General Luigi Get A Long Deserved BAth

[Nuova500]

Im sure if Mark looked at your car he would fine loads of scratches and flaws. I would never use an autowasher on my cars, they are just nasty. Waxing a car is very relaxing, and it lets you get to know the bodywork well. Youll spot stonechips and potential problems as you polish it. Not all flat reds will fade, depends on the pigment used and paint quality. Toyotas used to fade when red the worst, Fiats are bad at it too. My mate had a 1993 Passat in bright flat red and it still looked great recently.

 

[Lloyd71]

But my car's nearly six years old and has only had polish applied mechanically, in the car wash, very occasionally - and it still gleams. It's metallic blue. If it was non-metallic red it would be pink and flat by now. I know what you mean, but waxing a car is just too much like hard work for me.
I just stick it through the washer every week or two, or four in summer, and that's it. It looks fine too with nothing much in the way of fine scratches.

But that little 500 came up beautifully.

Polish applied in a car wash won't do anything apart from ruin your paintwork. It needs to be applied carefully in individual panels and broken down and worked with by using a machine polisher controlled by a human hand. Car washes are known in the detailing world as 'Swirl-o-matics' as they do nothing but ruin the paintwork, leaving swirls and scratches all over it.

Here's something that might make you look more carefully at your car next time the sun comes out. This car had been hand-washed with a sponge and bucket time and time again. A sponge and bucket does less damage than a carwash will, and it still looks this bad;

On the right is how the car looks after having been polished by a machine polisher controlled by a human hand using carefully chosen polishes and pads.

The reason Mark's car looks so good is because he washes it using the safest methods and applies a decent layer of protection over the top. Your car will NEVER look like his if you continue to use car washes. Sorry if that sounds harsh but it's just the truth.

Think of how many cars go through that car wash. Where is all of that dirt going as the tough brushes are whacking into your paintwork? It's going into the fibres which hold the dirt until the next car comes along, it then smacks not only the harsh fibres into your paintwork but also the grains of dirt. Those grains are spinning and smashing into your paint at high speed and scratching it much more than a gentle wash with a clean washmitt ever will.

As a further example, here's a cleaned MR2;

Looks good, right?

Here it is after having been fully detailed;

 

[Mark Elvin]

Mark, a little surprised to see you didn't remove the hub caps when cleaning the wheels. Is this because the clips are a little fragile?

That's exactly it, I remove them as little as possible due to the reports of tags breaking off.

Luigi looks great but dare I ask how long it took???????

3 hrs ish.

 

[Mark Elvin]

Top work Mark!!

I didn't realise you were a pro detailer until I was just browsing detailing world!! Do you travel to customers? If so how far do you go?

As far as I feel like at the time.

Off to South Devon later in the year (100miles or so) to do a Diablo.

 

[Chris@souls]

Not wanting to take this off topic but I have had the detailing argument so many times! Some people just dont appreciate it!

I cant wait for the better weather so I can get mine done! I'd love to have the skills, patience and products required but I think I'll hand mine over to a pro!

Detailing is fascinating, just browse through detailing world forum!

 

[Ulpian]

Polish applied in a car wash won't do anything apart from ruin your paintwork. It needs to be applied carefully in individual panels and broken down and worked with by using a machine polisher controlled by a human hand. Car washes are known in the detailing world as 'Swirl-o-matics' as they do nothing but ruin the paintwork, leaving swirls and scratches all over it.

I'm sure you are right, but for me my car is simply transport and in a few years it will be scrap. I simply don't have the time or interest to bother washing it by hand all the time. As long as it is clean enough and doesn't get my clothes dirty; that'll do. It's a big van after all, and as I said, it looks fine. Not perfect perhaps, but good enough.

If I had a 500 I'd probably stick that through he washer too Sorry, I'm fond of my cars, and have aways maintained them properly, but I have too much to do to spend half a day valeting. Its a time thing really. Terrible aren't I

 

[Mark Elvin]

Normalyy an hout once a week will do the trick, it's just that poot Luigi was so bad that he needed a little extra care yesterday.

That last 10-15% effort adds 100-200% time to a job, that's the difference between valeting & detailing.

Horses for courses really, some people are happy with a car that looks clean, other want to know it looks as good as is possible.

