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I feel bad.  My Nissan needed to have it's timing chain replaced, and so I did it. However I lost some bolts to the power steering pump in the process, and so it has sat, neglected in the garage for three months now.It is dusty and dirty and now it isn't legal to drive until I fit it with tires, that of which I won't be able to afford for at least one more month. I hate dust.
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Apr 19, 2012 00:32
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Motronic posted:I need that sticker. coolskillrex remix posted:i find tire foams are completely useless. Almost all poo poo you can buy from autozone and stuff typically IS useless with the exception of meguiars.
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Apr 19, 2012 07:26
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Can anyone recommend a good detailer in the Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley, if possible) area? I asked Facebook but I don't think they know what a detailed is  Also how much should I expect to pay? I bought a new car which I want detailed inside and out.
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Apr 19, 2012 07:56
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Any advice on those "headlight restoration" products? My Forester has headlights that are badly clouded from UV exposure, so I was thinking about using something to make them look a bit better. I was leaning towards the Sylvania kit ( http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-38771-Headlight-Restoration-Kit/dp/B00429NKWK ) based on reviews I've seen online, but the main concern I have is that I'll need to repeat the process every few weeks once the effects wear off. Does anyone have experience or advice with clearing up UV damaged headlights?
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Apr 19, 2012 08:00
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The kits coming with sanding pads that you can use or you can use sandpaper of your own to restore them. The yellowing won't return for awhile and some kits include a sealant to help delay it even more. I've used various kits on friends cars and they all came out amazing.
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Apr 19, 2012 08:25
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My 84 Scirocco is Mars Red. It's a single stage 80s paint. Previous owners have buffed it, and they have burned through to primer on some of the corners. My paint is really thin. I started with a Dawn wash, and this is what I had:  I also had a bra on the car for about a year. See all the scratches from it?  I bought the Griot's Garage random orbital. It's different from a DA. It's a lot less violent than a DA. It does take longer though. They have three machine polishes. Machine Polish 1 is the coarsest, and 3 is the finest.  After Polish 1: (see how the pad is turning red)  After Polish 2: (note burn though on hood from previous owner)  After Polish 3:  Then I waxed it with Griot's Best-in-Show Wax. This wax goes on EASY, but holy poo poo it doesn't ever come off. I don't really like the wax. It looks good, but drat, I spent 3 hours trying to get ONE COAT of wax off the car.  After: 
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Apr 19, 2012 13:19
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That looks wonderful for a single stage!
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Apr 19, 2012 15:57
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azflyboy posted:Any advice on those "headlight restoration" products? I just used 3M's kit which attaches to a drill and got great results (use a corded drill since it takes a while). Followed it up with some sealant so we'll see how long it lasts.
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Apr 19, 2012 16:17
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On the topic of headlight restoration, please be aware that a lot of the kits you buy can melt or burn plastic very easily. Don't go too fast and make sure your headlights and surrounding trim are TAPED OFF. If it was me, I would use M105/M205 with a LC orange or yellow pad. That gets great results. Also to keep in mind is that headlights are sealed from the factory, and once you use a kit or M105/M205, that sealant is diminished quite a bit, and the yellowing will come back faster next time. Try throwing OptiCoat2.0 or a OEM sealant back on the headlight once you are done.
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Apr 19, 2012 16:22
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mod sassinator posted:I just used 3M's kit which attaches to a drill and got great results (use a corded drill since it takes a while). Followed it up with some sealant so we'll see how long it lasts. What kind of sealant did you use?
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Apr 19, 2012 18:12
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0toShifty posted:Then I waxed it with Griot's Best-in-Show Wax. This wax goes on EASY, but holy poo poo it doesn't ever come off. I don't really like the wax. It looks good, but drat, I spent 3 hours trying to get ONE COAT of wax off the car.
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Apr 19, 2012 18:15
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Yeah, when I was an idiot teenager I treated wax like some kind of facial mudpack for the car. You really only need a thin hazing of it over the panel.
