What do you use to clean your car?

[Eshrules]

ok.... summer is approaching, my paintwork is due to be re-done (look here) (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=5942&highlight=flippin+keyed)
and im wanting the golf to look its best...

few scuffs on the alloys (not by me i hasten to add) but besides that, paintwork in good condition for age....

now what are people using to turn their cars out?

i normally use a triple wax car wash from ********* for the wash, good old elbow grease with a toothbrush and some unknown wheel cleaner for the wheels and i then go over it with t-cut colour fast (colour matched) to lift any light scratches/blemishes, then i normally hand wax the whole thing with carplan hand wax....

turns out well, but im thinking not at its best.

i dont want to be **** and spend days getting it perfect.. but lets hear what people put on their motors....;)

[buster]

ok.... summer is approaching, my paintwork is due to be re-done (look here) (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=5942&highlight=flippin+keyed)
and im wanting the golf to look its best...

few scuffs on the alloys (not by me i hasten to add) but besides that, paintwork in good condition for age....

now what are people using to turn their cars out?

i normally use a triple wax car wash from ********* for the wash, good old elbow grease with a toothbrush and some unknown wheel cleaner for the wheels and i then go over it with t-cut colour fast (colour matched) to lift any light scratches/blemishes, then i normally hand wax the whole thing with carplan hand wax....

turns out well, but im thinking not at its best.

i dont want to be **** and spend days getting it perfect.. but lets hear what people put on their motors....;)

I take mine down to Morrisons and run it through the carwash. :D

[Eshrules]

I take mine down to Morrisons and run it through the carwash. :D

:aargh4: please tell; me your joking! nearest mine gets to a car wash is when i use the pressure washer to clean all the rubbish off it and give it a quick shampoo, hand wax and wheels still cleaned at home though....

[s0niX]

soap and water cuts it for me :D

[ghee60]

A tip to keep wheels clean is to get some wheel wax, like wonder wheels. If you spend ages getting them spotless you can then apply the wax and let it set. Then next time you come to clean them you can wash the wax off the wheels taking the grime with it

[Mav2006]

I tend to use Autoglym for most jobs, however, I'm thinking about Merguairs (spelling?). I don't polish as often as I should either !!!!

[Col]

You are all heathens !!!

Washing; two bucket method to minimise scratching of the paint. Also use a pressure washer to blow as much grit off first.

Drying; Micro fibre all the way, I'd recommend this over a chamois, I used a chamois for years and would never go back.

Polishing; Used to go mad when I had my Golf, not so much with the Passat. But would compound the car about every 6 months to get rid of those horrible spiders web scratches. I use a profesional / bodyshop rotary machine polisher. As for the polish, I've tried loads and find the best to be.. Collinite 476, it last for ages and gives the car a really nice deep shine.

I was even so fanatical about the Golf that I'd re-paint the front end every 6 months and swap it over (bonnet and bumper) with the spare ones I had. Not so bothered about the Passat but I've not had it long and am currently doing lots at home (building an extension) so havn't got time.

[Eshrules]

You are all heathens !!!

Washing; two bucket method to minimise scratching of the paint. Also use a pressure washer to blow as much grit off first.

Drying; Micro fibre all the way, I'd recommend this over a chamois, I used a chamois for years and would never go back.

Polishing; Used to go mad when I had my Golf, not so much with the Passat. But would compound the car about every 6 months to get rid of those horrible spiders web scratches. I use a profesional / bodyshop rotary machine polisher. As for the polish, I've tried loads and find the best to be.. Collinite 476, it last for ages and gives the car a really nice deep shine.

I was even so fanatical about the Golf that I'd re-paint the front end every 6 months and swap it over (bonnet and bumper) with the spare ones I had. Not so bothered about the Passat but I've not had it long and am currently doing lots at home (building an extension) so havn't got time.



whats that pic about matey?

[Eshrules]

A tip to keep wheels clean is to get some wheel wax, like wonder wheels. If you spend ages getting them spotless you can then apply the wax and let it set. Then next time you come to clean them you can wash the wax off the wheels taking the grime with it

might sound daft, but id thought soemthing like this must exist... never seem to be able to find it though?

