Your car cleaning/detailing habits?

[plAythiNG]

I've always cleaned my car weekly, I performed my first "amateur" detail around 6 months ago and really enjoyed it. over the weekend, I did both my missus and my car. I really want to get into a good regime with both cars.

Just wondering what you guys do in regards to maintaing the car post wash and dry?

Quite simply I use an ENJO microfibre mitt with nothing else but water, and a meguirs chamois to dry the car off. I have done this either 1-3 times a week upon ownership of the DC5.

I use a Turtle carwash and a generic sponge to do the wheels.

I really found it easy to use with the Mothers ClayBar pack. It gives you the quick detailer spray, 2 x clay bars, and a microfibre towel. Found it very very simple to use. Really looking to see what wax/sealants you guys use post Clayying?

I used the Armour All wax gel. it did work, but felt it was quite thin and was looking for a thicker wax.

Please share your regimes!

[kavehman]

Quite simply I use an ENJO microfibre mitt with nothing else but water, and a meguirs chamois to dry the car off. I have done this either 1-3 times a week upon ownership of the DC5.

That's the stupidest thing I have heard, why don't you get some decent car wash.

www.carcareproducts.com.au

www.autopia.org

[Flippit]

I used the Meguiars Carnauba Wax although it is very good i find the Meguiards NXT GEN Tech Wax EXCELLENT! Comes in a purple bottle with a purple applicator pad!

[l__i__l]

LOL water thats it? i feel sorry for ur paint

why wouldnt u use car wash....

lucky u have MM so its probably hard to see all the damage

[plAythiNG]

Not really guys, i have not many swirl marks at all. Cars always kept clean. Both mine and my dads cars have been using this mit for 2years... Its quite an expensive mit though... I rhink ita $113 or maybe more.

Yeah man, rinse te car down with water, get the mitt on it.. Dry... No problems at all. No scratches or anything... Not too sure why the hate... I've had no problems at all.

[plAythiNG]

I havnt had any issues at all.

Anyways back on topic, theres alot of products on te market... What are ones your've used and felt like they have worked/lasted for awhile?

[iversonruls]

meguiar sealant #21 and quick detailer between every wash

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Not really guys, i have no swirl marks at all. Cars always kept clean. Both mine and my dads cars have been using this mit for 2years... Its quite an expensive mit though... I rhink ita $113 or maybe more.

Yeah man, rinse te car down with water, get the mitt on it.. Dry... No problems at all. No scratches or anything... Not too sure why the hate... I've had no problems at all.

Alex, your swirl marks are there. they are well hidden from the quick detailer and wax, as they are definitely filling the swirls.

[kavehman]

I havnt had any issues at all.

Anyways back on topic, theres alot of products on te market... What are ones your've used and felt like they have worked/lasted for awhile?

Far out, why would you bother posting a topic on detailing when you're not willing to learn how to do it properly ?

You should do some research, the only reason you can't see any damage is because the car is silver.

My sister's echo hasn't been washed properly since it was purchased in 2002 but you can't see any swirl marks on it at all.

I don't understand why you care what anyone else is using, product wise either.

Just stick to your water and crappy off the shelf wax.

edit: should have taken a chemistry course in grade 12 so you could have understood how soap's work.

[khanguskhan]

Not trying to troll you or anything mate, But they're quite right using only water means that you have no lubrication between your mitt and the paint of the car, no lubrication means that anything you pick up gets dragged along the car. No lubrication means that when you dunk your mitt back into a bucket of water it's not as easy for the stuff you pick up to drop into the water.

I use Final Inspection's line of products, so far extremely happy, can't fault it yet. I will be performing a practice detail using FI products claying, polishing, and sealing on my sister's BMW 120i this weekend as well as a Mazda CX9, hopefully it goes well.

[plAythiNG]

Thanks adrian, nah ur right about having many swirl marks hiddencos the car is silver. With light reading, i have found that the use of those instant detailers can easily hide the swirl marks and was really looking for which products ppl use to remove swirl marks etc. by me using my mitt, i dont have it in a bucket or anything. After a couple panels, i do point the hose at it and clean it and get rid of the lose dirt i picked up with previous panels..

Khangkushan, when u talk about the lack of lubricants in my method. I actually do agree with you. Then again the car has never really been dirty or marks left on it ever. What products do u guys reccomend in removing swirl marks etc instead of my previous method of "hiding" it? I really am a noob when it comes to car cleaning as kavehmam has stated the obvious. So looking for some definite pointers.

[DC2R]

I use mothers polish and wax for major details and this stuff called carlack68 in between.

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Thanks adrian, nah ur right about having many swirl marks hiddencos the car is silver. With light reading, i have found that the use of those instant detailers can easily hide the swirl marks and was really looking for which products ppl use to remove swirl marks etc. by me using my mitt, i dont have it in a bucket or anything. After a couple panels, i do point the hose at it and clean it and get rid of the lose dirt i picked up with previous panels..

Khangkushan, when u talk about the lack of lubricants in my method. I actually do agree with you. Then again the car has never really been dirty or marks left on it ever. What products do u guys reccomend in removing swirl marks etc instead of my previous method of "hiding" it? I really am a noob when it comes to car cleaning as kavehmam has stated the obvious. So looking for some definite pointers.

Swirls and dirt are 2 different things to tackle.

Swirls are only able to be removed by cutting the clear coat with the use of cutting compound, or polishers. doing it by hand will mean u will have an awesome workout for your dominant arm and shoulder .

Because your car is always waxed, its given you the illusion that you don't have any swirls. go to a car wash, and use their soap, which is so strong, it will eat any product on your car off, and then the swirls will come out to bother you.

Dirt, is obvious. its just sediments, grime and dust that has been deposited on your car from normal use. by washing with a ph balanced soap, a chemical reaction occurs, softening the bond of the dirt on your paintwork. this makes the initial wash effortless, and leave the harder stuff for your clay bar to come out and play.

i can attest to swirls being hard to see, having 4 silver cars at home...

have a chat with the guys at carcareproducts. they are serious detailers and will answer any n00b questions you can throw at them.

nice blokes!

[kavehman]

If your a novice, for wash and sealant I would pick up Duragloss car wash, Duragloss aquawax, and poorboys or menzerna polish if you want to remove some swirling.

The car care products guys can probably reccomend some polishes for your paint, honda paint if original is pretty soft and easy to correct, so you won't need anything too aggresive.

[plAythiNG]

Thanjs mate, will look into it.

So becuase you stated that original honda paint is quite thin compared to other makes, the Duragloss range isn't too abrasive?