The Official Car Care Thread

[nemesis]

Karcher are good washers. Lasting me longer than the previous Craftsman I had.

007 you tried those products on the outside? What was the result? Any help at all?
If it's actual bitumen or something and it won't come out, use a tar remover and see what happens. Surprised all products thus far haven't worked though.

What model you have nemesis?

Kinda far from home for the while so hard to read it and tell you.

[Karim Khan]

Hey Karim, what do you recommend as a good DIY headlight restoration kit available locally?

To be honest, i have not got chance to use any off the shelf DIY headlight restoration kits that are available locally.

The system i use is for professional use only.

If you are going to try the DIY kits i recommend you read and follow the instructions.

[equipped2ripp]

The 3M kit is good... viewtopic.php?f=6&t=426579

[DSM_05]

I've used both the Mothers and Meguiars kits. Both work well, but the trick is in using a headlight sealant after, to ensure that the oxidation doesn't return.

the Meguiars severe restoration kit comes wth one, the normal megs kit doesn't. The mothers doesn't either.

I have had great experience with (and still use) Wolfgang's Plastik Surface Sealant. After removing oxidation with (in my case) the Mothers' Powerball for Headlights, I followed up with the WG sealant, nad have applied it once every two months (applying the sealant is done by hand, and takes very little time).

Headlights still look great IMHO (a year later).

[chucky]

Used the Meguiar's Headlight Restoration Kit on a Subaru and a 323. Worked great and very simple to use. Also used the Meguiar's new headlight protectant (sealant) Lights still crystal clear almost one year later.

[Karim Khan]

Today is a nice day for detailing.. Post some detailing shots of what you did today

[nemesis]

What are you guys thoughts on Shampoos that claim to contain wax? Anyone ever tried testing it? do you actually see an improvement over other shampoo?
Is it really extending the life of your wax coat?
Does anyone believe that it replaces the need for actually waxing? (sadly I've heard this said)

[jdeen]

Yesterday Karim did a full exterior detail on my 2007 WRX STI. We tested the Shining Monkey products.

Process:

Foamed the vehicle.
Clayed using Shining Monkey Clay Bar with Shining Monkey Show and Shine Detail Spray.
Applied the Shining Monkey Clean and Repair Polish.
Applied the Shining Monkey Color Enhance Hand Glaze.
Applied the Shining Monkey Seal and Protect Wax.

Pics:

Swirls Before:




Snowing:



Claying:







Applying Products:



Swirls After:




Final Results:










Thanks a lot Karim! I'm really happy with the results.

[K74T]

Nice work, car looks amazing.

[M_2NR]

Bess! Glad to see the sti getting some loving

[S_2NR]

jdeen, yu sellin? srs

[Karim Khan]

Thank you very much Jdeen for giving me the opportunity to detail your Subaru sti and the Shining Monkey Products.

This was the first time that i have ever used the Shining Monkey Products on an entire vehicle.

Here is a little review of the Shining Monkey products that was tested on the Subaru.

Shining Monkey Clay Bar & Show & Shine Quick Detailer



The Shining Monkey clay bar and quick detailer was very easy to use. It removed most of the bonded contaminants with little to no effort.

The quick detailer has a very nice scent to it also.

Next up was the Shining Monkey Clean & Repair Treatment.
Just like the clay bar, the clean & repair treatment was easy to use by hand. Buff on and wipe off. It removed a lot of the swirls from the vehicle.

After Paint correction i used the Shining Monkey Color Enhance Hand Glaze.
This product did enhance the color of the car and very easy to use by hand. With this product as soon as you apply it you can wipe it off, no need to let it sit.

The final step
Shining Monkey Seal & Protect Wax
This was nice and easy to use by hand. Wipe on and wipe off.

The Shining Monkey products are easy to use especially for the Do It Yourself people. It's simple to use , wipe on and wipe off. The only precaution - don't use them in direct sunlight.

[nemesis]

Good info there.
Nice looking STI.

