Car Detail and Ceramic Coating

[Mj2k]

Absolutely, WD40 not required.

Because the t-cut will remove it and add swirls? I thought t-cut was awful as the compound never breaks down, so removes the larger scratches and leaves smaller marks vs proper polish that breaks down as you use it.

[Suds]

Because the t-cut will remove it and add swirls? I thought t-cut was awful as the compound never breaks down, so removes the larger scratches and leaves smaller marks vs proper polish that breaks down as you use it.

99% of people just want a car that looks clean and shiny. Not all polishes break down, but without going down the machine polishing rabbit hole, I started out using t-cut by hand on two cars - fantastic results. You won’t see it mentioned on enthusiast forums, but the fact that it is still available shows that it has a place in the market.

If you just want to remove ingrained dirt then Mitchell & King ‘Pure’ polish will give fantastic results by hand.
Pure doesn’t contain any abrasives, t-cut was originally a go to product to remove oxidation.

[stefaulkner]

I seriously doubt they use brick acid. My Mercedes I just sold had 156K on the clock and was cleaned by the hand car cleaning places once a week (sometimes twice a week in the winter) I’m pretty sure it would have destroyed the paint on my car if it was brick acid.

Brick acid is used on the wheels, not so much the paintwork. The pre-spray they apply to the paintwork when you first pull up is traffic film remover (AKA truckwash) which, the majority of the time, is caustic. This is what strips off any protective coatings that have been applied whether that be a basic wax you've put on yourself, or an expensive ceramic coating.

[Rod]

There's a neighbour near me who has 2 black BMW's and he's outside when he can polishing them. The finish is like gloss. He even does the exhaust pipe.
Me? I wax mine (white Toyota) 2x a year with a good wax. In between I use Halfords wash and wax with an E cloth mit then chamois.
Always looking shiny! 😎

[Mj2k]

Is it not normal to polish the inside of the exhaust then?

[walkerwek1958]

Those of us old enough to remember cellulose paint will recall how it was prone to dulling and oxidation, particularly the red shades. Polishing with T cut, which is an abrasive slurry, would remove this by taking the top layer of paint off, a process that restored the colour like magic. The paint then had to be sealed using a good wax polish. Modern clear over base paint finishes are much harder and, in my experience, far less prone to dulling and discolouration, requiring far less effort to keep a nice appearance. A wax polish every few months will maintain a hydrophobic finish that will repel the dirt and make the car easier to wash and clean, I really can’t see the need for anything more and I certainly wouldn't spend needlessly so- called ceramic coatings.

[Captain Morgan]

Is it not normal to polish the inside of the exhaust then?

If this were the BP there a image of a chap who shows his exhaust far too much attention…

[adrianw]

Those of us old enough to remember cellulose paint will recall how it was prone to dulling and oxidation, particularly the red shades. Polishing with T cut, which is an abrasive slurry, would remove this by taking the top layer of paint off, a process that restored the colour like magic. The paint then had to be sealed using a good wax polish. Modern clear over base paint finishes are much harder and, in my experience, far less prone to dulling and discolouration, requiring far less effort to keep a nice appearance. A wax polish every few months will maintain a hydrophobic finish that will repel the dirt and make the car easier to wash and clean, I really can’t see the need for anything more and I certainly wouldn't spend needlessly so- called ceramic coatings.

That was because Tcut had ammonia in it before they banned it

[adrianw]

Is it not normal to polish the inside of the exhaust then?

Some of us really do have OCD

[walkerwek1958]

That was because Tcut had ammonia in it before they banned it

Didn't know ammonia had been banned! T cut is an emulsion of fine abrasive in a non-aqueous medium, that's what does the cutting and paint removal. It has an ammoniacal odour so I guess it's conceivable that it also contained ammonia.

It's good stuff but I question whether it's necessary with modern clearcoats.

Here's a tip: it's excellent for restoring PVC window and door frames, followed by car wax.

[Mj2k]

If this were the BP there a image of a chap who shows his exhaust far too much attention…

Haha yes I have been sent that many times!

[Mj2k]

Some of us really do have OCD
[/IMG]

That’s some upkeep!

What’s the car, can’t work it out?

[Chicken Pox]

That’s some upkeep!

What’s the car, can’t work it out?

Looks like a Noble M12 GTO?