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Apr 19, 2012 21:08
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Couple small questions: If I have small swirl marks, not really bad, but looking close with the light right they are definitely there, should I just use a polishing compound? Rubbing compound? I don't have a buffer. If I'm going to wash/clay/seal the car soon would I do this after claying? When I wash the car now I do 2 buckets, some p21s shampoo and uber wash sponge. My soap bucket gets nice and foamy but it seems hard to get enough foam on the car without constantly filling the soap bucket to generate suds. Also I don't know if I should wash the whole car, then rinse, or wash & rinse in sections. Seems like I always have spots after I rinse and if I don't go over the car with a detail spray it looks dirty up close.
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Apr 19, 2012 21:19
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azflyboy posted:What kind of sealant did you use? Just something I could find locally at an auto parts store: http://www.amazon.com/HEADLIGHT-LENS-SEALER-8-OZ/dp/B0051PJWQW It was about 8 bucks for the bottle but it should last a long time (you don't use a lot of it up when applying).
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Apr 19, 2012 21:36
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I'm in the UK so not all of these product recommendations work for me, also my car is a state as I've only washed it once in nearly 2 years. Anyway, walk me through this please: Wash with dish soap, like, fairy liquid type stuff? So this takes off whatever wax is still on? Any polishing/ buffing/scratch removal happens now right? Can someone (initialdave?) recommend a coarse -> fine serious of cheap compounds, also I'm willing to buy a buffer if this saves me weeks of lovely labour, what's a good starting point? Does clay bar happen now or before the polishing? Wax to protect all my hard work now? Recommendations as well please. I'm borrowing a stream cleaner for the interior, thats a secondary project.
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Apr 28, 2012 09:59
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Dradien posted:From the OP: I used to do this, but then I would get incredibly paranoid about it sucking up dirt particles and just generally blowing poo poo around in general. I use a giant waffle weave towel and detail spray. Eventually I plan on getting a Metro Sidekick to deal with the cracks and crevices. Edit: I'm also addicted to Adam's products but that Meguiar's APC is incredibly good for the money. If spending 12 bucks on a gallon of concentrated APC bugs you, then you probably don't have the detailing "bug." War Bunny fucked around with this message at 12:17 on Apr 28, 2012 |
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Apr 28, 2012 12:11
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Cakefool posted:Wash with dish soap, like, fairy liquid type stuff? So this takes off whatever wax is still on? quote:Any polishing/ buffing/scratch removal happens now right? Can someone (initialdave?) recommend a coarse -> fine serious of cheap compounds, also I'm willing to buy a buffer if this saves me weeks of lovely labour, what's a good starting point? The Porter Cable Buffer is the standard. And it's worth it. I've had mine for over 12 years and it is as solid now as it was then. Meguiar's has a "Body Shop Professional" line of buffing/polishing compounds that go from course-as-fine-sandpaper to final polish. quote:Does clay bar happen now or before the polishing? quote:Wax to protect all my hard work now? Recommendations as well please. Another thing I found recently is Turtle Wax Ice Wax. It's not a very good wax, but you can use it on/near black plastic parts without leaving residual wax marks. I use it on my Volvo XC90 that has black plastic everywhere and it saves TONS of time. I have access to all of Zymol's line. I use everything but their wax, for what it's worth.
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Apr 28, 2012 13:01
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EVERYWHERE 
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This is kind of half-bodywork, half detailing, but we recently got a '99 Grand Cherokee Laredo, and it has that grey body cladding on the bottom edge. It's faded, splotchy and just generally gross. What would the general process be to restore this to either a nice dark gray, or to black it out? I basically don't know if Back To Black will do the job or not. Vinyl dye, maybe? We are thinking of taking the front grill black as well, as the fake-chrome on the plastic is starting to peel. Any suggestions on how to strip that crap off?