[DSM_05]

Great pics there jdeen/karim.

I guess the Shining MOnkey Polish (Clean and Repair) was applied by DA (looks like a FLex in that pic)?

How does it work by machine? Easy to use?

[Karim Khan]

Thank you very much DSM.

The Clean & Repair was both applied by hand and machine.

The majority of the car was done with the flex and a polishing pad. The product did work very good with the machine. Easy on easy off.

[trvs]

I used some Adams stuff last night. The Adams APC and Super VRT are really nice products!

[nemesis]

Nice in what way?

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

So I haven't clayed my car yet now have I HD cleansed or waxed it. When I wash it with either Mothers Car Wash or Turtle Wax Liquid ICE Car Wash and Polish two in one I notice after drying the entire car that the trunk and roof seems to get "dew" at night. I'll wipe it off with a microfiber again but a few minutes later the same damp look reappears. This doesn't happen on the side panels, bonnet, side windows, front and rear windshields. Any idea what this could be? Dirt? Was thinking this is a sign to claybar the car?

[trvs]

Nice in what way?

The APC cleaned my wheels and tires better than the Meguiars All Wheel and Tire Cleaner.

I usually apply 303 to the window strips around my windows but I had to be really careful or use glass cleaner if I slip up when applying it. The VRT is water based so it wiped right off the glass yet leaving a nice matte/semi gloss look to the rubber which looks really good.

I also used their undercarriage spray in my front wheel wells since it's plastic. It made the wheel wells "disappear"

Still need to try the Chemical Guys stuff. Hopefully this weekend.

The Adams detail spray smells like peach or something

@Bunny, did you get a chance to use your porter cable as yet?

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

No haven't used porter cable yet. Haven't had the time to do a full detail.

[Ted_v2]

<3 that wing on teh subby

[nemesis]

So I haven't clayed my car yet now have I HD cleansed or waxed it. When I wash it with either Mothers Car Wash or Turtle Wax Liquid ICE Car Wash and Polish two in one I notice after drying the entire car that the trunk and roof seems to get "dew" at night. I'll wipe it off with a microfiber again but a few minutes later the same damp look reappears. This doesn't happen on the side panels, bonnet, side windows, front and rear windshields. Any idea what this could be? Dirt? Was thinking this is a sign to claybar the car?

Sounds like the wax is 'sweating' as they say. Usually due to improper cure time or over-application of the wax if it can reappear after removal. Get some AG Rapid detailer and remove it with that when cool. Some people recommend chilled filtered water. If it's still coming back it's definitely still chemicals leaving the wax.
Question : Did you layer your flat surfaces? I've seen that a lot of times. If you did with the HDWax, it'll probably never stop and you'll have to remove and do it over with a single layer.

Sun out the car for a while after removal and see if it goes away. HDwax does this more than many other waxes and it can sometimes take a little while, maybe a few days for it to stop.
It is also possible it was due to curing time. What time of day did you apply it and how long did you leave it to cure?
NOW, there is a possibility that the vehicle was NOT protected at all during it's time at the firm AND it sat out in the sun for many months. That sadly could have damaged your more sunward facing surfaces and hence when you hit it with the wax after completely cleaning it the paint would have retained some of the solvents/oils and the wax sealed them in causing this hazyness to keep returning. If that's your case, well, no HDCleanse then straight to waxing for you. Sealant below the wax would help, in which case go SRP -> HDWax and that may reduce it next time around.

About your Porter Cable business, don't use it with HD products. It's just wasting time and doesn't make any difference to how it works. How much wax did you use from the jar? Judging by the amount would you say you could cover your car 10 times over with one jar?

What polish are you going to use with the PC?

Btw, this is just from my limited knowledge of such issues. Wait on some of the other guys to chime in also before you go running doing things. Get a general consensus on the issue. Karim should also know better since he recently returned from his AG training.

Just bought me some Menzerna SF4500 there. Quite excited.

[shogun]

Hawk-eye STI looks immaculate. Might try three of those rear wing inserts/stiffies, on meh subbie.