[hilly10]

Some of us really do have OCD

I to have OCD with cars i thought it was a normal man thing

[TheTigerUK]

Talking of detailing are all Clay bars the same or.................?

[adrianw]

That’s some upkeep!

What’s the car, can’t work it out?

Noble M400 and my sprint Renault Sport Spider

[Mj2k]

Noble M400 and my sprint Renault Sport Spider

Thank you. Always wanted to try / just get a ride in the RSS, mental cars from Renault in their prime!

[adrianw]

Thank you. Always wanted to try / just get a ride in the RSS, mental cars from Renault in their prime!

This one is, it has an F4R race engine

[Suds]

Talking of detailing are all Clay bars the same or.................?

No, soft, medium and brillo pad - and some work without lube (did I just say that?)

[adrianw]

I to have OCD with cars i thought it was a normal man thing

What is it ?

[hilly10]

What is it ?

1974 Triumph TR6

[adrianw]

1974 Triumph TR6

Nice, and Very clean

[alas58]

“ The best laid plans etc. My next door neighbour washing his new Rs (2 bucket system) when he goes in to the house for the phone. His lovely 6 year old daughter decides to help but sadly drops the sponge.
However she valiantly carries on washing the bonnet. Did I mention he had a gravel drive?

[pacifichrono]

Yeah, OCD. I've always waxed my chrome tailpipes.



I started fifty-some years ago with these:





Me in '73.

[pete-r]

My mate and I had our cars done within a few weeks of each other, but with different products. We live close by, both cars lived outside etc

After 6 months his GTechniq was pretty much gone in terms of water repellency, whereas I didn't need to wash my car with IGL Kenzo for over a year as the rain did it all for me.

Not sure I would bother again unless I had a new car I wanted to cherish for a long time.

[hilly10]

Nice, and Very clean

A better picture

[adigra]

That looks lovely, the colour really pops. That is the biggest pipe I've ever seen on a TR6, bet it sounds amazing.

[adrianw]

A better picture

Yellow is good

[hilly10]

That looks lovely, the colour really pops. That is the biggest pipe I've ever seen on a TR6, bet it sounds amazing.

Yes it does 6 into 2 into 1 big bore straight through. Through the rev range it’s wonderful growl, but settles back to a purr in overdrive.

[sundial]

Amazing that some car owners will spend ££hundreds keeping their car bodies looking pristine but they object to spending similar ££amounts on their teeth

[hilly10]

Amazing that some car owners will spend ££hundreds keeping their car bodies looking pristine but they object to spending similar ££amounts on their teeth

Not me I have spent 13k over the last four years.

[Halitosis]

Having been inspired by this thread to try to breathe some life back into my Mini's neglected paintwork I ordered some materials online and set about it this weekend. The weather was taking the p*** (literally) with on off drizzle all day yesterday and today so it was a start stop operation. Washed, t-cut using a power drill with pad attachment (it really did need it rather than just polish) followed by canauba wax.
It does look a little better, but to be honest given the time invested I am a little underwhelmed. Perhaps seeing all the stone chips on close inspection didn't help, along with the fresh bird sh*t on the bonnet within an hour of finishing. Anyway, car detailing appears not to be my thing but kudos to those dedicated folk on here

[Jimmcb]

A better picture

Beauty!

In late 80s I had a Triumph 2500S (WSC17R) with next to no miles that I bought for my son to know about ‘real’ cars for when he grew up. Same colour and condition.

Wish I still had it! So so smooth and not to be confused with PIs which could be problematic.

Jim

[Jimmcb]

“ The best laid plans etc. My next door neighbour washing his new Rs (2 bucket system) when he goes in to the house for the phone. His lovely 6 year old daughter decides to help but sadly drops the sponge.
However she valiantly carries on washing the bonnet. Did I mention he had a gravel drive?

My stomach is churning at the vision I have.

Hope daddy was understanding.

It brought back the memory of one of my sons first rides on my motorbike. Got to my folks house and asked him to hold my brand new helmet whilst I fixed the bike! He then ‘accidentally’ dropped the lid from pavement down the stone steps to the front door.