 

[Lloyd71]

I'm sure you are right, but for me my car is simply transport and in a few years it will be scrap. I simply don't have the time or interest to bother washing it by hand all the time. As long as it is clean enough and doesn't get my clothes dirty; that'll do. It's a big van after all, and as I said, it looks fine. Not perfect perhaps, but good enough.

If I had a 500 I'd probably stick that through he washer too Sorry, I'm fond of my cars, and have aways maintained them properly, but I have too much to do to spend half a day valeting. Its a time thing really. Terrible aren't I

You're basically the opposite of me, I spend hours and hours washing mine each week For some reason I got the impression you were asking how you could get your car to look as shiny as Mark's, hence the long and probably very annoying post. But someone might like to read it!

I usually spend 3 hours just washing my car, then the next few hours are spent being a right fidgety sod and getting everything spotless. Then it gets ruined again when I go to work. But it makes me happy to clean it so I keep doing it! Sort of like meditation to me for some reason.

 

[Chris@souls]

I often buff mine up in my lunch break with the Quick Detail spray, now that has to be sad lol!

 

[Ulpian]

You're basically the opposite of me, I spend hours and hours washing mine each week For some reason I got the impression you were asking how you could get your car to look as shiny as Mark's, hence the long and probably very annoying post. But someone might like to read it!

I was very impressed by the diligence and the fantastic result. Genuinely so. I just wish i had that sort of application. However, if I ever decide to wash my car properly I'll take your advice. Thanks.

 

[laineyiow]

I won't use automatic car washes (I'm too scared to go through them!) and tend to use the hand jet washes in garage or if on the mainland I go to a hand car wash. I just wish we had some hand car washes on the Island - I think they are just great and so cheap too - and my car always looks fabulous after it has had a clean.

Like a lot of other people have said being white it soon starts looking dirty.

 

[Mark Elvin]

Please tell me you don't ues the brush at the jet wash????

 

[grimwau]

That last 10-15% effort adds 100-200% time to a job, that's the difference between valeting & detailing.

It's also cleaning the places where you can't see that take time and give no discernible improvement to the overall looks of the car.

I used to be exactly the same when I had my garage and doing mechanical repairs. eg. after adjusting valve clearances I always cleaned inside the rocker/valve cover before refitting, always cleaned inside bell housing before refitting after doing a clutch job, etc.

No-one knows its clean ..... except you, just a good feeling. lol.

 

[Littala]

I usually spend 3 hours just washing my car, then the next few hours are spent being a right fidgety sod and getting everything spotless. Then it gets ruined again when I go to work. But it makes me happy to clean it so I keep doing it! Sort of like meditation to me for some reason.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm like that every Saturday morning 'till gone lunch-time, except if the weather is really cr*p. My other half says, "You love that car more than me don't you". I reply " Don't be daft, I love you both the same". However, I'm beginning to wonder if I've got OCD when it comes to cleaning and pampering Bepe on a Saturday morning.

 

[Adrian Bravo]

Cheers Mark, good info. Still love that colour

 

[Melanabb]

I've finaly managed to wash my car today! First time in a month Now its so shiny I can't bear it!!! No just joking, its lovely...

 

[nottsfiat07]

It's also cleaning the places where you can't see that take time and give no discernible improvement to the overall looks of the car.

I used to be exactly the same when I had my garage and doing mechanical repairs. eg. after adjusting valve clearances I always cleaned inside the rocker/valve cover before refitting, always cleaned inside bell housing before refitting after doing a clutch job, etc.

No-one knows its clean ..... except you, just a good feeling. lol.

I always clean inside my bell housing. Gives me a good feeling too.

 

[Heidi]

I always clean inside my bell housing. Gives me a good feeling too.

That has really really cheered me up tonight after a hard day at work. Thanks

 

[Heidi]

Please tell me you don't ues the brush at the jet wash????

This reminds me, I only used the brush at the jet wash once ever, on my brand new broom yellow Seicento, and the end of the brush came off just as i was pushing it on the car and the pipe that was left in my hands gouged my brand new paintwork. I never ever use the jet wash - I only ever get hubbie to do it or professional cleaning company (and you mark one day if I can face driving on the M4!)

 

[grimwau]

I always clean inside my bell housing. Gives me a good feeling too.

Qué, I don't get it. LOL.

I only ever get hubbie to do it or professional cleaning company (and you mark one day if I can face driving on the M4!)

You can probably get Mark to to do the travelling, just save up the pennies.