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Apr 28, 2012 13:32
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Jonny 290 posted:This is kind of half-bodywork, half detailing, but we recently got a '99 Grand Cherokee Laredo, and it has that grey body cladding on the bottom edge. It's faded, splotchy and just generally gross. The best way to restore faded plastic like that is a bit sketchy... it involves a propane torch and "bringing" the black back. For gray, I don't know of a good way, sometimes the gray shows the way the plastic ran in the mold and that "marbling" is usually permanent.
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Apr 28, 2012 16:50
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Griot's Garage 6" Random Orbital with 10' Cord ~$95 shipped http://www.bjs.com/store/griot-s-garage-6-random-orbital-with-10-cord.10765stdcrd.html
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Apr 28, 2012 17:02
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azflyboy posted:Any advice on those "headlight restoration" products?  
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Apr 28, 2012 17:43
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Just finished claying my car. I think I spent 30 minutes on the hood and I'm still not happy with how smooth it feels in comparison to the rest of the car. That was a lot of crap I pulled off....yeeeesh. It was all brown and all gross. Compound areas / Polish / Wax tomorrow before my shade goes away!
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Apr 29, 2012 03:50
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Sigma X posted:Take your time, use painter's tape to protect the area around your headlight, keep microfiber cloths on hand to wipe the excess, and don't get involved with giant spiders. I replaced my Jetta's headlight lenses with glass and would recommend it to anyone. You will never have to worry about hazing again. Here's the Golf kit: http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-Golf_IV--1.8T/Lighting/Headlights/Lens/ES1905452/
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Apr 29, 2012 04:17
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Cakefool posted:I'm in the UK so not all of these product recommendations work for me, also my car is a state as I've only washed it once in nearly 2 years. Anyway, walk me through this please: If you're looking for a relatively easy/cheap introduction to claying, I'd say you couldn't go far wrong with buying Meguiar's Smooth Surface Clay Kit (this includes a decent microfibre cloth, a small bottle of their cleaner wax, and some detailer spray as lubricant). If you wash the car, use the clay kit as directed with its included cleaner wax, you'll probably have the thing looking way better than you did before any you've only spent £25. I'm going to let everyone else comment on removing spiderwebbing and similar artifacts. I find Megaiar's Deep Crystal paint cleaner and polish do a reasonable job, but they're very much on the mild end. I'm actually condidering getting myself a machine too.
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Apr 29, 2012 16:49
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meatpimp posted:The Porter Cable Buffer is the standard. And it's worth it. I've had mine for over 12 years and it is as solid now as it was then. Thats like £180  I think I'll get the £16 silverline & see whether its worth spending more.
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Apr 30, 2012 08:13
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mod sassinator posted:I just used 3M's kit which attaches to a drill and got great results (use a corded drill since it takes a while). Followed it up with some sealant so we'll see how long it lasts. My vote goes for Meguiar's Plasti-X
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Apr 30, 2012 15:26
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flacoman954 posted:My vote goes for Meguiar's Plasti-X Have you tried both though? I'm not being a dick, but usually I hear people say, "aww man, this stuff is the best. Nothing else" but they've never tried anything else. 
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Apr 30, 2012 21:47
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I've tried both, and I keep going back to M105/M205 with a LC Yellow pad followed up by opticoat 2.0. It has far less risk of melting your plastic and the results have always been top notch.
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Apr 30, 2012 21:52
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Sockington posted:Have you tried both though? I'm not being a dick, but usually I hear people say, "aww man, this stuff is the best. Nothing else" but they've never tried anything else. I used the Meguiar's kit on my ex's Honda Civic and the 3M kit on the Volkswagen (pictured earlier). I felt like the 3M kit did a better job, easier.
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Apr 30, 2012 21:53
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Two super philistine questions: - there's no cloth/towel that can be used on dry paint without scratching, right? - is just spraying the car down to get dirt off completely harmless? That is, better than leaving bird poo poo and dust staying on there?