‘Sorry dad’ has never sounded so futile ����

Jim

[pacifichrono]

Having been inspired by this thread to try to breathe some life back into my Mini's neglected paintwork I ordered some materials online and set about it this weekend. The weather was taking the p*** (literally) with on off drizzle all day yesterday and today so it was a start stop operation. Washed, t-cut using a power drill with pad attachment (it really did need it rather than just polish) followed by canauba wax.
It does look a little better, but to be honest given the time invested I am a little underwhelmed. Perhaps seeing all the stone chips on close inspection didn't help, along with the fresh bird sh*t on the bonnet within an hour of finishing. Anyway, car detailing appears not to be my thing but kudos to those dedicated folk on here

Looks very nice to me. That carnauba wax will make it much easier to clean off the bird crap.

In my neighborhood in San Diego, we have to contend with crows almost as big as hawks!

[pacifichrono]

A better picture

That's gorgeous! Love the Minilites,too.

I really wanted to buy a new TR6 50+ years ago, but the driver's seat/door were too tight a squeeze...and I was pretty skinny back then.

[Mj2k]

Having been inspired by this thread to try to breathe some life back into my Mini's neglected paintwork I ordered some materials online and set about it this weekend. The weather was taking the p*** (literally) with on off drizzle all day yesterday and today so it was a start stop operation. Washed, t-cut using a power drill with pad attachment (it really did need it rather than just polish) followed by canauba wax.
It does look a little better, but to be honest given the time invested I am a little underwhelmed. Perhaps seeing all the stone chips on close inspection didn't help, along with the fresh bird sh*t on the bonnet within an hour of finishing. Anyway, car detailing appears not to be my thing but kudos to those dedicated folk on here

Darker cars are always less forgiving but do give the best results.

If you don't want to go full in with the ongoing treatment, try a product like Poorboys Black Hole which has a lot of fillers, to help hide the swirls and then wax afterwards.

There may be better versions these days but before I got into properly shining a car this was a god send.

If you don't use the 2 bucket method, start doing so - feels weird at first but so many fewer swirls on the paint.

[hilly10]

A few years ago i loved to spend time cleaning and detailing my main cars but now my energies are for my toy. I loved my Black 5 Series Touring and always kept it very shiny.

[noTAGlove]

That carnauba wax will make it much easier to clean off the bird crap.

No need for anything fancy to get bird muck off your car.

Soak a bit of toilet tissue in water and place over the crud for 15 mins. It will all soften and wipe off completely without using any soaps or chemicals.

[adrianw]

No need for anything fancy to get bird muck off your car.

Soak a bit of toilet tissue in water and place over the crud for 15 mins. It will all soften and wipe off completely without using any soaps or chemicals.

Soda water is a very good way to dissolve bird crap, especially if it has been baked on by the sun

[RobDad]

Reading this thread out of curiosity, as I like a clean car but tend to view cars as the number 1 example of ‘sod’s law’
For example, I’ve owned a few old bangers over the years, never got a dent or a scratch whereas the new, nicer cars
I’ve owned tend to attract a random car park ding or stray trolley, stonechips and the like with apparent ease. I simply don’t see the point of the stress!
However, if I was spending big money on a brand new car, I wouldn’t expect to have to ‘correct’ the paintwork etc - I’d expect the dealer to do the correction before I hand over my tens of thousands of pounds. After all, the price of the cars and the advertising suggests they’re marvels of engineering so why can’t they leave the dealership with the paintwork in the best condition possible. And if the paintwork needs a ceramic coating why can’t they do it at the factory or at the dealership? I just don’t get it?

[Halitosis]

And if the paintwork needs a ceramic coating why can’t they do it at the factory or at the dealership? I just don’t get it?

I imagine they can, though it would be added to the bill

[Mj2k]

I imagine they can, though it would be added to the bill

Or by the dealer in a shoddy 10 minute effort prior to handover.

[RobDad]

So they send out brand new luxury cars with a sub-standard paint finish then? And because of that a whole business has grown up around rectifying it? You couldn’t make it up! I appreciate I must come across as a right curmudgeon but it does make you think!

[adigra]

So they send out brand new luxury cars with a sub-standard paint finish then? And because of that a whole business has grown up around rectifying it? You couldn’t make it up!