[ghee60]

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/wonder_wheels.jpg

Thats what your looking for they sell it in *********

[NicholasP]

i get it cleaned by the Polish boys down the end of the road..they know me now and have got all the tools and power washers to make it look good..and it cost me £20..and car looks decent afterwards

[gramey]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/images/icons/icon7.gifI fell for the salesmans spiel when I recently bought my 2002 Passat and had it done with Safeguard inside & out. It's supposed to stop stains on the interior and keep the shine on the exterior. Guaranteed for 6 years, don't actually expect it will last that long, but I wash the car with two buckets of water with Autoglym shampoo, rinse off and leather and hey presto it's all shiney again!http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Eshrules]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/images/icons/icon7.gifI fell for the salesmans spiel when I recently bought my 2002 Passat and had it done with Safeguard inside & out. It's supposed to stop stains on the interior and keep the shine on the exterior. Guaranteed for 6 years, don't actually expect it will last that long, but I wash the car with two buckets of water with Autoglym shampoo, rinse off and leather and hey presto it's all shiney again!http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif

ohhh those blasted salesmen... when i had a visit to a car supermarket (the carshop i belive), i was looking at a pug 307 (narrowly escaped disaster there!) they were like " yes, yes safeguard does this, it does that, it does the other " how much, i said... they said "as little as £2 a month" until they showed me the actual breakdown and were trying to charge me nearly £300 in total for that crap....

i have very little faith in things that seem too good to be true LOL

[Col]

whats that pic about matey?

What piccy ?

....just felt a profound need to post one up, never mind it's gone now.

[stuart]

Hate car washed.... my car is black, and any swirl marks stand out like a sore thumb:) I prefer good old fashioned elbow grease, helped by a pressure washer...

Best polish I have ever used is Zymol... not the expensive stuff, but the Cleaner wax, costs around £15.00, and make it shine:) due to be done soon...

And it make the whole garage and drive smell of coconuts!!

Stu

[RickT]

Wonder Wheels... I hate the stuff... I thought it was a right rip off and didnt work..

Since then i use some acid stuff my mate gives me which he uses to clean the cylinder heads from HGV's..

Only keep it on for about 1 minute and all the dirt wipes off no effort.. it eats the dirt.. ie.. i had not cleaned the car for about 1000 miles, (3 weeks) One spray on the wheel.. left to stand.. dirt just wipes off...

I have never left it on for more than a minute of so and its not friendly on you hands of drive... (the tarmac gone a white white in places!) but it does the job!

RicKT

[Mav2006]

what is the two bucket method i've read about?

[buster]

Wonder Wheels... I hate the stuff... I thought it was a right rip off and didnt work..

Since then i use some acid stuff my mate gives me which he uses to clean the cylinder heads from HGV's..

Only keep it on for about 1 minute and all the dirt wipes off no effort.. it eats the dirt.. ie.. i had not cleaned the car for about 1000 miles, (3 weeks) One spray on the wheel.. left to stand.. dirt just wipes off...

I have never left it on for more than a minute of so and its not friendly on you hands of drive... (the tarmac gone a white white in places!) but it does the job!

RicKT

oerrr :aargh4:

That sounds like either Dichloromethane (The main constuituent of paint stripper) or Hydrofluoric (not Hydrochloric) acid as used to remove road film from commercial alloy wheels.

The former can strip paint and poison you, although it has recently been declassified from "Possible risk of irreversible effects' (This stuff will kill you) to 'Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect' (This stuff might kill you).

The latter, well don't get me started on that one. If you get it on your hands it makes your skin go red and can make your skin sore. But the main thing is that it can soak into your hands and replace the calcium in your bones with flouride (It will literally turn you to jelly)

Don't wish to scaremonger, but I would be very careful if I were you.

[gramey]

I use Autoglym alloy wheel cleaner on mine and although I wouldn't recommend you drink it, it does not appear to be as severe as using acid!
Wheels get done once week same time as the rest of the car, as for the Safeguard (and were trying to charge me nearly £300 in total for that crap....) yeah it cost me £299.00 but it means I don't have to ***** around polishing, just wash, rinse and dry it off, time after time.
"i was looking at a pug 307 (narrowly escaped disaster there!)", personally I wouldn't pay £299 for a piece of french crap let alone spend an extra £299.00 on it, good call not to buy that one!!!

[new to vw]

AUTO-GLYM all the way......you cant go wrong with it.....it does what it says on the tin...:D :D

[MalcQV]

Autogylm and Maguires.

I am going to consider using Zymol products. Might even be tempted to have it done professionally.

[RickT]

oerrr :aargh4:

That sounds like either Dichloromethane (The main constuituent of paint stripper) or Hydrofluoric (not Hydrochloric) acid as used to remove road film from commercial alloy wheels.

The former can strip paint and poison you, although it has recently been declassified from "Possible risk of irreversible effects' (This stuff will kill you) to 'Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect' (This stuff might kill you).

The latter, well don't get me started on that one. If you get it on your hands it makes your skin go red and can make your skin sore. But the main thing is that it can soak into your hands and replace the calcium in your bones with flouride (It will literally turn you to jelly)

Don't wish to scaremonger, but I would be very careful if I were you.




however... i used a fresh pair of latex gloves each time and i mix it 50% with H2O into the spray gun.. so its not too raw!!

Ps... it's nice with a splash of lemonade and a segment of lemon on Ice!!


RicKT

[buster]

Ps... it's nice with a splash of lemonade and a segment of lemon on Ice!!


RicKT

LMAO

I will keep out of West Yorkshire :nervous:

It is good stuff though