Dunno if any of you guys are into detailing, but I've been getting a sick thrill from buffing my little 03 Mirage every weekend since I got it :-)

Anyway, after a lot of reading on detailing forums, I bit the bullet and bought a Meguiar's clay bar kit today (basically a clay bar and a bottle of Quick Detail = $35).

I went with all Meguiar's products, just for consistency and because I like what I've had of their stuff so far.

So today I did:

1. A good wash (M's soft wash gel)

1b. Another good wash after a friendly parakeet dropped a big juicy bundle of joy on my front bonnet.

2. Clay bar treatment of roof and bonnet. You lube up the surface with a misting of the Quick detail, then gently draw the bar over the surface until all resistence is gone. Then wipe dry and move to the next section. I worked in about 30cmx30cm sections. You'll see the grime and crap it removes as a nicotine-stain-coloured gunk that will build up on the wax. I had a few smears of clay after this, from where I ran short on lubricant. They all came out in the following steps, so don't panic ;-)

3. Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner. This took a bit of work to work right in, and more work getting it out, but left the paint feeling lovely and smooth. Applied with a foam applicator pad, removed with a MF polishing cloth.

4. Deep Crystal Polymer Sealant. This is the fun part - not as much work to get on and off as the Paint Cleaner, but leaves your paintjob looking bloody marvellous :-) Also applied with a (new) foam pad, and removed with a new MF cloth.

The difference in using the clay bar is phenomenal. All feeling of resistance in gliding my hands over the surfaces is gone. It feels exactly like clean glass to the touch. It has a mirror-like reflective quality now.

It was a fair effort for a lazy computer geek like me, but I'm extremely happy with the results. The clay bar part was very easy - it really is no work, just light gliding.

I find it really hard to take photos of metallic paint finishes, but I'll try to get a few snaps off tomorrow in the light ;-)

Cheers!
John

Clay bar's are worth their weight in gold!

Anyone that wants their rig looking its best should have one!

True...Clay bar is like magic

xen, U'll be addicted to car detailing after u did it once..Well happened to me and still do it till now (polish and wax)

I used to just wash the car with kitten/mothers/armour all washes when i was a lot younger. My current cleaning process:

Remove bugs and bird crap: Meguiar's Gold Class Bug and Tar remover
Clean Wheels: Meguiar's Gold Non Acid Wheel Cleaner or Hot Rims Wheel Cleaner
Wash: Meguiar's NXT Tech wash
Clay: need to get around to doing this... lol, will probably use Meguiar's or Clay Magic
Dry: Meguiar's MF chamois, dry the whole car without wringing out the water.... awesome chamois (I have a 99 Civic sedan to just give an indication of size)
Window Cleaning: Meguiar's Glass cleaner (kinda smells like medicine... lol)
Scratch removal: Meguiar's Scratch X, this stuff works pretty good
Swirl removal (future step): Poor Boy's SSR 1.0 and 2.0 (cheapish but good value for money)
Headlight and tail lights: Meguiar's PlastX and in i'm not too lazy i polish and wax them as well.
Polish: Autoglym Super Resin Polish, easy on and easy off
Wax: Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax (liquid)
Tyres: Meguiar's Endurance Protectant Gel
Wheel: NXT All Metal Polish, easy on... not so easy off... lol
Exterior trim: Meguiar's Trim detailer, this works very very well. I had some plastic which looked old and grey but this restored it to a deep black.
Misc Metal parts (muffler tip): Autosol Metal Polish
Finish Up with a once over of Meguiar's QD, I've tried using the Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Final Inspection but the results were not what I had expected. This was most probably due to me being tired and not being able to buff it off quickly or with enough force, so it left streaks.



I think that's all I do, well that's all I can remember off the top of my head. Takes me about a day to do all of it since I do everything by hand, need to get myself a good buffer

Interior cleaning isn't usually as entensive simply because i get tired and lazy... haha
It's usually vaccuming, wiping down of plastics with water. Applying Armour All Protectant Gel on plastic trimmings (door panels, dashboard etc). Seats, carpet and roof lining i clean with Meguiar's Cloth & Trim Cleaner.

thats it, im going to get a clay bar tonight damnit!

I find the meguairs clay to break up after a session of claying, might try the mother's.
Xen: If u really interested in detailing, i know someone in Brisbane who stock a good brand (Pinnacle, wolfgang, Zaino, etc).
Quik Detailer is very versatile, my car still look shiny after 3 weeks without washing.

