A Detailed Car Looks Sooo Fine!

2nd pic ,on the wheel theres 2 spots on the lower left. besides that it is clean!

What do you mean its not an LX ? What makes you say that?

Oooo.....shiny

Just when I was feeling all superior about getting out and waxing during February

Not bad at all! Steps, products used? I do see a few things though, I will be glad to provide some advice on it if you like

I need to take some better pics of my door jambs, this is the best I have, and this is dirty:



I clean everything but the underbody and engine every time... engine usually once a month, and the underbody a few times a year.

I have lots of pics, but I post them enough

In any case, nice job!

QUOTE

Not bad at all!  Steps, products used? I do see a few things though, I will be glad to provide some advice on it if you like[/b]

Click to expand...

Uh oh, what do you see?

This is how I usually do things...

1 - Vacume the interior after I remove everything that may be in the back seat. I do the floor, rear deck, dash, vents, door panels, and pull out the rear seat to get anything under there.

2 - Next, I spray A1 Lifter, carpet cleaner on the carpet. I let it sit a few seconds and rub it with a terry cloth.

3 - As the carpet is drying, I start cleaning the door panels, jambs, seals and the metal door part itself. I also clean the kickplates and moulding along the inside as I am going from door to door. I move the seats all the way back and clean the track covers and move them forward to clean the back ones.

4 - I clean the dash, vents and console after that.

5 - After that is done, I leave the carpets out and let it dry. While it is drying, I start washing the outside of the car. I wet it down, then get my bucket of suds ready to go. Before I start washing, I spray purple power on the rims, wheels and tire wells. This is a super powerfull degreaser (biodegradable, I like that). I start using my brush and work my way around the car. After I wash the car, I use the brush and go over the tires, rims and wheel wells fairly quickly. I just want to get the main dirt off. After that I rinse.

6 - I remove the brake dust from the rims (I despise this part!) and use a stiff brush to clean the tires and wells. I rinse this off easy as not to get the car wet again.

7 - While the wheels dry, I start to apply the wax (I also despise this part but it makes the car 100% more beutiful). I start at the front hood, work down the left side, to the rear and then up the right. The roof is the last part. I take a few smoke breaks in between all this Once I let it sit for just a few minutes, I start back at the same spot and rub of any excess and use diaper clothes to really give it a good shine. I do this until I am done.

8 - After that is done, I go back to the interior and dry off the seals, jambs and such so I don't have water running down my clean car. I hate that. After that, I use a stiff brush and go over the carpet starting from driver to rear/rear then passenger. This gets any hair or rocks that were brought up from the carpet cleaner. Then I go over with the vacume one last time. I put the mats back in and shut the doors to keep out dust!

9 - Now the tires are dry so I use my stuff (list below) and go over them a couple times to give them a deep black wet look we all love. I then spray this on the wells. They are clean, but if you don't coat them with something, they look whitish/grey/black. This makes them look black and new again.

10 - (optional/depends on time) - Once all that is done, I go around with my Rain-X wax and apply it to all the windows. I don't clean them prior because the rain x stuff does a damn fine job of this. It also makes the glass appear mirror like. Just like the nice new shiny car. It all looks good in the end.

The stuff I use is as follows:

Wheels/Well - Meguires spray on stuff. It has an adjustable spray knob for low/med/high profile tires and such. I lasts a very long time and its really conevenient.

Interior - Armoral cleaning wipes. I use this on the dash, door panels, kick plates and the door jambs and seals. It says not to use it on paint, but I find if I do, I have to buff it, which makes is super shiny. Works for me. I used to use Armor all glass wipes for the interior as I found these don't streak and leave a "greasy" residue like armor all does.

Exterior - Meguires car soap and Meguires Gold Class wax. I love meguires stuff. Its not too pricey and it does what it says it does.

Leather - I use Armoral leather protectant wipes. Works good and gets the dirt off.


Now, like I said above, I used to use armoral on the interior. However, it would streak and look oily. I didn't like that. It was like my car was lubed in baby oil and getting ready to have hot sex with an SHO or sumin.

One thing I have MAJOR trouble with and is a pain in the butt is the interior glass. I can NEVER get it streak free. Ever. I have tried wipes, newspaper, tint safe glass cleaner, foamy glass cleaner, it just doesn't get it streak free.

What are your suggestions?

Originally posted by L0pan@Feb 21 2004, 09:21 PM
QUOTE

Click to expand...

Not bad at all!  Steps, products used? I do see a few things though, I will be glad to provide some advice on it if you like

Click to expand...

Uh oh, what do you see?

This is how I usually do things...

1 - Vacume the interior after I remove everything that may be in the back seat. I do the floor, rear deck, dash, vents, door panels, and pull out the rear seat to get anything under there.

2 - Next, I spray A1 Lifter, carpet cleaner on the carpet. I let it sit a few seconds and rub it with a terry cloth.

3 - As the carpet is drying, I start cleaning the door panels, jambs, seals and the metal door part itself. I also clean the kickplates and moulding along the inside as I am going from door to door. I move the seats all the way back and clean the track covers and move them forward to clean the back ones.

4 - I clean the dash, vents and console after that.