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May 1, 2012 05:11
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I'm wanting to get a random orbital polisher because screw doing it by hand. I see people selling the PC 7424 refurbished on Ebay for around $100, but there is also the deal on the Griot's Garage one for $90 shipped. Any reason for one or the other? Both prices are similar, and if the Griot's one gets good feedback I'll save a few bucks buying it, and spend that money on good pads and other supplies, but if the PC one is a better product, I'll grab that. What are yall's thoughts?
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May 1, 2012 17:45
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Griots is better in every way except some people claim it has worse reliability or something.
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May 1, 2012 17:56
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kimbo305 posted:- there's no cloth/towel that can be used on dry paint without scratching, right? quote:- is just spraying the car down to get dirt off completely harmless? That is, better than leaving bird poo poo and dust staying on there? For bird poo poo and the like, getting it off the car as soon as possible is your best bet. If you just spray it down and don't finish the wash, you run the risk of water spotting, but that would probably be preferable to having the bird poo poo sit on the car in the sun, anyway. Still needs properly washed as soon as you can, though.
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May 1, 2012 18:43
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kimbo305 posted:Two super philistine questions: Use a quick detailing product and a microfiber if you want to wipe your paint down. That will at least help buffer the grit against scratching your paint too badly. Really you should just wash though.
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May 1, 2012 20:42
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revmoo posted:Use a quick detailing product and a microfiber if you want to wipe your paint down. That will at least help buffer the grit against scratching your paint too badly. Really you should just wash though. I don't use QD to clean between washes like I used to, it definitely caused light scratches and swirls on both cars I've owned. I now just either do a full wash, or if my car isn't that dirty I'll do a rinseless wash with ONR, but that's the least I'll do. If I get birdpoop on my car between washes I use this technique to remove it as soon as possible and I haven't noticed any damage by doing this. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/23231-how-safely-remove-dried-bird-dropping.html
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May 1, 2012 22:14
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revmoo posted:Use a quick detailing product and a microfiber if you want to wipe your paint down. Does this mean a microfiber alone isn't safe to use on paint? I'm asking for my gf who wants to dust off her new car every so often. I'd already said washing was the right way to go, but figured I'd check to see how much/little harm there would be in dry wiping.
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May 2, 2012 01:07
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kimbo305 posted:Does this mean a microfiber alone isn't safe to use on paint? I'm asking for my gf who wants to dust off her new car every so often. I'd already said washing was the right way to go, but figured I'd check to see how much/little harm there would be in dry wiping. Think of it this way, if the dust is dry, why would you want to push it into your paint with a microfiber? You are going to be pushing dirt/dust into your paint which is going to scratch the paint to all hell.
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May 2, 2012 02:50
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I recon half you guys would wind up curled up in a corner twitching if you heard the sounds coming off the side of my landcruiser on my simpson desert trip... 500kms of poo poo scraping down the sides of our cars. Friend took a black hilux through and it looks like someone went down the sides of her car with a metal rake 200 odd times. Ive given it a quick cut and polish since then, but the paints pretty chewed up and scratched to poo poo, so I really cant be bothered to spend the day and a half properly fixing it up
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May 2, 2012 09:20
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Is a clay bar ever a bad idea? I bought a clay bar kit for to use on a white '82 XJ6. Washed the car, then as I initially applied the clay it appeared to bring tiny pinhole rust spots to the surface of the paint that weren't visible before the application. Is that normal for old paint? I freaked out and stopped using the clay bar... Should I have just kept going?
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May 2, 2012 14:34
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Rottingham posted:Is a clay bar ever a bad idea? If the paint was so beat that it had rust spots under it with just the slightest bit of paint covering them up, yeah....the clay bar is going to take that paint off. But so will washing it or just letting it go for another few months. Once you have rust going on under the paint you're in for a serious amount of prep work and a respray.
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May 2, 2012 14:57
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