Fudd: do it mate! You won't be disappointed ;-) follow it with a paint clean, and a coat of wax / sealant and it will blow you away. Actually there's a heap of very very useful detailing how-to vids on meg's US site. I learned a heap there.

Reza: sounds very cool, I'd appreciate a PM! I suspect I know who you're talking about, but let's make sure ;-)

My girlfriend's Mirage is a 97, and has a very neglected paintjob. I'm mad keen for the weekend now just to get the day I'm going to need to do it right ;-)

Who says detailing is addictive? :-)

i use maguiars soft wash and its great stuff with just doing that

before we sold the commodoore dad used maguiars gold glass and buffed it up...we got a cheap "buffer" (lol i dont know what to call it)

these clay bars you speak of sound pretty good...will have to invest in a car cover before i put too much energy into cleaning the car up as it sits out in the elements....birds love it too

www.waxit.com.au has a few how to sections, plus you can purchase hi-end car care product there:). Happy detailing. If you guys follow 'Fifth Gear' show, a few series back, there's a guy who detailed exotics for 6k+ pound, and he include claying as one of his neccesary steps.

I did up there I think hahahaha...





U forgot to mention that he waxed the car by using his bare hands and massage the car's body!!How good is that??

For those interested in what a GBP6000 detail involves, here's a Youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkmZveqyU5E

Great segment ;-)

I've read about the wax that he was using (the one in the glass container), apparently it cost $20 000 (can't remember if that's AUD or GBP). BUT!!! you but it once and get unlimited refills... lol

Yep, a clay bar is certainly magic.

I was like you and had just about every meg's product there was, but since i was running low i thought i'd try something else.

I have just purcahsed
PO85RD in a 1L bottle (like swirl remover)
Menzerna final finish - polish
SSR2.5 1L bottle - SMELLS LIKE BUBBLEGUM!!! YUMMM!!
Wolfgang finishing pad
Poorboys Trim restorer
Poorboys Spray and gloss
P21S concourse Wax

Set me back just under $250 for all of that.

So yeah, give www.waxit.com.au a call and www.finalinspection.com.au aswell, they both looked after me really well.

All i can say is do try some other products, megs fine cut is like $25 for a bottle, the SSR2.5 only cost a few dollars more and i got double!!! so you cant complain with that!


Also, liquid wax is poo, after you use a paste wax you wont go back, your get so much more then compared to a liquid wax, im telling you, paste once you will love it.

As for bird poo, well once you detail the car..the bird poo just comes right off, of course seeing as the car is all shiney now, you will instantly notice it and wipe it off...

before i detailed the car i was like meh...it can stay there...

If anyone is in VIC, western suburbs preferably, i do do detailing on the side, PM me for more info

hell yes go the clay bar, read this a week ago and got around to buying and using a clay bar on the weekend, you don't realise how much dirt and stuff is still there after you have washed it.

Also got this stuff from supercheap called Forever Black tyre gel its like pigmented gel or something and that works magic as well tyres have never looked that deep black before.

i started claybaring the car on sunday.. 2.5 hours to do bonnet, roof and bootlid..
ill do the passenger side next week and the drivers the week after :S

Hell yeah - it is awesome stuff. You wouldn't believe how much nasty stuff came off my g/f's abused 1997 Mirage. Like I got through my car, using a single surface of clay, and having it a nicotine yellow when I was done. On my g/f's car, I got through about two square feet on her bonnet, and the clay was DARK BROWN.

Her car took a lot longer than mine, but it came up a treat ;-)

BTW Fudd, I hope you waxed your coat as well? Clay will take off your old wax layer. You really, really want to wax again whenever you're done with a panel (if you're doing it in parts). Otherwise you'll have a nice, shiny paintjob, with nothing protecting it at all...

This weekend my Dad and I are hitting up his 97 Celica. I'm mad keen to see how it turns out :-p

Cheers!
John

im mad keen to see my celica look pretty, havent the time with exams coming up however (andbesides, my 3512 and gd6001 are calling)

just a quick question, im not generally lazy so i would probably do it myself, how much is it for a general detail...and whats steps performed here are involved?

not that it makes any difference but im in queensland..

cheers

that really depends..

a professional detail involves a clayying, full swirl removal, seal, polish and a wax. also they usually clean wheel well's and seal your rims.
your looking at about $300 from a professional, but this of course approx for a full detail.

they can take over 9+ hours sometimes so it is worth the money:)

fair enough.......cheers

yeah waxed it after

Phew :-p

Forgive my paranoia...