Car manufacturers send out cars finished to their specific levels of QC. Some better some worse, just like any other product. Aftermarket industries fill the gaps for those who want something extra, be it performance or aesthetics, which normal users wouldn't think was worth paying for. Different exhausts, different wheels, shinier paint, glossier finish... Some people don't care, some do, but it's certainly not unusual or surprising.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Car manufacturers send out cars finished to their specific levels of QC. Some better some worse, just like any other product. Aftermarket industries fill the gaps for those who want something extra, be it performance or aesthetics, which normal users wouldn't think was worth paying for. Different exhausts, different wheels, shinier paint, glossier finish... Some people don't care, some do, but it's certainly not unusual or surprising.

Beat me to it Adi.

Like most 'indulgences' some indulge far more than others.

[RobDad]

Car manufacturers send out cars finished to their specific levels of QC. Some better some worse, just like any other product. Aftermarket industries fill the gaps for those who want something extra, be it performance or aesthetics, which normal users wouldn't think was worth paying for. Different exhausts, different wheels, shinier paint, glossier finish... Some people don't care, some do, but it's certainly not unusual or surprising.

All very far points - I’m just surprised that those at the upper end don’t prep their cars to a higher standard, I’d certainly care more if I was paying for a luxury sports car as opposed to a humdrum hatchback. Adding a ceramic coating on the production line would surely be cheaper - although I guess it needs a level of human hands-on craftsmanship that would be too costly if not everyone cares about perfect paintwork?

[gingerboy]

So they send out brand new luxury cars with a sub-standard paint finish then? And because of that a whole business has grown up around rectifying it? You couldn’t make it up! I appreciate I must come across as a right curmudgeon but it does make you think!

Basically yes but also, as you'd expect, not quite that simple. Most cars come out of the factory having need sanded etc after they were sprayed and are then polished with a rotary polisher. A lot of cars will have either a slight orange peel effect as it tends to be better suited to the average owner i.e. someone who hasn't got OCD and chucks it through the local turks car wash, or a machine wash........

By leaving some orange peel in the paint, it means that when the average Joe washes their car it doesn't show up all the micro scratches etc that are picked up. If every manufacturer sent their cars out with paint like glass i.e. the orange peel finish completely removed, you';d end up with consumers going crazy that their cars paint looked like crap. On that basis, get it looking shiny and 90% corrected and it hides a lot of daily wear / washing cycles etc and the normal punters happy.

This leaves the remaining 10% of the population who are chasing perfection or better than average. It's a massive industry, I for one have been completely sucked in and often wonder if I could be be doing more important things, without a doubt I could ;-) I've had £50 worth of various potions turn up for the car today and I've lost count of the number of polishes etc I own.

I think I need to get a life, hahaha

[RobDad]

I was just thinking I’ve entered a world about which I know very little!! I’m a 2 buckets washer with autoglym shampoo and annual waxing man for the soft top that lives in the garage, local car wash for the everyday car - well, it gets washed about 4 times a year and still looks nice and shiny although I’ve noticed it is easily marked by birds muck. I couldn’t care less as long as it looks clean. I did buy the autoglym snow foam kit but it seemed like a lot of faff when the car is dirty again within a couple of days. We live in a rural area which on the positive side means a fun commute on decent roads, the downside is flying stones taking out your windscreen/paintwork in the summer, or the car caked in sugar-beet residue from tractors and lorries in the winter (2 minutes behind one of those must be a car detailers nightmare!- you need the wipers on almost permanently or you can’t see where you’re going for flying sticky crud!)

[gingerboy]

I was just thinking I’ve entered a world about which I know very little!! I’m a 2 buckets washer with autoglym shampoo and annual waxing man for the soft top that lives in the garage, local car wash for the everyday car - well, it gets washed about 4 times a year and still looks nice and shiny although I’ve noticed it is easily marked by birds muck. I couldn’t care less as long as it looks clean. I did buy the autoglym snow foam kit but it seemed like a lot of faff when the car is dirty again within a couple of days. We live in a rural area which on the positive side means a fun commute on decent roads, the downside is flying stones taking out your windscreen/paintwork in the summer, or the car caked in sugar-beet residue from tractors and lorries in the winter (2 minutes behind one of those must be a car detailers nightmare!- you need the wipers on almost permanently or you can’t see where you’re going for flying sticky crud!)

That's enough about being stuck behind tractors, as bad as one of those cattle trucks spraying p*ss and sh*t all over the place on the motorway..... I think I need to go and lie down to recover!

We are in a semi rural part of South Wales, thankfully very few crops, just sheep everywhere.



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