5 - After that is done, I leave the carpets out and let it dry. While it is drying, I start washing the outside of the car. I wet it down, then get my bucket of suds ready to go. Before I start washing, I spray purple power on the rims, wheels and tire wells. This is a super powerfull degreaser (biodegradable, I like that). I start using my brush and work my way around the car. After I wash the car, I use the brush and go over the tires, rims and wheel wells fairly quickly. I just want to get the main dirt off. After that I rinse.

6 - I remove the brake dust from the rims (I despise this part!) and use a stiff brush to clean the tires and wells. I rinse this off easy as not to get the car wet again.

7 - While the wheels dry, I start to apply the wax (I also despise this part but it makes the car 100% more beutiful). I start at the front hood, work down the left side, to the rear and then up the right. The roof is the last part. I take a few smoke breaks in between all this Once I let it sit for just a few minutes, I start back at the same spot and rub of any excess and use diaper clothes to really give it a good shine. I do this until I am done.

8 - After that is done, I go back to the interior and dry off the seals, jambs and such so I don't have water running down my clean car. I hate that. After that, I use a stiff brush and go over the carpet starting from driver to rear/rear then passenger. This gets any hair or rocks that were brought up from the carpet cleaner. Then I go over with the vacume one last time. I put the mats back in and shut the doors to keep out dust!

9 - Now the tires are dry so I use my stuff (list below) and go over them a couple times to give them a deep black wet look we all love. I then spray this on the wells. They are clean, but if you don't coat them with something, they look whitish/grey/black. This makes them look black and new again.

10 - (optional/depends on time) - Once all that is done, I go around with my Rain-X wax and apply it to all the windows. I don't clean them prior because the rain x stuff does a damn fine job of this. It also makes the glass appear mirror like. Just like the nice new shiny car. It all looks good in the end.

The stuff I use is as follows:

Wheels/Well - Meguires spray on stuff. It has an adjustable spray knob for low/med/high profile tires and such. I lasts a very long time and its really conevenient.

Interior - Armoral cleaning wipes. I use this on the dash, door panels, kick plates and the door jambs and seals. It says not to use it on paint, but I find if I do, I have to buff it, which makes is super shiny. Works for me. I used to use Armor all glass wipes for the interior as I found these don't streak and leave a "greasy" residue like armor all does.

Exterior - Meguires car soap and Meguires Gold Class wax. I love meguires stuff. Its not too pricey and it does what it says it does.

Leather - I use Armoral leather protectant wipes. Works good and gets the dirt off.


Now, like I said above, I used to use armoral on the interior. However, it would streak and look oily. I didn't like that. It was like my car was lubed in baby oil and getting ready to have hot sex with an SHO or sumin.

One thing I have MAJOR trouble with and is a pain in the butt is the interior glass. I can NEVER get it streak free. Ever. I have tried wipes, newspaper, tint safe glass cleaner, foamy glass cleaner, it just doesn't get it streak free.

What are your suggestions? [/b][/quote]
Ok, nice write up

I do the interior first too, but I door door jambs after washing...sometimes they will get dirty after washing. I can see them in the deep part where it bolts to the frame, they are a little dirty. I buy a new soft brush (usually a toothbrush) for getting those well. I use a little QEW mix and that, and a microfiber towel to dry.

If your carpet is stained, try this little mix: 6 parts distilled water with 1 part woolite. Works great. Blot, scrub if needed. Wet/dry vac it up. As for the interior, there are some more matte finish products out there.... armor all is VERY greasy. I use 303 for matte finishes, but its not easy to get locally. You should be able to find something that is not too glossy locally though.

As for rims, I dont use anything but car wash and some elbow grease. If they are stubborn and havent been washed in a while (ie caked on), try Eagle one A2Z. Wheel wells are the same story... if clean, car wash and a separate mitt. Scrub brush if needed (caked). Wheels and wheel wells get done last when it comes to the outside wash. I use some trie spray up in the wheel wells to give them a nice dark black clean finish.

As for wax, do yourself a favor and buy some microfiber towels... they are awesome at removing wax. Meg's is good stuff... but I love SEPC and S100 on mine...so easy on and off, and it's great on red cars... especially metallics (if yours is).

For windows, two recommendations... skip rain x. I use two different ones... Eagle one 20/20 on the outside and Stoners invisble glass on the inside. EO 20/20 is GREAT stuff, and it makes water repel on its own. I use Stoners IG on the inside cause it does not run. In both cases there are a couple tricks. Use a microfiber towel... that will help with the streaking. Spray one window (or half of a large one...ie windshield) and clean with one side of the Microfiber towel ( i have a 16x16 folded over twice), then take the other side and polish it with that side (clean and polish...those are the two key things). Then fold over the other way for one more window, then be done with it. Using it more than once will induce streaking.

Hope that helps... if you have any questions feel free to ask Oh and good work on caring to keep her clean

Great job, you are part of the less than 1% of the population that does this. I never let any of my door seals go more than 6 months, also the outside rubber trim. If you let it go longer it cracks down here because of the heat.

I guess that is a stain in the clearcoat on your wheel. As for the wheels go, NEVER ever put any wheel cleaner or soap on them when they are hot. I have ruined severl wheels in the past by this mistake. Make sure they are ambiant temperature. Most of us don't even really need the wheel cleaner. Lately, I perfer just the same soap that I use for washing the car(wheels are done last with a seperate rag). I usually follow up with carnuba was aswell.