Did it again Karim!...Great job.

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

So I haven't clayed my car yet now have I HD cleansed or waxed it. When I wash it with either Mothers Car Wash or Turtle Wax Liquid ICE Car Wash and Polish two in one I notice after drying the entire car that the trunk and roof seems to get "dew" at night. I'll wipe it off with a microfiber again but a few minutes later the same damp look reappears. This doesn't happen on the side panels, bonnet, side windows, front and rear windshields. Any idea what this could be? Dirt? Was thinking this is a sign to claybar the car?

Sounds like the wax is 'sweating' as they say. Usually due to improper cure time or over-application of the wax if it can reappear after removal. Get some AG Rapid detailer and remove it with that when cool. Some people recommend chilled filtered water. If it's still coming back it's definitely still chemicals leaving the wax.
Question : Did you layer your flat surfaces? I've seen that a lot of times. If you did with the HDWax, it'll probably never stop and you'll have to remove and do it over with a single layer.

Sun out the car for a while after removal and see if it goes away. HDwax does this more than many other waxes and it can sometimes take a little while, maybe a few days for it to stop.
It is also possible it was due to curing time. What time of day did you apply it and how long did you leave it to cure?
NOW, there is a possibility that the vehicle was NOT protected at all during it's time at the firm AND it sat out in the sun for many months. That sadly could have damaged your more sunward facing surfaces and hence when you hit it with the wax after completely cleaning it the paint would have retained some of the solvents/oils and the wax sealed them in causing this hazyness to keep returning. If that's your case, well, no HDCleanse then straight to waxing for you. Sealant below the wax would help, in which case go SRP -> HDWax and that may reduce it next time around.

About your Porter Cable business, don't use it with HD products. It's just wasting time and doesn't make any difference to how it works. How much wax did you use from the jar? Judging by the amount would you say you could cover your car 10 times over with one jar?

What polish are you going to use with the PC?

Btw, this is just from my limited knowledge of such issues. Wait on some of the other guys to chime in also before you go running doing things. Get a general consensus on the issue. Karim should also know better since he recently returned from his AG training.

Just bought me some Menzerna SF4500 there. Quite excited.

Wow. Thanks for the detailed response. I actually have not waxed the car since receiving it from the dealer. I've been holding off on waxing with the AG stuff I bought while I do research on their products. All I have been doing is washing my car and drying basically.
I received the car near the end of April and I noticed this "issue" since June but it is possible I ignored it thinking it as dew a while now. Maybe even before June. It's only having read about clay bars and paint impurities I figured it might be something else.

I doubt the car was in the sun for months at the dealer with no protection as it was made in January this year and spent alot of time on boats between Mexico, Germany and Trinidad. It arrived here end of March and I went to see it at the dealer's yard then where I saw it was covered with protective sheets from the manufacturer

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1343694588.668634.jpg

I will try the AG rapid detailer and report back. The guys at Carplus really did say that AG products can be applied easily by hand but I didn't believe them and bought the PC. I haven't bought a polish yet to use with the PC.

By the way this hazing effect only appears in the evening after washing the car. I tend to wash the vehicle after 6pm. During the day with elevated temps it is non existent.

[DSM_05]

^^And the temperatures are your problem. Nemesis's answer seems like an overanalysis to me.

That "sweating" to me sounds more like when you park your car outside, overnight. "dew" and fine water droplet always collect on your topmost panels (hood, bonnet, top of trunk), mainly cuz those are at the lowest temperature....since cold air during the evening/night settles onto those panels, and since those panels get the coldest first, our humid air contacts said panels and "Dew"(mild condensation) forms on said panels.

Same happens with me if I wash my car (or other ppl's cars) around the same time (6-8 pm) - my car has wax, but ot her ppls car (significant other) has no wax. Both cars get the same "dew"/damp effect on the topmost panels.

Ask anyone who parks their car in an unsheltered location overnight.


And it has nothing to do with wax.


