple of years ago and the amount of crap that came off the paint was incredibly. I haven't done it again until now and I was surprised how little came off this time and it was very easy to do, can only be a good thing.

Good luck with Werkstatt... hard work but sure it will be worth it.

 

[WX51TXR]

Have you tried using a strong tar & glue remover like Autosmart Tardis? It can shift gunky deposits that other products fail to touch, and is safe for consumer use on all exterior surfaces. Might be worth a shot?

 

[comdw]

Thanks, but this spray seems to have worked quite well, I can't see any lasting blemish on the paintwork. Been working through one at a time (re-applying polish and sealant after), only got a couple left now.