Advice requested on maintaining a daily driver

ChiefyO · 13th May 2009, 16:29

My ZT is my daily use car used everyday for my work travelling up and down the M6, clocking about 600 miles a week. I am a complete novice to the detailing scene and am seeking advice on what to do to the ZT, to first of all get it looking its best and then secondly keeping it there. Bearing in mind the use to which the car is put I am looking for a cleaning regieme that would give me best possible appearance wthout having to spend hours on cleaning every weekend. Therefore all advice on techniques and recommended products would be much appreciated.

deano78 · 13th May 2009, 19:26

well it all depends on how far you want to go and how much you want to spend. without going down the machine polishing route i would invest in a pressure washer and a foam lance, foam (obviously), clay, a polish, and a decent wax or sealent. also a washmitt and 2 buckets, a good drying towel and some quick detailer. and some brushes as well and decent wheel cleaner.

so to get it clean-
foam and foam lance via a pressure washer, this will soften any dirt and pull most of it off the paint without touching it reducing the chance of damage due to rubbing hard debris into the paint. foam and lance can be bought from www.autobritedirect.co.uk this isnt essential I suppose but it does help in a keeping a car pristine. If you dont want to buy foam etc then make sure your car is given a good pre rinse before every wash. Get a decent shampoo. If you want to buy direct off the shelf then zymol autowash from halfords is probably the best stuff you can buy off the shelf. If you dont mind ordering off t'internet then get some bilthamber auto wash. http://www.bilthamber.com/autowash.html
it is excellent stuff as is their foam.
next is claying. this is where a clean car really starts. your car will look clean after a wash but you'll be gobsmacked at the amount of muck that comes off with claying. try the fine clay from www.seriousperformance.co.uk and you can also get the brilliant 425 quick detailer from there. this can be used as lube for the clay when watered down and also as a great quick detailer for maintaning the shine whilst drying. So after you clay rinse the car and dry it. drying towels arent something you should skimp on IMO as the wrong one could lead to scratches. I use the super plush towels from www.i4detailing.co.uk and you can also buy the super long vikan wheel brush from there which can clean right to the back of the wheel. for a good wheel cleaner either flag down an autosmart rep and buy some smartwheels or bilberry wheel cleaner is good (also available from i4 detailing). for a hand polish you really cant beat autoglym super resin polish. A truly underated product. it contains micro abrasives so it will clean, it contains fillers to mask minor scratches and swirls and leaves a good base for waxing. For a wax (or sealant) you want something durable. If you want to go all fancy then Zaino is brilliant but can be expensive and time consuming as it works best in multiple layers. FK1000p is a paste sealant and is available from serious performance. its about 20quid but the tin is massive and it leaves a very durable, glossy finish. It can also be used on your wheels to seal them so theyll be easier to clean in future.

When it comes time to was again, dont forget the pre rinse (or foam ideally). I always wash wheels first so i dont get any splash back on newly cleaned paint. Let the foam dwell for 5 mins then rinse off. wash with 2 buckets (see the sticky in this section) then dry using a spritz of quick detailer. this will top up the protection and shine and also allow the towel to move smoothly on the paint.

anything after this leads to a spiralling world of paint gauges and polishing machines.

anything else just ask. and sorry for the super post. I do waffle when it comes to detailing.

ChiefyO · 14th May 2009, 17:00

Deano Very many thanks on taking time out to provide such a detailed answer. I will read carefully, digest it and give it a go, just what I was looking for Ta.

empsburna · 15th May 2009, 15:02

FK1000p is excellent - a couple of layers will keep the car protected for months.

13th May 2009, 16:29	#1
ChiefyO Newbie MG ZT 160+ IPK UPGRADE, TWIN CATCH TANKS Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Advice requested on maintaining a daily driver My ZT is my daily use car used everyday for my work travelling up and down the M6, clocking about 600 miles a week. I am a complete novice to the detailing scene and am seeking advice on what to do to the ZT, to first of all get it looking its best and then secondly keeping it there. Bearing in mind the use to which the car is put I am looking for a cleaning regieme that would give me best possible appearance wthout having to spend hours on cleaning every weekend. Therefore all advice on techniques and recommended products would be much appreciated.

13th May 2009, 19:26	#2
deano78 Loves to post Audi A4 (formerly 75 cdt saloon) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: chorley Posts: 493 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	well it all depends on how far you want to go and how much you want to spend. without going down the machine polishing route i would invest in a pressure washer and a foam lance, foam (obviously), clay, a polish, and a decent wax or sealent. also a washmitt and 2 buckets, a good drying towel and some quick detailer. and some brushes as well and decent wheel cleaner. so to get it clean- foam and foam lance via a pressure washer, this will soften any dirt and pull most of it off the paint without touching it reducing the chance of damage due to rubbing hard debris into the paint. foam and lance can be bought from www.autobritedirect.co.uk this isnt essential I suppose but it does help in a keeping a car pristine. If you dont want to buy foam etc then make sure your car is given a good pre rinse before every wash. Get a decent shampoo. If you want to buy direct off the shelf then zymol autowash from halfords is probably the best stuff you can buy off the shelf. If you dont mind ordering off t'internet then get some bilthamber auto wash. http://www.bilthamber.com/autowash.html it is excellent stuff as is their foam. next is claying. this is where a clean car really starts. your car will look clean after a wash but you'll be gobsmacked at the amount of muck that comes off with claying. try the fine clay from www.seriousperformance.co.uk and you can also get the brilliant 425 quick detailer from there. this can be used as lube for the clay when watered down and also as a great quick detailer for maintaning the shine whilst drying. So after you clay rinse the car and dry it. drying towels arent something you should skimp on IMO as the wrong one could lead to scratches. I use the super plush towels from www.i4detailing.co.uk and you can also buy the super long vikan wheel brush from there which can clean right to the back of the wheel. for a good wheel cleaner either flag down an autosmart rep and buy some smartwheels or bilberry wheel cleaner is good (also available from i4 detailing). for a hand polish you really cant beat autoglym super resin polish. A truly underated product. it contains micro abrasives so it will clean, it contains fillers to mask minor scratches and swirls and leaves a good base for waxing. For a wax (or sealant) you want something durable. If you want to go all fancy then Zaino is brilliant but can be expensive and time consuming as it works best in multiple layers. FK1000p is a paste sealant and is available from serious performance. its about 20quid but the tin is massive and it leaves a very durable, glossy finish. It can also be used on your wheels to seal them so theyll be easier to clean in future. When it comes time to was again, dont forget the pre rinse (or foam ideally). I always wash wheels first so i dont get any splash back on newly cleaned paint. Let the foam dwell for 5 mins then rinse off. wash with 2 buckets (see the sticky in this section) then dry using a spritz of quick detailer. this will top up the protection and shine and also allow the towel to move smoothly on the paint. anything after this leads to a spiralling world of paint gauges and polishing machines. anything else just ask. and sorry for the super post. I do waffle when it comes to detailing. Last edited by deano78; 13th May 2009 at 19:30..

14th May 2009, 17:00	#3
ChiefyO Newbie MG ZT 160+ IPK UPGRADE, TWIN CATCH TANKS Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Deano Very many thanks on taking time out to provide such a detailed answer. I will read carefully, digest it and give it a go, just what I was looking for Ta.

15th May 2009, 15:02	#4
empsburna Gets stuck in Other Manufacturer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Black Country Posts: 716 Thanks: 0 Thanked 28 Times in 3 Posts	FK1000p is excellent - a couple of layers will keep the car protected for months.