IMHO, Nemesis is confusing wax hazing (which is something entirely different) from what you're talking about. Wax hazing doesn't have a "damp" feel or look....it's just cloudy haze from wax overapplication.

And it's nearly impossibly to overapply wax with a PC unless you literally took out a glob of wax from the tins and pasted it on the foam pad....PC's generally are good at applying very thin wax layers

[nemesis]

Ok. Yeah I overthought that if he's talking about dew from parking in open space after washing. haha.
Just jumped to that idea because it's a common issue people have when starting up with the HDWax.
In that case, don't bother with the rapid detailer, it won't help with dew. Other than heating up the car, or parking in a covered area nothing will help really.

Either way you should probably clay the car. Chances are that it'll need it, and it will make the wax look even better with the cleaner surface.
As for using the PC for wax, you can do it with the HDWax, but one of those AG guys said they actually don't recommend it because they've apparantly had better results by hand. Not sure what the real difference is, I'd guess you could get the wax on with the machine no problem. But definitely not the HDcleanse. That'll be just wasting time for sure. Only AG product I've tried by machine is the SRP, and that turned out fine. Not really much different from doing properly by hand though.

[MG Man]

bunnyears, try wShing the car with the SmartWash form SMARTwax
You'll be amazed at the results

[nemesis]

Wait a few days or a week at least and then do that. Too early and that'll cause the hazing problems I thought you had before.

[DSM_05]

Ok. Yeah I overthought that if he's talking about dew from parking in open space after washing. haha.
Just jumped to that idea because it's a common issue people have when starting up with the HDWax.
In that case, don't bother with the rapid detailer, it won't help with dew. Other than heating up the car, or parking in a covered area nothing will help really.

Agreed.

You did raise a good point on the HD Wax though, hazing is an issue with it....mainly cuz it's so silicone heavy (it's a synthetic "wax", not a carnauba). And some synth waxes are notorious for hazing/smearing (Megs NXT 2.0 is another one, cuz it hazes easily if over applied. And many newbie users overapply it).

Only AG product I've tried by machine is the SRP, and that turned out fine. Not really much different from doing properly by hand though

Perhaps, but SRP might be doing more filling than anything, even with a PC. Ideally, I'd prefer to have a polish which doesn't have fillers (Griots polishes come to mind) to physically remedy swirls...not just fill them.

Plus, I'd probably do an IPA or some other degreaser wipedown (Pre Wax Cleanser?) to remove any traces of polishes and fillers to inspect the bare surface.

My thinking is that with a PC, you want to ensure you've achieved proper correction, and the only way to do that is to remove fillers.

Not sure what you think, nemesis?

[nemesis]

Well, I sort of agree. Yes if you're going to bother to break out the PC you might as well use it for full correction. BUT, there will be times when quite honestly it's not worth cutting down the paint for a few little marks. No point in cutting it every time. And if you're going to use a glaze, or AIO to do mostly filling at this point, there's no harm in working it a bit easier with the PC. I mean, if you have it, might as well use it sometimes. Especially since you can practice control with these products and make your next actual polishing turn out even better. This is assuming that your wash method is pretty good and you don't have massive swirls every 2-3mths when you rewax.
Right now I use the machine for all kinds of stuff. Good to get accustomed to how different pads and products move. Best way to know what you like.
As for the IPA wipedown between polishing passes. Yes. If you're going for correction, then might as well do it properly. I would not use pre-wax cleansers for this though as they are often intended to do some nourishing to the paint also, which means oil bases, and these would do some minor filling on their own. Will make it harder to see if you really got full correction. However, when you do bring the correction to a point you're satisfied with, and decide you're not going to cut more of your paint for just one little little line that you really can't see unless doing inspection, then sure, drop on a cleaner with oils, or a glaze, or something to just make it look right in the end and wax on.

Keep in mind i'm not saying to not go for perfection each time, just saying sometimes it might be worth it to live with very minor imperfections to make the clearcoat last longer too (cue 5ft rule from Karim when he reads this).